Growing up in West Knoxville it was fun to dial twist to 1290 AM and hopefully catch a bit of WATO Oak Ridge. My Dad, like thousands of others, worked in the Atomic City for a career.

I particularly remember a DJ going by the name Justin Time, fun stuff!

Mike Clark was a fixture on WATO in the late 70s and early 80s. He went on to have a brilliant stint as a news person at U-102 (WMYU). Mike is still on the air in the morning at Praise96.3 WJBZ. (click)

Mike sent these photos; he's an avid guitar player and motorcyclist!

 

101 heard from a couple of WKGN legends regarding our post about the Hooper ratings from 1969.

This photo isn't from 1969 but is a classic of the WKGN DJs in the mid 70s. Front row left to right- Mike Beach, Frank Erwin, Bob Thomas, Kerry Lambert. Back row left to right- Dr Al (PD), Rick Davis, David Todd and Phil Michaels.

You know George the ratings don't tell the whole story. 'KGN had only 1000 watts and 250 nighttime. That makes this story simply incredible. The talent was amazing. Just proving to the industry today...radio was a talent driven vehicle. If you've got the people...the audience will come. A massive success for the time. (Mike Beach)

Hey George! Thanks for posting the Hooper book from 1969. This was just as I arrived at 'KGN and my midday show was not reflected in the ratings. Couple of things did stand out.

• Hooper measured only in-home listening and was a telephone survey.
• The morning drive numbers were VERY tight with several stations showing well.
• The Top 40 battle was won by WKGN from 3pm on. Skip Broussard programmed the station and did afternoon drive. Heckava jock! Night numbers were DOMINATED by Eddie Beacon (yo' Swingin' Deacon). That was remarkable because 'KGN was 250 watts at night against WNOX 10,000.

These days radio is slick and error free. And a whole lot less fun to listen to. Thanks for hangin' with the Possum. (Possum Riley aka Paul Randall Dickerson)

                                                        

Some of the WKGN on air personalities back in '69 were Sonny Knight, Possum, Don Smith, Skip, Eddie, Steve Remmel, Kevin Young and Allen Pressley (news).

Some other big names in Ktown at that time were Johnny Pirkle on WNOX, Doc Johnston's Date with Doc on WBIR, and Bobby Denton at WIVK.  

It's 1969 in Ktown...WKGN claims the kingdom!

WATE 620 was #1 in the morning followed by WBIR 1240. WNOX 990 dominated middays followed by WIVK 850. WKGN 1340 was at the top in the afternoon followed by WNOX, and at night, again, WKGN led followed by WNOX. 

AM radio was still dominate in 1969.

Page 3...

HBD to Kerry Lambert, he cut his teeth at WKGN followed by a long time on air and leadership position at WIMZ.

Years ago 101 created the Your Dave Young Wall of Fame, congrats to all the members! What a list of incredible recipients.

Introducing our very own 101 Hall of Fame...the inaugural members were Bobby Denton, Claude Tomlinson, George Mooney, Jim Dick, and Johnny Pirkle. most agree these five put a massive stamp on the popularity and success of Ktown radio. 

Our second class is equally insegrevious...names that when one thinks about Knoxville radio, these names quickly populate the mind...talent, longevity, and impact (on and off the air).

Dr Al Adams

Doc Johnston

Eddie Beacon

Ed Brantley

Lowell Blanchard

 

The spring of 1976 was fun and interesting on the far right side of Ktown's radio dial. 1490 was unique and great sounding as W-149, then here cometh 15Q.

W-149 was a Johnny Pirkle production starting in 1971, featuring Eddie Beacon, Monte Morgan, Phil Rainey and later adding Gary Adkins, Alan Douglas, Dave Elrod, Chris Grabenstein, etc.

As 15Q was approaching new jocks were appearing in our ears...Kid Curry, Steve West, Bob "Shotgun" Kelly, Barry Hodge, and Mick Rizzo.

In a recent post 101 noted Mick's first show, it's featured today via The 101 Audio Vault!

Eddie Beacon is one of the all-time great radio personalities in Ktown! Eddie worked at 23 stations during his career.

Did you know Eddie's last name is not Beacon? It's Huskisson! Yep, Clay Huskisson.

Eddie told me...he was getting his start on WNOX 990 and of course, would broadcast overnight from the transmitter. He was told Eddie Huskisson was too long for radio, so, working late at night, he chose Eddie Knight. Next thing you know, the phone was ringing and it was a not so happy other radio station calling and complaining that they already had a DJ using the last name Knight.

In his brilliance Eddie surmised...I am a "beacon" in the night on the radio, so I'll be Eddie Beacon.

It was great hearing from Earl Nall. He sent 101 these photos via David Clary, a 25-year WATO employee.

Do you have a WATO story? 

Lots of big names passed through...Mike Clark, Dennis Willard, Randy Miller and on the FM Q94 side- Eddie Beacon, Jeff Winters, and Joe Grant.

In late spring 1981 Dave Young became GM, I was on the Q94 staff...he made me morning DJ at WATO, assistant PD at WATO, and MD at both stations. My first morning show was Monday May 25...the turn tables were broken, and the headphones would not work. I made May 26 my last show, as the radio gods were beginning to tell me to run forest run! (soon it was to be platters to platters for me- radio to restaurants).

