Willis Conover
Willis Conover |
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Willis Clark Conover, Jr. (October 18, 1920 – May 17, 1996) was a jazz producer and broadcaster on the Voice of America for over forty years. He produced jazz concerts at the White House, the Newport Jazz Festival, and for movies and television. By arranging concerts where people of all races were welcome, he is credited with desegregating Washington DC nightclubs.[1] Conover is credited with keeping interest in jazz alive in the countries of Eastern Europe through his nightly broadcasts during the cold war.
Youth
As a young man Conover was interested in science fiction, and published a science fiction fanzine, Science Fantasy Correspondent. This brought him into contact with horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. The correspondence between Lovecraft, who was at the end of his life, and the young Conover, has been published as Lovecraft at Last (Carrolton-Clark, 1975; reprint 2004).
Conover's father had intended for him to attend The Citadel and follow his family's tradition of military service. Instead, he attended the Maryland State Teacher's College at Salisbury, Maryland, and became a radio announcer for WTBO in Cumberland, Maryland.
Voice of America
Conover came to work at the Voice of America, and eventually became a legend among jazz lovers, primarily due to the hour-long program on the Voice of America called Voice of America Music USA. Known for his sonorous and baritone voice, many would argue that he was the most important presenter on Voice of America. Conover was not well known in the United States, even among jazz aficionados, but his visits to Eastern Europe and Soviet Union brought huge crowds and star treatment for him. On a trip to Moscow a taxi driver recognized him by his distinctive deep-toned voice. He was a celebrity figure in the Soviet Union, where jazz was very popular and the Voice of America was a prime source of information as well as music.
He died of lung cancer, contributed to by 57 years of smoking.[2]
References
- ^ "Willis Conover Is Dead at 75; Aimed Jazz at the Soviet Bloc", By ROBERT McG. THOMAS Jr., New York Times, May 19, 1996. Retrieved Feb 4, 2010.
- ^ "Willis of Oz", by James Lester, Central Europe Review, Vol 1, No 5, 26 July 1999. Retrieved Feb 4, 2010.
- Willis Conover: Broadcasting Jazz To The World by Terence M. Ripmaster, iUniverse Publishing, 2007
External links
- Find-A-Grave profile for Willis Conover
- Article about Willis Conover from the Voice of America web site
- Willis Conover introduces a band of jazz musicians during a live performance
- Willis Conover tells his story
- Voices of Freedom: A Celebration of VOA Jazz and Willis Conover
- Farber, Gary. "If It Ain't Got That Swing." Amygdala June 29, 2008. Web article about Conover's interest in science fiction and fantasy, including his correspondence with H. P. Lovecraft
- The Willis Conover Collection at the University of North Texas
- Conover's Coming Over: Willis Conover and Jazz at the Voice of America (NPR program)
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