Today 101 travels to the year 1978, 30 years ago, wow!
1978 kicked off with "Saturday Night Fever" being the big box office hit.
Over at WNOX Dr. Dave was the morning man. Rival WRJZ featured CP and Walker in the morning. Foster Arnett was piloting the Z plane and reporting on traffic.
The Vols basketball team featured current UT broadcaster Bert Bertelkamp. (Bert and I went to high school together).
In late January WRJZ added a new voice in the night time, John Boy Isley.
On February 2 Tony Eubanks turned 21 years old!
In March Alan Sneed (AD) became program director at WKDF Nashville.
As spring time and baseball cranked up, Knoxville's minor league team was anchored by a right fielder named Hal Baines.
WIVK's May Shindig featured Merle Haggard and Eddie Rabbitt.
In May Randy Miller began polishing his skills by becoming afternoon DJ at WATO Oak Ridge. Randy currently lives in Kansas City...
Summer time arrived and Jeff Jarnigan was added to the weekend on air line up at WRJZ.
Over at WOKI the summer of '78 began with Johnny Pirkle, Gary Adkins, Scott Sams, Mike Beverly, The Brothers, and JL Myers.
In July the ratings were announced...WIVK AM/FM scored a 25.7, next was WEZK at 16.1, WRJZ also scored a 16.1, WNOX 11.3, and WOKI 5.5.
July also saw Scott Sams becoming the full time weatherman at WBIR-TV. Sams replacement at WOKI was Michael Henry Martin. Beverly moved to afternoons and MHM became the night DJ.
Big screen flicks in August were blockbusters Animal House and Grease.
September...Jamey Kerr got his first on air gig, working part time at WOKI's AM, WORI 1550. In late September WNOX announced a new GM, Christopher T. Gallu. At that same time Win Maxwell took over the morning news anchor position at WNOX.
Things didn't slow down at WNOX. Bob Savage was brought in to be PD from WKTQ Pittsburgh. Savage's assistant PD was Bill Beason. Savage bolstered their line up in October by hiring former WNOX DJ Robin Huff aka The Aardvark to work 10p-2a. He became Scott Majors at this point.
Up in Chicago WMAQ radio had a GM named Burt Sherwood and a PD named Bill Hennes. They would enter the Ktown market a few years later....
On November 7 Lamar Alexander (R) beat Jake Butcher (D) to become Tennessee Governor. In congress both Howard Baker and John Duncan were reelected.
Early December saw the introduction of a fine addition to WIVK's weekend line up, Ed Rupp...I was there and we had fun! Bob Thomas, Suitcase Simpson and Jeff Winters also were part time WIVK jocks.
As 1978 came to a close, the #1 country song was Crystal Gayle's "Why have you left the one you left me for"...which could be a question most DJ's and radio stations ask each other!
And finally for today, 101 wishes a speedy recovery and perfect health to Ktown's Dave Foulk!
1978 kicked off with "Saturday Night Fever" being the big box office hit.
Over at WNOX Dr. Dave was the morning man. Rival WRJZ featured CP and Walker in the morning. Foster Arnett was piloting the Z plane and reporting on traffic.
The Vols basketball team featured current UT broadcaster Bert Bertelkamp. (Bert and I went to high school together).
In late January WRJZ added a new voice in the night time, John Boy Isley.
On February 2 Tony Eubanks turned 21 years old!
In March Alan Sneed (AD) became program director at WKDF Nashville.
As spring time and baseball cranked up, Knoxville's minor league team was anchored by a right fielder named Hal Baines.
WIVK's May Shindig featured Merle Haggard and Eddie Rabbitt.
In May Randy Miller began polishing his skills by becoming afternoon DJ at WATO Oak Ridge. Randy currently lives in Kansas City...
Summer time arrived and Jeff Jarnigan was added to the weekend on air line up at WRJZ.
Over at WOKI the summer of '78 began with Johnny Pirkle, Gary Adkins, Scott Sams, Mike Beverly, The Brothers, and JL Myers.
In July the ratings were announced...WIVK AM/FM scored a 25.7, next was WEZK at 16.1, WRJZ also scored a 16.1, WNOX 11.3, and WOKI 5.5.
July also saw Scott Sams becoming the full time weatherman at WBIR-TV. Sams replacement at WOKI was Michael Henry Martin. Beverly moved to afternoons and MHM became the night DJ.
Big screen flicks in August were blockbusters Animal House and Grease.
September...Jamey Kerr got his first on air gig, working part time at WOKI's AM, WORI 1550. In late September WNOX announced a new GM, Christopher T. Gallu. At that same time Win Maxwell took over the morning news anchor position at WNOX.
Things didn't slow down at WNOX. Bob Savage was brought in to be PD from WKTQ Pittsburgh. Savage's assistant PD was Bill Beason. Savage bolstered their line up in October by hiring former WNOX DJ Robin Huff aka The Aardvark to work 10p-2a. He became Scott Majors at this point.
Up in Chicago WMAQ radio had a GM named Burt Sherwood and a PD named Bill Hennes. They would enter the Ktown market a few years later....
On November 7 Lamar Alexander (R) beat Jake Butcher (D) to become Tennessee Governor. In congress both Howard Baker and John Duncan were reelected.
Early December saw the introduction of a fine addition to WIVK's weekend line up, Ed Rupp...I was there and we had fun! Bob Thomas, Suitcase Simpson and Jeff Winters also were part time WIVK jocks.
As 1978 came to a close, the #1 country song was Crystal Gayle's "Why have you left the one you left me for"...which could be a question most DJ's and radio stations ask each other!
And finally for today, 101 wishes a speedy recovery and perfect health to Ktown's Dave Foulk!