Today, the Living Legends Foundation celebrates Pittsburgh, paying tribute to the Black radio stations that helped define & elevate the culture.
For more than 75 years, WAMO has stood as a pillar of Pittsburgh’s cultural and musical history. Known as the “Voice of Black Pittsburgh,” the station earned its reputation through deep community roots, particularly during the Civil Rights era, when it served as both a soundtrack and a source of information for the region’s African American community.
Broadcasting on 107.3 FM and AM 660, WAMO delivers simulcasts that blend local voices with nationally syndicated programming. Now owned by Audacy, the station features popular shows such as the syndicated DeDe in the Morning, along with on-air personalities KiKi Brown, Mike Dean, and Kode Wred. Over the decades, WAMO has become legendary, thanks in part to trailblazing DJs like Porky Chedwick, who helped popularize R&B and vocal groups throughout the region beginning in the 1950s.
WZUM was licensed in 1964 as an R&B and Top 40 station, partly owned by popular Pittsburgh polka bandleader James Psihoulis “Jimmy Pol”. Popular DJs included Al Gee and Jeff Troy, who later moved on to WWRL, as well as Bobby Bennett, who gained popularity at WOL.
WAMO’s story began in Homestead in 1948 under the call letters WHOD. In 1956, it became WAMO—a name inspired by the three rivers that define Pittsburgh: the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio. The station quickly became a cultural lifeline, bringing R&B and soul music to the Black community. For many listeners, it was more than entertainment; it was, as some described it, “a window on the African American experience in Pittsburgh.”
That legacy is now the focus of WAMO: The Sound of Steel City, a documentary set to debut February 28 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. The film is being created, directed, and produced by former WAMO employees, including Tashee “TeeJay” Johnson, who spent roughly 15 years at the station. Johnson was best known as one half of the Bad Boyz, the dynamic duo behind WAMO’s popular evening show in the late 1990s.
A significant chapter of the documentary highlights WAMO’s ownership under Sheridan Broadcasting. In 1972, Ronald Davenport—a former dean of Duquesne University’s law school—purchased the station through his company, making it Black-owned. WAMO remained under Black ownership until 2009, a period many consider the station’s golden era.
During those years, WAMO’s airwaves were shaped by unforgettable voices, including Alan Lincoln, Allegra Battle, Harriet C. Jackson, Brett Allen, Sly Jock, and Lisha Logan. National R&B star Keith Sweat also brought his signature style to the station with The Sweat Hotel. Legendary personalities such as Jonathan Steele (DJ Miracle), Portia Foxx, and Mike Dean helped define the station’s sound and identity. Behind the scenes, programmers like Sam Weaver, Eric Faison, Hurricane Dave Smith, and George Cook ensured the music and message stayed true to the community it served.
More than just a radio station, WAMO has been a cultural institution—amplifying voices, shaping musical tastes, and reflecting the spirit of Black Pittsburgh for generations.
If you have memories of these or other stations in Pittsburgh, please add them in the comments.
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