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This page is dedicated to one of my ancestors, LEONA WALKER, a mass media pioneer. She was a songstress and comedian on FN, the World's First Voice Radio Station. The station was founded by inventor Charles D. Herrold, who conceived the idea of "broadcasting" to the public. His idea opened the door to electronic mass communication nearly a century ago. Mr. Herrold made his first radio broadcast in 1909. Station FN was located in San Jose, California at the Garden City Bank where the elegant Fairmont Plaza and Hotel now stand. In 1921 station FN became KQW and in 1949, KCBS.
She made records in her living room and frequently held one-woman concerts in which she sang arias, operettas and popular ballads of the time. For her comedy routines she pulled out props from her small trunk while performing double-talk routines on stage and on the radio. From the Monterey Peninsula, she traveled to the U.S. Army Base "Fort Ord" in Seaside, California to entertain the soldiers with song and comedy and was responsible for giving many of them an enchanted evening and a good laugh. In San Jose, Clifornia she founded the "Harmony Half-Notes". The "Notes" ranged in ages from 7 to 16 and their performances raised money for many community building funds in San Jose. Leona empassioned all who knew her with a respect for performance and a love of music. She is remembered for her stage presence, comedic talent, determination and pioneering spirit. -Saundra Knowles Kinnaird Founder, Digital Times®
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