SIGNING OFF WITH "DIXIE"

[Cincinnati Kid]

In the early evening in the autumn of 1962, I was in south-central Kentucky and picked up an Alabama radio station somewhere on the dial from approximately 690 K.C. to 730 K.C. This station was apparently required to sign-off at sundown and in doing so, they played "Dixie" rather than the National Anthem. I had never heard that done before. I'm just curious when that practice may have stopped or is it possible there might be a few stations in the South that still do that?

 

[Stewy]

I've not heard that. Stereotypical question from someone North of the Ohio River that hasn't been in the South (even if you consider KY part of the South) for several decades. I don't think you will find a more patriotic region of the country (supporting the UNITED STATES of AMERICA) right now than in Alabama and the Deep South. We like being in the land of cotton, old times here are not forgotten (but we learn from our memories rather than try reliving them), in Dixieland I will take my stand AND live and die in Dixie.

Take no offense at being a Yankee Cincinnati Kid, to we WAY down here your are Southern only if South of Montgomery and North of Jacksonville. But I invite you to come visit and bring lots of tourism dollars.

Dixiecrats have become Dixiecans. Things change.

 

[Doug M]

The station you heard was WVOK 690 with 50,000 watts. They signed on and off with Dixie for many years.

 

[ALRocker]

WVOK 690, in Birmingham, now WSPZ did it at sign off. I guess they quit when they went 24/7. WBAM in Montgomery did it too, their sister station.

 

[JohnAllan]

This is a bit off topic, but I remember a station back home signing off with "Nights Are Forever Without You" by England Dan and John Ford Coley. I always thought that was good.

 

[omglol]

The stations here don't sign off with dixie the way they did in sweet home Alabam.

And the people here don't sip Jack Daniels whiskey the way they do in the Tennessee mountain land.

 

[ricksegers]

All this talk of sign offs refreshed a memory. I used to work with a fellow that said the station he worked at before (I forget where) signed off at midnight and sold their sign off to a mattress retailer. I don't know if it was true or not but if it was, that is certainly clever...

 

[kyscott]

The station in Vienna Georgia where I started my allustrious career signed off with Dixie. Wish I could find that cart.

 

[Mayberry]

When I got in the business (1963 in Alabama) almost all the daytimers signed off with Dixe. The full timers even signed off at midnight or so, and most of them used it as well. The last modern day station I can remember using Dixie AT ALL, was a country FM in Atlanta, that signed off on Sunday night for maintenance. This was about 1988 or so.

 

[rwells2265]

Not only did the original WVOK 690 in Birmingham sign off with "Dixie", but sister station WBAM 740 in Montgomery (also a 50 kW daytimer) also used the same recording. I suspect were WFLI/Chattanooga and WAPE/Jacksonville (also Brennan-owned once upon a time) not fulltime stations, they too would've done "Dixie."

I have a couple of WBAM sign-offs (one 1969 and another 1972). One can argue the PC angle 'till they're blue in the face, but back then it was a really cool way to put it down for the night.

--Russell

 

[flytrap]

WSJC 50Kw Magee, MS signed off with Dixie up until the station was sold some years back.

 

[its time w (your name)]

KAWS/ Hemphill, Tx did it in the 80s. I worked there around '83. Cool stuff. We kicked off mornings with "American Trilogy" by ??? Mickey Newbury??? (help me out, old guys)

Rock on Alabama.

 

[Pratte4Life]

The stations here don't sign off with dixie the way they did in sweet home Alabam.

And the people here don't sip Jack Daniels whiskey the way they do in the Tennessee mountain land.

I'd always heard a lot about the Big Apple

So I thought I'd come up here and see

 

[Bongwater]

Not only did the original WVOK 690 in Birmingham sign off with "Dixie", but sister station WBAM 740 in Montgomery (also a 50 kW daytimer) also used the same recording. I suspect were WFLI/Chattanooga and WAPE/Jacksonville (also Brennan-owned once upon a time) not fulltime stations, they too would've done "Dixie."

I have a couple of WBAM sign-offs (one 1969 and another 1972). One can argue the PC angle 'till they're blue in the face, but back then it was a really cool way to put it down for the night.

--Russell

Maybe entirely out of market (and on TV), but relevant somewhat....

KOMO-TV in Seattle used to sign on/off with both "O Canada" and "Star Spangled Banner" (KOMO-TV has lots of Canadian viewers, they just run 24/7 now.) And some Canadian stations near the border used to do the same. I never thought it was a questionable patriotic thing on either side, but a classy touch really if your station is up near the Canadian border and the signal reaches into Canada/US. Just a friendly acknowledgement to your neighbors to the north/south

Another unique Puget Sound TV sign off: KCPQ-TV signed off with the "Star Spangled Banner" as well as (of all things) "The Bluebird Of Happiness" (with visuals showing the natural wonders and landmarks of the Puget Sound area.) Not sure who sang it...I want to say Mario Lanza, but I'm not entirely sure.....

 

[Tom0B1]

I heard "BIG BAM" sign off with Dixie many times in the 60s.

WFTW-AM in Ft. Walton Beach, Fl signed off at sundown with an instrumental version of "Ebb Tide" for many years. The AM station simulcast WFTW-FM fulltime (it was 24/7 even back in the early 70s). For those of us who worked afternoon drive, we were required to backtime to EXACTLY 3 minutes till sign off, start the next event on the FM station and (at the same time) throw a small switch and start the sign off cart in deck one of the ITC Triple Decker, audio now sent directly to the AM transmitter (the sign off cart would not be heard on the FM.) You always played a long song on the FM so you could go into the transmitter room and "kill the plates" on the AM transmitter at exactly sign off time and get back in time to start the next event on the FM. The reverse was done at AM sign on.

Sometimes, when I had to work a weekend shift, I would cart up a "rock" song (WFTW was a VERY MOR station) and play it in deck one, sent to the AM only, while playing a format song of the same length on the FM. I never got caught doing this. I guess the AM listeners liked my selections (and back then most people listened to the AM.)

Thanks for the memories.

Tom0

 

[graceunlimited]

My memory is failing me, but I remember several stations that would sign off or on using Elvis' "Battle Hymn of the Republic", I think?" It includes a chorus of "Dixie" and the familiar "Glory, Glory, Hallaluya" refrain. Being a soutern boy, I always thought it was prety cool.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Another unique Puget Sound TV sign off: KCPQ-TV signed off with the "Star Spangled Banner" as well as (of all things) "The Bluebird Of Happiness" (with visuals showing the natural wonders and landmarks of the Puget Sound area.) Not sure who sang it...I want to say Mario Lanza, but I'm not entirely sure.....

Opera star Jan Peerce made the popular record of this song.

 

[its time w (your name)]

The stations here don't sign off with dixie the way they did in sweet home Alabam.

And the people here don't sip Jack Daniels whiskey the way they do in the Tennessee mountain land.

I'd always heard a lot about the Big Apple

So I thought I'd come up here and see

But all I found up here was one big hassle
Wish I was down on the Okechobee...

 

[brettmason]

Thanks to the OP for starting such a great thread. I don't recall hearing any station sign
off like that but it sounds cool as hell. Ahhh the good ole days

 

[Charles1]

WVOK signed off with "Dixie", and WATV-AM 900 in Birmingham signed off with Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful". Talk about contrasts in Birmingham!