WPLO-AM 590’s Country Caravan was a defining force in Atlanta radio during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, marrying music, community, and personality in a way that few stations ever matched. The real Country Caravan era emerged during this time, featuring a mix of lively DJ sets, jam-packed talent showcases, and major events billed as the “WPLO Shower of Stars.” These weren’t just concerts—they were full-scale country happenings.
All the photos in this post are from my Mother’s collection of Country Music memorabilia. They were taken by me, either at Nalley or Sandy Springs WPLO Caravan in July 1967.
Billy Walker was a prominent American country singer and Grand Ole Opry star, known as “The Tall Texan” for his lean frame and smooth baritone voice. Rising to fame in the 1950s, he scored hits with songs like “Charlie’s Shoes,” “Cross the Brazos at Waco,” and “A Million and One.” Walker was a regular on the Opry stage for decades and was respected for his deep catalog of honky-tonk ballads and gospel recordings. His career spanned more than five decades, and he remained a beloved figure in traditional country music until his death in a car accident in 2006.
One particularly memorable lineup came during spring training in 1968, when WPLO hosted live performances by country legends such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Ferlin Husky, Dottie West, and Jim Ed Brown—alongside appearances by its own on-air personalities like Simon Crum—making it a touchstone moment in the city’s growing country music scene.
The Western Gentlemen were a country and bluegrass band active in the 1950s and 1960s, best known for their association with singer Jimmy Dean. They performed on Dean’s television show and recorded several albums together, contributing to the popularization of country music during that era. Their musical style blended traditional country with elements of bluegrass, and they were known for their tight harmonies and instrumental proficiency. The Western Gentlemen’s contributions to the genre helped bridge the gap between traditional country and the emerging sounds of bluegrass and honky-tonk. Their legacy is preserved through recordings and performances that continue to influence country musicians today.
At the heart of WPLO’s on-air appeal were vibrant personalities like John Fox, whose folksy warmth, quick wit, and affinity for the listening public helped solidify the station’s connection to everyday Georgians. Fox was widely known for his colorful remote broadcasts and memorable giveaways—including the time he gave away a 55-horsepower Homelite outboard motor live on-air.
He also hosted marquee live remotes, such as the June 26, 1969, broadcast from the State Farmers’ Market during the city of Atlanta’s Jubilee celebration. That event featured artists like Stonewall Jackson, Marion Worth, and Roy Drusky, with the North Georgia Cloggers and a kids’ watermelon-eating contest adding to the festive, homespun atmosphere.
Conway Twitty was a legendary American singer who achieved major success in both rock and country music, known for his smooth voice and emotionally charged ballads. He first found fame in the late 1950s with the rock ‘n’ roll hit “It’s Only Make Believe,” but by the 1960s had transitioned into country, where he became one of the genre’s most consistent chart-toppers. Twitty scored 40 No. 1 country hits—including “Hello Darlin’,” “Tight Fittin’ Jeans,” and a string of duets with Loretta Lynn—and was known for his romantic, often suggestive lyrics. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, his deep influence on the genre continues to be felt today.
Prominent on-air voices also included Les Reed, who manned the midday slot during WPLO-AM’s peak years in the ’60s and ’70s. His steady presence became a familiar comfort to countless Atlantans tuning in during work or lunchtime. Meanwhile, on the FM side, WPLO-FM 103.3 explored a different identity for a time—
staffed by early underground-rock DJs such as Ed Shane, Steve Hosford, and Chris Morgan. Dubbed “Atlanta’s Alternative High,” the FM format flirted with progressive rock before returning to a country focus in the mid-1970s, aligning more closely with the AM side. But WPLO wasn’t just about the music—it was deeply woven into Atlanta’s daily life.
David Rogers was an American country singer who emerged in the late 1960s and found success throughout the 1970s with his smooth, polished vocal style. His debut single, “Forbidden Fruit,” was released in 1967 on Columbia Records and marked his entry into the national spotlight, coinciding with his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Though that single didn’t chart, Rogers went on to score several Billboard country hits in the 1970s, including “Need You” and “Loving You Has Changed My Life.” Known for blending traditional country with a softer, pop-influenced sound, he built a loyal fan base and remained a respected figure on the country circuit during his career.
The station frequently aired public service announcements and local updates, from city bulletins to weather alerts. Its coverage often included Atlanta Braves spring training reports, giving listeners a unique combination of baseball buzz, forecast updates, and twangy hits—all within a single broadcast.
