As we remember the radio past daily here on 101, it's also fun to contemplate radio's future.

As a fan of the biz I love the fact that I can tune in to Mark Thomas on KABC in Los Angeles via my iPhone app, or listen to Jack Diamond aka Coyote Calhoun on my I Heart Radio app as he DJs on WAMZ in Louisville. And of course there is SiriusXM looming out there too with specialty programming such as the NASCAR channel.

And in the tiny hamlet of Lafollette Terry West plays the classics in the morning!



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Newstalk 98.7 said there will be a Hallerin Hilton Hill announcement on Tuesday morning?

Birthday wishes to Kingsport radio's Roger Epperson!

Happy Friday from 101!!! Thanks to Octavius for the 30 years of Classic Rock on WIMZ poster! Did you work at WIMZ? Send your photographs and memories to 101!!!

Top right...click on our Facebook 101 page and "like" it...this is brand new and replaces the 101 group, groups on FB appear to be going the way of the Ford Edsel!

Breaking news from Suitcase Simpson..."If you've ever coughed for days after inhaling Bobby Denton's second hand cigar smoke, make plans to attend the Knoxville Radio Reunion! Anyone who has worked in Knoxville radio in any capacity is invited. Tuesday, Feb. 15th, from 12 Noon until we quit laughing. Shoney's at Walker Springs Road. Rain, Snow, Sleet - no postponement for any reason this time. Bring 3 or 4 stories and your good intentions. Let me know if you'll probably attend so we can set aside plenty of space. Please help me spread the word."

101 asked, where were you in '78?

"I was two years into WRJZ, making enough money to buy a new car every year and getting recognized in Kroger." (Walker Johnson)

The 101 Time Machine travels to January 1978...

Jimmy Carter was President!

WIVK's news team was anchored by Mike Hammond, Mark Thomas, and Dan Bell. PS- Jean Ash was DJing on the AM from 1-3p!

WBIR-FM (103.5) was trying to battle WIVK with a country format...DJs were Keith Dodd, James Freeman, John Irons, Bill Page, Celeste, and Mike Johnson. Plus The Mulls were on nightly from 8-10p!

Over at WNOX 990 Bill Beason was new and their line up was~
6 Dr Dave
10 Phil Williams
2 Mike Beach
6 Scott McLeod (PD)
10 Larry Steele
2 Bill Beason

Down the dial at 62...CP and Walker were cracking up Ktown, Adele stayed up all night on 62, the night DJ was named Van Radford, and Foster Arnett reported from the Z plane!

WKGN was basically an AOR format with AD 6a-10, Robin Beck 10-3, Dave Elrod 3-7, Keith Lambert 7-12, and Frank Green overnight...and Joe Anderson was still news director!

...and at the end of the month a teenager arrived to hone his skills behind the night time WRJZ mic~ John Boy Isley!

It's the summer of '77...and WNOX 990 is calling itself "Triple Super".

Here's the WNOX line up-

6-10 Eddy Roy
10-3 Phil Willaims
3-7 Dick Winstead
7-12 Tom Roberts
12-6 Russ Brown

The 101 Audio vault features Russ Brown...



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Belated birthday wishes to Jamey Kerr (1/25)!

Ktown has had some greats pass thru...Wayne Bernard left for Nashville and became famous on the radio and TV as Charlie Chase. Jay Thomas worked in Ktown! Kent Newton worked nights at WKGN and then became Tom Kent, Smokey Burns was morning drive at WKGN and then rocked Chicago for years as Murphy in the morning! Randy Miller became a very well known DJ in Kansas City...and John Isley went on to host "The Big Show", a nationally syndicated morning show!

"John Boy" or "John Buoy" was not the first night time DJ at 62WRJZ but he joined the station shortly after it debuted in late 1976...and he was one of a kind even back then!!!

The 101 Audio Vault travels to June '77~

Knoxville radio history is made every day! As we all are well aware modern technology caught up with radio and to a degree and has swallowed up the "DJ"...many stations now either voice track shows or subscribe to syndicated programming.

