WROX first hit the Clarksdale/Delta airwaves on June 5, 1944, one day prior to the Invasion of Normandy / “D-Day”. Robin Weaver, Sr. was the initial station owner and 321 Delta Avenue was first home for the station. WROX began broadcasting with a mere 250 watts, and that original RCA transmitter sits now in our station lobby. (See picture). In July 1945, WROX moved to 257 Delta Avenue in Clarksdale, and for 40 years the station was located inside the Alcazar Hotel until moving out in the 1990s. Since 2005, the station has been, and still is, located at 628 Desoto Avenue, just one block from the famous “Crossroads.”

In 1947, Early Wright, auto mechanic by trade, was also manager of the Four Star Quartet from nearby Helena, Arkansas. Early heard about WROX and decided to buy some air time for the quartet, a 15 minute segment on Sunday mornings. Station manager at that time, Preston "Buck" Hinman, was very impressed by Early and offered him a job as a disc jockey. Early would not take the job until he first had approval, or not, from his church Pastor. Early’s pastor thought Early should try the new job for a couple of weeks, which turned into over (50) years at WROX. Early was known as “The Soul Man” and also as “Brother Early Wright", depending on when he was spinning blues and R&B records or switching to gospel records. Early interviewed and hosted in studio, live performances from many “soon to be, huge greats”, such as: Sonny Boy Williamson II, Sam Cooke, B.B. King, Little Milton, Pinetop Perkins, Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, Bobby Rush, Rufus Thomas, and Muddy Waters, just to name a few,. History was made on that first day when Early Wright began his long tenure at WROX, as he was the first black disc jockey in Mississippi. (Some believe he was the first black DJ in the South, and some others believe possibly the first black disc jockey in the country.) Whichever is true, Early was known to have had one of the longest running radio shows in America, from 1947-1998.

Also in the 1940s, a pre teen by the name of Ike Turner, who quit school in the 8th grade, went to work operating the Alcazar Hotel’s elevator, and soon became fascinated with nearby WROX. He would hang out at the station during work breaks. Ike would watch and learn from another WROX DJ, John Friskillo. Friskillo taught young Ike the ins and outs of a radio station control room, and soon Ike was spinning records when Friskillo would take coffee breaks. Being an up and coming musician and performer, hanging out at a nearby radio station was perfect for Ike. At some point later, Ike Turner became a full fledged disc jockey himself at WROX and hosted his own show called "Jive Till Five." He and his band, The Kings of Rhythm, performed live periodically on WROX.

Fast forward a bunch of years to the mid 1980’s, when WROX was home and “flagship station” for the nationally syndicated radio show “Metal Shop” hosted by radio legend Charlie Kendall, when Kendall owned the station.

WROX had an increase in power, to 1,000 watts, in 1964. The FM simulcast was set up in 2010 on frequency 105.7 FM, and later moved to 97.5 FM where it remains and “rox” today.

The 257 Delta Avenue location was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, and in 2012 a Mississippi Blues Trail marker was placed there.

Just a tidbit of history of this Legendary radio station.