The saying goes that behind every powerful man is a strong woman, and the rule of thumb holds true for Rebecca “Becky” Phillips. Becky has been credited as the powerful supporting force behind her husband, Sam Phillips, the creator of the label Sun Records that launched the careers of mega-stars like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

Becky got her start in broadcasting at age 17 working at WLAY radio in her hometown of Sheffield, Alabama. It was here that she met Sam, the man who would change her life and fuel her passion for radio. After marrying in 1943 and having their two children, Knox and Jerry, Becky and Sam settled in Memphis where he launched Sun Records in 1950.

Together, in 1955, they created WHER Radio, the first “all-girl station in the nation.” At a time when broadcasting was a field dominated by men, it was unheard of to have an all-female staff—from the DJs to the sales force. Inspired by Becky’s “innate spirituality of the presentation” and describing her as “the best announcer I’ve ever heard,” Sam was proud of his wife’s talent for connecting with an audience. Becky brought her skill-set to nearly every aspect of WHER, from working as program director to training new announcers; she wanted to ensure the station had a distinctly feminine feel and inspired the other “jockettes” with her creative vision.

Becky continued to broadcast into the 1980s, always ending her segments with her signature sign off, “A smile on your face puts a smile in your voice.” She is still considered a pioneer in the industry and was the subject of an award-winning 1998 PBS documentary, WHER: 1000 Beautiful Watts. Becky’s revolutionary work at WHER and that of her female colleagues proved to the nation that women could be successful in every facet of radio. Together they widened the field of broadcast employment opportunities and forever changed the industry’s landscape.

Even with all her professional success, Becky’s family remained her first priority. Described as a woman of “deep-seated religious faith,” she dedicated her life to supporting her husband, children, grandchildren and friends. Becky passed away in 2012 and her two sons and grand daughter continue to run the family business, Big River Broadcasting Corporation, in Florence, Alabama.