101's first contributor is Kerry Lambert...

"It’s fun to see the names. Let’s start sharing some stories. I’ve been gone from K’ville for almost 17 years but have tried to stay connected through friends and family. I think it’s great that you’re putting this board together. For those of us still in the business it’s nice to reminisce because things aren’t like they used to be. I got my start in radio in 1974 at WKGN. I started hanging around the week that George Mooney announced he was selling the station to Creative Displays, Bob Baron left and a few weeks before Wayne Bernard headed off to Nashville. Scott Sams and I hung around and did dubs and answered phones for Dave Young, Mike Beach and Rick Davis. It was pretty cool being around the radio station at 15 or 16 years old. Here are some names."---

Alan Sneed – W149, WKGN
Mike Beck – WKGN, WIMZ
Tom Kent (Newton) - WKGN
Joe Anderson - WKGN
Randy Miller - WKGN, WNOX
Scott Paulsen - WIMZ
John Boy Isley - WRJZ
Bobby Denton -WIVK
J Basil Mull -WBIR
Terry Womack - WIVK
Dave Elrod – W149, WKGN
Carson Cooper - WIMZ
Kim Mayo -WIMZ
Colvin Idol – WIMZ
Dave Dunaway – WNOX
The Birdman (Bill Thomas) – 15Q

101 wants to hear from you...how about a great story or a great picture. Let's relive The Music of America, the Rock of Knox, the Famous 1340!!!

Greetings from 101!

Today we'll feature some comments we have received from readers. Keep the great stories, comments, and photos coming!...and send 101 your link!

Tom Jester..."Claude the Cat is my all-time radio hero- a true genius if there ever was one!"

Ed Brantley..."It's like growing up all over again!"

Mike Beach..."Some legendary talents have passed thru K-town. I was speaking with Dave Young just the other day, and inquired about the possibility of starting a Knoxville radio hall of fame. With the likes of Ron Ashburn, George Mooney, and many others, it would have a fine start..."

Jack Diamond..."I was in Knoxville from February of '73 until September, and have some great memories of those early days, especially that one day in July when Bob Baron informed me that I had beaten WNOX in teens during the spring book. I had 250 watts, they had 10,000 and that ranks among the top 5 thrills I have had in this 38 year career." (now Coyote Calhoun, PD and afternoon drive on WAMZ Louisville.)

Chip Emerson..."I think this is just great as I see names and think of people I have not seen in 30 years."

Ted Ferguson..."On the 'KGN staff in 1970. Left Knoxville to go to WMMS Cleveland, and then WDVE in Pittsburgh, and later on 'DRQ Detroit."

In early 1975 WKGN was running a teaser promo "WKGN takes you to the Country". Were they changing formats? No way...at that same time Dr. Al Adams returned as PD and morning man, replacing Dave Young.

WKGN (March 1975)-

6- Dr. Al Adams
10- Frank Irwin
3- Mike Beach
7- Rick Davis
12- Bob Thomas
news- Joe Anderson, Jean Ash
weekends- David Todd, Russ Brown

Beach was also new at 'KGN and Russ Brown had just changed his on air name from Tollie Michaels to Russ Brown.

As soon as Dr. Al took over a new slogan was adopted..."WKGN where all the good old songs have gone"! Big hits on the air were Harry Truman by Chicago and Chevy Van by Sammy Johns.

Morning DJ's in Knoxville in March '75 were Claude Tomlinson (WIVK), Eddy Roy (WNOX), Curtis Parham (WETE), Johnny Pirkle (WOKI), Bob Hamilton (W149), and Adams.

In late March WNOX added The Aardvark as nighttime DJ...and Russ Brown jumped from WKGN to WNOX. With Brown's exit Dr. Al added Chris Lee (Kerry Lambert) and Phil Michaels as weekenders.

101 says hello to some folks who emailed us...Eddie Beacon "Swang", Jimmy Vineyard...who is running a cluster of stations in Birmingham, Kim Carson, MD and jock at WLHT Grand Rapids, and the world famous Coyote Calhoun, PD @WAMZ in Louisville....we all remember Coyote as Jack Diamond from WKGN.

Send an email to 101 and say hello, send a photo or career info, and send a link too! PS...on today's reminder email from Gmail, 101 listed the emails that are currently being included...have a better address, see that someone is missing, etc. Let 101 know!

Remember 1973...

Dick Winstead joined 'KGN-

6- Bob Baron
9- Dick Winstead
12- Frank Erwin
3- Wayne Bernard
7- Jack Diamond
12- Jerry Steele
News- Joe Anderson, Walker Johnson
Swing- Jack Gregory, Ken Burger

Don Smith was MD @ WSM Nashville, Jefferson Kaye was working in Buffalo for PD Bobby Rivers!

Here's an old WKGN line up from circa '69...
6 Don Smith
9 John Foley
12 Sonny Knight
3 Skip Broussard
7 Al Adams
12 Kevin Young

PS...101 heard from Ted Ferguson. He told us Skip Broussard was PD in '69 and hired Ted to replace him! Keep the info coming!!!

