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WRR Photographs, Documents, and Artifact Selections
from the WRR Collection, Dallas Municipal Archives​

Jim Lowe​

James E. "Jim" Lowe Jr. (1926-2000) was one of WRR's best-loved personalities. The Fort Worth native helped start KXOL-AM in the late 1940s and was an announcer and music director before moving to Dallas in 1950, where he began a 24-year career with WRR-AM.  As "The Cool Fool", Lowe introduced white Dallas and North Texas listeners to Rhythm and Blues music and artists with his Kat's Karavan show.  

Many future DFW-area stars including Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller, Boz& Scaggs, Doyle Bramhall, and Delbert McClinton were acknowledged listeners and devotées. Lowe brought a number of innovations to the station, including the Library of Laffs, which played cuts from comedy albums throughout the day.

Besides his radio career, for nearly four decades, Lowe greeted millions of visitors to the State Fair of Texas via his alter ego as the voice of Big Tex.  In a 1982 interview, Lowe recalled that Mayor RL Thornton instructed him to make Big Tex talk like a cross between Gary Cooper and Santa Claus.

A Few of WRR's Voices and Personalities Through the Years…

​John Stone​​​ Frank Glieber Brad Sham Doug Helton Bruce Hayes "Gentleman" Jim Carter Lee Brumm aka Lee Arthur Buddy Harris Dan Squibb Dave Naugle Pete Mood "Brother" Dave Gardner Jim Lowe Roy Newman John Ravenscroft aka John Peel Bob Warren Ron Wortham Bob Jett John Roosevelt Al Jones Marvin Williams Joe Hickman Dave Cook John Henry Faulk Hal King Brice Armstrong Ben Smith Fulton Lewis Sr. Fulton Lewis III Rob Milford aka Rob Williams Eddie Hill John Miller Bob Kelly Kenny Sargent Clyde White aka Jim White James Alderman Charlie Haggard Rick Teddlie Dale Berry ​​

William Boyd Ocie Brisby "Handyman" Al Carrell Victor Cortinas Pat Couch Jerry Doggett Chuck Duncan Cedric Foster G. Guy Gibson​ Lois Goldthwaite Nancy Leitstein (Brinker) aka Nancy Goodman L. B. Henson Norm Hitzges David Hultsman John Thorwald Harry James George Gimarc Ron Knowles Tim Jernigan Ray LaPere Jim Lawrence Joe McChesney Sterling "Mac" McClain Brian Melton Bob Norman Laurel Ornish Ted Parrino Paul Pryor Vickie Robbins Edd Routt Brad Sham Neil Sperry Jess Smith Patricia Smith Durward Tucker Tom Tully Ken Walters Mark Lambert Mark Willis​​

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John Peel

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, (1939-2004), known professionally as John Peel, was known for his eclectic taste in music and his honest and warm broadcasting style.  He was an internationally popular, respected, and influential DJ and broadcaster who introduced hundreds of new artists to the world's airwaves.

In 1961, he got his first radio job in Dallas, albeit unpaid, working for WRR where he presented the second hour of the Monday night program Kat's Karavan. Following this role, the Liverpool-born Peel became an official Beatles expert as Beatlemania hit the U.S. He later worked for KOMA in Oklahoma City until 1965 and KMEN in San Bernardino, California, before returning to England in early 1967 to work with the offshore pirate radio station Radio London.  He ultimately enjoyed a long career with the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1967 until his death in 2004.​

Al Jones

Al Jones (1918-1956) was an announcer and DJ at WRR for only eight years, but he was well remembered for his work at the station and around Fair Park, where he emceed acts at the Magnolia Lounge and provided the original voice of Big Tex at the State Fair for three years.

​Original exhibition date:  March 2006

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