This page is a platform to celebrate the History of WPUV Radio and it's Legacy of Community Service
Farmer Dale and the Farm Hands! Another great photo in the WPUV Studio! Thanks Pat Odell for sharing!
From left to right: Cousin Elmer, June Draper, young Harless Draper, in the back is Claude Warden ( also the fiddle player for James Covey), and on the far right is Farmer Dale Gallimore.
Checkout this remarkably clear photo of James Covey and His Virginia Partners, which was featured on the vintage concert poster when the band performed at Newbern School way back in 1948! Thanks Betty Anne Messina for sharing the photo!
Born in 1927, the IBMA remembers the birthday of Hall of Fame member Anne Louise Certain Scruggs. Wife of Earl Scruggs.
Cited for being considered “the first female manager in country music history, who set new managerial and music business standards for both men and women over the course of her illustrious and trailblazing career.” Louise was a pioneering figure in artist management who opened important doors for bluegrass.
Today we honor her work and contributions to this music and the industry as a whole! 🪕🫶🏻
Today as we Remember and Honor Our Heroes who made the Ultimate Sacrifice for our Freedom, it is also 76 years ago today in 1946 that the former WPUV Radio Station became a Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) affiliate for Pulaski, VA and surrounding communities. Below is an actual 1951 Western Union message from MBS to WPUV announcing their plans to recognize their 5th Anniversary!
Recently, we had the pleasure of connecting with Joey Draper who shared a couple photos of his Dad (June) from his days with WPUV! June Draper was a key part of WPUV and the Pulaski community as a successful DJ and Musician! He first became involved with the station when he was just 14 after he was given the opportunity to go on air to demonstrate his yodeling skills. Here he is on the right in the first photo performing with Henry McPeak and in the second photo, June is sitting on his car in the WPUV parking lot.
Checkout this 1947 photo of Jimmy Price and the Rocky Mountain Boys, a popular bluegrass band who was also a regular on the WPUV air waves during this time! Thanks Price Tucker for sharing this great pic of your Dad and his band!
Happy New Year! It’s been great getting this page started and celebrating the 75th Anniversary of WPUV this year! Looking forward to keeping it going and continuing to explore the wonderful history of this radio station from the past! Wishing everyone a great 2022!
(James Covey and his Virginia Partners - Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Radio station staff stand on the front steps of WPUV in Pulaski, VA, most likely in 1950’s. The station had a great start in 1946 and quickly rose to be a jewel of the community serving as a reliable source of news, music, national entertainment shows, live event broadcasts (sports, church services, etc.), local and national advertising, and much more. If you recognize anyone in this photo, please share in the comments!
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Every Fall, the gridiron comes ALIVE with the best of high school and college football! It was no different back in the day when WPUV would broadcast these exciting games!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - September 1950 and 1953)
RIP Tom T Hall...what an incredible legacy you leave behind! Thanks for the music!
Celebrate the life of songwriters Dixie and Tom T. Hall and their journey to bluegrass music. Exhibit opening June, 2016.
A radio Disc Jockey from WPUV! Not sure of the exact time period (possibly early 1950’s) or the name of the DJ, so if you know, please comment! Great photo!
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
WPUV really hit the ground running after they first hit the air on May 30, 1946! Less than two months later on July 17, 1946, they were doing play-by-play broadcasting for the All Star Baseball Game advertised in the local Southwest Times! The game could possibly have been played at the nearby historic Calfee Park, but we couldn’t confirm.
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - July 14, 1946)
In 1948, WPUV broadcasted the dedication ceremony of the new CIaytor Lake State Park from the Haven B. Howe House, located within the park! The park was named after Graham Claytor, Sr., then Vice President of Appalachian Power, who supervised the construction of the the dam from 1937 to 1939 as a 4,500-acre, 21-mile reservoir on the New River to generate hydroelectric power. Since it’s dedication, Claytor Lake State Park has served the community for many generations with great attractions such as hiking trails, a freshwater swimming beach, boating and fishing opportunities, a full-service marina, visitor center, concession, lakeside cabins, and much more. The Howe House was built between 1876 and 1879, and is a two-story, brick dwelling with Italianate style detailing. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
(Dedication Ceremony photo by Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Another great ad promoting the station!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - August 27, 1950)
The Byrd Brothers posing for a photo while waiting to perform at the WPUV studios on February 25, 1950.
