Music Radio: The Great Performers And Programs Of The 1920s Through Early 1960s

by Jim Cox

Long before the invention of “talk radio,” music was the heart and soul of radio programming—whether standing alone, filling in the time between features, or identifying to widespread audiences the shows coming on and signing off the air. Jim Cox’s Music Radio encompasses the entire range of musical programming from the early 1920s to the early 1960s. Jazz, country, classical, gospel, pop, big band, western, and semi-classical forms are covered, as are the vocalists, instrumentalists and disc jockeys who made them available to listeners. Virtually all the major series and artists are explored in depth, and lesser known shows and performers are touched on as well. Some of the series included are The Bing Crosby Show, The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, The Fred Waring Show, Grand Ole Opry, The Bell Telephone Hour, The Cities Service Concerts, Your Hit Parade, The Kate Smith Show, The Railroad Hour, and The Voice of Firestone.

380 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Jim Cox, a retired college professor living in Louisville, Kentucky has written extensively on the history of radio from the 1920s to the present and is a historian on the subject of radio programming in the 20th century. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky.