George, It is my sad duty to announce that I will finally put an end to my radio career in Knoxville, at least for a while. Hopefully I can find a new radio home somewhere near my new location in Maryland. WYSH is more than just a station. To me, WYSH, will always be home. Now I may not have been a DJ during the golden age of Knoxville radio, but this gem of a station has polished me as a radio presenter. While I may have started on WKXV years ago. It wasn't until I began my tenure on WYSH that I found who I was as a radio host. Ron Meredith, who owns WYSH, WGAP, and WMYL, taught me everything that it takes to become a proper host. He is a quality host in his own right, and takes his duties on the County Club Morning Show, Trading Time, and Ask Your Neighbor very seriously. He seems to be able to throw and take punches as well as anyone I have ever seen in radio. Today our news and sports are handled by Jim Harris. His unique voice sets the tone from the daily news to all the sports any one announcer can handle. His non-wavering style and pure enthusiasm makes the games he broadcasts seem like pro sporting events instead of just high school sports. Plus he is righteously funny on Country Club. Ricky Kitzmiller brings his brand of whit and humor to the Saturday Morning Show, Trading Time, and his Bluegrass Show. Walt Stair continues to endure on the station. He may be the elder statesman, but you would never know that by listening to him on Trading Time Primetime. What I really like about WYSH is the fact Ron is not afraid of young talent. He has opened his doors and airwaves to a couple of really talented DJs in the form of Tyler Carr and Will Housley. Tyler is now working with Horne Broadcasting and Tyler is having a very successful run on WTTU. I'm proud to say I showed them around at our station. Bob Wallace is still the engineer, and he is the master of all things electrical. The emphasis may have changed from modern country of the 1980's to now classic country the morgue is impressive at WYSH. The best way I can describe it is the most impressive and important vault outside of the Country Music Hall of Fame. To step into the vault is nothing but solid country gold. That room has everything from Johnny Cash to Terry Bradshaw. Yeah that's right I said Terry Bradshaw. The vinyl runs everything from 33 1/3 to 77 RPM records. It fits all ages and disciplines of country music. If you can think of it we have it. Our sports emphasis has changed over the years. We dropped off the Vol Network and Cincinnati Reds Network but we gained a great set of partners in the form of MRN and PRN. We are able to bring to our listeners the finest racing radio in the business. Not to mention that with the acquisition of WGAP last year, we have been able to service the great people of Maryville. With that comes the return of college football to our mutual airwaves, and some additional great high school football. The reach of that little station in Clinton is actually staggering. It goes way beyond the airwaves. Thanks to our cable partners we can shoot our little station into thousands of homes in Roane, Anderson, and even Morgan Counties. Not to mention with WYSH and WGAP running simulcast 99% of the time we hit Blount and Knox Counties in a way we have never been able to. Plus, we are all over the internet. It doesn't take a lot to jump on to the live feed from http://www.wyshradio.com/. So no matter what far flung part of the world I may find myself in I can tune into WYSH. I did when I was in Mexico the last time! I can't stress how WYSH is beyond a station. For me it is home. It is the place where I went from just a DJ to full blown personality. I left the station in 2009, but returned before the year ended. Ron was none the more gracious to give me air time back on what is my home. Now as I prepare for my final launch out of the station; I have began reflecting. That little station will go on after me, and I will go on after it too. All I can say is,"What a ride!" All the friends I made over the years made Clinton my adopted home. I may come from LaFollette, but Clinton and the wonderful people there have made me feel like I was part of their community. In an age where honest local radio is disappearing it is beyond refreshing to have a radio station that is as local as your church. The station staff are more than just colleagues in my book. I really feel like they are extended family. As far as I am concerned they are the best in the world, and the kings and queens in our profession. Also, thanks for all the work on the blog. (Aaron C. Campbell WYSH Wildman)
