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Frequently
Asked
Questions |
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Q.
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Why was it reported in 2006
& 2007 by
state, local and national news media outlets, the Jamboree closed? |
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A.
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Only the
Capitol
Music
Hall
closed.
The
previous
high-profile
producers
of the
weekly
Jamboree
were in
corporate
transition
themselves,
simultaneously
as the
building
they
occupied
was
deemed
unsafe
by city
fire and
public
compliance
officials.
Building
owners,
Jamboree
show
producers
and
broadcast
staff
were
unwilling
to react
favorably
at a
corporate
level
and
unmindful
of our
companys
readiness
to take
quick
action
to
preserve
the
historic
and
iconic
Wheeling
Jamboree program. In addition, many simply associated The Capitol and the Jamboree as a singular entity, not as
the
separate
units
they
actually
are. It
was only
after
becoming
a
successful
radio
studio
show
that the
Jamboree
launched
the broadcast stage show
that is historically associated
with many
venues
and the
former
Capitol
Music
Hall in Wheeling over
the years
with numerous owners. Often time, those in attendance were unaware it was a live radio broadcast unless they had
"caught on"
during
the
program
or later
heard it
on over the airwaves
of WWVA
or the
syndicated
network broadcasts. |
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Q. |
Why now
is the
Jamboree
not held
at the
Capitol
Theatre
(formerly
known as
the
Capitol
Music
Hall)? |
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A.
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Like the Jamboree, the building has had multiple owners since its
1928 construction as Capitol Theatre and the current owners are not associated to the present Wheeling Jamboree company, or the present syndicated radio production executives.
The
presentation
of the
Jamboree
has
never
been
exclusive
to the
Capitol
Theatre
and has
historically
been
presented
from a
wide
variety
of
facilities
in the
Wheeling
area.
NOTE:
In April 2010,
the 77th
Anniversary
of the
Jamboree was
celebrated at
the
re-opened
Capitol
Theatre
and
produced
by the
current
operators
of the
Wheeling
Jamboree.
Certain
future
presentations
of the
Wheeling
Jamboree
are in
consideration
at
the
Capitol
Theatre. |
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Q. |
How did
the
Jamboree
come to
take
place in
neighboring
Moundsville
from
August
2011 to
September
2012? |
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A. |
The
nearby
community
of
Moundsville
(10
miles
South of
Wheeling's
Business
district)
had been
renovating
the
1920's
era
Strand
Theatre
for an
lengthy
period.
Mr.
David
Heath
the
Jamboree's
Producer
had been
asked by
Moundsville
community
leaders
to
become
involved
with the
Strand's
preservation
organization, at
a time
when no
auditoriums
were
viable
in the
City of
Wheeling.
The
Strand
is very
much
like
several
of the
former
homes to
the
Wheeling
Jamboree
in
design-type,
that
were
ideal
for
presenting
the
Jamboree.
The
Jamboree
has
since
returned
to
Downtown Wheeling. |
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Q. |
Why is the show no longer called Jamboree USA? |
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A.
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In the mid 1960s Powerful New York advertising and broadcast executive Mr. Emil Mogul, purchased the Jamborees producers, local radio station 1170 AM WWVA
and the Capitol Theatre and as a marketing strategy. Quickly modernized them by renaming the theatre to Capitol Music Hall, giving it a New York flavor and the Folk-ish sounding Original WWVA Jamboree to
Jamboree-USA
bringing
a more
metropolitan
stylization
to the
name of
the
show.
However
the
Jamboree
at
Wheeling
is most
widely
recognized
and
accepted
by those
within
the
industry
of
entertainment
and
radio
broadcasting
as "Wheeling Jamboree".
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Q.
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Did the Jamboree leave the air waves when the Capitol Music Hall closed down? |
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A.
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No. Archived shows and several live studio shows were
held and broadcast over 50,000 watt 1170 AM WWVA after the closing of the Capitol
Music
Hall through
April
2008
when
live
Jamboree
stage shows
resumed. These archives and live studio shows originated from WWVA studios located in the Capitol Theatre's Main Street annex and produced by the stations on air staff
until
current
stage production
of the
Jamboree
resumed
live and
again airing
on WWVA.
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Q.
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Why
did the Wheeling Jamboree broadcast on 5,000 watt AM 1600 WKKX in Wheeling and
also syndicated on other stations?
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A.
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The Jamboree remained on
air, on 50,000 watt 1170 AM WWVA Saturdays in the regular time slot until
mid December 2008 when station officials elected to cease broadcast arrangements with current producers of the Wheeling Jamboree. WKKX in Wheeling recognized the overall importance of the Wheeling Jamboree
broadcast historically to
the city and
was the only
AM radio station in Wheeling
willing
to air
the
Jamboree.
This
delivery
on the
air of the program
retained
Jamboree's
status
as 2nd
longest
running
radio
program
in
the
nation. |
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Q. |
How many
times
has the
Wheeling
Jamboree
changed
ownership
since
its
launch
in 1933? |
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A. |
Naturally
every
time
radio
station
WWVA was
bought
and
sold,
the
production
of the
Jamboree
show
went
with the
station.
The
exact
number
of those
transactions
is
unclear
to this
date,
but
estimates
are at
least 8
companies
through
the year
2000.
However
the
production
ownership
of the
show
itself
often was
split up
between
the
station
and
other
production entities
that
continued
to
produce
the show
after
2000.
Jamboree
patriarch
Doc
Williams
is
attributed
with
saving
the show
on a
number
of
occasions
when the
station
owners
or other
forces
felt it
should
cease. |
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Q. |
With his
"extraordinary
commercial
success"
and
"well-known
celebrity"
today -
Why does
Country
Music
superstar
Brad
Paisley
not
return
to
perform
on the
Wheeling
Jamboree,
being he
launched
his
professional
career
on the
Jamboree
and was
the
Jamboree's
youngest
regular
solo
artist
and
staff
member? |
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A. |
Brad has
returned
from
living
in
Nashville
after
having
his
major
recording
success
and
becoming
a member
of the
Grand
Ole Opry
to
perform
on the
Jamboree
on
several
dates
while
the
Jamboree
was
still at
the
Capitol
Music
Hall
regularly.
He also
performed
a
charitable
concert
event
and
Jamboree
broadcast
from
Wheeling's
Wesbanco
Arena in
2004,
helping
victims
of major
regional
storms
and
disastrous
flooding
in
preceding
months.
He has
not
returned
to
Wheeling
to do a
Jamboree
show
since
that
charity
event in
2004.
He has
publicly
expressed
his
disappointment
with the
1997
format
change
of WWVA
radio to
News/Talk.
In
addition
a
pre-recorded
announcement
was
displayed
at the
reopening
of the
refurbished
Capitol
Theatre
indicating
his
desire
to
someday
return
to the
Capitol
Theatre
to do a
show.
As far
as being
on the
Wheeling
Jamboree,
we can
only
speculate
that
such
immense
celebrity,
often
breeds a
variety
of
issues
that can
only
remain
unanswered
or
perhaps
even
personal
as to
his
desire
to
perform
on the
Jamboree
ever
again! |
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