Memphis’ WLOK – A Legend in its Own Time

While running in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon this past weekend, I passed the offices of WLOK 1340 AM, “A Family Tradition.”

Headquartered in a diminutive building on a back street near Memphis’ bustling downtown, WLOK is just as important to the music history of Memphis as Elvis, Sun, Stax, Hi, the COGIC headquarters, Beale Street, W.C. Handy’s house, WDIA, and East Trigg Baptist Church. It has enough of a history, in fact, to merit its own historical marker.

Most importantly, the gospel music emanating out of this storied institution Saturday was traditional to the core, what WLOK calls “Solid Gold.” The announcer noted that people all over the country – including Albertina Walker of the Caravans – listen to WLOK on-line at http://www.wlok.com/. I’m not surprised. When I wasn’t running, I was listening to WLOK, too.

You need to know about WLOK – one of gospel’s historic landmarks and, according to its history, “the second Memphis radio station to offer programming directed entirely to black audiences.” Read more about the station at http://www.wlok.com/.