Mrs. Odessa Bailey
Mrs. Odessa Bailey, along with her husband Bob Carl Bailey, recognized a void in programming for Black people of the Shoals – which is why they founded WZZA Radio. While Mr. Bailey had the vision, it was Mrs. Bailey who had the practicality (and good credit!) to help that dream become a reality. Bob Carl Bailey was an eagle who soared high and she was the wind beneath his wings. Mrs. Bailey was one of the first and is one of the few remaining Black female radio station owners in the entire state of Alabama. Over the years, she has performed every position at WZZA Radio Station, including station manager, sales director. She has handled billing and accounting, sales, board operations, and production. She continues to work with station accounts and oversees the daily operations and staff at WZZA Radio. Most importantly, she not only manages the station – she also manages the station manager!
From the Desk of Co-Founder, Odessa Bailey
“On July 4, 1972 AT 5:00am, a new phenomena in radio began… The WZZA Saga… With much thought, prayer and what resources we had available, and with the help of a four local business owners including a family of three brothers, we stepped out on faith on a journey that led us into another century. As there was no Black media outlet in this North Alabama area, we felt the time was right to start this venture to be able to offer this much needed service to the area. With Mr. Bailey’s vision and the help of four local businessmen who invested in this venture (with the stipulation that we retain the majority ownership with the option to buy them out when it was expedient for us to do so), the birth of Muscle Shoals Broadcasting, Inc. became a reality. We were able to exercise that option after only a couple of years, thus becoming a family-owned operation. In a few short years, our children, Tori and Jurado were brought on board, who were taught all phases of the business.
Entertainer James Brown suggested to Mr. Bailey that he should start a radio operation for this area, and although this urging from Mr. Brown helped to spur the idea along, the wheels were already in motion to do so. The rest is history!” Mrs. Odessa Bailey, Co-Founder, WZZA Muscle Shoals Broadcasting.
The WZZA bumper Sticker was first spotted on cars in the Shoals area in 1973. Although they’ve changed in style, you can still see them around today.”
WZZA Radio Station is owned and operated by Muscle Shoals Broadcasting, and serves the Shoals area, which includes Lauderdale and Colbert counties. WZZA’s coverage also includes a large portion of Franklin County to the south, Lawrence County to the east, and west to Tishomingo County, Mississippi. WZZA’s format includes gospel, blues, hip-hop, jazz, and R&B, all of which is day-parted to most effectively serve the market with unduplicated musical programming. Other programming includes a daily public affairs program during which a wide variety of guests, including attorneys, judges, mayors, councilmen, commissioners, teachers, businessmen, doctors, health care providers, city workers, bankers, financial advisors, congressmen and other office holders, religious leaders, non-profit agencies, civic and social organizations, and other citizens appear to discuss topics ranging from education, recreation, health, welfare, religion, relationships, law, politics, finance, economics, and more to hot topics in today’s news.
WZZA is the only locally owned Black formatted station in Northwest Alabama. The station’s broadcast signal reaches a loyal audience of approximately 45,000 persons daily (total day) with a median income of approximately $43,000, many of whom have supported this station since its first broadcast on July 4, 1972. Although the station’s target demographic is persons between the ages of 25-54, WZZA’s listeners range in age from 18-80, many of whom consistently tune in for the most timely information presented as community events, interviews, music, and entertainment primarily by local air personalities. Much of the information to be heard on WZZA cannot be found elsewhere.
Robert “Bob” Carl Bailey
Bob Carl Bailey was a pioneer who achieved several “firsts” throughout his life. He was the first African-American policeman hired in Huntsville, Alabama, (and the first to be fired for voicing objections to the ill treatment of Black officers). He then became the very first Chief of Police of Triana, Alabama. He was one of the first African American licensed professional radio announcers in northwest Alabama, and later become the first to operate both a Black formatted AM and FM radio station in the Shoals. He was one of the first African-American music retailers (as owner of three record stores with his wife, Odessa), and one of the first African-Americans to have a regularly scheduled television talk show in northwest Alabama (“Sunday in the Shoals” on WOWL-TV).
As Triana’s Chief of Police, Robert Carl Bailey made national news as part of Ebony Magazine’s feature on Triana, Alabama. After leaving that position, he continued to support law enforcement and the court system throughout his life, while also working with judges, attorneys, and community leaders on behalf of those who were in need of a voice in the courtroom and in legal matters. While he never chose to hold a political office, he often played an active role in local and state politics, advising many elected officials on how to best serve citizens. He was a consultant for local, state, and national candidates.
Mr. Bailey owned several businesses under the umbrella of Bailey & Company. As one of the first licensed African-American automobile dealers in the Shoals, he helped those who would not otherwise have been able to afford to purchase vehicles. He later assisted dealership owner Fred Lee to establish Shoals Ford, the first Black owned car dealership in northwest Alabama. He helped many other Black owned businesses. An example of this was when he assisted the first Black attorneys to open a practice in the Shoals by paying the salary of their secretary for a full year. He personally provided jobs and encouraged other employers to hire minorities. He served on many local boards, and was the first President of the Shoals Area Business Association. He was a charter member of both the Shoals Area Business Association and the Shoals Economic Development Authority, and he was a contributing partner in the establishment of Shoals Industrial Development Authority (SIDA). He received recognition and honor for his many contributions.
