Wvok joe rumore biography
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One was Joe felt that engineers were not giving him a good break on his broadcasts, and the other was Joe wanted a more powerful outlet. No two shows were the same Joe had his studio well equipped with a teletype news machine and a weather line straight to the studio.
Young Joe Rumore had developed a following, both in listeners and in sponsors.
Joe would then have a show from 12 to 12:30 P.M. for the farmers at lunchtime. Born on July 17, 1920, Joe came into the world “making a lot of noise.” At age 7 Joe made his radio debut on Station WJOE, as Master Rumore. Normally in these early days of radio, getting heat from the FCC would mean a death note to a radio career. With an ancient Victrola and a pair of ear muffs doing duty as turntable and earphones, Master Rumore broadcast over Station WJOE for 3 years before he got his first piece of mail.
Within the first five years at WVOK, Joe had up to 33 sponsors, which included Alabama Flour Mills, located in Decatur, Golden Eagle Syrup, located in Fayette, Sessions Peanut Oil, located in Enterprise, Bell Meade Crackers, and Philco products. Joe got both concerns rectified with the move to WVOK. The studio audience was treated to products brought by the many sponsors of Joe Rumore.
Joe had a unique situation with WVOK dealing with both his sponsors and his listeners, both situations intertwined into each other. Joe turned it down, and also turned down an extremely good proposition from a St. Louis radio station as well.
Joe had two reasons for leaving WAPI after 7 years. In addition to “Round-Up Time”, Joe announced “Yawn Patrol”, dubbed “WAPI’s Early Morning Eye Opener”.
Joe was also able water the tomato plants or talk to the mailman between songs, or go to Studio B (the bathroom).
WVOK and WBAM changed their music format from Top 40 to Country in late 60’s, and Joe changed with it seamlessly.
Joe ad-libbed his shows. This day started a 30+ year career that changed the landscape of Birmingham Radio that is being felt to this day.
Birmingham Record Collectors
1920-1993
Joe Rumore knew at an early age that he was destined to a career in radio.
Joe’s first radio employment was with WJLD in Bessemer, AL, for $12 a week with friend Leland Childs. Joe’s influence is felt to this day.
As the other stations in Birmingham would change formats, line-ups, as stations would come and go in the 1950’s ‘60’s and ‘70’s, one thing stayed constant and steady: Joe Rumore.
Joe also opened Rumore’s Record Rack in the mid ‘50’s, a staple that was a big part of Birmingham for years to come. In the early days of his stint at WAPI Joe was at odds with the FCC, for talking directly to persons in his live studio audience (yes, a live studio audience!). His memory and influence lives on.