A WFDD Original
Across the Blue Ridge logo
Music & Culture

Across the Blue Ridge #110 - Blue Ridge Music Trails, WPAQ celebrates its 70th

by Paul Brown

ATBR host Paul Brown at WPAQ, the radio station where he got his start in professional broadcasting and journalism in the early 1980s. WPAQ is featured in our Blue Ridge Music Trails series this week. The commercial station in Mount Airy, NC has offered old-time, bluegrass, country and gospel music since its first broadcast in 1948. It formally celebrates 70 years on the air on February 3, 2018. Paul Brown

This week's program starts with a powerful collection of fiddle tunes, bluegrass, and old time songs.  From there, we move into our latest Blue Ridge Music Trails episode, featuring the Mount Airy, NC radio station WPAQ – where Across the Blue Ridge host Paul Brown got his start in professional broadcasting and journalism in the early 1980s.  A rarity in the media landscape, WPAQ is a commercial station which since its start in 1948 has embraced the music and culture of its own region, rather than simply presenting mass popular culture and music dictated by recording executives.  February 2, 2018 marks the station's 70th broadcast anniversary. WPAQ is now online as well as on the AM band (740 on the dial) – and it will soon expand to the FM band at 106.3, while keeping its AM service intact.  Paul Brown offers memories from WPAQ, plus lots of music from 1948 through 1984, giving us a sense of the continuity of tradition there.  We also find out about how you can experience WPAQ in person at the Earle Theater in Mount Airy, as well as online and on the air. 

Playlist

  1. Crazy Creek
    Tommy Jackson
    Square Dance Tonight
     
  2. Fine Times At Our House
    Adam Steffey & Eddie Bond
    New Primitive
     
  3. Waste Not, Want Not
    Big Country Bluegrass
    Let Them Kno I'm From Virginia
     
  4. Blue Ridge Cabin Home
    Flatt & Scruggs
    1948-59 Vol. 3
     
  5. Bug In The Taters
    Hill Billies
    The Hill Billies
     
  6. Roll On Buddy
    Roscoe Holcomb
    The High Lonesome Sound
     
  7. Break 1 - Natural Bridge Blues
    Lefty Hall with the Green Valley Boys
    WPAQ: Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountains
     
  8. Turn Your Radio On
    The Hall Twins
    Broadcast sound track
     
  9. Paddy On The Turnpike
    Esker Hutchins, Benton Flippen, Leake Caudle
    WPAQ
     
  10. How Will I Explain About You
    Skyline Serenaders
    WPAQ: Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountains
     
  11. God Loves His Children
    Mt. Zion Quartet
    WPAQ: Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountains
     
  12. When Was Jesus Born?
    Silvertone Gospel Harmonizers
    WPAQ
     
  13. Cripple Creek
    Benton Flippen & Leake Caudle
    WPAQ
     
  14. Under The Double Eagle
    Pate & Leroy Martin
    WPAQ
     
  15. Break 2 - Chicken Reel
    Reid Rakes
    WPAQ: Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountains
     
  16. Mountain Swing
    The Murphy Brothers with Dee Stone
    The Murphy Brothers & The Original Blue River Boys
     
  17. Get Down On Your Knees & Pray
    The Murphy Brothers
    The Murphy Brothers & The Original Blue River Boys
     
  18. Yankee Doodle
    The Old Timers
    WPAQ
     
  19. Going Home
    The Old Timers
    WPAQ
     
  20. John Henry
    Carlie Marion & Paul Brown
    WPAQ

300x250 Ad

More Across the Blue Ridge Archives

300x250 Ad

Support quality journalism, like the story above, with your gift right now.

Donate