Living in Orlando now, I'm familiar with the legendary Disney ride "It's a Small World"...and it's true.

101 has a mission to reconnect the media giants of Ktown's past...Dial twisting on the net recently 101 heard MARK AUSTIN THOMAS on KABC Los Angeles, Mark was a young reporter at WIVK back when I DJ'd there in the 70's. 

If you are on Facebook, add Mark as a friend...and join our group....Knoxville Radio History 101.

We continue our photograph journey thru WRJZ...Here's Bill Towery aka JJ Scott, Lisa McNeal and Ron Hamilton!

In late 1976 WRJZ arrived with a big splash...here are three of the original jocks, Rick Kirk, PD Bob Kaghan, and afternoon DJ Tim Edwards.

Thanks to Kevin Douglass for these classic photos! More to follow...

"It was cool seeing the photos of the control room at WETE back in the day. I am Ben Clifton and my one night a week show was "Music In the Night" and it was great seeing my name on the list. My older brother was Jim Humphries, so I had to use my middle name when I was on the air. I worked one shift overnight on Sunday nights, some fill-in work, ran the board during some UT games, (WETE was the Voice of the Vols then) plus weekends with the great Chuck Ketron and the crew for the highly popular "HOLD THAT LINE" after UT ballgames. I ran the scores from the AP machine and posted them on the blackboard. I was a high school senior, worked from 7 pm to 6 am , and then went to Holston High and slept through first period. It was a great place to work, just before WRJZ format changed. Ernie Baker, Walker Johnson, Curtis Parham , and Jim Humphries were quite a piece of work to hang around with on remotes and around the station. Scott Sams was the "pretty boy" of the bunch, being the younger of the group. I was planning to go to UT into radio broadcasting in 1976 after graduation. I learned one important thing when the station format changed unexpectedly to WRJZ - there is little security in radio. So I enrolled at UT that summer as an advertising major... but it was quite an experience and all they guys loved their jobs, sometimes a little to much. That was the beginning of the end of the days when radio DJ's were GODS , they and led a dual life in a way since no one really saw what they looked like. Anyway, I'll see if I can located some photos. I guess you have some of Jim Humphries news stories of him breaking the world's record for the longest radio broadcast. I think that most DJ's who went on to other jobs in Knoxville pulled a stint at the station from 1973-1976 - I remember Eddie Beacon - the Swingin' Deacon was one..."

Ben Humphries

620 AM morphed from WATE to WETE to WRJZ...here are more photos before the "new" equipment was installed when WRJZ came to life. These pictures are of the production room and the sports desk. Thanks again to Kevin Douglass for the snap shots.

Do you remember the WETE jocks? Curtis Parham, Walker Johnson, Jim Humphries, Joe Crotty, Harry Robert Shaw, Mike Beach, Ernie the Bartender, Ben Clifton, Scott Sams!!! Send 101 your WETE stories...

101 received many classic photos from Kevin Douglass, re- WETE and WRJZ. Today we unveil the WETE control room (top 2 photos) and the news room.

Do you have memories of WETE and these control rooms? Send your photographs and memories to 101!

Here's "Booby" Denton on WIVK...



Coming soon~ Kevin Douglass sent 101 a ton of photos from WETE/WRJZ!

"The Doctor"...Memories from WMDR! Do you recognize any of these folks?

Carson Cooper sent 101 some photographs from his tenure at WBIR-FM. Carson worked there during the switchover time from country to rock...and exited in 1981. You can hear Carson hosting Radio Margaritaville on SiriusXM these days! (Thanks to James Finch for providing these photos to CC)

Dig thru your grandmother's attic and find your old photos and send them our way, there's nothing better than seeing the old control rooms and turn tables!

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Walter Cronkite passed away Friday at age 92. He anchored the CBS Evening News for decades...and as Frank Murphy reminded us on his post about Walter...was front and center with JFK's assassination and Apollo's moon landing. Walter equals America's 20th century history!

Back in 1987 Becky Lynn was part of a great team of personalities at WIMZ...Phil Williams, John Larson, Benji Norton, Commander Dave, Colvin Idol, and GM Kerry Lambert!



These days you can find Becky Lynn co hosting the "Tim and Willy" morning show at KMLE in Phoenix!

"Hey Geo--

Thanks for the nice blip--
You know I always loved K-Town...

My favorite segment was the "Body Check"--
my tribute to John Records Landecker's "Boogie Check"...

Enclosing a photo with John @ a recent
Detroit Radio Reunion and segments
of the Body Check-- that's Mike Beach on the intro...."

(Mick Rizzo)

101 stays with the 15Q theme and Charlie Fox...



"Hello George! I've mostly been Bill Miller and Suitcase Simpson. I've had shorter stints as Lincoln Smith, Chuck Cassidy, Stan Cassidy, Brother Love and Bad Willie Soul. But I've never been China Smith. Perhaps I should have been - it's a memorable name.

China Smith from 15Q is my long-time friend Greg Barman. Greg stayed at my apartment when he first came to join the ever-evolving cast at 15Q from WFLI in Chattanooga (at least I think Chattanooga was his last stop before K-Town). As Boo Barron used to say of the Q, "Don't let the swinging door hit you in the ass!"

Greg also spent a long time in Indianapolis and a couple or three decades in Denver. I'm sending him a copy of this email with hopes that he responds to you." (Bill Miller aka Suitcase)

Page 3...

Happy B'day to The Sports Animal's John Wilkerson!

What's in a name?

Longtime Ktown DJ Bill Miller (I'm still Suitcase Simpson) once was known as China Smith...but here's another China Smith, on 15Q!

One of 101's favorites is Bob Thomas...Bob got his radio start at WBLC 1360 Lenoir City and made a few stops along the way (WKGN, WBIR, 15Q) before settling into a 20 year run at WIVK.

Here's a classic promo for Bob's show back in '85. Do you recognize the voice? Also, enjoy the Claude the Cat clip at the end...

101 hopes everyone had a fun 4th of July.

"I was searching for Mr. Ernie Sutton when I found your blog post about him. In 1978, I attended one of Ernie's FCC first class radio telephone license classes (through PAB) in Huntsville AL. I got the license and my first job thanks to Ernie. I was trying to find him because last week--some 30 years after the class--I needed to recall some basic electronics that he taught me. How funny, that stuff I never thought I would need to know this late in my engineering career was needed and taught with such humor by Ernie. I found his address, that to his ham radio call sign. I sent him a letter today. I'll let you know if I hear back from him. The address is in Knoxville." (Ken Wells Portland OR)

Contributor Dave Foulk takes us down memory lane...

"In May 1977, I left WBIR Radio and Television for WSB in Atlanta. There were a couple of Knoxville radio guys who also worked at WSB...Chris Moser from WKGN, and Gordon Van Mol, who was my assistant news director before he left...and I moved into his job."

Happy Birthday wishes to B97.5's Jennifer Alexander!

101 received an email inquiring about the great George Mooney! Do you have a fun George story?

The 101 Audio Vault features Phil Williams on WIMZ~