WVSP Willie "C's" Blues, Here and There show 1980

A rare sample from Warrenton, NC'[s short lived (but long loved) minority sponsored PBS FM radio station which featured Blues, Jazz, R&B, and Reggae. The programs were hosted by a number of dedicated DJs who often contributed a variety of vintage and rare 78s to CD formats from their own personal collections. This show originated from a1980 program transcript featuring Willie C's popular Sunday night show "Blues Here and There". This represents a non monetized historical archival effort originally recorded with the assistance and support of Ms. Valeria Leigh, Station founder and manager who initially was admittedly surprised as well as gracious in her acceptance of the enthusiasm evolving into support from the growing Greenville, NC fan base and WVSP played a significant role in "breaking" early tracks and gaining exposure from soon to be globally renowned NC Folk Blues artists such as Big Boy Henry and Algia Mae Hinton.
No copy right implied herein and offered as a rare representative sample of a collected work of a totally minority operated PBS initiative from North Carolina.

[@wcjones73]

Precious Precious is a killer version!

[@audiomez]

Yea, Love that baritone sax

[@audiomez]

Technical Note: Early on the fledgling little station suffered from use of an unreliable low power transmitter and I believe a tube Gates Control Board. I and Lightning, and other soul and blues comrades suffered on Sunday evenings from "VSP Jones". We had to drive an hour to refine the scratchy pure GOLD once we were 10 or so miles north west of Rocky Mount approaching a closer radius of Warren County. I distinctly remember the Sunday night me and a pal were riding fast in my Blue TR-6 traversing back from Raleigh with my new Pioneer bi amped Super Tuner scanning stations and it stopped dead on a soul song that immediately blew us away. A deep soul ballad "Please Don't Make Me Do Something Bad To You" by someone named ZZ Hill!!! The dj talked over the intros but identified each artists. Next we heard Johnny Adams, who sounded like a soulful Tom Jones. "I Can't Be All Bad" wailed, and his vocal easily was over 3 octaves. We slowed and pulled over under an overpass. We sat there for 45 minutes.
Outside of Nashville on 64 the reception became ratty. Willie C (the DJ) had exposed me to all I'd missed off THE BLACK CHARTS. I Knew somehow I could lure that station in. My mentor (a VOA buddy) who assisted technically during my construction of Audio Arts Studio suggested the erection of a 100 ft powered tunable FM antenna. I bet Radio Shack never sold so many lengths of pipe complete with dome light, guide wires and multiple support cables. After the project was completed the signal was 5 by 5 (and otherwise the WVSP signal mostly undetectable most everywhere else.) The tower was located at 402 Holly St. a block from campus and a block from the Attic Night Club. The little red light was visible blocks away from Downtown. We fed the coaxial from the grounded tower made sturdy by it's lower channel pipes lashed to a medal fire escape. I fed the leads to a vintage tube Fisher Tuner for pre amperage followed by light comp-limiting via a pair of vintage LAs: then to an Audio Control spectrum analyzer/EQ and finally bussed to a Mini Walker broadcast mixer for recording. Using TDK SA cassette tape the real high end element lived by virtue of the pair of AKAI GX F90 glass head recorder reproducers. For several years Sunday nights at the Holly St apartment parking lot was often packed with musicians, artist, and friends enjoying and learning ethnic blessings of undiscovered Reggae, Soul, Jazz, Blues and culture. Willie played Joe Tex songs for me every night. Later Audio Arts Produced benefits, shows, radio productions and Valeria became a respected personality in the Greenville entertainment circle. The cassettes still kick ass.