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Now - (Valley Road Chapel - Pulaski, VA)
So happy we were able to get this page going to celebrate our Memories of WPUV and the great thing about it is having an unlimited source of information from the local newspaper archives! Check out this cool ad announcing the 3rd Anniversary celebration of the station! So much more to come on this page! Stay tuned!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - May 29, 1949)
Pulaski’s Valley Road Presbyterian Church then and Valley Road Chapel now! Back in the day, WPUV would routinely broadcast LIVE from local churches like this so the community could listen on the radio. As mentioned in a Southwest Times article dated June 18, 2006 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary, Jim Covey recalled how he helped his Dad (James Covey) setup for remote broadcasts. “We would go in, set up everything at the church and broadcast Sunday services.”
Church Photos:
Then - (Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Now - (Valley Road Chapel - Pulaski, VA)
Church Broadcast Ads:
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - July 7, 1946 & Septmber 18, 1947)
In this photo and also included in the main group cover photo of this page is Charles Free. Charles was a local businessman and owner of Free Furniture in Dublin, VA, who made most all of the initial WPUV entertainment programs possible, including the debut of James Covey and His Virginia Partners on December 4, 1946. To honor his legacy still today, the Town of Dublin named a library after him and his wife titled the Charles & Ona B. Free Library!
Late 1946 Southwest Times Advertisement for “15 Minutes of Good Old Fashioned Songs and Music” on WPUV!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - Fall 1946)
Shortly after the start of WPUV in 1946, local On-Air LIVE entertainment began with James Covey and His Virginia Partners and would continue with many other artists throughout the life of the station, including the Virginia Hillbillies in this photo. Pictured L-R kneeling (Ray Reynolds and Elmer Jones) and L-R standing (Sponsor Charles Free, Viola Jones Dickerson, Brenda Dickerson O’Dell, and Owner Harold Imboden).
(Images of America - Pulaski: John B. White on behalf of the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum)
Daily Broadcast Schedule:
“WPUV - Serving Southwest Virginia - 1230 On Your Dial -“
The new radio station in 1946 didn’t waste any time in publishing their daily broadcast schedule in the Southwest Times. With WPUV Howard Imboden also being the owner/publisher of the paper, it appears that he made sure that happened not just weekly, but with every publication. The schedule was always full with a mix of both local and national Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) programs. Checkout the screenshots (zoomed out and in) of the paper back then. To get a real close look at the schedule in the second screenshot, you may still need to save as a photo and then enlarge to fully see the contents. Enjoy!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - November 6, 1946)
“Station manager Robert C. Wolfenden is pictured in the June 2, 1946 edition of The Southwest Times switching on the 250-watt transmitter of WPUV at exactly 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 30, 1946.”
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - June 18, 2006)
Howard Imboden, former Mayor of Pulaski, VA, Southwest Times Publisher, Founder of WPUV, and more is pictured sitting with a friend on a bench in front of a brick building.
A Tennessee native, Imboden relocated to Pulaski in 1927 and joined Southwest Times as Advertising and General Manager. In 1935, he acquired a controlling interest in the newspaper and published it until 1954 when it was sold to the Worrell Group. Imboden served two terms as Mayor of Pulaski from 1950 to 1953. He also founded the Princeton Times in Princeton, WV and had an interest in the Smyth County News in Marion, VA. Finally, he was head of the Pulaski County Industrial Development Corporation and was involved in various civic and sports organizations. In January 1982, Mr. Imboden died at the age of 79 at his winter home in Naples, FL.
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Comedic on-air skits at WPUV were fairly common and DJ Dale Gallimore was well known for them each time he graced the mic! In addition to his work at WPUV, Mr. Gallimore started radio stations WHHB in Hillsville and WHFC in Floyd and was Master of Ceremonies at the Galax Fiddlers Convention in the 1960’s!
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
On this day, we remember and honor those who served, past and present, and sacrifices made to safeguard our way of life! WPUV was a big supporter of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) chapter. Here, the station is awarded a citation for the VFW’s appreciation of their support!
(Farmer Photograph Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA)
Thanks to all of who have liked the page thus far! The first post after the initial info we would like to share is the great section on WPUV that John B. White wrote in his book, “ Pulaski’s Story!” It includes the other very popular music group, “Ruby Jane and Betty Show,” that performed at the station not too long after “James Covey and His Virginia Partners.” Also, you will see that the term “Partners” in this section is referred to as “Pardners.” While there may have been a short time they possibly used that spelling, most all of the items (including my Grandfather’s handwriting - see signature on group photo) we’ve seen so far are referred to as “Partners.”
(PULASKI’S STORY - John B. White)
In 2006, for the 60th Anniversary of the WPUV, the Southwest Times published an article on their history! See below for the article!
(SOUTHWEST TIMES - June 18, 2006)
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