It's a 101 Reload...

101 learned of the passing of Jeffrey Duncan aka Shotgun Stevens who jocked at WOKI FM 100. Being a Central Florida resident for years I got to enjoy him on the air at XL 106.7 cohosting a morning show for nearly 20 years as Doc Holliday on the Doc and Johnny Show.

...we travel back to our first 2008 post- 

Welcome to 2008! 101 wishes you a healthy and happy new year...

Where were you in '86? Here are some of our groovy responses-

Walker Johnson...

I owned a small AM in Maryville called WMDR. WMYU just moved to Knoxville and offered me the chance to team back up with CP on U102. I said no because I was programming, general managing and when someone was sick, filling in on the air at WMDR. They came back with one of those...what will it take... deals and with the help of a great lawyer (Bill Mason) we carved out a deal where CP and Walker ran live on both stations in the morning, I had no production to do, and the two stations split all ad buys of CP and Walker live spots. Oh and because of Bill Mason my contract included a yearly ten percent pay increase along with U102 paying for a board op at my station from 6 to 10 AND one of those new cell phone things. Heck I forgot the deal ALSO included half (for WMDR) of any billboard in our listening area that featured CP and Walker. As for the blizzard, my station in Alcoa was on the air the entire time, my 30 foot boat sank down at Tellico Marina and because we couldn't get out of the house BUT had power, we spent a ton of time on the back porch in the hot tub listening to news reports of folks melting ice for drinking water. The night the marina called to tell me my boat was going under, the wind was over 30 miles an hour and the air temp was in the low teens. I told the guy I couldn't get out of my front door let alone drive 35 miles to the boat and he just said he thought I might like to know. Wild weather to say the least.

Mike Clark...

I was doing morning news at U-102, working with the great CP as part of CP and Company. We were in the last year of our stint in the Sevierville studios; in December of '86 we moved to 8419 Kingston Pike. Walker Johnson would join the station after the move and CP & Walker would once again help jump-start the mornings for thousands of East Tennesseans.

Chad Austin...

Here is the lineup for WOKI (Hits 100) from 1/1/86:

6am - Ron Harper

10am - Gary Beach

3pm - Julie London

7pm - Shotgun Stevens

12am - J.J. Randle

Former WOKI Night time Shock Jock, "Shotgun Stevens" pulled a publicity stunt just a few days later after Tennessee's Sugar Bowl Victory in January of 1986, when he locked himself up in the studio around 11pm that night, and he played the song "Orange Blooded", (which was a parody of Foreigner's 1978 hit "Hot Blooded") in honor of Tennessee's 35 to 7 victory over Miami, 35 times in a row until station management supposedly showed up and threw him out of the studio.

Then a couple of weeks later Shotgun Stevens left Ktown and started doing mornings at 99.7 WDJX in Louisville, Kentucky, and Michael Scott was moved from weekends to doing 7 to 12midnight as Shotgun's permanent replacement that same year.

U-102 in January of 1986:

6am - CP

10am - Larry Trotter

3pm - Jeff Jarnigan

7pm - Jeff Freeman

12am - Kay Manley

101 wants to hear from you too!

It's 1983 and WOKI-FM 100 is #3 in the market behind WIVK-FM and WEZK-FM.

DJs were Jeff Jarnigan (6-10), KC (10-2), Brother John St John (2-7) and Bandit from (7-12).

...and Jerry Howell joined the news crew that summer. 

The 101 Audio Vault enjoys Kris Copeland- 

It's August 1971...

 

On behalf of the staff and management, I mean, please pay these prices and please pay no more, or is it Bring on the Brothers, or...after a long winter nap, or...15QQQ, regardless- it's February 3!

HBD to 101 founder, farmer, and janitor George Michael Vavalides aka Charles Beethoven Guberalski lll.

Health and Happiness...Decant & Chant!

In the summer of 1983 U-102 (WMYU) was beaming the airwaves with Dr Dave Dunaway, PD Bill Miller, Larry Trotter, Chuck Edwards, Tom Van Hart, David Henley, Mike Clark and more!

The 101 Audio Vault enjoys Chuck Edwards...

Superstar Personalities Invade 101 InBox...

Alan Sneed-

Great post about ‘83. I started the year in Houston at ABC O&O 97 Rock and returned to Atlanta for my second stint as PD at 96 Rock, under new owner Gulf Broadcasting, who also owned Q102 in Dallas and Q95 in Indianapolis. (Bob and Tom arrived for mornings at Q95 early that year. The show is still on here after 43 years—although Bob retired a few years ago. They peaked in syndication with 150+ affiliate stations, but I don’t believe they were ever on a Knox-patch station, probably due to John Boy and Billy’s long run on WIMZ.) ‘83!

BTW… It’s bitter cold here with almost a foot of snow on the ground! 🥶

Cheers!

A.D.

aka Big Al the Kiddies Pal (A politically incorrect nickname given to me by Steve West in about ‘75 when he arrived in Knoxville and still used by some of my old friends from radio.)

Dan Bell-

The banking empire of Jake Butcher collapsed in early 1983, centered around the failure of his flagship United American Bank in Knoxville, which was declared insolvent on February 14, 1983. This marked the end of a vast, fraudulent Tennessee banking network, with 7 other Butcher-controlled banks failing that year and another 3 in 1984. I remember because the FDIC seized the bank but missed the drive thru branch in the parking garage. The teller, who I knew, opened at 7 am as normal. I pulled in and did an interview with her for WIVK news.  The feds heard it up on the top floor and rushed down to shut it down. (Dan Bell)

We recently featured a post about 1983, so what else was happening in Ktown that year...

