DJ Hoppy Adams

In 1952 Morris Blum hired Charles "Hoppy" Adams to DJ on 1190 WANN-AM. Billboard even noted hsi hire in their May issue that year. He remained at the station ultimately for more than 40 years. He followed a trail then only recently blazed by Hal Jackson who became his mentor. WANN was then a daytimer airing gospel, blues and early rock-n-roll. Hoppy was a Maryland Native, born in the Annapolis suburb of Parole in 1926. He worked as a cab driver and started his own cab company.How he ended up applying for work at WANN I have no idea.

The station signed on in 1947, only the third station on the dial preceded by fellow daytimer WASL and full service station WNAV. Blum focused his station on the black community. Arriving 5 years later Hoppy was emceeing a series of concerts at Carr's Beach Pavilion with live remote broadcasts on Sunday nights. But because of segregation, white teenagers weren't allowed at the shows. Huge acts performed such as the Drifters, the Coasters,  Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Etta James, The Shirelles,and even James Brown. Hoppy became a local celebrity. Magazines and newspapers published pictures of him alongside Bill Dagett onstage and Illinois Jacquet. More here.


In 1989 Burrelle's Black Media Directory listed Hoppy as both the Program Director and the Music Director. Morris Blum was still the GM and SM.The Radio Yearbook still listed him as a Blues DJ in 1991. He died in 2005 at the age of 79. More here. Morris Blum outlive him by 5 years. More here.