KWTO The Dial Volume XI Number 2, February 1951

by C.C. Williford, May Kennedy McCord 'Queen of the Ozarks', Floyd Sullivan

Monthly publication of the ABC affiliated radio station KWTO ‘The Voice of the Ozarks Empire’, out of Springfield, Missouri. 'The Dial' was published from August 1941 - December, 1951 --- This issue features an article concerning KWTO's George Earle, articles/columns by May Kennedy McCord 'Queen of the Ozarks', C.C. Williford, Floyd Sullivan, George Earle, and various others, double page collage photo of 24 important circa 1951 radio personalities featured on KWTO, article and photo of 'The Goodwill Family and the new 'Hymn Book No. 2', Photo of Buster Fellows, 'the fiddlin'est man in these here parts' with his family, KWTO schedule for February 1951, Results of Radio Contest 'Know Your Presidents' with photos, of Clever, MO and Camdenton, MO winners, etc. --- KWTO was founded by Ralph D. Foster and began broadcasting on December 25, 1933. Foster applied for and got the call letters KWTO, which stood for "Keep Watching The Ozarks." Since the Federal Radio Commission prohibited playing recorded music on the air, the station had its own live bands. From the 1930s through the 1950s, KWTO's staff musicians included Slim Wilson and the Tall Timber Trio, Chet Atkins, The Carter Family, Wynn Stewart, Les Paul, The Haden Family and The Goodwill Family. KWTO'S Korn's-A-Krackin', a weekly "hillbilly variety" program, was carried nationally by the Mutual Broadcasting System. During the late 1940s and 1950s, the station played a key role in launching the careers of stars such as Porter Wagoner and The Browns. In 1954, the station began carrying Ozark Jubilee, which became an ABC-TV and radio show. In 1959, KWTO broke with its live music tradition and began playing country records, and for the next 30 years was known as "56 Country."

Paperback

Published January 1, 1951