A couple of years ago 101 stopped in to visit with Ktown legend Jimmy Vineyard at his radio studios in Panama City, he was running a cluster. It was mid morning and Jimmy toured me thru the building...I saw 5 or 6 control rooms, but NO DJs...the average joe driving down the road and listening would have never known.

Ktown's top 3 rated starions are WIVK-FM, B97.5, and Star 102.1...Here are their local and live shows, and they all sound great!

WIVK features Andy and Alison in the morning, Colleen middays, Gunner 3-7p, and Jack Ryan at night.

Over at B97.5 the morning duo is Ashley and Brad, Jennifer Alexander is on from 10a-3, and long time ktown great Jeff Jarnigan works drive time.

Star 102.1 features Marc & Kim and Frank followed by Gretchen 10-3, and PD Rich Bailey is on the air from 3-7!

101 heard from 15Q alum Amos Pigg~ and his real name is...no way, YEP~ Amos Pigg!!!

"Hey George! I was at 15Q for a short time but lots of things happened while I was there. Boo was doing nights when I came. We were good friends, and he got Ron Baptist to give me a chance on weekends. I really appreciate that he did. I loved being on the air at 15Q, especially working with so many great people! Mr. Blow and one of The Brothers (Gary Adkins I think) couldn't believe my name was real. They kept asking me why I never changed it! I used to do 2 weekend shifts with not much time in between them, and sometimes would sleep in an office between shifts. Once Birdman set off a fire extinguisher and sprayed its powder all over me as a joke. I actually thought I had died! It scared the cr*p outta me to wake up with yellow powder going up my nose. I think it scared Bird too, he didn't know it would be so much. I was living in Lincolnton, NC and driving up on Friday night, and back home on Sunday afternoon. My car broke down one time and Ron Baptist let me drive the 15Q AMC Pacer for a couple of weeks. Later on Tom Dooley came. On-air was strange, some days he'd be Brother Tom Dooley, and other days George Patrick Dooley. Air checking I think. Dooley was great. I used to crash in his basement between shifts. Allen Free took me to a little place that had "pig burgers." Greasy! Ground pork on white bread - in a brown paper bag - soaked through with the grease...Man it was good! I also pulled the shifter out of his Mercury Capri, but I don’t think he knew. I took it to the dealer and got it fixed. Speaking of food, Vol Market hot dogs and Krystal kept me going! I was there when 15Q died, and became "Someone to turn to WKVQ” complete with NBC news and soft AC. The microphone was taken out of the control room. What kind of board was that, anyway? It was the first slide-pot board I’d ever ran! I’m proud to have worked at such a station as 15Q. You guys that made it what it was were amazing! And that imaging!!! Wasn’t it the best? I used to have a copy of the 15Q chants from JAM productions, I’ll try to find them." (Amos Pigg)

The 101 Audio Vault travels to the summer of '77 and a trio of WIVK DJs...Dandy Don Meltabarger, Jeff Winters, and Your Dave Young! Where were you in '77?



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The 101 InBox says hello to Mike Beck and Frank Erwin...

"I still have those Koss Pro 4 AA headphones. The hair, not as much. Thanks for the post!" (Mike Beck)

"Hello George..I continue to enjoy 101 every day. Many thanks!" (Frank Erwin)

Here is Frank's link~ http://voices.com/people/frankerwin

This is Mike Beck, circa mid-70's! The classic control room photos are the best!

Mike was one of many that got his start at WKGN 1340 when it was located on Alcoa Highway in the bank building. Mike was first known as "Barry Tucker" and then as "Robin Beck" while at WKGN.

Mike is still in the biz and runs a cluster of stations in Virginia!

Breaking News (not really)...

Are your pinkies tired of typing in our long 101 domain name? Ha!

You can now bookmark 101 at~

www.talkgeorge.com

You will be directed back to our 101 blogger site, but our new domain name will save you at least 8 seconds every time you choose to stroll down Knoxville Radio History 101's memory lane!

Send your photographs and memories..and air checks to 101...stay groovy!

