In the “old days” I inspected diaries multiple times. My two scariest findings:
**A diary filled out in crayon!
**A diary with “no listening” dutifully checked every day and in the comments section, “I am deaf!”
(Alan Sneed)
George, the fourteen years I spent at U-102 were fantastic! I had the chance to be part of a team of real pros. I’ll forever be grateful.
(Mike Clark)
The FM 102.1 dial position in Knoxville came to prominence when Mooney Broadcasting bought WSEV AM-FM Sevierville in late 1980.
The new U-102, now WMYU, went on the air with a dynamic air staff,,,
6-10 Dave Dunaway with Colvin Idol
10-2 Bill Burkett (PD)
2-7 Tom Van Hart
7-12 Steve Harrison
12-6 Rick Hudson
News: Colvin Idol, Mike Clark
...and in June 1981 Phil Williams joined as the afternoon DJ!
Fast forward to today, the station is WWST Star 102.1 and features Marc & Kim 5-10a, Christine 10-3, and DJ Eric B afternoons.
Oh, and somewhere in between, CP and Walker hosted the morning show!
101 took a peek at the latest radio ratings-
Nielsen Oct '24 12+ Mon-Sun 6a-12mid
WIVK 13.4
WIMZ 8.8
WJXB 8.3
WWST 5.4
WUOT 4.7
WCYQ 4.1
WNML 4.1
WOKI 3.3
WNFZ 2.8
...and over at WCYQ 100.3 The Wolf-
6-10 Bobby Bones
10-3 Hanah and Matt
3-7 Dingo
7-12 B-Dub
Page 3...
I asked my childhood friend and radio and TV star Scott Sams where is on air name (Jamie Rivers) came from when he was a DJ at 15Q...Ron Baptist the PD dubbed him Jamie. He was also Michael O'Shea one day when he and I filled in for Earl Lauderdale on the morning show on WBLC 1360 Lenoir City.
It's the fall of 1969 at WKGN 1340...
6 Sonny Knight
9 Possum Riley
12 Don Smith
3 Skip Broussard (PD)
6 Eddie Beacon
12 Steve Remmel
Dan had moved from the greater Charlotte area aka nearby Gastonia NC. 101 obtained this insegrevious newspaper ad with Dan starring on WGAS (incredible call letters).
Dan, like the Energizer bunny, is still on the airwaves in East TN, heard weekdays from noon to 6p on Praise 96.3 WJBZ.
George,
I read Bill Beason’s posting and totally agree - AM was the king of the airwaves in the early 60s.
A side note - I grew up near Terre Haute, Indiana, and drove a Chevy convertible with a Delco radio in it. That receiver, and my location from their transmitters, allowed me to get a clean signal from WSM (650) in Nashville, WNBC (660) in New York City, and WMAQ (670) in Chicago.
All three were NBC affiliates (WNBC and WMAQ were o-and-os). When they took network at the top of the hour, it was like the whole left end of my car radio dial was an NBC news on the hour newscast.
Of course, WLS (and later WCFL) were the bomb, but I could also get 5000-watt KXOK in St. Louis during daytime hours. WLS, WCFL, WMAQ, WBBM, and WGN all put good signals into ‘Haute from nearly 200 miles away in Chicago, day and night.
Thanks for hangin’ with the Possum
Page 3...
