Mount Airy in Surry County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Ralph Epperson

April 5, 1921-May 31, 2006

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, October 23, 2021

1. Ralph Epperson Marker

Inscription. Ralph Epperson founded WPAQ 740 AM, The first radio station in Surry County in 1948. The station is best known for the preservation of music native to the Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, highlighting local old-time musicians. WPAQ is still on the air today and boasts the Merry-Go-Round Program as the 2nd Longest-running live radio broadcast of its kind it is Broadcast every week from the Historic Earle Theatre on Main Street. He received the "Roses While You Live" award from the National Council for the Traditional arts and was inducted into the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Erected 2018.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Entertainment.

Location. 36° 30.091′ N, 80° 36.524′ W. Marker is in Mount Airy, North Carolina, in Surry County. It is on West Oak Street west of North Main Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mount Airy NC 27030, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fred Cockerham (here, next to this marker); Tommy Jarrell (here, next to this marker); Donna Fargo (here, next to this marker); The Whittling Wall

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(here, next to this marker); Floyd Eugene "Flip" Rees (a few steps from this marker); The Mill Worker (a few steps from this marker); The Whittler (a few steps from this marker); Leonidas Harold "L.H." Jones (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Airy.

Also see . . . Historic Artist Ralph Epperson Radio Programmer and Traditional Music Promotor Surry County. Ralph Deward Epperson was born on April 5, 1921, in “The Hollows,” a community more commonly known as Ararat, Virginia. Although Ralph did not play a musical instrument, he played a tremendous role in preserving Surry County’s old-time, bluegrass and gospel music. Growing up he recorded his family and neighbors on lacquer discs. Ralph’s mother, Lula Watson Epperson, wanted him to become a preacher, but as he leaned toward radio broadcasting he thought about spreading the gospel to many elderly and shut-in people in the northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia area. (Submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, October 23, 2021

2. Ralph Epperson Marker

Wide view of Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham & Ralph Epperson (right), and markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, December 30, 2024

3. Wide view of Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham & Ralph Epperson (right), and markers

Credits. This page was last revised on January 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 384 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 3. submitted on January 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.