Raymond Woolfenden
Raymond Wilson "Cousin Ray" Woolfenden, Sr.
Born September 5, 1916 in Kopp, Virginia – died April 21, 2000.
A country music disc jockey, musician and radio station owner from Virginia. Raymond was inspired by music at an early age as his grandfather, Maurice Abel, played the fiddle.
In 1945 Ray was drafted by the U.S. Army. He found himself playing bass in an Army band entertaining the troops in Japan during the occupation in late 1945 and 1946.
Cousin Ray was one of the ten founding DJs of the first Country Music Disc Jockey Association in 1953 who met at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN.
"Cousin Ray" was DJing Country Music on one of the early FM Country stations, WXRA in Woodbridge, VA. By 1963 Cousin Ray was recognized by WSM and the Grand Ole Opry as "Mr. DJ, USA" during the Country Music DJ Convention in Nashville, TN.
Ray also played music in various bands over the years. In 1954 he played with Paul Westmoreland and The Detour Boys. Ray could play numerous instruments, but the bass fiddle was the one he played the most.
In the mid 1960s Cousin Ray worked with WSHB in Raeford, NC. He later worked for WBYB in St. Pauls, NC and at WFNC-FM in Fayetteville, NC. Cousin Ray managed WFNC-FM and later changed the call sign to WQSM. He was also emcee of a TV program featuring a family and that played Country Music on Channel 6 in Wilmington, NC.
In the early 1970s Raymond managed WVLY in Water Valley, MS.
In November of 1973 Cousin Ray moved back to Northern Virginia, this time managing WQVA while awaiting FCC approval of its purchase by his company, which occurred in June of 1974. The call sign was changed to WPWC and Raymond would manage the station until it was sold in 2000. By 1979 Raymond moved the station from Quantico, Virginia to Dumfries, Virginia and changed the station's power and frequency, from 1530 AM at 250 watts daytime only to 1480 at 500 watts day and night. Later the station would increase the daytime power to 1000 watts. Remote broadcasts at various sites around Prince William County were a regular occurrence, including annual daily broadcasts at the Prince William County Fair in August.
During the 1980s and 1990s Raymond was heavily involved in the local Salvation Army, serving on its local board, as well as the American Legion Post 28, where he served as Chaplin. He was also involved in a number of other organizations, including Toys for Tots campaigns in Prince William County, the VFW, and the Odd Fellows. Every year Cousin Ray appeared on the local TV station on Labor Day weekend to help raise funds for muscular dystrophy. He and his band also performed at the Annaburg Nursing Home and Independent Hill School. Cousin Ray received a Distinguished Service Award from the National Independence Day Festival & Parade Committee on July 4, 1993.
Raymond has been interviewed many times by various newspapers and magazines to include: The Washington Post, Billboard Magazine, Manassas Journal, The Tennessean and Country Plus Magazine.
Raymond was nominated six times in the Country Music Association Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year at WPWC (1982, 1983, 1985-1989). Cousin Ray won this honor in 1964.
The Country Music Association, Inc. and The Grand Ole Opry honored "Cousin Ray" Woolfenden, a country music pioneer, for participation in the family reunion of Country Music Artists, Ninth International Country Music Fan Fair, June 14, 1980 in Nashville, TN.
In June of 1999 Raymond was honored for his life in Country Music by being inducted into the Country Radio Broadcasters DJ Hall of Fame. Among those there to honor him were his friends Liz and Casey Anderson, Nashville songwriters and Mr. Eddy Arnold. Liz also recorded for a time with RCA Records. Their daughter Lynn Anderson had a number of big hits in the early 1970s, including "Rose Garden". Special Guest at the induction was Garth Brooks.[1]
In 1996, the Dumfries Town Council and the fine citizenry of Ye Olde Town of Dumfries, proclaimed September 8, 1996 as Cousin Ray Woolfenden Day.
Prince William County honored Cousin Ray by naming a court after him, "Woolfenden Court" located in Triangle, VA near the Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Raymond Cousin Ray Woolfenden Sr.
- ↑ Woolfenden, Raymond. "Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum". www.countryradioseminar.com.
2. Find A Grave photo of ten founding DJs of the first Country Music Jockey Association (1953) gathered at the DJ Hall of Fame Awards. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17277480/raymond-wilson-woolfenden
3. Billboard Magazine article, Vol 76, No 44 October 31, 1964 WSM Radio "Mr. D. J. USA" will be Cousin Ray of WXRA-FM. https://books.google.com/books?id=SyAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=WSM+Radio+Mr.+D.+J.+USA+Cousin+Ray&source=bl&ots=ybQD2zH6Gb&sig=ACfU3U0RmCQZQhkMVWrfQzA2lKDQaBhZkw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZmNrjmY_kAhWnTd8KHU5IDyEQ6AEwEnoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=WSM%20Radio%20Mr.%20D.%20J.%20USA%20Cousin%20Ray&f=false
4. Looking Back: Bluegrass Legend Bill Monroe, The Tennessean, "Cousin Ray" Woolfenden, from Dumfries, VA, interviewing Bill Monroe at the Opryland Hotel in 1983. https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/insider/extras/2016/08/04/looking-back-bluegrass-legend-bill-monroe/88071094/
5. For Fans, "Cousin Ray" Relays A Familiar Voice, The Washington Post, July 12, 1998 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1998/07/12/for-fans-cousin-ray-relays-a-familiar-voice/e1b37fb5-087a-40a6-9dfe-2924b96ddb56/
6. Live From Suburbia, It's Folk Radio, The Washington Post, Feb. 27, 1995 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/02/27/live-from-suburbia-its-folk-radio/6eb921ad-e7e6-48fd-9908-3f449912e3e8/
7. Prince William County Board of Supervisors November 18, 2003, possibility of a road near Quantico National Cemetery being named in honor of "Cousin Ray Woolfenden https://eservice.pwcgov.org/documents/bocs/briefs/2000/20001121.pdf
8. Dumfries Country Cousin, The Washington Post, September 22, 1987 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1987/09/22/dumfries-country-cousin/4bcf3fcf-697a-48df-9679-12c371c36ab1/
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