The Randy Miller link has been updated (click here)
I miss AM Top 40 radio! Ever since the mid 60s, Top 40 was a BIG part of my life. As a teenager, I lived to hear the excitement of a good Top 40 radio station. For me. that happened in 1964 when 10000 watt WNOX in Knoxville switched from an AOR (All over the road) format to a format that had been developed by KLIF in Dallas. This was shortly after the British invasion and the Beatles swept America the previous year. WNOX had the loudest signal in East Tennessee. It could be heard during the daytime in most towns 60 to 70 miles away and at night that 10000 watt signal could be heard on the Carolina coast, as well as the Gulf coast! That was the power of AM radio! And, because WNOX was on the Canadian frequency of 990 kilohertz it sounded like 50000 watts. Soon after WNOX switched to the Top 40 format other stations in larger cities like Chicago and Pittsburgh made the switch. WLS became the nation's Top 40 Giant covering most of America with its 50000 watt signal at 890 kilohertz! Also. WOWO, Fort Wayne had mass appeal with their 50000 watt signal at 1190. Another radio station operating at only 5,000 watts was WABB, Mobile, Alabama! Their signal at 1480 went into Cuba at night!! But, as 1970 rolled around things began to change with the FCC pushing FM and treating AM as a stepchild. Soon FM stations started playing Top 40 music which led to AM listenership declining. For yours truly, that was a very sad time!!!
Did you know...
Suitcase Simpson is really Bill Miller
Alan Douglas is actually Alan Sneed
Dr Al Adams is Allen Johnson
Eddie Beacon's name is Clay Husskison
Possum Riley aka Paul Randall Dickerson
...and the list goes on, including (photo above) Hop Edwards!
Hop was a radio and TV star in East Tennessee in the 60s and 70s. Hop's a Nashville native and Alabama grad, and his real name is "Edward Horde".
If I was back in radio I would be Andy Spears or Noodles Theodore, you got name?
Page 3...
World, Rumore, “Dan Todd” and Paul! All good ones and sadly all are gone now.
I worked with Tony, Vic, and Bob at WKGN—and Vic in Nashville, too—and Paul at WKDA-WKDF in Nashville. He helped me find an apartment when I went to work for Jim Dick and Bill Hays in Nashville. (Alan Sneed ~ regarding our previous post)
We hear from 3 greats in the 101 InBox~
"In 1972 I had just left WBIR to do afternoons at WETE; I came over with the PD Howard Gunter (what a set of pipes) when Hall Communications bought the station. After Hop Edwards left, Jim Clark did mornings and eventually I took over AM drive. That was really a fun station and became even better when it changed to WRJZ." (Curtis Parham)
"In '72 I think I was finishing up as "Tony the Tigar" at WRMA Montgomery and heading up to Tuscaloosa to work PM drive and sales for Vic Rumore at WNPT. A couple of years later Vic brought me to Ktown and WKGN. Looking back on all of those great DJ's I met along the way is really something special. They are a breed of talent that does not exist anymore. It was live, on the fly, radio. No script, no do overs, just open the mic and let it happen. (The World Famous~Tony Igar)
"Speaking of the difference in WKGN’s 1000 watts and WNOX’s 10,000. Legendary radio salesman Bob Crenshaw was working at WKGN. He had a car dealer on the air that ran with him every month. One month Bob went to see his guy to change copy. They told him someone from WNOX had come to see him and he’s decided he was going to try WNOX for a month. Bob happened to look at the guys desk and he saw the person’s business card from WNOX. On the card it said WNOX 10KW. Bob quickly whipped out his card and showed it to the client. Look he said…WNOX has 10KW but we have One Thousand Watts!!! Do you want 10KW or 1000 Watts!!! The guy stayed with Bob. Why would you ever want 10KW (or as we know 10,000 watts) when you can have 1000 Watts!!!" (Paul Lyle)
Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley are the Today Show hosts with John Palmer on news and Willard Scott weather.
The news team at WIVK features Jean Ash, Channing Smith, and Beecher Bailey.
Rusty Ensor was the Sports Director at WTVK NewsCenter 26.
My apartment rent was $225 per month!
Pete Rose was the player/manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
James Freeman and Lindsey Brooks were behind the mics at WQLA.
Some of the personalities at WOKI were The Animal, Jeff Jarnigan, Charlie Wheeler, and Shotgun Stevens.
Doug Dickey becomes Vols Athletics Director!
In the fall Jean Teague beat Bobby Denton in the Knoxville City Council election.
Where were you in '85?
