Willis Conover Brought Jazz, 'the Music of Freedom,' to the World

Written by Dana Demange

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

Willis Conover

And I’m Barbara Klein with People in America in VOA Special English. Today,

we tell about Willis Conover. His voice is one of the most famous in the

world. Conover’s Voice of America radio program on jazz was one of the most

popular and influential shows in broadcasting history.

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VOICE ONE:

Willis Conover was not a jazz musician. However, many people believe that he

did more to spread the sound of jazz than any person in music history. For

more than forty years Conover brought jazz to people around world on his VOA

music programs. An estimated one hundred million people heard his programs. He

helped make jazz music an international language.

VOICE TWO:

Willis Conover was born in Buffalo, New York, in nineteen twenty. Because his

father was in the military, his family moved around a great deal. When Willis

was in high school, he played the part of a radio announcer in a school play.

People told him that he sounded like a real radio announcer. Later, he

competed in a spelling competition that was broadcast on radio. The radio

announcer told Willis that he should work in radio. Willis had a deep and rich

voice that was perfect for broadcasting.

VOICE ONE:

At first, Conover worked for small radio stations in the state of Maryland. He

served in the military during World War Two. Because of his experience talking

to people on radio, Conover was not sent away to fight. He was needed to

interview new soldiers at Fort Meade, Maryland. After the war, he continued to

work for commercial radio stations.

Willis Conover heard a lot of jazz music during the nineteen forties in

Washington, D.C. This city was the center of a very important jazz movement.

Willis Conover knew many of the jazz musicians in both Washington and New York

City. He helped organize many concerts. He also helped stop racial separation

in the places where music was played at night.

At this time, mainly white people went to music clubs even though many of the

musicians were black. Conover created musical events where people of all races

were welcome.

VOICE TWO:

Willis Conover wanted to be able to play more of the jazz music that he loved

on his radio show. He did not like the restrictions of commercial radio. When

he heard that the Voice of America wanted to start a jazz music program,

Conover knew that he had found a perfect job. He had full freedom to play all

kinds of jazz music on his show which began in nineteen fifty-five.

VOICE ONE:

Willis Conover once said that jazz is the music of freedom. He said that with

jazz people can express their lives through music. And that the music helps

people to stand up a little straighter.