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I had a brief seven year stint in the radio business from the late seventies to the mid eighties. After graduating from Russ Skinner's Professional Academy of Broadcasting in December of 1977 (Pretty sure John Isley and Phil Williams are both graduates) I hit the airwaves of WATO in Oak Ridge on January 1, 1978. I started out doing weekends, and did some mid days and 7-Midnight. Great fun! Oak Ridge is a great town and WATO had what some might consider a fairly large listening audience. (Or at least I enjoyed feeling that way) Although I was only there for eight months or so there were many highlights. Two of the best memories are working with Randy Miller and a skinny high school kid who lived at the top of the hill named Carson Cooper. Randy went by "Real Randy" back then and his talent then was SO obvious. The three of us spent the summer together in 1978 and had so many good times. Randy's career is well chronicled since that time and for those who have not read it, pick up his book "Voices in My Head". The things he has done in commercial radio could be developed into a TV series. Last I heard from Randy he was doing work in television in the Kansas City market. Carson of course has done well also and I was SO proud when he landed at Rock 104 in I believe 1979 and he has traveled a long and productive road since. Carson mentioned the monstrous towers behind WATO. I had the privilege of having to take meter readings on them in the dead of night. Great fun, weeds, rats the size of Buick's and I had to put on Stairway to Heaven or some other lengthy record just to have the time to do it. After about night three I started making a reading up and jotting it down, secure in the knowledge that the chief engineer was tucked away safely in bed. And all that trouble for what??? Automated elevator music! Good thing I was making so much money. (Wink) Also met Larry Solomon back then and it was good to hear from him on your blog.
I left there and went to my home town station WGAP in Maryville. I was there for 7 years doing weekends, then afternoon drive, news, and some sports. WGAP had a huge local audience and a top notch news department which included a Blount County ICON by the name of Glenn Morton. I also worked with Scott Black there, Ed Rupp, Tonya Stoutt Brown, and previously her sister Connie. I had the honor of becoming friends with the epitome of radio sales, Carl Wells. Hopefully if Walker Johnson sees this he can chime in with more on Mr Wells. One of a kind. The great Ken Schwall worked at WGAP when I first started prior to going to Channel Ten. Radio can indeed be a small world. I love the fact that I can tune into John Boy and Billy, listen to Carson Cooper do the Morning Edition on WUSF's website and catch Phil Williams in the afternoon and hear people that are such a big part of Knoxville radio history. I'm glad I was a small part of it and if I had Walker's voice, who knows I might still be hanging around. I had to get a real job and began work as a dispatcher at Blount County 911 in 1985. Scanners! An actual large audience at last! I have been here for 24 years and have been the Director for the past ten. Thanks for letting me chime in. Your blog is great. Love local media nostalgia! Old time radio needs to be brought back. Technology has caused it to lose it's personality.
Jeff Caylor
Director, Blount County 9-1-1
I left there and went to my home town station WGAP in Maryville. I was there for 7 years doing weekends, then afternoon drive, news, and some sports. WGAP had a huge local audience and a top notch news department which included a Blount County ICON by the name of Glenn Morton. I also worked with Scott Black there, Ed Rupp, Tonya Stoutt Brown, and previously her sister Connie. I had the honor of becoming friends with the epitome of radio sales, Carl Wells. Hopefully if Walker Johnson sees this he can chime in with more on Mr Wells. One of a kind. The great Ken Schwall worked at WGAP when I first started prior to going to Channel Ten. Radio can indeed be a small world. I love the fact that I can tune into John Boy and Billy, listen to Carson Cooper do the Morning Edition on WUSF's website and catch Phil Williams in the afternoon and hear people that are such a big part of Knoxville radio history. I'm glad I was a small part of it and if I had Walker's voice, who knows I might still be hanging around. I had to get a real job and began work as a dispatcher at Blount County 911 in 1985. Scanners! An actual large audience at last! I have been here for 24 years and have been the Director for the past ten. Thanks for letting me chime in. Your blog is great. Love local media nostalgia! Old time radio needs to be brought back. Technology has caused it to lose it's personality.
Jeff Caylor
Director, Blount County 9-1-1