Lucky Cordell (Finding Aid)

Lucky Cordell

1928 -

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Food: Chili Con Carne and Chicken

Favorite Time of Year: Spring

Favorite Vacation Spot: Las Vegas

Interview Length: 136 minutes

Interview Date(s): January 16, 2002

Interview Location(s): Chicago, Illinois

Abstract

Radio personality Lucky Cordell details his family background and his childhood growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. Cordell explains why tragedies in his family prompted his family to move to Chicago, and talks about his close relationship with his father, since his mother died when he was only three years old. Cordell recalls many features of his old neighborhood, telling a story of how he was mugged and explaining how his neighborhood friends gave him his nickname. Cordell then discusses his education, explaining why he chose to attend a vocational high school. Radio personality Lucky Cordell details his time in the U.S. military, describing his eighteen months spent on a Navy base in the Aleutian Islands. Cordell explains his decision to attend radio school upon his return, and tells of his first entry into the broadcasting business. Cordell first worked at WGES in Chicago, under the tutelage of legendary disc jockey Al Benson. Cordell details his business relatioship with Benson, which was at times fractious. Cordell talks about how he became an independent voice at WGES, which eventually led to getting his own show at WGRY in Gary, Indiana. Radio personality Lucky Cordell details his rocky business relationship with disc jockey Al Benson, and explains how Benson was the most popular personality in radio during the 1950s. Cordell talks about how he moved his up-tempo style to Gary, Indiana's WGRY in the late 1950s, where he soon became the most popular DJ in town. He explains his marketing strategies and how he used a variety of programs to connect with a broad audience in Gary. Cordell also talks about his participation in the famous black theater troupe, the Skyloft Players. Radio personality Lucky Cordell continues to discuss the reasons behind his success at WGRY in Gary, Indiana, and then details his career transition to WVON, where he became general manager of the most popular and dynamic radio station in Chicago. Cordell talks about many of the disc jockeys at WVON, and discusses his relationship with station owner Leonard Chess. When Chess sold the station to a large corporation, Cordell explains how he was promoted to an executive position but was still able to maintain a good rapport with the deejays. He also evaluates the positive atmosphere at WVON and measures its impact on Chicago's black community. Radio personality Lucky Cordell details the change of ownership at WVON, explaining how new ownership affected the management structure. Cordell also reflects back on his time at WVON, sharing many stories about the colorful characters that were disc jockeys and managers at the station during the 1960s and 1970s. Cordell then talks about his devotion to public service, describing how he helped to found Operation PUSH with Jesse Jackson and how he developed a CHA housing projects radio station with Mayor Harold Washington. Finally, Cordell comments on the state of black radio today.

44 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)