FLORENCE – Two blocks of Downtown will be closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into a street festival of world-class music. And it is all dedicated to Florence native and the Father of Rock ‘n Roll, Sam Phillips. Never looking back, but always fixing his eyes on the future, Phillips kept reinventing himself after most people would have been satisfied with the accomplishments of their first 30 years. Phillips, who discovered Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley among many others never rested on his laurels, but pursued a career in radio broadcasting. He developed a unique and independent style of bringing music and other forms of entertainment to the masses.
Jerry Phillips, Big river Broadcasting
And like their father, Jerry Phillips and brother Knox have carried on the tradition. They hold fast to their father’s values as they man the helm of Big River Broadcasting, and the music publishing business founded by their dad. Big River Broadcasting consists of radio stations WQLT (107.3), WXFL (96.1), WSBM (1340) and WLVS (106.5) from their studios in Florence, AL.
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The Quad-Cities Daily interviewed Jerry Phillips at his Florence office Thursday to find out about Saturday’s event.
[youtube http://youtu.be/p3_uDDyC-uI]HERE’S THE LINK TO THE EVENT WEB SITE.
2 comments
We drove to Florence from out of state, had a hotel suite reserved, and looked forward to a great event, but, because it was planned to be held OUTDOORS on an OCTOBER NIGHT it was cold and rainy and windy and miserable—a wasted and expensive trip for nothing. We went back several times, trying to enjoy some of the program, after it finally started, but the weather was simply too miserable. We spent the evening sitting in the car behind the stage, listening through a crack in our our sunroof. There was a terrific line-up of bands, but the poor planning of holding the event outdoors on an October night ruined it for everyone. If the event is moved back indoors, we will go again. If it remains outdoors, you will be stuck with only locals who can decide at the last minute, based on weather conditions the afternoon of the event. Please move the even to a predictable indoor venue, so you can make it the “international” event you would like for it to grow into.
Steve:
Great meeting you at the Sam Phillips Music Festival. This is a great site. Request permission to use the audio from the video above for a special show I plan to do on our radio station. Even better, if you don’t mind, would you mp-3 me the audio to thejamespoe@yahoo.com.