Ed Castleberry facts for kids

Ed ‘Eddie’ Castleberry (1928–2009) was a groundbreaking newscaster, writer for columns, and a radio personality. He worked at the Mutual Black Network (MBN), which created short 5-minute news reports. These reports were played on many radio stations. Later, another company called Sheridan Broadcasting Company (SBN) took over MBN. By 1990, SBN had over 150 stations and made a lot of money each year.

Early Life

Ed Castleberry was born in Alabama. He went to Miles College, a special college for Black students, for one year. Then, he joined the U.S. Navy. After returning home to Birmingham in 1950, he tried out for a job at radio station WEDR and was hired.

Castleberry quickly became a popular on-air personality, also known as a "jock." He was one of the first Black disc jockeys in the country. These DJs played R&B and popular blues music. They talked to their audience in a friendly, natural way, using everyday language. They read letters from listeners on the air and spoke up for their community. Other white DJs even copied their style because they brought a fresh sound to radio.

Unlike some other Black DJs who tried to sound like white radio announcers, Castleberry and his friends spoke directly to regular people. He also helped new music artists get discovered. He did live interviews with people on the street and promoted new products during his news shows. Ed Castleberry also helped create the entertainment departments at the MBN and SBN news networks. He was also a music director and program director at radio stations.

Radio Career

Ed Castleberry started his news career at WEDR in Birmingham, Alabama. This was the first radio station in the area that played programs for Black audiences, though it was owned by white people. The station sometimes faced challenges, like people trying to stop their broadcasts.

Unlike other stations for Black listeners at the time, the voices on WEDR sounded different. They had deeper voices, which became popular with the rise of Black appeal radio. Castleberry was one of these voices, and the station became very popular in 1950.

His radio career took him to many cities across the South, Midwest, and Northeast. He started as a disc jockey at WEDR and WJLD in Birmingham, Alabama. He then worked at stations like WQOK in Greenville, South Carolina, WMBM in Miami, Florida, WCIN in Cincinnati, Ohio, and WHAT (AM) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also worked in Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

In 1972, he began working at the Mutual Black Network. He stayed there for 14 years. He produced the 5-minute news reports that were played in many big cities. He also hosted a news and variety show where he interviewed famous people. He showed a side of these celebrities that wasn't often seen on bigger TV networks, which was important to his listeners.

The Mutual Broadcasting System started the first all-news network for Black audiences. Castleberry led the office in Washington, D.C., which sent programs to 90 different radio stations. In 1981, the Mutual Black Network was bought by its part-owner, SBC, and was renamed SBN. Later, in 1991, the American Urban Radio Network took over SBN. With 250 stations, it became the largest Black news network in the country.

Television Work

Castleberry also made a name for himself working with Larry Dean at Cincinnati's famous WCIN station. Many people in the radio business believed that Castleberry and "Gentleman" Dean were the real-life inspirations for the characters Venus Flytrap and Dr. Johnny Fever on the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati. When he worked for the National Black Network and its 25 stations, he was based in the studios of New York's main station, WWRL-AM. There, he worked alongside other famous DJs like Frankie Crocker and Jocko Henderson.

Awards and Recognition

In August 1993, Jack Gibson honored Ed Castleberry and other pioneers in radio. He inducted them into the Black Radio Hall of Fame for their important work in the industry. Castleberry also received awards for his public service. The Alabama House of Representatives gave him a special proclamation. Because he helped promote jazz music on the radio, he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1993, he was also inducted into the Black Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Later Life and Legacy

Ed Castleberry retired from radio in the early 1990s. He passed away in New York in 2009 at the age of 81. "Eddie" was a pioneering radio personality, newscaster, and columnist. His career lasted for over 40 years. His personal papers, photos, and other items were given to the Archives of African American Music and Culture at Indiana University. Ed Castleberry had four children: Terrie Montgomery, Sharon Castleberry, Susan Castleberry, and a stepson named Marty.

See also

• WEDR
• WLAC
• WERD
• WDIA
• Jack Gibson
• DJ Nat D.
• Glossary of jive talk
• Jive talk

Images for kids

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  Mutual Black Network 1974 commercial poster