It's time for another "101 Reload" and a birthday wish to KABC's Mark Austin Thomas~
1978...
The year began with Johnny Paycheck topping the country charts with his anthem song "Take This Job And Shove It"!
Over at WIVK the news department was led by Mike Hammond, with Mark Thomas handling midday news, and Dan Bell afternoon news.
Afternoon DJ's in Ktown in January were Tim Edwards WRJZ, Mike Beach WNOX, Dave Elrod WKGN, Scott Sams WOKI, Bill Page WBIR, and Dave Young WIVK.
...At the theatre "Saturday Night Fever" was playing the big screen.
The Vols line up was Kevin Nash, Terry Crosby, Reggie Johnson, Bert Bertelkamp, and Johnny Darden...
...And in late January a new jock arrived at WRJZ, he was known as John Boy Isley!
Mike Beck packed his bags as February arrived and left Ktown and WKGN for WROQ Charlotte. The new line up at 'KGN became Alan Douglas 6-10, Gina Logue 10-3, Dave Elrod 3-7, Keith Lambert 7-12, and Frank Green 12-6.
In '78 WBIR-FM 103.5 was playing country, trying to step on the frog- jocks were Keith Dodd, James Freeman, Bill Page, Phil Moore, Celeste Gourdin, and Mike Johnson...Celeste would later join WIVK for a brief stint.
As spring arrived, so did baseball. The Knox Sox were led by a promising young manager named Tony LaRussa!
WNOX had a very slick line up and a major market sound...Dr. Dave Dunaway was AM drive, Phil Williams worked 10a-2, Mike Beach afternoons, and was followed by PD Scott McLeod, Larry Steel, and Bill Beason (more great stuff from Bill soon).
During early '78 Carson King had joined the WRJZ staff working weekends, he had been mornings at WNOX and WOKI.
Bill Miller was back at WIVK, he was known as Suitcase Simpson...some other names Bill has used in his career are Lincoln Smith and Bad Willie Soul (at WGIV Charlotte).
In May Randy Miller began honing his skills as he started working afternoon drive at WATO Oak Ridge, other jocks there were J. Michael Earl, Marie Shelton, and Jeff Caylor.
Before summer arrived Joe Grant had become night DJ at WIVK, his moniker was "The Joe Show"...and on Monday May 29 WIVK announced that Con Hunley's hit "Weekend Friend" had become #1 on the music charts.
June...Tim Edwards exits afternoon drive at WRJZ and a new name pops up in Ktown as Jeff Jarnigan becomes a weekender at WRJZ. WRJZ...6-10 CP and Walker, 10-2 Rick Kirk, 2-6 JJ Scott, 6-10 John Boy, 10-2 Adele, 2-6 Mark Thompson.
In early August WOKI welcomed Michael Henry Martin to work 7p-11...he was followed each night by The Brothers!
On Saturday August 19 it was WIVK Shindig time...Larry Gatlin, Vern Gosdin, Con Hunley, and Mary Kay Perry were on the card.
In September Christoper T. Gallu took over WNOX as General Manager and Bob Savage entered as Program Director. With Scott McLeod out as PD and afternoons, the new drive time DJ was Scott Majors. BTW...McLeod went to work at WKGN at that point, for a short while he worked mornings at 1340.
That fall Channel 10 news included anchors Bill Williams and Elda Brown, with Scott Sams doing weather and Jim Cline on sports.
And on December 31 Casey Kasem counted down the top tunes of the year...#3 You Light Up My Life by Debbie Boone, #2 Night Fever by Bee Gees, and #1 in '78 Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb.
Hope you have enjoyed this stroll down memory lane!