62 WRJZ, where I had worked the previous year, featured Bob Ziegler 6-10, Eddie Beacon 10-3, Jessica James 3-7, Jim Wilson 7-12, and Lynn Davis 12-6. 

Jeff Jarnigan was the morning DJ at WOKI-FM 100.

At January's end WATE TV 6 welcomed a new anchor named Lloyd Immel.

All time UT basketball great Dale Ellis was leading the Volunteers on the court and as an All-America selection.

Grady's Goodtimes had opened in December 1982, and the waiting lines were out the front door...led by Mike Connor, Rick Federico, and Grady Regas. 

WNOX had an FM called "KiX 95" with Phil Hunt as PD.

As March rolled in Eddie Beacon was now working his insegreviousness on WBMK from 3p-sign off. James Maurice was morning DJ and Greg Daniels 10-3.  

In mid-March Jim Wilson exited WRJZ for mornings at KiX 95.

Baseball season arrived and the Braves roster included Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, and Bob Hoerner.

Mike Clark and David Henley were anchoring the news at U-102 (WMYU).

In Atlanta WSB was called "The Voice of the South" and Ktown's Dave Foulk was on the airwaves. 

By September Jim Wilson had moved up the dial position again...working 10-3 on WOKI FM 100. The lineup was Jeff Jarnigan 6-10, Jim, John St John 3-7. Bandit 7-12, and Ron O'Brien overnight.

A very well-known personality, Jimmy Vineyard, was working afternoons at WNOX. Michael Henry Martin, Scott Majors, and Linda Patton were there too. 

The 1983 World Series pitted Philadelphia against Baltimore, Pete Rose versus Cal Ripken.

It's football time in Tennessee and on October 15 the Vols beat Bama 41-34, led by QB Alan Cockrell. Johnny Majors was the HBC, the line was coached by a young Phil Fulmer, and George Cafego was still going strong. 

The Vols capped of their season with a 30-23 Citrus Bowl victory, the defense was fearless led by Reggie White. 

...and that's a look back at 1983, where were you?

It's 1947...

 ...on January 21 super jock Tony Dennis (Anthony Drakos) was born!

...on September 28 WKGN 1340 went on the air for the first time!

Happy 80th to Dolly

Dolly Parton is 80 today. WIVK was there in her very early days, which helped springboard Dolly to major superstar status.

WIVK was influential in assisting in the launching of Alabama, we were the 1st station to play "Tennessee River", and Bob Thomas jump started Kenny Chesney's fame. Kelsey Ballerini's Dad worked at the station. Even a local singer/school teacher rose to #1 on the WIVK survey- Worley Max (McKinney)....and there are many more claim to fame stories through the years!

Photo is Bobby Denton, Dolly, and Con Hunley!

 

 It's 1983 at Rock 104...

The year kicked off with Beach and Williams in the morning, Dan middays, Keith lambert afternoon drive, and Jeff Young on at 7p.

The Fall 1982 ratings had arrived with WIMZ in at 9.9 (12+), WIVK led that book at a 23.3.

In late February Mike Beach exited mornings, Jeff Young joined Phil in the AM drive, and Sheri took over the evening slot. 

On Monday March 14 Rock 104 became 104 WIMZ!

In August...Mike Beck was back in Ktown! He took over afternoon drive at 104 WIMZ with Phil Williams 6-10, PD Keith Lambert 10-2, Mike 2-7, Dan 7-12, and Patrick 12-6.

By the end of the year Commander Dave became fulltime at 7p with Dan exiting and Colvin Idol was anchoring the news. 

...and that's a spin into WIMZ back in '83.

The 101 Audio Vault features Kerry Lambert (Keith Lambert on the air, and back at his WKGN 1340 days he was Chris Lee).

Page 3...

HBD to San Francisco super jock "Harry Michael Breeze".

AM radio was still king back in 1967...Knoxville had WATE 620, WIVK 850, WNOX 990, WBIR 1240, WKGN 1340, WROL 1490 and more!

This classic photo is in the WKGN studios on Cumberland Avenue and legendary DJ Charlie Champion!

Page 3...

Check out a great article as Bob Thomas was interviewed about WIVK's history at Country Insider. (click)

HBD Phil

I turned on my mic for the first time way back in 1976...many of you before me. 

I try and recall who is still on the air in Knoxville that was super jockeying back in 1976.

Our birthday legend Phil, of course.

Help me if I'm missing anyone-

Bob Thomas fills in at NewsTalk 98.7 WOKI and is better than ever on the airwaves.

Both Mike Clark and Dan Bell anchor the shows on Praise 96.3.

Pete Michaels buzzes the airwaves reporting on Ktown traffic.

Rick Kirk is weekends at B97.5.

...and who have I shamefully forgotten? Please let me know.

HBD Phil Williams

...do you remember Beach & Williams on WIMZ? These days Mike has his own station "Global Radio Daytona".

It's early 1975 in Knoxville!

Frank Kotsianas is negotiating to sell the Ivanhoe House of Beef in West Knoxville (now Copper Cellar)...and yes, every young Greek worked there, Opa!

On the radio-

Sam Sharp worked weekends at WIVK

If you dial twisted at night you could pick up Spiderman Harrison on WLAC 1500 in Nashville

Johnny Pirkle was morning DJ and owner of WOKI-FM

Bert Bertelkamp was named to the All-AA first team

POA was booming his newsworthy voice on WNOX 990 in the mornings

Ron Wright and Ron Fuller were grappling in the wrestling ring

CP and Walker were on the air on WETE 620, but not yet teamed up

...and The 101 Audio Vault features The Aardvark on WNOX-

 

 Page 3...

Did you know that Larry Solomon was the original midday jock on WIMZ (Rock 104). Check out his link at the right side of our 101 blog.