WATO went on the air in 1948 at 1490 on the dial with 250 watts and was on the air 18 hours per day. In 1959 the station moved to 1290 on the dial. The station was led by Sam (Speedy) Thrower Jr.

In those days WATO carried Mutual's Game of the Day (major league baseball).

As the 1960s arrived the station increased power to 5KW.

In 1967 Rau Broadcasting purchased the station from Sam Thrower, etc. for $350k. That same year WATO-FM 94.3 was hatched.

That frequency became WUUU-FM and then WETQ-FM, followed by WKNF-FM in 1985.

Below are the photos of the demise of the building...

 

 

 

Mick Rizzo arrived on that 15Q train in the spring of 1976. I even air checked his first sign on, and he noted he was in San Antonio just 24 hours ago, and now...well, that's radio.

Mick got 15Q up and rolling and then moved down the dial to WKGN 1340 for a while.

Mick had opened his mic at WDRO Detroit, KONO San Antonio, 15Q and WKGN in Knoxville, then Big WAYS in Charlotte, before moving to WAYS sister station WAPE in Jacksonville. Kudos to that company for some very groovy call letters.

This ad of the handsome and debonair Mick is from the spring of 1977.

...and the rest is 101 history!

He was born with the perfect radio name, voice, and personality. Today we wish HBD to Walker Johnson.. 

Here's Walker via his typewriter in a 101 Reload-

 "I kinda figure my life (age wise) as to which station I was with at what age. I was 22 in 1970 and started the radio ride at WGAP. In '73 I was just about 25 and working at WKGN. I turned 27 in 1975 and replaced Mike Beach at WETE. I think he came over to 'KGN but I would not make book on it. I hit the ripe old age of 28 in 1976 and Basic Media Limited bought out Hall Broadcasting and turned WETE into WRJZ. The plan was to fire all of us but CP talked them into putting the two of us in the morning. I remember he had at 10 in the morning on WETE and I had an 8 in the afternoon. First book for WRJZ we pulled an 18, knocking off all the morning shows except Claude at WIVK. Next book we nailed the Cat to the wall. Are you bored yet? WRJZ was being sold and the new owner was being told to go country by our...GM! It was 1980 and I had just turned 32 when my contract was up and I ran over to WIVK, CP came when his was up. James A. Dick built his AM station around us and changed the calls to WHIG. I know, 'bout as stupid a set of letters ever used. Anyway we went on the air with the same format as the old WRJZ. Johnny Pirkle was sick of us beating his station so he had a few friends call up Bobby Denton to complain. Before the first month was gone we were playing country music and our fans from WRJZ were all sick! They would call to say they tried to turn the station OFF when the music came on and then get back to us when we talked! At the ripe old age of 37 (1985) my father and I bought a radio station. OK, HE bought 50% and I bought 1%. We took WEAG in Alcoa, (a very old big band station) rock, bought a restored 1969 Caddy hearse and had more fun that you can imagine! The late Jim Donavon was my morning man, Becky Lynn (of the old WIMZ and now a radio star in Arizona) did middays, the late GREAT Ernie Baker was News Director and none other than Ted Ousley (Gunner on WIVK today) did afternoons. Dad and I sold the station WMDR (My wife told me the calls said "Walker Makes Denise Rich" but after a year she kind of dropped that thought) in 1989 and I went full time with U 102 as I turned 41. More stations followed after that and some TV work but after U 102 the "BIG" money was done and with the exception of a few places that died either while I was there or just after I left, that was IT for radio! Turning 61 is outstanding IF you still have the mind of an 8 year old, yep I qualify big time there."

Happy Easter 2026

Here's a fun tidbit. The Brothers, originally on the air at 15Q and then WOKI-FM 100 came about when 15Q Program Director Ron Baptist recommended that DJs Alan Douglas and Gary Adkins keep a little bit of the W-149 feel on the new Q. Bill Johnson eventually took over for AD, and the rest is history. "Bring on The Brothers".

The 101 Audio Vault travels to WIVK in 1978 with Suitcase Simpson-

 

On November 22, 1974, a Friday, Wayne Bernard signed off for the last time as afternoon DJ and PD at WKGN 1340. Some of the other DJs there at the time were Your Dave Young, Frank Erwin, and Bob Thomas.

Like so many before him, Wayne was transferring to Mooney Broadcasting Corporation sister station WMAK 1300 in Nashville. Think...Smokey Burns morphing into Murphy in the Morning at WMAK. 

Wayne became Charlie Chase, and the rest is Ktown radio history. 

PS-in 1976 Dick Broadcasting Corporation (WIVK) purchased WKDA/WKDF Nashville and personalities such as Mike Hammond and Paul Lyle spent time there. Vic Rumore headed to NashVegas in 1978 and down the road Alan Sneed (AD) joined as PD of the AOR formatted WKDF. 

Scott Black on WIVK-FM

 

...It's the fall of 1983 at WNOX 990 and they were playing country music.

The DJ lineup included Michael Henry Martin with Fred Lee on news in the morning, Scott Majors middays, Jimmy Vineyard of WIVK fame in the afternoon, Lisa Patton evenings, and Keith Arnold overnight.

The 101 Audio Vault features Michael Henry Martin-