WSID 1010-AM was owned and named after lawyer SIDney Tinsley. Known in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s as a country station, WSID 1570 featured broadcasts by Tex Daniels & His Lazy H Ranch Boys early ‘50s mid-day program. The station also featured a young announcer named Jack Gale who went on to carve out an illustrious career in radio and the record business.
WSID DJ Hal Jackson later moved on to New York where he staged live music productions at the famous Apollo Theater. Jackson went on to become owner of a string of radio stations. Band leader Eddie Beres hosted his own program in the early ‘50s.
Eventually WSID evolved to an R&B format. DJ Henry Sampson (see bio) known as ‘The Roving Disc Jockey’ started at WSID around 1950. He was given the option to play R&B or gospel. Henry chose to play gospel. He hosted The “House of Blue Lights” program. Air personalities included Paul Johnson aka ‘Fat Daddy,’ Wiley Daniels, Hank Hood, Bill Franklin (who helped to make the Marylanders R&B group popular), Bill ‘Sparky’ Mullen (who also worked on WSID’s FM side), Eddie Morrison, Pauline Lewis, Fred Garrett, Billy Foxx, Kelson Fisher (“Swing Party” show Mon-Sat. 6 PM – circa late ‘50s featured performances by local groups including The Tangiers), Diamond Jim Sears (also emceed at Well’s Lounge – later went on to WEBB)…
WSID logos and ads – above: 1967. Below: 1969, 1980’s
As a sideline DJ Sparky Mullen recorded local bands on his Spar record label and Zenette record label (named after his daughter). He released records by local artists including Kenny Hamber, Upsetters, El Jay (Sonny Daye), and Sonny V & the Velvets. He also owned Sparky’s Record Shop at 2131 W. North Avenue.
In the 1970s WSID featured Guy Broady, ‘Skeeterman’, Lee Cross (who chose his air name from the title of an Aretha Franklin song), Bob Green’s “Black Gold” show.
The station became known as WYST-AM in the ‘80s. In the ‘00s the 1010AM frequency offers talk, information, and news as WOLB.
