WZZA Radio Station and Robert “Bob” Carl Bailey have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places

TUSCUMBIA-The Staff and Management of Muscle Shoals Broadcasting is excited to announce that WZZA Radio Station and Robert “Bob” Carl Bailey have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Notification of the honor was on Wednesday, March 28 by Christy Anderson, National Register and Easements Coordinator for the Alabama Historical Commission to made to Brian Corrigan, who conducted much of the research and made the presentation, and to Bailey’s daughter Tori.

The process included research into the history of both Bob Carl Bailey and WZZA Radio, solicitation of opinions from state

and local elected officials by the Alabama Historical Commission, and a discussion by the Commission members.  Endorsements for the nomination were received from Senator Larry Stutts, Representative Kerry Underwood, and the Colbert County Commission, after which came consideration by the Historical Commission’s National Register Review Board on April 24, 2025.

WZZA Radio has already been designated as Stop #25 on the Roots of American Music Trail, was an official tour site when the Alabama Historical Commission held its annual convention in the Shoals, and was featured, along with its founder Robert “Bob” Carl Bailey, in the Moments In Alabama Radio exhibit at the state’s Department of Archives and History.

WZZA has been owned and operated by the Bailey family for over half a century. Bailey was born and raised in the Colbert County town of Leighton, Alabama, which in 2024 named a street in his honor.  He and his wife, Odessa, became the first Black radio station owners in northwest Alabama licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. After purchase of WTQX Radio in Selma, Alabama, the Baileys joined the few African Americans to own radio stations in multiple markets in the state of Alabama.

Bailey began his radio career as one of the northwest Alabama’s first Black announcers. He was one of the first licensed Black radio engineers in the Shoals, one of the first African American music retailers when he and his wife opened their record stores.  It was Bailey who introduced singer Jimmy Hughes to Rick Hall of FAME Studios, leading to one of the first Shoals area’s first million selling songs.  Bailey was also a popular event promoter in the Shoals featuring artists such as James Brown and Shirley Caesar. Bailey was the first African American policeman hired in Huntsville, Alabama, the first Police Chief of Triana, Alabama, and when he was tapped to head the State of Alabama’s Small Business program, became the first to serve on a cabinet level position for an Alabama governor.

WZZA Radio is the only Black owned, FCC licensed radio station in northwest Alabama and continues to provide “info-tainment”, and to be an advocate for the community. Guided tours of WZZA Radio are available by appointment.