The 101 Audio Vault has been featuring the year 1976 and specifically the transformation of W149 becoming 15Q...more to come!!! QQQQQ

'76 was also the year that WETE 620 became WRJZ...it was a monumental year for Ktown radio, and yes the AM dial was still big and bold!

In '76 the presidential race pitted Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale against President Gerald Ford and Bob Dole.

Both Steve West and Mick Rizzo migrated to East Tennessee via 15Q but both landed at WKGN before the year was up.

'76 saw the beginning of one of Ktown's top dynamic duos...CP and Walker (101 Wall of Famers)!

WKGN ended it's Top 40 tenure and became AOR led by Alan Douglas (Sneed)...who knew that disco would be next on 1340!

Chip Emerson joined the WIVK sales force that fall...Paul Lyle left WIVK to join sister station WKDA in Nashville, making way for a young Bob Kesling to become Sports Director...and Bobby Denton fulfilled an 18 year olds dream by hiring me to work as a weekend DJ!

Bert Bertelkamp, who graduated with me from Bearden High, was a freshman basketballer at UT playing with Ernie and Bernie...

Where were you in '76?

QQQQQ

Even the W-149 jocks were scratching their heads...what did the QQQQQ's mean that were blasting out over the airwaves mean? 

 The 101 Audio Vault is of Steve West~

News from Jennifer Alexander...

"I have decided to leave my position as Midday Host on B97.5 after 12 years. It was a tough decision, but it was the right one for me. I am ready to do more and learn more. South Central Media has given me opportunities I never would have had doing anything else and I have enjoyed every minute of it. But it's time to give the studio chair to someone else so they can have some fun too! I will stay on part-time and fill in for DJ's when they are on vacation or sick so I am not totally gone, but I just won't be on every day as I have been. I will be going freelance with my business called Night Moon Productions. You can find me online at www.nightmoonproductions.com if you need anything. I do copywriting, production, voice over, events, etc. All kinds of things. I am looking forward to my new adventures outside of the radio studio."

Welcome to December...only 23 days until Christmas! 

101 wants to hear from you...send old stories (fact and fiction are welcome), old photos, and dust off those cassette tapes and send your classic air checks. 

We have been featuring W-149 turning into 15Q...today the 101 Audio Vault is of Mick Rizzo and his debut show on W-149.

Happy Black Friday from Key West Florida...the Conch Republic! (I shot this foto)...

Enjoy the 101 Audio Vault~

Are you going to enjoy turkey or 'possum for Thanksgiving dinner? 

Ktown has had a ton of morning drive talent at its mics thru the decades...longest running show was Doc Johnston on WBIR 1240. 

From the 101 Audio Vault...'Possum Riley~

101 hopes you have joined our facebook page...search "Knoxville Radio History 101"! 

Recently on our 101 facebook long time superstar Randy Miller inquired about Aardvark air checks from 99 WNOX. 

Robin Huff aka Scott Majors aka Aardvark is featured today in the 101 Audio Vault~