In 1967, Dolly Parton’s career took a major leap forward when she joined The Porter Wagoner Show as his featured female vocalist, replacing Norma Jean. This move introduced her to a national television audience and marked the beginning of a fruitful musical partnership with Wagoner, resulting in a string of duet hits and a lasting professional relationship. That same year, she signed with RCA Victor and released her first charting country single, “Dumb Blonde,” which hinted at the clever songwriting and self-aware persona that would define her career. Though still early in her rise, 1967 was the year Dolly Parton began transitioning from promising newcomer to one of country music’s most distinctive voices.
This integration of culture and community made WPLO a daily fixture in Georgia homes, cars, and workplaces. Technologically, WPLO stood out among AM stations for its audio quality, utilizing the Kahn/Hazeltine AM stereo system1 into the 1980s—long after most other AM stations had shifted format or faded entirely.
Mac Curtis was an American rockabilly and country singer who gained early fame in the 1950s with his energetic blend of country twang and rock ’n’ roll rhythm. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he recorded a series of influential rockabilly singles for King Records, including “If I Had Me a Woman” and “Grandaddy’s Rockin’.” Though his commercial success was limited at the time, Curtis became a cult favorite, especially during the rockabilly revival of the 1970s, when he found renewed popularity in Europe and recorded several new albums. His distinctive voice and driving guitar style made him a respected figure among rockabilly purists and a lasting influence on the genre.
Despite changes in ownership and branding in later decades, the WPLO Country Caravan era remains a beloved chapter in Georgia’s radio history—when local DJs were celebrities, music came to life in parking lots and fairgrounds, and the voices on the air knew the names of the people listening.
Patti Powell was a Georgia-born country singer who broke into broadcasting in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In Atlanta she recorded her first singles around 1968 before relocating to Wheeling, West Virginia, where she joined the legendary WWVA Jamboree2 around 1970 or 1971. There she became closely associated with honky-tonk songwriter and performer Bob Gallion, performing together under the billing “The Bob Gallion–Patti Powell Show.” Known particularly for her recording of the song “Long Haul Widow”, she toured extensively across the eastern United States and Canada through the mid‑1980s. Her duet style has been compared to the classic country pairings of George Jones & Melba Montgomery or Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton.
Footnotes
- The Kahn/Hazeltine AM stereo system was one of several competing technologies developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s to bring stereo sound to the AM radio band, which had traditionally been limited to monaural audio. Developed by Leonard R. Kahn in partnership with Hazeltine Corporation, this system was unique in that it used independent sideband transmission (ISB), allowing stereo audio by modulating the left and right audio channels on separate sidebands of the AM carrier. This provided a more consistent stereo image and better compatibility with existing AM receivers compared to other systems. Despite its technical advantages and support from some broadcasters—especially smaller and independent AM stations—the Kahn/Hazeltine system lost out in 1993 when the FCC formally endorsed the rival Motorola C-QUAM system as the AM stereo standard. However, the Kahn system remained in limited use for years afterward, appreciated for its sound quality and simplicity in certain applications. ↩︎
- The WWVA Jamboree, also known as the Jamboree USA, was a long-running live country music radio show broadcast from Wheeling, West Virginia, beginning in 1933 on radio station WWVA. Modeled after the Grand Ole Opry, it became one of the most influential country music programs in the United States, especially for listeners in the Midwest and Northeast. The show featured top country, bluegrass, and gospel acts—both legendary stars and up-and-coming regional talent—performing live on Saturday nights, often from the Capitol Theatre in downtown Wheeling. It helped launch or bolster the careers of artists such as Hawkshaw Hawkins, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, and Doc and Chickie Williams. For decades, the Jamboree served as a vital platform for traditional country music and remained a cherished institution until its decline in the early 2000s. ↩︎
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/
- Newspapers https://www.newspapers.com/
- Leach Legacy “1968 Atlanta Radio Time Warp” https://leachlegacy.ece.gatech.edu/radio/warp/1968.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Facebook “Does anyone remember WPLO 590 AM (60s-70s)? Played great country music. My husband (Les Reed) was the mid-day DJ.” https://www.facebook.com/groups/35571284073/posts/10158315150999074/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/ “Hit Radio and the Formatting of America
- in the Early 1970s” https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/5c789b2d-1394-4aa7-8175-c5c82399459b/content?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Wikipedia “WDWD” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WDWD?utm_source=chatgpt.com
