From the 101 inbox~

I was just reading about my old station WROL or W149 as it was called. You list Loose Bruce as the all night DJ. Actually, it was me! Bruce, aka Bruce Goldberg-I named him Loose Bruce, was part time weekends. Jerry Britt was also. I was there from '73-'76. The line up was Gary Adkins at 6:30 a.m., Bob Hamilton 10-2, Bill Johnson 2-6, Leslie Shelor aka Peggy 6-midnight. Dick Strerchi was the GM. The Hawk, Bill Hawkins and Rick Remine were there when I first started but left about a year after I got there. At one point Tony Yokem and The Freaking Beacon were there but not for long. I recall Clay Gish being there before me, but Clay was gone by the time I started in 12/73. Alan Sneed came along about a year before I left. The great Dave Elrod was also there for a year or so when I was there. So was Mike Beach. We were no longer in Fountain City but on White Ave next to the methadone clinic. The station belonged to a shoe salesman who sold it to a guy named Blow. Dick Gross came in and changed it to disco and ran the rock guys off...Adkins is now a lawyer, Sneed is a radio consultant in Indianapolis. Beach remodels houses in Pennsylvania. Bill Johnson is still around. Don't know about the rest of them. Peace-(Frank Costa)

WMYU U-102 signed on the air in '81 with a smooth sounding line up of DJs led by PD Bill Burkett.

Here's the original morning team, Dr. Dave Dunaway and Colvin Idol~



U-102...

6 Dr. Dave Dunaway
10 Bill Burkett
2 Tom Van Hart
6 Mick St. John
9 Steve Harrison
1 Rick Hudson

News- Colvin Idol, Mike Clark

Back in early 1981 Brother John St. John returned to WOKI FM 100. The DJs at that time were Mike Beverly (mornings), Chuck Edwards (midday), and Rich Randall (afternoons).

From the 101 Audio Vault, here's a classic...

Auto racing is bigger than ever...and it was rockin' back in '74 at 411 International. Enjoy the 101 Audio Vault and a commercial by Dave Young~

I remember visiting the WKGN studios on Alcoa Highway back in the early 70's...the newsroom was very small, closet sized...but it packed a powerful punch. At that time WKGN was taking news very seriously and featured folks like Joe Anderson, Walker Johnson, and this gentleman, Jim Goodman~



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101 continues our Audio Vault look back at WNOX from circa- 1974. Before he ruled afternoon drive as "Disco Dick", Dick Winstead was the midday DJ at WNOX~



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Sadly, 101 has learned that Mike Wyatt aka Mike Stewart has passed away.

Hope you have been enjoying the 101 Audio Vault as we have been featuring WKGN DJs. Today we move down the dial to "The Rock of Knox" WNOX 990 AM.

In March 1974 Rick Monday became the afternoon drive DJ at WNOX.

6 Eddy Roy
10 Fleetwood Gruver
3 Rick Monday
7 Big Daddy
12 Jay Richards



Ktown radio history is made everyday, Chip Kain debuts today on a new sports station, ESPN 106.3 The Zone from 3-6p!

As a teenager attending UT I worked 6p-midnight on weekends at WIVK, circa '76-'81. During that time Randy Miller joined our staff and worked the weekend all night show...fast forward 30+ years and Randy is still a broadcaster having worked mornings in Kansas City for years! Randy's unique talent was very evident way back when...and today 101 wishes Randy a very happy and healthy birthday! If you have a fun Randy story....send it our way!

From the 101 inbox, here's a former Ktown DJ named "Smasher"! Send 101 your photographs and memories...

Hey there. I grew up in Morristown. Worked at South Central for a few years~

WIMZ/Mix 95.7 1999-2001
WIMZ 2001-2003
WNFZ 2002-2003

I was the APD/MD of WIMZ while I was there. I was the MD of WNFZ as well. From Knoxville I landed the APD/MD gig at WDYL (Y101) in Richmond, VA, then PD of WFXH Savannah, and now I'm the APD / Morning host of WFNX here in Boston, MA!

http://wfnx.com/shows/sandbox/default.aspx

Love the site! Thanks!

Dustin "Fletcher" Matthews
Mornings/Assistant Program Director
101.7 WFNX 92.1 WPHX

The 101 Audio Vault returns to WKGN 1340 and Program Director and morning DJ Bob Baron...

Thanks to Tony Igar for these classic WIVK photos...

