From our 101 Facebook page, here's some fun bantering about WATO 1290 Oak Ridge...
Kent Teffetelle A classic!
Jim Young Grew up listening to WATO.
Carson Cooper Oh to hear more of that!! That was right after I left the Mighty 1290 to work for WBIR FM (Rock 104)
Jim Young Got to hear you Wed night on RM Carson Cooper! Had a rental car with satellite radio. Good stuff!
Kent Teffetelle Grew up living a block from WATO 1290/WUUU 94.3 studios. Listened to 1290 a lot, spent much time there.
Jeffrey Moser I came there 1981...I remember Carson Cooper and Kent I do remember you as well....it was quite a time at the mighty 1290..lol
Dennis Willard Mid 70s to 80 was my time at WATO! Great times!
Carson Cooper Any of you WATO alums have any pics? I wish I had some. I know some folks are no longer with us -- Dave Brown (who could forget him?) Roy McClendon (one of my favorite guys). And then there's James Freeman (I'm still in touch with him), Jeff Caylor, Michael Moore (M&M), Hugh Newsome (tragedy what happened to his son), Pat (who did traffic) and so many others. Any pics around anywhere?
Dennis Willard I know George has some audio of me from WATO too!
Mike Clark I was there from 79-81. Started out doing 6-midnight, ended up doing mornings. Willard was the PD while I was there. It was a lot of fun. I think I have a couple of remote pics but no studio pics that I can remember. Brown was engineer while I was there. I also remember Hugh Newsome, Bill Paige, Jeff Winters, Kevin Dempsey, Rick Hudson, and Dan Collett. There were some folks who came on board when the FM went live, but I am sorry to say I don't remember all their names.
Kent Teffetelle Dave Brown was one of the finest in engineering. Loved Roy McClendon a lot, Pat was friendly, loved Dennis Willard, Mike Clark, Mike Beach, Jeff Caylor, Jeffery Moser, and so many more. Everybody were fantastic people. I wish Doug Horne would let me have one of the old Gates transcription tables, I'd love to fully restore one. And put it back to use again.
Randy Miller I was there when Mike Earl was the PD....anybody know where he is? I got in trouble when the Blues Brothers album came out and we played it before listening to it, and it had a couple of words in it, that nobody would raise an eyebrow at today. Dave Brown was the MAN!