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The Kitchen Sisters Present

15 – Electronic Memories: R.A. Coleman’s Memphis

The Kitchen Sisters Present

The Kitchen Sisters & Radiotopia

Society & Culture

4.51.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2015

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early 1950s, at the same time legendary record producer Sam Phillips was making recordings of the pageants and events happening in Memphis’ white community—across town, R.A. Coleman, an African American photographer, was making recordings of the black community—weddings, church choirs, nightclubs and dance halls.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Radio Topia. Welcome to the Kitchen Sisters Presently.

0:04.0

PRX.

0:05.0

We're the Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nicki Silva.

0:09.0

Hi, this is Nicky of the Kitchen Sisters.

0:13.0

Thank you so much to everyone who's already donated to support Radiotopia and this show during our fall fundraiser.

0:19.0

Radiotopia from PRX is a non-profit public media company. The money we raise from this fundraiser

0:25.6

is split amongst all the shows in the network. This creates opportunity for emerging shows

0:31.3

or those that wouldn't be prioritized at other networks.

0:35.4

We love reading the comments that people leave when they donate.

0:38.4

Kelly says, keep the great creator-owned work coming. And Erica writes, I have been obsessed with every radiotopia

0:46.2

podcast I have listened to. I appreciate this collective so, so much and hope that these

0:51.7

amazing creators can keep making what they want to make in a world where many shows are being shut down.

0:58.0

We are coming to the end of the fundraiser, but we are still short of our goal. Not very short but short. If we reach our goal of a

1:05.9

thousand donors after the holidays we'll share a digital zine with everyone who

1:10.4

donated to help us get there. If you haven't donated yet, but you've been

1:14.3

thinking about it, we need your help now. Visit radiotopia.fm slash donate and add your name

1:21.5

to the list of listeners who support independent podcasts.

1:25.0

Thanks so much. Radiotopia.

1:28.0

FM slash donate. A few episodes ago on Fugitive Waves we shared a story about Sam Phillips, the legendary record producer who first recorded Elvis Presley,

1:47.0

Howlin Wolf, Johnny Cash, and so many other greats during the 1950s and 60s.

1:52.0

In the early years when Sam was struggling to keep his fledgling recording service afloat,

1:57.0

he would record just about anything to make ends meet.

...

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