WCYB's "Farm and Fun Time"

WCYB's "Farm and Fun Time". . In December 1946, WCYB radio went on the air with a clear, high powered signal that could be heard for 100 miles away, or more, from Bristol. From the very launch of the station, one of its signature programs was the noon time show - "Farm and Fun Time." This live show was broadcast from the lobby of the Hotel General Shelby, which stood east of here near the current WCYB television studio. The show continued through the late 1940s and 1950s and was also carried on television., Like other radio shows of its day, "Farm and Fun Time" featured live musicians who would sell products and inform listeners of upcoming show dates. Many of the region's Bluegrass and Old Time musicians gathered around the microphone at WCYB, as the show was the beginning of the professional career of scores of musicians., Other than Bill Monroe, virtually every important musician from the first generation of Bluegrass played on the "Farm and Fun Time" program. Performers on "Farm and Fun Time" include some of the early pioneers in the field of Bluegrass music, such as Mac Wiseman, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Ralph and Carter Stanley, Jim and Jessee McReynolds, Carl Story, Bobby Osborne, Jimmy Martin, and the Blue Sky Boys., For a generation of listeners, the bluegrass and mountain music they heard laid the foundation for their musical tastes and created fond memories. The Farm and Fun Time program helped to build upon and add to Bristol's rich musical heritage.