Thursday, November 17, 2011

Happy Birthday wishes to one of Ktown's all time favorites~ Dave Foulk!

From the 101 InBox...

"I just learned that George Mooney passed away recently. I am another one of many lucky people to have been favored with Mr. Mooney’s generosity and graciousness. In 1966, I wanted badly “to get into radio.” But, there was no way on God’s green earth that I could hope to match the on-air talent of Bob Baron, Dr. Al Adams, and Sonny Knight (Carlos Kivett). Mr. Mooney figured out a way to get me on the air. Knoxville was a very different town in the late 1960s. And it hummed at night with a special throbbing back beat not seen today. No interstates, so interstate travelers and trucks rolled through the middle of town all night. Three or four bakeries, JFG, and a half dozen knitting mills all had night shifts. Vine and Central, College and University, McCalla Avenue, “Happy Hollar”, and Asheville Highway were covered with late night clubs. Comer’s Sports Center on Gay Street and Deane Hill Country Club often had late-night card games. TVA’s reservoir and waterway management group was on duty 24/7 in the New Sprankle Building. The Smoky Mountain Market, Helma’s, and Bill’s Restaurant were early morning gathering places. And Blue Circles, the Happy Place for Hungry People, were everywhere. Outside of town, on a car radio, you could dial in WSM, WLAC, WLS, WOWO, WBAP, WBZ, WCFL, and many other legendary AM stations. And, several times a week, I would run across police, sheriff or fire department activities. I bumped in to Mr. Mooney in a White Store one day, mentioned what I was seeing (and occasionally photographing), and wondered if I could file reports for his radio station. In that deep booming voice, he stated that WKGN had always stood for “Where Knoxville Gets News.” Mr. Mooney told me to call the News Director (the name escapes me, sadly) and make my pitch. I did, and got things set up. Heady stuff for a 16 year old. WKGN’s staff was very attentive. Al Adams and Sonny Knight were particularly helpful with writing and diction. Bob Baron and Joe Sullivan showed me how to “run the board,” edit tape, make carts, and handle the AP and UPI teletypes. Dr. Frank Thornburg, a UT Journalism professor, taught me how to write for radio and construct lead sentences. I was dating his daughter at the time, and I think Courtney began to wonder whether I was at her house to visit with her, or have her father critique my recent stories. Those times indeed were different...and in many ways, it was a better world back then. Thanks for allowing me to share some pleasant special memories about the man who, to me, will always be THE Voice of the Vols."  (Art Miller)