After speaking out about the vital role of small businesses in Alabama, Bob Carl Bailey was appointed by Alabama Governor Fob James to sit on the State’s Small Business Advisory Council and to head Alabama’s Small Business Administration, making him the first Black person to be appointed by an Alabama Governor for a cabinet level position. He was a savvy political activist and influential policy maker, and was twice invited to Washington D.C. to visit the White House. He was a national radio correspondent in 1976 when President Jimmy Carter launched his campaign in Tuscumbia, Alabama.
In addition to being politically active, Bob Carl was a community leader and advocate, and a compassionate philanthropist. He organized and sponsored countless benefits and tributes to various community leaders and organizations. One such program was in celebration of retired teachers. Bailey was generous with both his time and finances. He bought fruits and vegetables for those incarcerated in local jails. He paid church and home mortgages, rent, utility bills, car notes, college expenses, hospital bills, and more. He bought groceries, and even coal as fuel for homes without electricity. He was there for many in their time of need.
Robert “Bob Carl” Bailey, was born in Leighton, Alabama. He began his radio career at WJOI Radio in Florence as one of the Shoals area’s first Black announcers, after serving in the United States Army. He was one of the first licensed Black radio engineers in the Shoals. He and his wife, Odessa, became the first Black Radio Station owners in northwest Alabama to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission when they launched WZZA Radio. When the Baileys also purchased WTQX in Selma, Alabama, they became two of only a few African Americans in Alabama to be sole owners of radio stations in multiple markets in the state. In 1972, WZZA-AM became the first radio station to program exclusively for and provide a voice to the Black Community. After establishing the AM and during the transition, the Baileys also operated the first ever Black or Soul formatted FM in northwest Alabama.
Mr. and Mrs. Bailey became the first known African-American music retailers when they operated their first of three record store locations. The original store was opened in Florence and was later moved to Tuscumbia. Bob Carl Bailey also dabbled in music recording, producing a local group’s first studio recording. He was a popular event promoter, often bringing concerts to the Shoals featuring artists such as James Brown and Shirley Caesar. Expanding his broadcast media experience, Mr. Bailey created and hosted “Sunday In The Shoals” aired on WOWL-TV, which was one of the first African-American television talk show in northwest Alabama. Bailey contributed to Muscle Shoals music history by introducing his friend, and fellow Leighton Alabama native, Jimmy Hughes to Rick Hall at FAME Recording. That meeting resulted in the recording of the international hit song “Steal Away” (the first song featured in the documentary “Muscle Shoals”). Bailey suggested singers to do background vocals in local recording studios.
On April 16th, 2001, his family, the Shoals area, and the world lost this incredible man who had provided a voice for all people in the Shoals. Often referring to himself as “Bob Carl, the Loud Mouth”, he focused not only on issues that disproportionately affected people of color, but chose to be an instrument of positive change for the community at large. Mr. Bailey made a difference, and his legacy will always be felt as WZZA Radio Station continues its celebration of over half a century of broadcasting.
Leonard Skipworth
On December 3, 2023, Mr. Leonard Skipworth, the well-loved voice of the Soul of the Shoals, worked his regular 6a-10a shift as host of his very popular Sunday morning radio program for the last time. He was sharply dressed as usual, and heading to church after leaving WZZA. That was Mr. Skip’s Sunday morning schedule going back for as far back as I can remember. He woke us up on Sunday mornings, blessed us by playing his favorite gospel songs, made shout outs to his faithful Sunday morning listeners who called each week without fail, and gave us inspirational vitamins with his “Thought for the Week” to keep us on the path.
Brother Skip sold the most advertising of anyone in all of WZZA’s history, many times just by picking up the phone. That’s how well known he was, and how well liked he was. All he had to do was tell his advertising clients that he was writing up a contract and would be by to pick up a payment. He was just that good at selling advertising.
But he did so much more for WZZA Radio. Skip went over and above. He would even sometimes deliver prize packs for our contest winners. So it bothered him when anyone was less than loyal to WZZA, especially those who didn’t advertise but who would call asking to have something aired on the station – for free. He understood that free doesn’t pay the staff or the light bill. One Sunday he surprised (and worried) me when he turned the station off for a full minute. WZZA had dead air until he turned the music back on and said to our listeners, “That’s what it would be like without WZZA. Think about that.”
Skip knew we were about my plans for the FM long before anyone else and was probably more excited than I was about it. We had just talked, the day before we lost him, about how – just as he was first heard on the AM, he would be the first voice heard on the FM. We were able to make that come true by airing a commercial with his voice on it. I only wish we had recorded more of him on the air so we could continue to hear his voice encouraging and entertaining us. One of the first things you’ll see when you come into the reception area at WZZA is a banner with his pictures on it. He was proud to have it here, and we will always be proud to show him off.
Leonard Skipworth was dependable, supportive, and loyal to my family, to me, and to WZZA Radio. He was one of those “rocks” that God gives us to lean on in life, there when you needed him, steadfast, unmovable, and unshakeable. WZZA is not the same without Leonard Skipworth. Absolutely no one will ever be to us what he has been. Skipjack was full of light and life and he left a void here on earth. I like to think of him now up in Heaven with the Most High God (and probably acting up some with my father Bob Carl Bailey). In the meantime, we’ve been left to continue on without his guidance, encouragement, and his ability to make us laugh out loud. All of us who are Leonard Skipworth’s family, friends, and fans were fortunate to have had him in our lives.
