Early Wright was a disc jockey at WROX-AM radio station in Clarksdale. He was both so well liked and well known, his listeners called him “The Soul Man.”
Early was a true broadcasting pioneer; he was the first African American radio announcer in Mississippi. Early’s radio shows often featured artists and their music live in the WROX studio. Sam Cooke, B.B. King, Little Milton, Pinetop Perkins, Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, Bobby Rush, Rufus Thomas, and Muddy Waters were some of those.
An auto mechanic by trade Early joined WROX in 1945. He was also the manager of a gospel group, the Four Star Quartet. From his first regular show onward, Early Wright continued to broadcast for the next 53 years. His last show was in 1998 when he was 83-years old.