At age 21, he was hired to direct the construction and programming of WBEJ, a radio station in Elizabethton, Tennessee.
[1] In the early 1950s, Lowery was the top country music disc jockey in America and also was a pioneer TV host on Atlanta television.
A 1951 diagnosis of cancer (which he ultimately survived) left Lowery wondering how to provide for his family, and he decided to go into the music publishing business.
To raise capital, sales of "founders' contracts" were made by a group headed by Ray Griggers.
Despite early hit records such as "Robbin' The Cradle" by Tony Bellus, as well as manufacturing and distribution of other labels, NRC was forced into bankruptcy in April 1961.