Before coming to Greenville to work for the VOA, I was Chief Engineer of Public Radio Station WNJC-FM at Northwest Mississippi Junior College, Senatobia, MS. Radio Station WNJC FM, 90.1 MHZ (later moved to 88.9 MHz), was Mississippi's first (and for many years, ONLY) Public Radio Station and National Public Radio affiliate. I upgraded the station from a 2.5KW ERP Monaural FM station to 20KW ERP Stereo, installed Mississippi's first NPR-affiliated Satellite System (1976) and designed and constructed the station's audio and control interface. Several years ago, Northwest relinquished operation of the station and the station is now operated by WKNO in Memphis. Accordingly, the callsign was changed to WKNA. All programming is relayed from WKNO.
My first commercial radio job was as an operator/technician at ship-to-shore station WJG, Memphis, TN, from 1956 to 1959. WJG was a commercial Shortwave AM station that handled message traffic to and from the tow boats on the Mississippi River. This station used pre-war Western Electric equipment consisting of a 1 KW AM transmitter and a fixed-tuned receiver, with wire-type antennas. The station was located on Vaughn, in East Memphis (in fact, it was located in Capt. Wm. T. Warner's Pecan Orchard). Even after I went to another job, I continued to listen to WJG on 4, 6, 8 and 12 MHz. Some time after I left, WJG was purchased and moved to a new location south of Memphis between Highway 61 and the Ms. River. The equipment was upgraded to modern SSB equipment. Unfortunately, there are now no more river stations and WJG has been "dark" for several years; most of the message traffic is being handled by satellite and cell phone. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
Education: Attended Memphis TN public schools, 1945 to 1958. Graduated from Central High School, Memphis, TN, Class of 1958. Played Trombone and French Horn in High School Band. Attended Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, Cookeville, TN on Music Scholarship, one year, 1958 - 1959.
Military: U. S. Navy, March 1960 to July 1970. Attained rate of Chief Petty Officer, E-7, Communications Technician, Material Branch.
Music Interests: Studied Classical Piano, but played professionally Jazz, Rock and Roll, and Country for many years in the Memphis area (while in High School and later). Played Trombone and French Horn in High School and College (Tennessee Tech). Learned to play the Dobro acoustical resonator guitar while living in Mississippi (1974) and was an active member of THE LUCY OPRY for over 12 years. I played Dobro (resonator) guitar with the Dixie Bluegrass Boys of Stage, Radio and Recording infamy. If you have a copy of our only LP record or our only cassette recording you must be either a close friend or a relative!.
Doug Cole had TWO really good Martin guitars; one, a 1947 D-28 that he bought when he was 16 years old, and the other was a 1938 D-28 "Herringbone". The 1947 D-28 was made from left-over "Herringbone" parts (top, braces, back and sides) but lacks the "Herringbone" trim because Martin had discontinued the "Herringbone" model in 1946. His "Herringbone" guitar was recently sold to Russell Moore, guitarist and lead singer of the group "Third Tyme Out". Russell wrote an article for their fan club about this guitar. To read this article, click here.
In 1997, I had my old faithful 1974 60-D OMI Dobro worked on by Gene Wooten, who was a wonderful Dobroist, probably the best Dobro setup man in the business, and a really nice guy. Gene played with Wilma Lee Cooper and The Clinch Mountain Clan, Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, The Country Gazette, and finally with Bobby and Sonny Osborne.
Unfortunately, Gene passed away November 7,2001, at 49 years of age. He was taken from us by Cancer, which he had been fighting for several years. I have left the above info about Gene intact, as a tribute to him as a musician, instrument technician and above all, as a friend. He was a special person.
If you need help with setting up a Dobro of any type, contact Bobby Wright, of Wilmington, North Carolina. You can reach Bobby at Dobrobob78@msn.com or at (910) 327-0877. Bobby is a great picker and also a cabinet maker, and knows what the guitar should sound like. Frank D. Harlow, the builder of my new guitar, can be reached at telephone (987) 890-7801, Vandalia, Ohio. Frank is a very capable and thorough repairman, and in my opinion, builds a wonderful custom-made resonator guitar.
Here's a picture of me, my two guitars, and the 1997 Dodge Dakota. I am holding my old faithful 1974 60-D OMI Dobro ("Gene") and the new Harlow Resonator Guitar ("Bear") is setting next to me.
For some time now, I have suffered with declining eyesight. I was diagnosed with cataracts on both eyes. So, in March of 2002, I had the cataract in my right eye removed and in May of 2002, the cararact in my left eye was removed. In fact, the doctors at the VA Clinic in Durham NC where my surgery was done, managed to correct the vision in my eyes, so that I no longer have to wear glasses of any kind. What a change this has made in my life! The surgery is easy and the results are fantastic. I only have to wear a pair of cheap drug-store type reading glasses for close-in work. Unfortunately in the summer of 2004, I suffered detached retinas in first the right eye and then the left eye. My vision was saved, but I'm now back to wearing glasses again.
Organizations: Academy of Model Aeronautics, Greenville Flying Pirates Model Aircraft Club (President 1991 thru 1994), American Federation of Government Employees (Steward and former Executive Board member), Boy Scouts of America (former Scoutmaster, Troop 452), Train Collectors Association, American Radio Relay League.
Links to Genealogy Sites
Link to
Copeland Genealogy
Link to Family Tree Maker Copeland Home Page
Link to North Carolina Genealogy
Links to Bluegrass Music
Even though I live in Eastern North Carolina, I maintain close contact with the Memphis Bluegrass Scene through the Memphis Area Bluegrass Association and The Lucy Opry. Check out this link:
Memphis Area Bluegrass Association
My Bluegrass Home Page
What's a Dobro?
Radio Links
Voice of America,
Greenville Relay Station
On March 24 1972, I married Charlotte Lamb Henley
-- her page is next! (other pages follow in sequence)