Booby with Tony, Linda Walker, Mike Hammond, Your Dave and more...

Claude the Cat with Tony and Your Dave!

Got foto? Send your memories to 101!

Mike Beach is one of Knoxville's all time favorite personalities...and his voice has boomed from most Ktown dial positions! Here's an early Beach classic, from the 101 Audio Vault, WETE circa- 1974~

101 asked "what's in a name"? Here's Dan Bell...

"I've used different names, but none in Tennessee. Matter of fact, when I started at WIVK I offered to use a different name so I wouldn't be confused with Wayne Bell, the original Eye In The Sky. James Dick, owner of WIVK, says no, he didn't believe in using different names, unless you were more than one person, like Claude Tomlinson, who was also Lester Longmire, and Old Man Shultz. Wish I had a nickel for each time someone asked if I were kin to Wayne. I love to tell the story how Wayne and I were talking at a party, when a pretty young woman asked if I were related to Wayne. I said "Yes, He's my father, right here...." If Wayne had been carrying his gun that night, I think he would have shot me..."

(Dan "NO, I'm Dan, Wayne's the other one" Bell)

Bob Thomas and Tim Conway, a visit during the mid 80's during Bob's Midday Show! Thanks to Tony Igar for sharing...more oldie frog photos on the way!


101 heard from Gary Drake after featuring him on the 101 Audio Vault~

Where did you get all these air checks??? Ahh to good ol' days in Knoxville. I wish I was still there AND only 26 years old!! It seems like we (Chris Hampton, Wayne Bernard & Jerry Steele) always stopped at a little diner near the station and ate these giant hamburgers that cost 89 cents. AHHH the good ol' days.

I remember being up against WNOX. They had the big signal and we had just about nothing. I remember sticking stickers (usually in the middle of the night at all the schools) all over town that said WKGN will be WPFC! Then we started saying how many commercials WNOX played and how many we played every hour WPFC We Play Fewer Commercials. The sales guys hated that promotion.

What's in a name?

Did you use an "on air" name? Back in the early 70's Tom Reinhart was known as Gary Drake on WKGN~

Back in the 70's WKGN was known as "The Famous 1340". For years AM radio was king and WKGN battled WNOX for the Top 40 audience.

In early 1973 the lineup at WKGN featured~

6 Bob Baron
9 Gary Drake
12 Chris Hampton
3 Wayne Bernard
7 Frank Erwin
12 Jerry Steele

News...Jim Goodman, Joe Anderson, Walker Johnson, and Mary Glen Martin

Part time DJs...Ken Burger and Jack Gregory

Here's Chris Hampton~



Coming Soon...

The 101 Audio Vault will feature Bob Baron, Gary Drake and more!

Wishing Emmanuel Negedu a speedy recovery and perfect health!

Jeff Jarnigan is now an icon in Knoxville radio...Jeff became a DJ in Ktown in the 70's as did I, and he's still going strong. This foto is Jeff's from WOKI in their Oak Ridge studios! Happy Birthday Jeff!

"Oddly enough WNOX had a sort of similar arrangement as WATO. In the main WNOX air studio the board was on top of 4 Gates cart machines and in their production room there was an old Collins board that was over two turntables. When WOKI first went on the air (automated and all) the same type of board (Collins) as WNOX was on top of 4 cart machines. This may have predated Suitcase though. But Suitcase is right – he has worked at a lot of radio stations." (500 Mega Watt)

Happy Birthday wishes to former Ktown radio star Becky Lynn! Becky is now heard with Tim and Willy in the morning on KMLE Phoenix!

Go Vols...time to stomp the "Tigers"! Hoping to create some positive football mojo as UT plays Auburn this weekend, 101 is featuring Tony "The Tiger" Igar from WKGN 1975!!!

Question...

"Enjoyed reading some of your Knoxville radio blog. I spent several years at WOKI doing nights in the 80's. Would love to know whatever happen to Gary Beach? Any ideas? Hope to hear from you! " (Mike)

M I K E C A R P E N T E R General Sales Manager WSIX / WRVW
Clear Channel Radio 55 Music Square West Nashville, TN 37203

Answer...

"Gary is running his families flower shop (West Knoxville Florist). We claim loosely to be cousins, but actually have no proof if we are truly related. Otherwise he is doing well and would love to hear from you I am sure. Hope all is well with you." (Mike Beach)