WKXV Radio Station Celebrates 70 Years of Southern Gospel Broadcasting

By Jamie Schnell

schnellj@knoxfocus.com

WKXV celebrated its 70th anniversary in business this past week with an impromptu party of staff and members from churches within the community. Locally owned and operated, WKXV features southern gospel and religious programming that has remained consistent in its format since its first broadcast in 1953.

Ted Lowe Sr., a preacher for 26 years, began the station's legacy on a single AM 900 station, with the legacy continuing to Ted Lowe Jr. WKXV has grown to include an FM station, broadcasting on both AM 900 and FM 100.7. WKXV Radio is also proud to offer online streaming, bringing the best in southern gospel music and religious programming to a global audience. WKXV's religious programs are available in 15- and 30-minute broadcasts and include gospel talk shows, singing, bible study, preaching, piano playing, and inspirational and uplifting motivational speakers. Because of this mix of preaching and music, some of their listeners, which include the elderly in the community, rely upon WKXV as their church.

Account executive and on-air personality Eddie Manuel reflected on the history of WKXV, "Seventy years is a lifetime, and we want people to know that we are still around." Eddie spoke of the various southern gospel groups that have filled the studios of WKXV, such as Kingdom Heirs who recorded for the first time at WKXV. Eddie thanked his listeners "because if they weren't listening, I wouldn't be here."

Station manager Margaret Hill told The Focus, "Eddie is really good and has such a great rapport with our clients."  They both attribute WKXV's success to being surrounded by a great Christian family within their clients, listeners, and staff (which have maintained 8-13 throughout the years), including engineer for 50 years, Frank Folsom. Their goal is to continue to expand the number of listeners to a broader audience and to "renew the spirit of the southern gospel industry."

WKXV continues to honor the legacy of the Lowe family, which Margaret describes as being very dedicated to a purpose that is "near and dear" to her heart.  "We love this station and look forward to what's coming in the new year."

WKXV's last formal celebration was held on its 55th anniversary. For this year's milestone, the station is seeking help in securing a venue space within a 20-mile radius to host up to 300 attendees to celebrate its 70 years of religious broadcasting in the spring.

WKXV Radio Station is located at 5106 Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville. To book an available time slot, or to submit a song or prayer request, call the studio at (865)558-0900 or visit/listen at Wkxvradio.com.

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