Happy Sunday from 101...

I was Googling around for something entirely unrelated and came across your excellent website. WNOX was a staple of my existence in the mid-1960s when my best friends and I were in high school. Although we lived in south central NC, WNOX (generally) boomed in loud and clear as soon as night fell. Sometimes we'd gather giggling in my room on Friday nights to place a surreptitious call in hopes of getting a real live 99'er to dedicate a song to us. We were apparently so prolific and entertaining with those calls that we were actually blessed the the triple-secret hot line to use for our requests. No cell phone calling plans in those dark ages, and my parents near 'bout yakked a hairball when one of those phone bills showed up.

Your website brought a flood of sweet memories of a time when my life was all ahead of me and the present moment was all there was. Sigh.

I thought you might enjoy this photo of Johnny Pirkle, engaged in probably one of his favorite activities. This was taken at WNOX in October of 1966 when a few of my college freshman friends and I, from Western Carolina across the mountains, were visiting folks we knew in the Knoxville area.

Best,
Lynn Curtis

In the summer of 1977 Bobby Denton gave up afternoon drive at WIVK...

It's a Walker Johnson Wednesday at 101~Here's Walker...

In 1980 something CP and Walker were living on the edge at WMYU. Management had them do a morning show from a hot tub filled with milk and cornflakes to promote their faces on a cereal box. It was in the dead of winter, snowing and the heater on the OUTSIDE tub was not working!

Then there was the live show from TIMBERLINE NUDEST RESORT in Crossville. For show prep and research the boys went over the afternoon before with their producer and were given a briefing on the art form and health benefits of being one with the sun. Or after sundown one with the night.

The following morning they told the story live on U 102 from the dinning/disco area of the beautiful nude resort. Again this was 1980 something, back in the days when Knoxville was still trying to recover from the debauchery and horror of the famed Cumberland Ave. Streak Fest that WKGN did a masterful play by play of from the famed THUNDER BUS!

Taking the children to elementary school and listening to CP and Walker describe not only the naked beauty of Timberline but also the uplifting feeling experienced when man became one with the forest creatures was something that a few timid mothers felt crossed the line of good taste. On the other side of the coin fathers called the station offering steak dinners if any of the shows personnel could produce pictures of the broadcast.

For over two decades staff and former management of the then JACOR owned station swore on a stack of Playboys there were NO pictures! Now that the statute of limitations has run out and most of those involved have moved out of town the truth can be told. Yep there were a few snaps taken and nope the good ones are not for sale or rent. These are of the broadcast set up. Please note in the days when morning radio was FUN you could sit at a table with a naked person behind you, enjoy cigarettes INSIDE and a pint of Wild Turkey while entertaining the listeners in several states. The other answer is yes it was fun and no they didn't!

In 1972 the WNOX announcers went on strike, except for morning man J. Worthington Smith. Smith was the reason the other DJ's were striking and he had to man the mic for over 29 hours. Here's Eddy Roy and J. Worthington Smith announcing the resolution~

In 1975 Your Dave Young celebrated 10 years as a DJ...

On Monday July 1 1974 Walker Johnson left his post as a newsman at WKGN and became a DJ at WETE 620. Here's Walker signing on WETE for the first time~

101 features this classic WKGN pamphlet from the early 70's!!!

Tim Russert

1950-2008

1982 was a unique year in Ktown radio. WRJZ gave up its long time top 40 format and was playing "My Kind of Country" and then on April 1 WNOX 990 a top 40 legend for decades switched formats to "Proud Country". The WNOX line up featured Rick Kirk, Scott Majors, Your Dave Young, Jim Donovan, and Suzanne. Here's their featured promo-

Blogging~ 101 enjoys reading Jay Kersting daily, and you can listen to his show on the net. Jay blogates quite a bit about politics. Check him out at Jay Kersting!

Can we hear more of the airchecks??? What a great addition. It makes me want to find my old airchecks!! Jeff Hawkins

Good Afternoon! This is Russell Mayes at WKCS radio at Fulton High. I spoke with Dr. Al a few weeks ago. I'm sure he would appreciate some prayers for his wife. She is dealing with some health issues right now. He also told me that he is now an assistant pastor at North Acres Baptist Church in Knoxville. I've enjoyed reading about the idea of the DJ reunion show. If another station would not be interested, I would think that we could do something here possibly in the future. Just a last chance option I guess. Thanks again.

15Q had a short life in Ktown (1976) but has become a legend in radio folklore. Great jocks, major market programming, and one thousand watts of power located at AM 1490. Here's Chuck Boo Boo Baron's first show on 15Q.

The 101 Audio Vault is filled with over 27,000 minutes of Ktown history! Today we visit WOKI FM 100 and Brother John St. John...

Today 101 features a true classic moment. For a short time CP hosted the Great Day program with Claude the Cat. Here's CP exiting...

101 returns to the 101 AUDIO VAULT today for a classic break from Claude Tomlinson, Jim Donovan, Mr. Schultz, and Lester Longmire on WIVK. Ktown radio at it's best...

101 proudly introduces the 101 AUDIO VAULT!

Let's stroll down memory lane and listen to Ktown's greats!

Today we hear Dr. Al Adams first break when he returned as morning DJ and Program Director to WKGN 1340 in 1975! Enjoy...

Blogs..101 recommends www.frankmurphy.com. Frank is a true blogger, he is a story teller, he doesn't try to reinvent the newspaper front page. Frank of course is part of Marc, Kim and Frank on Star 102.1 FM!

Do you by chance know of anyone that would have a copy of the 15Q jingle package. I worked with Bob Kaghan at WISE in Asheville, Bob programed 15Q and then started WRJZ. Kaghan went on to Charlotte to WBCY with John Boy and Billy and later passed away on a hike in the Shenandoah Valley. Thanks for any help!...Bruce Chandley "Radar" from WISE and WKSF Asheville. Check out Radar's www.podcastbunker.com!

Bill Beason asked 101 to pass his email address to you regarding his rewind idea. Bill is at SuperCFL@earthlink.net.

101 received the above photo from Don Tonkin! Do you know the story?

101 is simply a conduit for information. We received an email/posting recently requesting info about featuring a station, but that info must be generated from you, our gentle readers (stole that from POA, he use to read the news at WNOX and call his audience "gentle listeners"! Do you remember his pipes? wow!!!)

Today we hear from one of our ace contributors, Bill Beason. Billy's got an idea-

I might be doing some wishful thinking here but, why hasn't Knoxville jumped on the annual "Rewind" bandwagon? It's a Memorial Day event that brings old jocks and listeners together to relive the days when AM was king. Complete with jingles and promos, each jock is given a three hour show to do what they did back in the day! Great one time Top 40 powerhouses like WLS, WABC, WKIX, and others have made this an annual tradition!

Finding a Knoxville station to host, say a "WNOX Rewind" might be hard because of changes in programming and frequencies. However, WNOX seems the logical choice considering the present formats of all the other once famous Top 40 stations. Sure, WNOX is now FM and 990 has changed call letters, but they are both in the same building and owned by the same corporation as WLS Chicago.

I would be interested in hearing from others about this event. And, since the guy that put the WLS Rewind shows together is a friend of mine, I am sure we could pull it off!!!