Mississippi
Fans, staff members of WZZQ to gather Saturday to remember the FM station. Here is why.
![Fans, staff members of WZZQ to gather Saturday to remember the FM station. Here is why. Fans, staff members of WZZQ to gather Saturday to remember the FM station. Here is why.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/08/08/PJAM/f6ddeb9f-d2a5-495a-8633-25fccb7ae3ce-Q1.jpg?auto=webp&crop=1439,809,x1,y619&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Celebrated Mississippi creator, restaurateur and grasp chef Robert St. John will seem at Duling Corridor this Saturday, Aug. 13, to average a panel dialogue about Jackson’s fabled radio station WZZQ.
The dialogue might be half of what’s being known as a “WZZQ Listener Occasion” sponsored by Cue Burn Movies, LLC. The movie firm is producing a documentary concerning the rock station which broadcast from 1968 till 1981.
“I used to be honored to be requested — it’s a privilege,” stated St. John of his deliberate participation. “I used to be within the radio enterprise earlier than I received into the restaurant enterprise and WZZQ was a station I at all times seemed as much as — it was only a pinnacle for music,” he stated.
Though St. John grew up in Hattiesburg, he stated that didn’t cease him from listening to WZZQ as a youngster.
“I needed to get the antenna positioned excellent however I used to be capable of pay attention at evening — so I heard a whole lot of Perez,” St. John stated.
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Perez Hodge is likely one of the few unique WZZQ announcers nonetheless working in Jackson radio — at the moment as a producer of the Gallo Present at Supertalk Mississippi. He and St. John might be joined at Saturday’s panel by former WZZQ program director Curtis Jones (identified on-air as “Sebastian”), former announcer Bruce Owen, former information anchors Invoice Ellison and Lamar Evans, and Sam Adcock, the son of former WZZQ music director David Adcock.
Doorways will open at 10 a.m. Followers and former listeners are inspired to deliver tales, pictures, flyers, bumper stickers and every other memorabilia they might have linked to the station.
“We gained’t take away any of the objects — we are going to simply scan them and provides them proper again,” stated Ann Ford of Cue Burn Movies, producer of the documentary. “We may also have cameras arrange and can encourage everybody to inform their WZZQ tales. WZZQ constructed a group of listeners, and the undertaking can be incomplete with out their voices.”
The panel dialogue might be held from midday till 2 p.m. and afterward there might be an extra hour for folks to share objects and tales.
WZZQ’s historical past as a rock station started with what was often known as WJDX-FM working from a tiny room contained in the WLBT constructing on Jefferson Road. Two males, Phil Seymour and Fred Mitchell, who had been uncovered to pioneering free-form stations like KSAN in San Francisco, approached station administration about attempting an identical format in Jackson.
WZZQ is born
WJDX-FM on the time operated as a simple listening and classical station, producing little in the best way of both listenership or promoting. So, with little to lose, the station’s proprietor, Lamar Life Insurance coverage, gave Seymour and Mitchell the inexperienced mild.
Owen, who started working there in 1969 remembers the most important drawback early on was getting a gentle provide of latest music.
“I might typically should drive to New Orleans the place the report firms had places of work and I might come residence with a trunk stuffed with albums,” Owen stated. “Finally, they put us on their mailing lists.”
Because the station grew, so did its viewers. By 1973 new studios had been constructed on Beasley Highway and the station’s name letters have been rebranded as WZZQ.
“We performed music from all over — nation, jazz, rock, blues and folks. So there have been so much if totally different types,” stated Jones, who joined the employees in 1972. “Our philosophy was to show folks about good music. That may not have been the neatest factor to do at a business station nevertheless it appeared to work.”
The trick for DJ’s was to make all of it match collectively, so the power to create “units,” or teams of songs that someway associated to 1 one other, was a prized expertise.
As David Adcock wrote in 1981, “We have been at our greatest after we may create an entire emotional expertise — one with a starting, a center and an finish. At ZZQ nobody track stood alone. It acquired its significance from what got here earlier than and what adopted after.”
By the mid ’70s the station’s attain had turn out to be immense. A July 4, 1974, free live performance sponsored by WZZQ introduced a staggering crowd of younger folks to the reservoir’s Lakeshore Park to listen to “Let’s Eat,” and “Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers.”
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“That was a lot enjoyable — we estimated about10,000 folks have been there and Larry Raspberry was simply nice,” Owen stated.
‘Free the Rock’
The rising viewers additionally meant that station managers, ever aware of rankings, additionally began paying extra consideration. The free-form “play something” format progressively gave solution to a extra tightly formatted rotation of songs, intently tied to nationally revealed AOR or album-oriented rock charts.
The tighter format didn’t sit nicely with a few of the station’s extra diehard followers. By 1980 flyers have been posted round Jackson urging listeners to “Free the Rock” by writing protest letters, however the effort appeared to have little impact.
Then in 1981, rumors started circulating that Lamar Life, which had misplaced its license to function flagship TV station WLBT a decade earlier, was able to name it quits within the broadcasting enterprise. And the seemingly purchaser? A rustic radio station proprietor and promoter from Little Rock named Kerby Confer.
For about two weeks on the very finish, administration once more relaxed the foundations, primarily letting DJ’s play what they needed. The “new Q” was once more sounding just like the “previous Q.” Station supervisor Marshall Magee and Program Director Dave Perkins stated the change would enable these “completely devoted, devoted listeners to essentially benefit from the station.”
