Category Archives: “Looking Back”

A Decade of Country Music: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

In 1979, KSSN 95.7 hired Bob Robbins (aka Robert Spears) away from KAAY and began broadcasting country music. Throughout the 1980s, KSSN grew to become the top country music station in Arkansas and by the early 1990s, was winning awards for being the top country music station in the country. Robbins would be the #1 DJ in the Little Rock market for 20 straight years. Continue reading →

I Heard It On the Radio, Part II: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

When I was growing up in Faulkner County, the two main Conway radio stations were KCON and KVEE. Even though television provided us with visual entertainment, we still turned to our radio stations for local news, coverage of local elections, live local sports coverage and our favorite tunes.

Bill Johnson, who had been a KCON announcer while in college, became the general manager of KCON in 1962 less than a year after James Clayton, the founder, passed away. Johnson purchased Continue reading →

Heard It On the Radio: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

Conway may have had one of the first radio stations in the state when the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a license to Conway Radio Laboratories on October 2, 1923. KFKW operated at 150 watts on Tuesday and Friday evenings if Ben Woodruff, the owner Continue reading →

Ed Speaker: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

In the 1940s and 1950s, no one had their finger on the pulse of Conway better than Ed Speaker (1905-1984). Speaker owned Southern Realty, one of the main real estate and insurance firms in Conway and was very involved in state and local politics. As a result, he knew a lot of people and was well known by many.

Richard Edwin Speaker’s parents were Continue reading →

The Conway Razorback Club: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

As the home of three colleges and three high schools, Conway has plenty of opportunities to attend athletic events. Add in the various other Faulkner County athletic teams and one knows there is no lack of local teams to get behind and support on the field, gym, diamond or track. Continue reading →