Exploring Radio’s Live Music Roots

October 2, 2011 10:43 AM

Pappy Cheshire and his band were among the musicians who used to frequently perform in-studio at KMOX-AM in St. Louis.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Musicians from Kansas and Missouri who performed at a time when live music was all that was heard on the radio will be featured this month during an event at Kansas State University.

This year’s Great Plains Radio History Symposium is planned for Oct. 14.

Before World War II, radio stations played only live music in between news broadcasts or informational programs. Phonographic equipment of the time produced low-quality sound. But the main reason was federal regulations once ordered radio stations to provide content that was not available from non-broadcast sources.

Some of the symposium participants were teenagers when on-air live performances began to phase out after World War II. That’s when radio began switching toward the Top 40 format.

The event will feature live performance by former radio performers.