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| ⚫ | '''Pervis Spann''' (born August 16, 1932) is an ] |
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| | name = Pervis Spann | |||
| | image = | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | birth_name = | |||
| | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1932|8|16}} | |||
| | death_date = | |||
| | birth_place = ], U.S. | |||
| | death_place = | |||
| | residence = ], U.S. | |||
| | occupation = {{hlist|Broadcaster|music promoter|radio personality}} | |||
| | years_active = 1959–2000 | |||
| | spouse = | |||
| | children = | |||
| }} | |||
| ⚫ | '''Pervis Spann''' (born August 16, 1932) is an ] former broadcaster, music promoter and radio personality. Spann has been influential in the development of ] in ]. Spann was inducted into the ] in 2012. | ||
| ==Life and career== | ==Life and career== | ||
| Pervis Spann was born in ]. |
Pervis Spann was born in ]. During his teenage years, he cared for his family by picking cotton and managing a local movie theater, The Dixie Theater after his mother after she suffered a stroke. Spann, his sister and mother moved to ] in 1949. Shortly after moving to Michigan, Spann left to work in ], and spent a time in the forces in the ], before returning to live in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked in a steel mill, drove a taxi, and repaired television sets.<ref name=hall> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822221230/http://www.blues.org/halloffame/ |date=2009-08-22 }}. Accessed February 21, 2012.</ref><ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/pervis-spann-39|title=Pervis Spann Biography|website=TheHistoryMakers.com|date=2018-11-13}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | Under the ], |
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| During the 1960s, Spann managed the careers of leading blues and ] performers, including B.B. King, and claimed to have a role in discovering the ] and ]. Known as a workaholic, he also co-owned several clubs, including the ''Burning Spear''. After WVON was sold, Spann helped set up a new blues and ]-oriented station, WXOL, on the same frequency in 1979; it became WVON again in 1983. He continued to promote blues festivals, and also ran station WXSS in ], during the 1980s.<ref name=hall/><ref name=history/> | |||
| ⚫ | Under the ], Spann attended the Midwestern Broadcasting School, before starting work on WOPA radio in 1959. Spann organized his first concert, featuring ] and ], in 1960.<ref name=history/> Three years later, when ] and ] launched ], Spann was given a regular late-night blues slot, and won attention with an 87-hour "sleepless sit-in" on the station to raise money for ]. During the 1960s, Spann managed the careers of leading blues and ] performers, including B.B. King, and claimed to have a role in discovering the ] and ]. Known as a workaholic, Spann also co-owned several clubs, including the ''Burning Spear''. After WVON was sold in 1975, Spann helped set up a new blues and ]-oriented station, WXOL, on the same frequency in 1979; it became WVON again in 1983. Spann continued to promote blues festivals, and also ran station WXSS in ], during the 1980s.<ref name=hall/><ref name=history/> | ||
| ==Quotation== | ==Quotation== | ||
| "If you don't love the blues, you got a hole in your soul." | "If you don't love the blues, you got a hole in your soul." | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{Reflist}} | {{Reflist|2}} | ||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * David Whiteis, , ''Chicago Reader'', January 18, 2001 | * David Whiteis, , ''Chicago Reader'', January 18, 2001 | ||
| {{Authority control}} | {{Authority control}} | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Spann, Pervis}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Spann, Pervis}} | ||
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| Pervis Spann | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1932-08-16) August 16, 1932 (age 92) Itta Bena, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1959–2000 |
Pervis Spann (born August 16, 1932) is an American former broadcaster, music promoter and radio personality. Spann has been influential in the development of blues music in Chicago, Illinois. Spann was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012.
Life and career
Pervis Spann was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi. During his teenage years, he cared for his family by picking cotton and managing a local movie theater, The Dixie Theater after his mother after she suffered a stroke. Spann, his sister and mother moved to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1949. Shortly after moving to Michigan, Spann left to work in Gary, Indiana, and spent a time in the forces in the Korean War, before returning to live in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked in a steel mill, drove a taxi, and repaired television sets.
Under the G.I. Bill, Spann attended the Midwestern Broadcasting School, before starting work on WOPA radio in 1959. Spann organized his first concert, featuring B.B. King and Junior Parker, in 1960. Three years later, when Leonard and Phil Chess launched WVON, Spann was given a regular late-night blues slot, and won attention with an 87-hour "sleepless sit-in" on the station to raise money for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. During the 1960s, Spann managed the careers of leading blues and soul performers, including B.B. King, and claimed to have a role in discovering the Jackson 5 and Chaka Khan. Known as a workaholic, Spann also co-owned several clubs, including the Burning Spear. After WVON was sold in 1975, Spann helped set up a new blues and gospel-oriented station, WXOL, on the same frequency in 1979; it became WVON again in 1983. Spann continued to promote blues festivals, and also ran station WXSS in Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1980s.
Quotation
"If you don't love the blues, you got a hole in your soul."
References
- ^ Blues Hall of Fame: Pervis Spann Archived 2009-08-22 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed February 21, 2012.
- ^ "Pervis Spann Biography". TheHistoryMakers.com. 2018-11-13.
External links
- David Whiteis, "Not So Smooth Operator", Chicago Reader, January 18, 2001