The comment about getting a "big break” in neighboring towns brought back memories of my first radio job in 1965. WRKH ("radio service for Rockwood, Kingston, Harriman"), 580 AM, was a 1000W sunrise to sunset operation. The studio was located on Front Street in Rockwood, in a second floor five-room suite over a jewelry store. The job as weekend announcer was good enough to convince the Tennessee Department of Safety that I deserved a special under-16 driver license. Back then, driver license x 1 = freedom.
Owner Dick Holloway was one of the busiest people I had ever seen up to the point. He a one-man sales force; wrote ad copy, did commercial production; and anchored the sign-on to 1000 AM “drive time” show. That program was a mix of music that Holloway liked; dog-gone announcements; free wood pallets and used tractor-for–sale message; the obituaries; and Holloway's folksy musings about the "world situation." In short, it was everything those three small towns needed.
The building was close to, and had a grand view of, the Southern Railway’s Cincinnati to Chattanooga main line. Back then on that railroad, there were at least 50 freight trains and four passenger trains each day. I quickly learned that a dime would keep turntable #2’s arm from skipping around when trains passed. For some reason, turntable #1’s arm didn’t skip.
Down Front Street several doors was the fantastic Bill Billing’s Photo store. Most of my paychecks never made it home.
I learned a lot from Dick Holloway. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn a little bit about the radio business.
~Art Miller