FOLIO
Words by Johvan Merilus
At a time when radio was fairly new and being used extensively for the first time, Jacksonville didn’t hesitate to get involved in the movement as WJAX was the first station to go on air in 1925. By the 1940s, nearly 90% of households in America had a radio. Radio became a tether between the sounds of music and the people who had genuine love for it. In Jacksonville, the use of radio gave the city life as it allowed people to find a sense of identity and also brought recognition here to the River City.
Jacksonville has always had its own sound, which continues to thrive because of its originality and authenticity. One of the key factors for the rise of musicality in Jacksonville was due to the rise of free radio, as the airwaves are used to reach out and connect people throughout the city. It takes more than just someone pressing the buttons on the sound board, however, but rather someone having a connection in bridging together both music and people. But just as radio is important, so is the person behind the table spinning the records on air.
One person who’s been responsible for not only being a cornerstone in the world of radio but also giving Jacksonville its own catch phrase in saying “DUUUUUVVVAALL” is none other than Everett Eason AKA Easy E. After his time with the military and moving from Savannah, he found himself mixing up in the Jacksonville club scene.
“I was a DJ in the club and a producer, so when I got out I had a song that I produced a long time ago,” Eason shared. “I went to this radio station that was called Hot 106.5 and I asked a guy to play my song on the radio.”
Based on his appearance and charisma, the program director noticed this man could and should have a place in radio, especially with his company.
“Long story short, he was like, ‘I liked your swag and you sound like you’re cool.’ He took me into his office and next thing you know, he told me to bring back a resume. I brought it back and boom, a month later he hired me, and I’ve been doing this since ’92,” Eason explained.
When it comes to radio, Easy E has been a cornerstone for the city of Jacksonville as he’s been a part of producing songs such as “My City Duval” with help from co-producer Jay McGowan.
“I was a DJ in the club, I was a mixer so being a radio disc jock, I didn’t know I would get to become the biggest in the city,” Eason said.
As Eason’s journey commenced, he began creating his own style — not only with how he represented himself, but all of Jacksonville. As the popularity of his radio show started climbing, so did its influence on the culture. During the civil rights movement, radio played a key role in projecting the voices of Black people in America who held positions of status as musicians or activists. It was Jacksonville’s own WCGL radio station that was behind sharing the voices of the movement during its pivotal times: Radio became a force that would elevate the voices of those needing to tell a story.
WJAX-AM was once the go-to radio station for news, weather, breaking stories and advertisements. But as radio evolved in the late 1990s, FM music stations began dominating the airwaves, marking a clear shift. What had once been a vital news source gradually transformed into a platform for entertainment. The city had entered a new age in which its identity was beginning to expand. Stations such as 101.5 were responsible for defining what would be the new sound of Jacksonville.
“I was working 12 midnight to six in the morning doing the old school stuff,” Eason shared. “We had a wall of CDs from A to Z and they were numbered with commercials because everything was handpicked there, nothing was electronic, how it is now.”
Though that era brought change to radio and its push for music, the evolution process didn’t stop there. Traditional radio began to find itself being challenged to change as digital streaming and podcasts gained popularity. In order for radio to continue to be relevant, it had to adapt with the times and help promote these new services.
“The evolution is crazy because right now, I can record in different cities and not be there. I’ve done a morning show in Atlanta, Savannah, Tallahassee, Tampa, and even Miami,” Eason said.
Radio stations reached a turning point where they had to adapt to stay relevant. They embraced social media for promotion, developed mobile apps and focused more on engaging their listeners. As technology advanced, traditional radio was forced to evolve, finding new ways to connect with its audience.
Most of the time people see radio as just pushing buttons and speaking on the microphone, but what’s never seen is the magic it holds in forming a culture that people can resonate with.
“I heard the Duval chant in the streets of Jacksonville. So I took it back, came into the studio, and I wanted to spell mine differently with 5 U’s, 4 V’s, 3 A’s and 2 L’s… And it spread like wildfire to where even the Jaguars picked it up,” Eason explained. “People ask why didn’t I trademark it? Hell, I didn’t know it would do this fantastic and now it’s nationwide. It’s everywhere.”
From just the mention of the word “DUUUUUVVVVAAALL” on the radio, the phrase took on a life of its own, a line that brought a sense of community not only to Jacksonville but across the globe. Radio surpassed its common perspective as a tool to a platform because of how influential it can be.
Radio has come a long way from being a simple boombox, but the industry has set itself apart as to what can influence the culture of a society. The purpose of a radio isn’t just to blast tunes but to lend a hand in uplifting the city’s spirits because they love the city and want to make it happy.
“For me, I never looked at the money, I just looked at the excitement because I love what I do,” Eason shared.
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