It's safe to say I knew Bobby my entire life. I spent many years as a kid running up and down the hallways on Kingston Pike while waiting for dad to get off the air or finish his "homework" and not once did Bobby tell me to slow down...in fact sometimes he'd race me to see who was faster. I always won. One night when I was about 10, we were invited to come to his house for dinner. He told me that someone had thrown one of his WIVK Frisbee's in the neighbors yard the night before and asked if I would go get it for him. 10 seconds later, the Frisbee had made it back to it's original owner and Bobby gave me a fresh $20 bill for my efforts! I immediately asked him if there was anything else he needed help with! There wasn't that night...but several years later there would be. I had a great run working at WIVK for 11 years and another 25 years of having the incredible opportunity to grow up around the best group of radio guys the industry has ever known. All under the care and influence of Bobby Denton. (Ryan Hammond aka Jack Ryan)
I worked at WIVK off and on from about 1976 through about 1994, first as the station mascot, WIVK the Frog, and later as continuity director, copywriter, and production assistant. Working with Bobby really helped me hone my skills as a commercial writer; I learned to hear each announcer's distinct way of speaking, and to write to capture the individuals style...and boy, did Bobby have individual style! There were certain words that would stick in his throat: I still get tickled thinking about producing the Pardon's Jewelers commercials--not many people know that Bobby couldn't pronounce "amethyst" or "exquisite" without stopping and working through the words. The production room was the only place I ever heard Bobby be less than smooth. (I probably should have kept this to myself!) I love you, Bobby and miss you and my WIVK family every day. (Margy Ragsdale)