My Kind of Country!

Classic photos I snapped back in 1982 at WRJZ “My Kind of Country”...top is Ron Sprowell with Jim Wilson, bottom is Bill Hays!

Do you go back to the "Boss Jock" days at WKGN 1340? 101 would love to hear from you! This is Jefferson Kaye, morning DJ at WKGN back in the 60's!

These days (and for decades) Loren Owens ie- his real name, has hosted The Loren and Wally Show on WROR in Boston!

Good Guys

This is from the late 60’s! Do you remember Steve York?

WKGN (1980)

February 1966 at WIVK! 

The FM had been on the air for a few months and the AM was targeting June 1 as the switch from 860 to 850. This would make WIVK A/F one of the most powerful stations in America.

Oh, and Bobby Denton had just recently returned after a few months in Jacksonville, FL as a DJ...and the rest is history!

Happy Birthday to Alan Sneed...Alan Douglas on the radio!

Alan teamed with Gary Adkins in the early years to form the very popular "The Brothers".

Along the way Alan programmed several groovy stations...WKGN Knoxville, WKDF Nashville, 96 Rock Atlanta, and  97 Rock Houston! (and more)

These days Alan calls Indy his home!

HDB Alan...and bring on "The Brothers"!!!

HBD

Happy Birthday to Eddie Beacon "The Swingin' Deacon". Eddie, like Johnny Pirkle, is one of the greatest names and personalities in Knoxville radio history!

I think Eddie has been seated at all the East TN dial positions...or almost. 

I was excited to team up with Eddie and Jimmy Vineyard to cohost "Bumper2Bumper" a weekly racing show heard on WNOX-FM 100.3 back a few years ago. 

Eddie is very insegrevious and 101 wishes him a healthy and happy new year!

Congratulations!!!

101 is proud to introduce and announce our "2019 Living Legend Award"...given to an individual who personifies all things East Tennessee radio-

Congrats to Johnny Pirkle! Mr. Pirkle's impact on Knoxville Radio History 101 spans more decades than one can count on your left hand (but he's still a young man).

From WATE 620 in the early 60's to becoming the voice and face of WNOX 990...to W149, wow what a way ahead of its time station, to the powerhouse at FM 100.3 WOKI. Think about the voices that boomed thru that dial position.

Fast forward to the 21st century and the creation of the iconic call letters WNOX and the 100.3 dial position...Ed and Bob anchored the morning drive show and were wildly popular! These days they blog- search "Ed and Bob Show".

Mr. Pirkle has touched the lives and careers and dial positions of just about everyone associated with Knoxville radio. Congratulations and Thank You!

Now on to the 101st member of the YDY 101 Wall of Fame. This blog exists for one reason. 

On December 1, 1971 as a youngster I started playing disc jockey...and taping DJs and recording radio line ups, etc. In my mind I created a station...WGMV 1300, led by my imaginary broadcaster pal "Chip Guberalski". I'm still playing DJ, mostly in my car while driving, and decades later Chip is still on the air. 

So pardon my indulgence as I introduce Charles Beethoven Guberalski III as the 101st member of the YDY WOF. (On September 7 we will unveil the remaining members of this year's class...please send your recommendations!)

Thank you to all for reading this blog and for participating on our 101 Facebook page, it's an honor to play a small part in this world of spinning platters that we all love!

WKGN 1340

On Sunday night, December 16, 1973 Your Dave Young made his debut on WKGN The Famous 1340. Dave had exited WNOX 990 and became the new 7p-midnight DJ at WKGN.

6 Smokey Burns

9 Bob Baron

11 Frank Erwin

3 Wayne Bernard

7 Dave Young

12 Jerry Steele

News- Joe Anderson, Ken Burger, and Walker Johnson.

Dave was replaced at WNOX in the afternoon by Randy Lane. The Big 99 featured Eddy Roy, Fleetwood Gruver, Jay Richards and Fred Brown.

The next daypart move for Your Dave happened on March 25, 1974 as he took over afternoons with Wayne Bernard becoming morning drive. Kent Newton joined the air staff at that time as Smokey Burn exited "state" left to Nashville and sister station WMAK.

Dave's final WKGN hurrah came about in late summer '74 with "The Dave Young Morning Show" along with side kick Joe Anderson...in early '75 Dr. Al Adams returned to program WKGN, Dave left but was soon heard at WIVK. 

The 101 Audio Vault features Dave's debut on WKGN~

Page 3...

On June 7 101 will announce the recipient of "The 101 Living Legend Award" along with naming the 101st member of the YDY 101 Wall of Fame (and s/he may be a figment of my imagination)!

Hello June!

101 travels to 1975...the year before WETE became 62 WRJZ!

During 1974 the voices on WETE were Jim Clark, Jim Humphries, Curtis Parham, Mike Beach, Adrien Newton, etc.

Fast forward to January 1975, the MOR format featured-

5 Curtis Parham

9 Jim Humphries

2 Walker Johnson

6 Joe Crotty

10 Ernie the Bartender

News- Mike Beach and Judy Jenkins

In early March Mike Beach left for afternoons at WKGN 1340, working with the iconic Dr Al Adams.

...enter Tony Yoken as AM news announcer! Soon after Judy Jenkins is part of the news department.

In mid May Eddie Beacon, the swingin' deacon is on 620 AM.

Alan Pearson debuts on June 8 from midnight to 5a.

Late June~

5 Walker Johnson

9 Jim Humpries

2 Harry Robert Shaw*

6 Joe Crotty

11 Ernie the Bartender

Weekends- Ben Clifton

News- Mark Smith and Judy Jenkins

Scott Sams joins in late August filling in for the vacationing Ernie Baker.

Late August~

5 Harry Robert Shaw

9 Jim Humphries

2 Walker Johnson

6 Joe Crotty

10 Carl Warner

12 Ernie the Bartender

Ann Alexander debuts that fall as part of the news team.

And that's a look back at WETE 620 AM for the year 1975! Where were you?

When I reconnected with Jimmy Vineyard (circa 2009) he was GM at a cluster of stations in Panama City, FL including a cool country station WPAP-FM 92.5. I traveled to the panhandle regularly for business so I enjoyed stopping in to visit with Jimmy. It was mid morning so the AM drive teams had completed their live on air shows. Walking thru the cool building (I love radio control rooms) I was shown five studios but their were no DJs...everything was either being voice tracked or was syndicated. Regardless, I was in hog heaven.

It wasn't too much further down the timeline of life when I partnered with Jimmy and show host Eddie Beacon on a weekly racing show called Bumper2Bumper on WNOX, then at 100.3 on the FM dial. We enjoyed a couple of years having fun and talking vrooming!

The 101 Audio Vault travels back to Jimmy's days at WIVK...