Then on July 2, 1981, the hammer fell, ending with a “loss of life set” of songs late into the evening that included “Station to Station” (David Bowie, 1976) and “The Dying of Rock and Roll” (Todd Rundgren, 1975). The ultimate track was “The Finish,” a haunting 12-minute rock ballad by the Doorways written by lead singer Jim Morrison in 1966 about his breakup with an ex-lover.
“This was WZZQ Jackson,” got here the ultimate, curt announcement earlier than the transmitter was turned off. Individuals cried.
WZZQ is lifeless
WZZQ was formally lifeless, however its legacy lived on in fascinating methods. Notably, Adcock created a vastly well-liked Sunday morning radio program known as “Tunes Til’ Two,” largely paying homage to WZZQ’s halcyon days. Adcock died in 2001, however in recent times his son, Sam Adcock has carried the custom ahead on radiofreejxn.com that includes each new content material and recorded tapes of his dad’s unique exhibits from the Nineties.
Ford, who’s directing the movie, stated she received the concept throughout an informal dialog with Ellison, who’s a neighbor.
“We began speaking about ZZQ and Invoice stated, ‘Any person ought to make a documentary,’ and he was proper,” Ford stated.
She might be joined by producer Robbie Fisher and director of pictures Don Warren in finishing the ultimate edit. The Magnolia Impartial Movie Competition is serving as a fiscal sponsor.
The occasion and documentary are being made potential by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, by assist from the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities.
Admission Saturday is free however attributable to restricted seating tickets should be ordered upfront by eventbrite.com.
Hyperlinks to tickets and additional info could also be discovered at fb.com/WZZQtheMovie. Individuals unable to attend who would nonetheless prefer to take part are invited to contact Ann Ford by zzqdoc@gmail.com.
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In case you go
Occasion: WZZQ Listener Occasion, permitting followers of the previous station to share recollections and memorabilia with documentary filmmakers.
Date: Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022
Location: Duling Corridor, 622 Duling Ave., Jackson, 39216
Instances: 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. with a panel dialogue moderated by Robert St. John from Midday till 2 p.m.
Tickets: Out there on a restricted foundation at no cost by eventbrite.com. For hyperlinks and extra info go to fb.com/WZZQtheMovie.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Mississippi
Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)
![Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31) Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/high_school/01j5m63arexrvt6r9tmr.jpg)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for August25-31. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. The poll will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email Tyler@scorebooklive.com. For questions/issues with he poll, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Kohl Bradley, DB, George County: Racked up 17 tackles and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in a 33-7 win over East Central.
DaJuan Colbert, DB, Natchez: Recorded 15 tackles, forced one fumble and returned another one 75 yards for a touchdown in a 58-50 win over Hancock.
Garrison Davis, QB, Holmes County Central: Completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-6 win over Vicksburg.
Xzavion Gainwell, DB, Yazoo County: Recorded nine tackles, an interception and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Panthers’ 20-16 win over South Delta.
Elijah Jones, RB, West Jones: Had 24 carries 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Laurel.
Kingi McNair, WR, Pearl: Caught four passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over Neshoba Central.
Ashton Nichols, DB, Clinton: Recorded six tackles to go with two big pass breakups, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown in a 26-20 win over Warren Central.
Ethan Prater, RB, Pisgah: Rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries with three scores and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 33-32 win over North Forrest.
Glen Singleton, RB, Madison Central: Rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries with all four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Ocean Springs.
Damarius Yates, RB, Kemper County: Rushed for 193 yards on 17 carries and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a 38-15 win over Kosciusko.
Mississippi
‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations
![‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations ‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3KMJQZPKGBHNRCT7NENQ3O72YY.png?auth=8e7e3183f489f41a63616389bdae4dd45efc187856d208138265c67183c736b4&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.
Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.
Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.
CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.
“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.
Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.
Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.
“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.
Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.
“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.
Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.
“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”
The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.
“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.
All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.
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Copyright 2024 WLBT. All rights reserved.
Mississippi
Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says
![Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/07/11/USAT/9631b18b-dce5-449d-a448-47f4b71a9b44-MS-01.png?auto=webp&crop=3954,2224,x823,y443&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that killed seven and injured 36 people.
The deadly bus crash in Mississippi that killed seven people and injured dozens of others early Saturday occurred after the vehicle experienced a tire failure, causing it to run off the road and overturn, officials and authorities said.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that left seven people dead and another 36 people injured. The collision occurred at about 12:40 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Vicksburg, Mississippi, when the bus left the roadway and overturned.
The bus, which authorities described as a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, traveled westbound when its left front tire failed, NTSB member Todd Inman said at a news conference Sunday. The bus then moved onto an embankment and rolled over on its left side.
Inman added that investigators will be at the scene for at least another week and are looking into several factors of the crash, including the vehicle’s mechanical condition, motor carrier safety, the condition and experience of the driver, and environmental factors.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation records, the bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos. Records show that in the 24 months before Saturday, the transit company’s vehicles were involved in one fatal crash, two injury collisions, and a crash requiring a tow truck.
The transit company has over 20 years of experience and provides trips between more than 100 destinations throughout Mexico and the United States, according to Autobuses Regiomontanos’ website.
“Everyone at the NTSB sends their expressions of sorrow for everything that the survivors and victims of this crash went through,” Inman said.
7 killed, 36 injured in bus crash
The bus carried a total of 41 passengers and two drivers, according to authorities. It was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas when the incident occurred.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Master Sergeant Kervin K. Stewart with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died later at a hospital, Stewart said.
Another 36 people were transported to area hospitals.
Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said two victims killed in the crash were identified by their mother as a 16-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, according to The New York Times. Authorities were working to identify the other victims.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
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