The 101 InBox says hello to Brother Mick~

"I was the last of the original 15Q jocks to be hired. Bob Gross had brought in Rockin' Ron Baptist to PD- I had worked with Baptist in Detroit at 'DRQ and was coming in from San Antonio's KONO. Steve Bridgewater, Baptist, Shotgun, myself and Kid Curry made up the line-up (at that moment). Bob Thomas wrote he couldn't get the "QQQ" out of his mind- I had cut that in when I got there- (that was the kinda stuff done at 'DRQ)...someone asked, "is the song skippin'?"-- duhhhhh! May Gross rest in peace- but what a dewfuss...I'm there like 4 weeks and had just moved into an apartment paid all the deposits, worked til Saturday night at midnight- when I get off the air I see Baptist's light on in his office-- I knew that wasn't a good sign-- He laments that they were overloaded with DJ's-- since I was the one he'd hired-- to show Gross he had the gonads(!) I should be the one he fired...I'm in a jam...I reach out to Sneedo and Gary Adkins. We have breakfast on Monday morning, Alan says he'd make a few calls. Mid afternoon Sneedo tells me to get to WKGN-- I sit down with Beach, Rumore and Dr. Al-- what a trip! Rumore gives me the 3rd degree, like I'm stealing corporate secrets, Beach is telling me he likes my act and Dr. Al's holding up the wall...Finally Rumore makes a call and puts me on the phone with 'Mr. Green' (Kent Burkhart). Kent says they'd been monitoring the station and he was trying to get me an offer from outside the market-- but while he was working on that would I consider doing 7-12 mid on 'KGN? Hey I was out of a job--"sure" was my answer. Off the air at 12mid/Sat nite, playing the hits and doin' the "Body Check" on 'KGN Monday Nite at 7! I'd called Shotgun late that afternoon and told him to kick it over to 'KGN at 7pm.  Worked with Beach, Kerry Lambert, Barry 'the mother' Tucker (Mike Beck) and a group of great people. Stayed until Kent got me a shot at Big WAYS and Stan Kaplan...which is another Chapter...never forgot Sneedo and Gary for that--Beach  and I wound up roommates (for about a week) at Big APE...always love K-Town 15Q's Gonna Make Me Sick, err Rich!" (Mick Rizzo)

Here's a 101 Reload~

"Ed Brantley's kindness extended beyond WIVK in 1992 to a relative media newcomer when I stopped by the radio station, then located on Bearden Hill. I had launched a sideline business the year before producing corporate marketing presentations, in order to enhance my income working as sports producer/reporter at WBIR-TV. On this particular day, I landed a potential client interested in showcasing on video the mountain resort she managed. However -before signing a contract - she was adamant that the narrator had to be her favorite WIVK announcer. After checking in with the Frog Station receptionist, I made my way upstairs to Ed's office. I barely had my pitch started inside his glass-enclosed workspace when he agreed to voice the presentation. I quickly jumped to the bottom line and said I'd pay him his going rate, but Ed brushed aside my offer, saying he'd be happy to help me in my new business venture. With this agreement in hand, I closed the sale with the resort manager. She received a terrific marketing piece, complete with her talented, sentimental choice narrating the presentation. I later learned this considerate gesture was typical of Ed's generosity. Thanks again, Ed!" (Gary Loe)

The 101 Audio Vault features two DJs that worked at 15Q and WKGN... 

Steve West arrived in Ktown in '76 to be the morning man at the new 15Q, later that summer he exited for morning drive at WKGN 1340.

Scott Sams went from working nights at WKGN at that time to being the swing DJ at 15Q as "Jamie Rivers"...

Happy Veterans Day!

Congrats to Dr. Howard...he was one of my professors at UT!!!

The 101 Audio Vault stays with the W-149/15Q theme...Steve West taking over morning drive~

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Don't forget, Smokey Burns is back on the radio. Tune in to WLS-FM Chicago, he's on from 4-8p central time starting today. (PS~ He's Robert Murphy on the air!)

Happy Weekend and Go Vols!

There's a ton of "personality" news on the front page...

Former WKGN morning DJ and longtime Chicago radio persoanlity Robert Murphy (Smokey Burns while at WKGN) returns to the airwaves Monday 11/11 on WLS-FM, he'll be the 4-8p afternoon DJ!

Did you watch the wonderful CMA awards? Kudos to WIVK's morning team of Andy and Alison and Jimmy...medium market DJs of the year!!! (photo is from WIVK Facebook page)

Before Andy and Alison hosted Great Day on WIVK, this dynamic duo was at the frog station...and they are back together~

As W-149 morphed into 15Q new personalities were showing up almost daily...enter Barry Hodge "The Trashman!

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Not a member of our 101 facebook page? You are missing tons of fun including brand new and sensational posts via Carson Cooper and Bob Catron!