101 heard from two of the greats about our post of U-102, Gary Adkins and Kerry Lambert...

A preface to the story. In 1979, Dick Sterchi was helping promote a concert in Gatlinburg featuring the Earl Scruggs Review and (I think) the Amazing Rhythm Aces. He met with Skip Trotter in Sevierville to make an ad buy on WSEV-AM. During the meeting, Skip told Dick about WSEV-FM. As I recall, the FM had just been sold. Skip said it was authorized for 100,000 watts but had never run on full power. FM was just starting to really take off. Dick was intrigued and gave me a call. We decided to try and buy the station from the new owners or get an LMA, thinking they had no idea of the potential of the station. The owners were Frank Woods from Nashville and H. L. Townsend from Parsons, TN. Dick and I brought in Joe Sullivan for his outstanding experience in radio and his deep pockets. We met with Frank and H. L. and talked about it. They didn’t know what they had but quickly figured it out. They started shopping the station and the price went up. Way up. I vividly remember visiting the tower site on Bluff Mountain (when we still thought we had a chance to buy the station). We were drooling at the possibilities. But…it wasn’t meant to be for me and Dick and Joe. Oh well. (Gary Adkins)

George that’s a great recap of how U-102 happened. I had forgotten about Mooney buying the station first and vaguely remember Phil working there. Like you said, it was radio. We had a lot of moving parts. (Kerry Lambert)

 In late 1980 Mooney Broadcasting purchased WSEV A/F for $1.3 mil. 

In March 1981 Mooney was granted licenses for the AM and FM combo.

In April it was announced that the new call letters would be WMYU. (U-102)

Jerry Adams was GM with Bill Burkett PD and Colvin Idol News Director.

The original lineup was Dave Dunaway 6-10, Burkett 10-2, Tom Van Hart 2-7, Steve Harrison 7-12, and Rick Hudson at midnight. 

Mike Clark shortly joined the news team from WATO Oak Ridge and Mick St John joined the on-air team.

U-102 scored a touchdown when Phil Williams was added on June 8 to work 4-8p!

Fast forward to June and Phil Jarnigan was now handling the overnight show.

6-10 Dr Dave Dunaway, 10-noon Bill Burkett, noon-4 Tom Van Hart, 4-8 Phil Williams, 8-12 Mick Saint John, 12-6 Phil Jarnigan. This lineup didn't last long, hey, it's radio.

In August Steve Harrison was back working nights, Mick St John back to middays, and Tom Van Hart overnight. 

...then in November Phil Williams exited, returning to WNOX 990 and morning drive. 

6 Dr Dave

10 Mick St John

3 Bill Burkett

7 Steve Harrison

12 Tom Van Hart

And that's a look back at U-102 in 1981.

Hello from Mike Clark

 

I had forgotten, but was reminded by Facebook memories, that it was on this day in 1995 I did my last newscast on U-102. 

I was hired as afternoon anchor in April 0f 1981, soon was moved to morning anchor, and did that for the next 14 years. 

If you were around Knoxville in the 80's and early 90's you would have been familiar with the station. It truly was, in my opinion, one of the great ones. I'm very thankful for, and always will treasure, my time there. 

Page 3...Mike is still on the radio in Knoxville at Praise 96.3 (WJBZ).

 

Nashville and Knoxville are two of Tennessee's largest cities. In radio terms, Nashville is a large/major market and Knoxville is a medium market.

The cities had ownership connections with WMAK being part of the Mooney Broadcasting Corporation (WKGN) and WKDA/WKDF was owned by Dick Broadcasting (WIVK).

Many talented DJs exited Ktown for NashVegas...

The photo above is WMAK 1300 in 1975. Do you recognize anyone?

In the driver's seat is Wayne Bernard, then Charlie Chase, and to his right is Smokey Burns, who went on to claim fame as Murphy in the Morning. 

Were you part of the radio migration from East to Middle TN...I know AD, Paul Lyle, Mike Beck, Frank Erwin, etc. made the switch. What about you?

Paul Randall Dickerson aka Possum Riley...

Hello George-

You hear about radio people with inflated egos, but the truth is that some of the finest folks I ever encountered were in the industry.

Two of my all-time favorites are Dr Al Adams and the late Sonny Knight. I didn't work with Al in Knoxville. He had already moved on to WKDA in Nashville by the time I got to WKGN, but he was in town visiting, heard me on the air. and asked Sonny to introduce us. A year later I went to WKRC in Cincinnati and Al was doing the night show. We became fast friends. I later hired him to do evenings on WEBR in Buffalo, where I was PD. He and Carolyn are two of the world's sweetest people.

Sonny was doing mornings when I came to WKGN as midday jock. I hired Loren Owens (Jefferson Kaye) to do the morning show when I became PD, but no way was I going to lose Sonny. I shortened the shows by one hour, sharing middays with Sonny. He was as solid as they come- dependable, friendly on air and off, and related well to the listeners. He and Janice were newlyweds and as great a couple you would ever meet.

Eddie Beacon was yo' Swingin' Deacon whether he was on the air or not. Eddie is one cool cat, and I like him very much. 

You don't hear much about the "front office guys", but I think one of the smartest people I ever met was Bob Crenshaw, who managed WKGN and was the VP of Mooney Broadcasting. He was also drop dead funny. He took an afternoon off to go run his hunting dogs and stopped by the station on the way back home. I'd never seen Crennie in anything but a suit and tie, but he walked in wearing faded jeans, a work shirt, and boots. He drove an Olds Cutlass convertible. The top was down and his dogs were in the trunk. It was unlatched and there was an extra set of keys in the trunk latch. Receptionist Polly Loy looked out the big front window and said "Crenshaw! Someone's gonna take your car, you leaving keys in it" Crennie looked at her with a puzzled visage, then shook his head saying "Aw, Polly. Them dogs can't drive".

Thanks for hangin' with the Possum

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!