Oral History of WIRV

WIRV Radio "An Oral History"

An Interview with South C.
Bevins first owner

South C. Bevins WIRV's first
Owner

WIRV "The Beginning"

by
David Cox
March 2006

Please allow a few minutes for the download.

Note: RealPlayer works well with these files.

Part 1: Introduction (43 Seconds)

Part 2: Broadcasting background of Mr. Bevins (5:43)

Part 3: Why Irvine, the application, the tower (6:13)

Part 4: Equipment and first staff (3:42)

Part 5: Building the studio, revenue (7:53)

Part 6: The first format (5:23)

Part 7: Jim Gaskin is named the new Manager (4:20)

Part 8: Ravenna Tornado and other local events (4:42)

Part 9: Radio today and the future (7:53)

WIRV "The Gaskin Years"

An Interview with Jim Gaskin Second
Owner. We lost Jim on May3, 2008

by
David Cox
March 2006

Part 1:        Introduction, Jim is the new Manager, Staff issues,

Part 2:        Blues and Black music, Local people

Part 3:       TV Experiment, Lee County Remote Studio,

Part 4:        Staff changes, Ravenna Tornado

Part 5:        Jim purchases WIRV, Local involvement, health issues, "Down Home Jamboree"

Part 6:        Estill County Fair bookings, "Three P" rule, Local Politics, Big local news events

Part 7:        "Live-Wire", "Trading Post", "You Tell Me", Hot issues

Part 8:        The Cumberland Rangers

Part 9:        Local boards and committees, Selling WIRV, L ife after WIRV

Part 10:      Radio's future, Jim remembers`other WIRV employees, WIRV helps the community

Part 11:        Conclusion, "Sunday Morning Gathering"

Jim Interviewed by Dave
Cox at Renfro Valley in2006

Additional Radio "Oral History" to be added later. Please check back. CD copies are also
available from me at the email address below. I am in the process of presenting the
Estill County Public Library with copies of the above and other oral histories. If you have
any audio, pictures or stories from WIRV please contact me at:

CoxDE3@aol.com

Jim Gaskin 1937- 2008

Part 12:      The Late H. T. Hardy talks about Jim and the Live Wire.
                  Note: This Interview was recorded during the Estill
                               County Bicentennial broadcast on WIRV

Sadly, I report that South died
suddenly on December 14, 2011 at his
home in Pineville, KY.