[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 53 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E291-E292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PERVIS SPANN, ALSO KNOWN AS ``THE BLUES 
                                 MAN''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 2022

  Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life 
and legacy of an extraordinary man and broadcast radio icon, an on-air 
personality, and a radio station owner: Mr. Pervis Spann.
  Pervis Spann was born in Itta Bean, Mississippi on August 16, 1932. 
Growing up, he picked cotton and cared for his family when his mother 
fell ill. At age 14, he managed the Dixie Theater, a local Black 
theater. His family uprooted from Mississippi and migrated to Battle 
Creek, Michigan in search of jobs, education, housing, and the right to 
vote. Spann joined the military and fought for our Nation during the 
Korean War.
  In the 1950s, his love for music would lead him to his first disc 
jockey job at WOPA in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1960, he organized his 
first concert, which showcased B.B. King and Junior Parker. In 1963, 
Phil and Leonard Chess bought a radio station that later became known 
as WVON. Shortly afterwards, Spann was hired by the Chess brothers as a 
disc jockey for their 24-hour blues station.
  Spann became known as the ``The Blues Man'', gaining notoriety with 
an 87-hour sleepless ``sit-in'' raising money for Civil Rights leader, 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 1, 1963, Spann and his business 
partner, Wesley South, would purchase the radio station and create the 
mantra, ``The Voice of the Negro.''

[[Page E292]]

  Spann was a master marketer, utilizing the radio airwaves to promote 
some of the biggest concerts and shows in Chicago during the 1960s, 
1970s, and 1980s, and providing a platform for African American 
musicians and entertainers. He formed the Delta Production Company, a 
concert production and marketing company which produced shows at The 
Regal Theatre, Arie Crown Theatre, the Lyric Opera House, the Aragon 
Ballroom, and the Trianon Ballroom. Spann was also the owner of The 
Burning Spear nightclub and several other establishments.
  Spann booked James Brown; Sammy Davis, Jr; The Temptations; Chaka 
Khan; Dinah Washington; Jerry Butler; The Impressions; The Four Tops; 
Marvin Gaye; Al Green; Otis Clay; Earth, Wind & Fire; Sam Cooke; The 
Staple Singers; The Commodores; Marvin Gaye; Cab Calloway; Roy 
Hamilton; Jackie Wilson; Little Richard; and Count Basie. Notably, he 
was most famous for crowning Aretha Franklin ``the Queen of Soul'' in 
1962.
  For nearly six decades, Spann's radio station played a pivotal role 
in creating a platform for community, business, and political leaders. 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. could be heard regularly on the Wesley 
South Show, Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad were part of the evening 
format, and Mayor Harold Washington favored WVON for his public service 
announcements. In 1968, WVON was the first station in the country to 
announce the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when Reverend Jesse 
Jackson called from Memphis with the news on April 4, 1968.
  In 1975, WVON was sold and changed frequency. Spann formed a business 
partnership with Vernon Jarrett and Wesley South and bought the license 
to the original frequency in 1979. The new radio station, WXOL, was an 
all-blues format where musicians such as Johnny Taylor, Buddy Guy, KoKo 
Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Clay, and many others could be heard. In 
1983, the station reclaimed the old call letters of WVON.
  In 2012, Pervis Spann was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame for his 
contributions in media, production, and business. He joined legendary 
musical luminaries such as B.B. King, Etta James, Mavis Staples, and 
Willie Dixon.
  Spann was the epitome of the American dream--he went from 
`sharecropping to shareholding'. Throughout his life, Spann used the 
radio station as an outlet to cultivate new aspiring radio 
personalities. He was always willing to give a helping hand to those 
who needed work and support, and he both recognized talent and 
encouraged young people to pursue a college education.
  Spann, along with his wife, Mrs. Lovie Spann, and four children, 
Melody, Darrell, Latrice, and Chante, continued to call the South Side 
of Chicago home for the rest of his life. Pervis Spann's loss is deeply 
felt across Chicago, the nation, and even the world.
  My thoughts and prayers are with his family--Lovie, Melody, Darrell, 
Latrice, and Chante--and with all who loved and were impacted by this 
truly great man.

                          ____________________