A kindhearted Murfreesboro attorney, Ken Burger, has recently started a nonprofit radio station, WQJZ-LP on 103.9, broadcasting jazz and blues within approximately a 20-mile radius of Burger’s law firm on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Not only is the station pumping out the blues and jazz standards, but also community outreach and public service. As Burger puts it, “we try to be the voice of the underdog.”

Behind the Mic

Ken Burger, the man behind the microphone, is a 71-year-old attorney, seasoned broadcaster and Vietnam War veteran. In his younger days he was heavily involved in broadcasting many of the artists we now consider classic: B.B. King, James Brown, Fats Domino, Pat Boone and Jerry Lee Lewis. He found himself deeply intrigued and concerned with the state of the nation and its civil rights during the Vietnam War. Growing up as a white male during this period, his knowledge and exposure to African-American culture was limited. He would describe his family’s views on African Americans as “benign racism,” a term which stuck out to me during my interview with him. His family always taught that people were basically the same, but he saw no call to action or need to point out the atrocities. His only concrete experience with African-American culture was what he heard during his broadcasting days. Through hearing the music produced by African Americans, he found it difficult to understand how anyone could be judged from their skin color alone. Instead, he preferred to make judgements based on “the content of their character.”

Local Events

The WQJZ broadcast will be letting the people of Murfreesboro know all about local events, up-and-coming local musical acts and public service organizations. Burger will be featuring topics such as Murfreesboro History, Murfreesboro legislative activity,and the Murfreesboro Little Theater and Center for the Arts.

The Meat and Potatoes

Local events are great for keeping the Murfreesboro area involved, but Burger seeks to provide a true service for the community. He believes that there is an oversaturation of country music, religious broadcasting and sports, and that there is a need to provide a public venue for the people. Through his experience as an attorney he has seen many instances in which individuals would be released from jail, only to return to those who fostered their incarceration. There are nonprofit organizations designed to arm those freshly released from jail with the tools and information to help them from returning to that lifestyle, and the lack of awareness about these life-changing resources for criminals, Burger feels, is a crime in itself. That is where Burger comes in. “Our real fundamental purpose isn’t to give people B.B. King and Sérgio Mendes, which is a good thing. It is in between the music. Any public service organization that wants to put on a program or an advertisement should contact us.”

Looking To the Future

Gearing up for Memorial Day, and the 43rd anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, WQJZ-LP will be doing a series of features discussing the experiences of veterans who served, as well as historical segments from the period. Expect interviews and testimonials from veterans as well as discussions about the civil-rights climate of the time. As Ken says, “You can’t talk about the Vietnam War without talking about civil rights. You can’t talk about civil rights without talking about issues of racism. You can’t talk about issues of racism without talking about music. . . .”

Tune into WQJZ-LP on 103.9 FM.