Today in Wheeling History: January 6—WWVA announces the cancellation of the WWVA Jamboree, West Virginia's legendary country music radio show that had aired continuously since 1933, as the station streamlines its focus on its talk radio format (2007).
The WWVA Jamboree first aired on January 7, 1933, becoming one of America's pioneering live-audience country music radio programs, second only to Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in longevity. Broadcasting from Wheeling on 50,000-watt clear-channel station WWVA at 1170 AM, the show reached audiences across the eastern United States and into Canada. The program launched from WWVA's Hawley Building studios before moving to the Capitol Theatre stage on April 1, 1933, where over 3,000 patrons packed the venue for its first live performance.
Over seven decades, the Jamboree featured country music legends including Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Doc and Chickie Williams, Grandpa Jones, and Brad Paisley, who began his career there as a twelve-year-old in 1984. The show broadcast from various Wheeling theaters throughout its history, returning to the Capitol Theatre (renamed Capitol Music Hall) in 1969, where it remained until 2005.
WWVA's corporate ownership canceled the program in early 2007 as part of restructuring efforts. However, the Jamboree was revived in 2009 by crosstown station WKKX-AM after WWVA's then-sister property Live Nation spun off the program to a nonprofit organization, renaming it the Wheeling Jamboree.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/5c8c5mwz); West Virginia Encyclopedia (https://tinyurl.com/2tvwkzft), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/4maaw93c) (https://tinyurl.com/2jx2aerk) (https://tinyurl.com/42uwsaxh), Wheeling Jamboree (https://tinyurl.com/4s2mku7n), LuquiSearch (https://tinyurl.com/ef3ks7xf), West Virginia Public Broadcasting (https://tinyurl.com/4zhwcuvt)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The WWVA Jamboree first aired on January 7, 1933, becoming one of America's pioneering live-audience country music radio programs, second only to Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in longevity. Broadcasting from Wheeling on 50,000-watt clear-channel station WWVA at 1170 AM, the show reached audiences across the eastern United States and into Canada. The program launched from WWVA's Hawley Building studios before moving to the Capitol Theatre stage on April 1, 1933, where over 3,000 patrons packed the venue for its first live performance.
Over seven decades, the Jamboree featured country music legends including Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Doc and Chickie Williams, Grandpa Jones, and Brad Paisley, who began his career there as a twelve-year-old in 1984. The show broadcast from various Wheeling theaters throughout its history, returning to the Capitol Theatre (renamed Capitol Music Hall) in 1969, where it remained until 2005.
WWVA's corporate ownership canceled the program in early 2007 as part of restructuring efforts. However, the Jamboree was revived in 2009 by crosstown station WKKX-AM after WWVA's then-sister property Live Nation spun off the program to a nonprofit organization, renaming it the Wheeling Jamboree.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/5c8c5mwz); West Virginia Encyclopedia (https://tinyurl.com/2tvwkzft), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/4maaw93c) (https://tinyurl.com/2jx2aerk) (https://tinyurl.com/42uwsaxh), Wheeling Jamboree (https://tinyurl.com/4s2mku7n), LuquiSearch (https://tinyurl.com/ef3ks7xf), West Virginia Public Broadcasting (https://tinyurl.com/4zhwcuvt)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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