It's a "Classic CAT" Friday!

Many say Claude Tomlinson was Ktown's all time #1 radio personality. Who would you add to the mix?



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Fall 2010 ratings have been announced and WIVK-FM is #1, followed by B97.5, and Star 102.1! Congrats!

It's the snow covered hump day edition of the 101 Audio Vault. We stay with 15Q and listen to Jamie Rivers! Who?

We all have invented on air made up radio names from time to time and Scott Sams was no different. In the summer of '76 we was tagging himself as "the voice of rock".

Scott moved from radio to TV and exited Ktown for the Dallas market in the 80's where he remains today.

101 wants to hear from you and today Bill Burkett checks in and answers a recent posting...

"Hey George...Be happy you're in Florida today. I'm sure you've heard about all the snow here. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Chuck Barron and Dr. Grady Brock are two different people, although there was some similarity in their gravely voices. Both worked nights for Jay Thomas at Big WAYS in Charlotte back in the 70s while I was at sister station WAPE. I knew both, but I don't know whatever happy to Brock. Suitcase just up-dated me on Barron last month. Hope you're having a happy New Year." (Bill Burkett)

This is from late 1976...did you work at WRJZ? Send 101 your photographs and memories!

From the 101 InBox...

"George~ I never heard Chuck Boo Boo Baron on 15Q. I wasn’t living in the Knoxville area then. When I listened to your air check I did a sort of double take. Chuck Boo Boo Baron sounds a awful lot like Dr. Brock who was at WCFL in the mid 70s. Probably not the case but never let it be said that a jock who once worked in Knoxville couldn't make it to big time Chicago – WKGN Tom Kent to WLS!" (500 MegaWatt)

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Belated birthday wishes to Phil Williams and Chris Huff!

It's early 1987 and WIVK is #1 in Ktown and most of their on air line up has been in place for years with Claude Tomlinson in morning drive, Bob Thomas middays, Ed Brantley afternoon drive, and Terry Womack overnights...the only jock movement was periodically occuring in the 7p-12 slot where Laura Paul was the host.

WIVK was also giving away prizes...the 101 Audio Vault features Mike Hammond~

It's the fall of 1975 in Ktown and the big wrestling names hitting the mat each week are Ron Wright, Jimmy Golden, Rock Hunter, and Ron Fuller. Jim Hess and then Les Thatcher provided the play by play on the telly!

The BasketVols featured Ernie and Bernie, Mike Jackson, and Doug Ashworth.

In November Randy Tyree beat Kyle Testerman for the Knoxville mayor job.

In December WROL is sold...and 15Q was right around the corner!

Here are some DJ line ups~

WOKI FM 100...Johnny Pirkle 530-10, Russ Skinner 10-3, Suitcase Simpson 3-7, Mike Beverly 7-12, and JL Myers 12-530.

WNOX 990...Eddy Roy 6-10, Todd Martin 10-3, Dick Winstead 3-7, The Aardvark 7-12, Russ Brown 12-6.

WETE 620...Harry Robert Shaw 5-9, Jim Humphries 9-2, Walker Johnson 2-6, Joe Crotty 6-10, Carl Warner 10-12, Ernie the Bartender 12-5.

W-149...Alan Douglas 6-10, Gary Adkins 10-12, Dave Elrod 12-4, Bill Johnson 4-8, Leslie Sheiler 8-12, and Frank Costa 12-6.

And from the 101 Audio Vault we tune in once again to the deep pitched Coyote~

Happy New Year from 101...

We kick of the new year by featuring "The Scott Shelton Experience"...back in the mid 70's Scott was a student at UT and like 101 he loved to air check Ktown radio.

It was '75 and WKGN 1340 featured Dr Al in the morning followed by Frank Erwin middays and Mike Beach from 3-7p.

The station had a long history of zany night time DJs...Johnny Walker, Jack Diamond, and Kent Newton, just to name a few.

In late September '75 the station welcomed Coyote Smith as the 7p-12 jock~(and thanks to Scott for this air check)...