Ralph Epperson built his station in Mt. Airy, N.C., using bricks and locally hewn beams. When the station went on the air in 1948, Epperson pledged to feature local talent and to preserve local music.

In 2016, CNBC senior personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson suffered a brain aneurysm at the gym. It was a terrifying, life-threatening experience, but today, she calls it “the greatest ...