A Hamilton voice since 1950

From this little
town, across the air.

WERH brought country music, local voices, and big-name visitors into homes across northwest Alabama. The station is gone, but its people and stories are still here.

Early WERH building with a HaDaCol advertisement across its windows — Early exterior view from the WERH archive. The photograph’s exact date is not identified.

On the air since 1950✦AM 970 • FM 92.1✦Hamilton, Alabama

01 THE BEGINNING

A family station,
built for its hometown.

WERH began broadcasting in 1950. It was started by Rankin Fite’s family, and it grew into a place where local musicians, broadcasters, and listeners became part of the same story.

Rankin Fite served Alabama as Speaker of the House. The Alabama Department of Archives and History records his service in its biographical finding aid. A 1954 radio yearbook lists WERH in Hamilton under Marion County Broadcasting and names Hugh J. Fite among its station leaders. Alabama Archives record · 1954 Broadcasting Yearbook.

Why W-E-R-H? W was the broadcast prefix for stations east of the Mississippi River. The family story connects E-R-H to Ernest, Rankin, and Hugh Fite. A 1953 trade report confirms Ernest B. Fite, Rankin Fite, and Hugh J. Fite as the station’s founding partners. WERH also used “Where Entertainment Rates High” as its slogan. FCC history of the W/K boundary · 1953 station report.

The first signal, then a bigger one The FCC’s 1950 license action authorized WERH on 970 kHz at 1,000 watts for daytime operation. In a March 1953 letter to a distant listener, WERH engineer Charles B. Tucker confirmed the station was still using 1,000 watts, had permission to increase to 5,000, and had bought a Collins transmitter. A trade report says the increase took effect July 15, 1953, using a 305-foot tower. 1950 FCC license notice · WERH’s 1953 reception-verification letter · July 1953 power increase report · Preserved FCC history cards.

A change in ownership, 1955 A contemporary trade report records the FCC’s approval of an involuntary license assignment to Hugh J. Fite for $29,000. It says he was purchasing the interests of Ernest B. Fite, who had died, and Rankin Fite, his former partner. This filing gives a dated snapshot of the family partnership moving into Hugh Fite’s hands. FCC action reported in December 1955.

WERH promotional advertisement with a coverage map and station information — A 1950s sales ad pitched WERH’s 5,000-watt signal to advertisers across 33 counties.

02 THE VOICES

People who came through the doors

Local talent.
Country music stars.

Edgar Clayton worked at WERH, helping local performers get heard. The names remembered from the station include George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Carmol Taylor, The Terrys, and Marty Raybon. These weren’t distant names on a record sleeve. They were part of the station’s living history.

A live radio room—and a meeting point for musicians

A 1975 Billboard profile says Carmol Taylor hosted a show on WERH. In the same article, Rick Hall recalled playing in Taylor’s band at area square dances; later, the band brought Billy Sherrill in as a saxophone player. The Encyclopedia of Alabama separately records that Hall and the Country Pals performed live radio broadcasts on WERH. Together, these accounts place the station in the working circuit of local bands and the musicians who helped shape the Muscle Shoals scene—not simply as a place that played records.

Taylor’s work reached well beyond the station: he co-wrote songs recorded by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and other country artists. His songwriting profile includes “The Grand Tour,” later recorded by George Jones. 1978 Carmol Taylor profile in Country Music People · AllMusic biography.

Broadcaster Edgar Clayton’s own biography says he joined WERH in May 1953 as engineer, program director, and country DJ. He recalls giving local musicians airtime and using the station’s studios at night to record demos for Nashville, Memphis, and Florence. He also credits the station with putting Tammy Wynette on radio for the first time. That last detail comes from Clayton’s personal account. 1975 Billboard profile · Encyclopedia of Alabama: Rick Hall · Edgar Clayton’s biographical account.

Archival poster announcing Carmol Taylor and the Country Pals over WERH — Poster for Carmol Taylor and the Country Pals, heard daily over WERH.

ON THE AIR

The station’s own poster tells us what a listener could tune in for: Carmol Taylor and the Country Pals, every day at 11:30.

Two country musicians performing together with guitars — Carmol Taylor performing with a fellow musician.

George Jones seated in a chair beside Carmol Taylor — George Jones seated with Carmol Taylor.

Carmol Taylor and the Country Pals posed beside their WERH pickup truck — The Country Pals: Jack Jackson, Max Smith, Earl Bass, Rick Hall, Clyde Hill, and Carmol Taylor.

03 INSIDE WERH

The control room, the voices, the work

Where the records
kept turning.

The archive opens the door to the studios: microphones, turntables, control boards, record shelves, and the people who put Hamilton on the air.

Broadcaster seated at a WERH studio console

Broadcaster working at the studio control board

Broadcaster speaking into a studio microphone

Man seated beside a turntable and radio equipment

Man holding a paper beside a studio turntable

WERH broadcast studio with a mixing board and microphone

Desk and window looking into a radio studio

Glass block window inside the WERH building

Hallway lined with record and tape storage shelves

View down a hallway through the station’s record storage area

04 VIDEO

Live from WERH

Marty Raybon
on the air.

I filmed these live WERH broadcasts on a Hi8 camera about twenty years ago. The picture is rough, and uploading it took patience on the internet we had then, but the recording keeps that day with us: I was there and met Marty Raybon. The first clip here was the first video we ever put on YouTube as 49 County News.

▶49 COUNTY NEWS · FIRST YOUTUBE UPLOADInterview with Marty Raybon↗ ▶INTERVIEWInterview With Marty Raybon↗ ▶INTERVIEW 1Interview with Marty Raybon↗ ▶INTERVIEW 2Interview With Marty Raybon↗

05 THE BUILDING & KEEPSAKES

A place remembered in photographs

The WERH building
and its later years.

Wide exterior view of the WERH brick radio station building

WERH rooftop sign reading 970 KC and 5000 Watt — The rooftop sign carried WERH’s call letters and AM frequency.

WERH building in winter beneath a rooftop sign

Front entrance doors of the WERH building

Group gathered outside the WERH building

Silver WERH Radio Station keepsake ashtray — A keepsake from the station’s later years.

WERH awards and community recognition displayed on a wall — Community awards preserved inside the station.

Clock and concert poster on a WERH wall — A 2016 Coal Fest poster reflects WERH’s continuing ties to local music.

Framed WERH anniversary display celebrating 63 years and showing the station building — The 63-year anniversary display gives August 25, 1950 as WERH’s start date; a 1953 trade report says the station went on air August 24.

WERH building being demolished, with equipment clearing the site — The building’s final chapter: a photograph of the WERH site during demolition.

From the archive. Photographs and artifacts on this page were shared for the Vintage Hamilton collection. Period yearbooks document WERH at AM 970; the 92.1 FM station began in 1968. The 1954 yearbook records the station’s frequency, power, ownership, and staff.

1954 Broadcasting Yearbook ↗ · Alabama Broadcasters Association station history ↗ · FCC history cards, 1950–1979 ↗

Back to the storefronts

From this littletown, across the air.

A family station,built for its hometown.

Local talent.Country music stars.

Where the recordskept turning.

Marty Raybonon the air.

The WERH buildingand its later years.