Today, the Living Legends Foundation celebrates Philadelphia, paying tribute to the Black radio stations that helped define & elevate the culture.
Philadelphia’s Black radio history revolves around WDAS and WHAT. WDAS AM laid early groundwork in Black music and community coverage, but WDAS FM 105.3 became the signal most associated with defining Philadelphia’s modern soul and R&B sound. Though ownership shifted over time, WDAS maintained a strong commitment to Black-oriented programming and civic activism, promoting civil rights efforts, voter registration, and local causes. Georgie Woods, known as “The Guy with the Goods,” used his WDAS platform to support marches, elevate local talent, and mobilize listeners.
Popular DJs were Louise Williams “the Gospel Queen of Philadelphia” for 49 years, Jocko Henderson, Mimi Brown and Dyana Williams, who also helped to create Black Music Month. Joe “Butterball” Tamburro was the long-time Program Director and Operations Manager, in addition to hosting his “Sunday Night Dance Party” show.
WHAT carved out a parallel space by expanding opportunities for Black announcers and specialty programming, creating a more experimental and grassroots counterpart to WDAS’s mass appeal. In 1944, William Banks purchased WHAT & became the station’s new President with his sister, Dolly Banks, as program director. WHAT became the first U.S. radio station to hire a full-time black announcer, the first to program a regular show featuring a black woman as hostess and the first station in the city to hire black newscasters. It also was the first in the nation to feature a black host of a daily talk show.
Popular DJs included Hy Lit, Sonny Hopson “The Mighty Burner”, Jerry Blavat, Georgie Woods and Mary Mason, gospel music host and talk show host of “Mornings with Mary”. She became a prominent and politically influential fixture at the station. Rapper Lady B started at WHAT as an intern and is now heard on Classic 107.9. It is currently a Spanish-language music station after numerous ownership changes.
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