In late '73 Smokey Burns became morning DJ at WKGN and Jack Diamond exited for WAKY in Louisville!

The Vols in '73...Kosmalski, Tomlinson, Grunfeld, Snow, and Woods!

And in December '73 Your Dave Young jumped from WNOX to work nights at WKGN!!!

In January 1980 WNOX General Manager Christopher T. Gallu canned morning man Dr. Dave Dunaway and hired Eddie Rogers from WMJC Detroit. Rogers was suppose to be a cross between local favorites Claude Tomlinson and CP and Walker. Do you remember those characters Rogers brought with him...Coach Jim Shorts and Miz Juicille, his cleaning lady.

WNOX-
530 Eddie Rogers
10 Phil Williams
2 Randy Miller
6 Scott Majors...wasn't he the Aardvark?
10 Tom Michaels
2 James Maurice

101 heard from Ted Ferguson, WKGN afternoon drive jock in 1970. Remember 'KGN late 60's and early 70's...Don Smith, John Foley, Johnny Walker, etc.

Remember these great pamplets that were in local record stores!!! They typically featured a DJ on the cover, listed the current top 40 hits on the inside page, and had the featured station's radio line up on the back page...this is from early 1971, Knock 3 Times by Dawn was #1, Your Song by Elton John was #2, #3 was Lonely Days by the Bee Gees!

WKGN "The Famous 1340"...
6 Jefferson Kaye
10 Lee Arbuckle
12 Sonny Knight
3 Christopher Stone
7 Eddie Beacon
12 Steve York

We will gladly add your link to our site, simlpy email 101!

On Sunday August 21, 1971 an ad ran in the Knoxville News-Sentinel...

"Johnny Pirkle presents a radio renaissance...W-149"

"The listening choice is coming to Knoxville tomorrow, make the choice and feel the difference on W-149".

"And the most informative news in Knoxville plus outstanding sports"

"W-149 is 1490 on your A.M. dial featuring today's music 24 hours a day"

"A change is gonna come tomorrow, put us on, W-149".

Line up-
6 Monte Morgan
10 Phil Rainey
2 Johnny Pirkle
6 Eddie Beacon
12 Clayton Gish

"My Kind of Country"...

In early 1982 WRJZ went country. Sherwood-Hennes had become the owners and the days of CP and Walker were over.

Steve Bridgewater, who was Steve West at 15Q in 1976, was brought in as PD and morning man. He assembled a formidable team, but battling the frog (WIVK) was a challenge.

WRJZ-
6 Dr. Don West
10 Eddie Beacon
3 Jessica James
7 Bob Ziegler
12 Martin Baker
we Bill Beason
News- Brad Schultz, David Henley

101 got an email from Mick Rizzo...more on Mick later! Got pictures? Send them our way.

Thanks for strolling down memory lane with us! A big hello to Gary Drake and Dave Foulk who emailed 101!!!

Dave's emailed mentioned WBIR 1240 going all news/talk in 1976. I remember that day well, didn't everyone think "no way" that type format would ever work...who can fill an hour with all news/talk, DJ's are use to talking for about 23 seconds in between records and news casts were under 5 minutes long!

In January 1976 WBIR became WBIRadio 124-All News. Dave was titled Radio News Editor. Some of the other local voices were Tom Poe, Carol Utley, Doc Johnston, Ray Wilck, Brad Schultz, Don Lindsey, Jim Cline, Carl Williams, Sam Dalton, and Judy Jenkins. Foulk teamed up with Ken Johnson in the AM, the legendary Doc Johnston was on at 3p. With this line up, obviously WBIR was serious...but ahead of it's time unfortunately.

Other big changes were happening in early '76 as the independent thinking W-149 was morphing into 15Q. This little 1000 watts monster brought a major market sound and major market DJ's to our city. "15Q is gonna make me rich"! Here's their first line up-

15Q-

6 Steve West

10 Ron Baptist

2 Shotgun Kelly

6 Mick Rizzo

10 Kid Curry

2 Barry Hodge

Welcome to 101...

Let's stroll down memory lane together and enjoy Knoxville radio, it's filled with a rich history from Claude Tomlinson to CP and Walker, from Johnny Pirkle to Brother John St. John.

Today we'll remember 1972...Melanie's hit "Brand New Key" was #1 when the year began, Neal Ridley was the President of the local minor league baseball team, and in late January the WNOX announcers went on strike! That's right, upset over their current morning DJ named J Worthington Smith, the rest of the team refused to go on the air leaving J Worthington to spin records for 29 1/2 hours. The strike was resolved by PD Eddy Roy and a new line up was created...

WNOX-
6 King in the Morning
10 Eddy Roy
12 Ken Mynatt
3 Dave Young
7 J Worthington Smith
12 Pat Thompson
News- Raymond Stacker Wilck, Ron Ashburn, Tom Richmond

A few years later King in the Morning joined a brand new station, WOKI, it was automated, and King was the morning jock. More on WOKI FM 100 later.