I was surprised that you played a little tidbit of me when I worked at WKGN. Yes did work there and it was a great learning experience working around all those great DJ’s. I was swing man and handled production work for the Bob Baron; they sold the station, sent a few to their Nashville station and let the others go since I was the newest I was let go. I knew what was going on and was ready to take a vacation anyway after coming down from Kingsport where Wayne Bernard and I worked at WKIN, I brought him to WKIN, we both grew up in Rogersville and started in radio at WRGS and he countered and brought me to WKGN about a year later. We owned the Tri-Cities of Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City which is a big market now. I was crazy mornings and Wayne was a cool afternoons. It was a blast. I was swing man at 'KGN and worked all the shifts I was quiet amazed at all the college students that would drive to the station to get a peek at Jack Diamond when Diamond was working he was really off the chain, a great radio announcer and no we never let any females into the station at night! Then suddenly things changed at 'KGN it was sold. So I was let go, I always wanted to take a vacation after the ARMY so it was a good chance, I was in American Forces Radio in South Korea, as a kid what ride it was anyway I went to Myrtle Beach for a month. I was talking to one of my friends back in Knoxville and he told me a man by the name Eddy Roy was trying to reach me. I called him and it was Roy In the Morning who turned out to be one of my best friends in Knoxville and of course I met the Great Ron Ashburn (and they are mild) who made such an impression on me, what a great man he was he taught me enough to do news mid mornings before I took over for Fleetwood Gruver yeah that was his real name and soon as you know I was moved to afternoons and Ron was my newsman the rest is history. Does anyone remember when “Winstead and Roy” appeared at the Steak and Ale on Kingston pike once a week? It was rough on Eddy because he had to work mornings but I loved it I always wanted to do stand up and my dreams were fulfilled. I would love to contact Eddy just to shoot the breeze some of the things we would do in production working together were so funny I couldn’t stop laughing, I know most do not know that about the conservative sound of Eddy Roy but he really has a sense of humor. I have moved from Miami back to Tennessee to be near my son and grand kids. Thank God I’m still in great health and have more radio work to do and would really like to return to Knoxville in one way or the other now that I’m back in the area. I always love reading about what’s happening in radio in Knoxville and have so much I would like to talk about especially the amazing journey at WNOX. Here’s a little note for Johnny Pirkle, whom I have always respected, I was painting my dad’s house in the 60’s listening to WNOX from Rogersville TN and “The Pirkle Circle". He really impressed me, from that time I made it a personal goal to work at WNOX, hey Johnny I don’t think we have ever met but you were an inspiration for this kid in his life in radio. Thank You.
I’d love to hear from my friends~ richardwbailey@outlook.com
Dick Winstead
