Happy Birthday wishes to Alan Sneed; you knew him on the radio in Knoxville as Alan Douglas and as one of The Brothers with Gary Adkins. 

AD went from selling beer in 1975 to DJing at W-149, which morphed into 15Q. Later in 1976 AD moved to WKGN 1340 to program the station with its AOR format.

Dick Broadcasting plucked him away to take over programming at WKDA/WKDF in Nashville, circa 1978-1980.

From there AD was PD at 96 Rock in Atlanta, PD at 97 Rock in Houston, back to 96 Rock...and his talents were recognized as he became an industry leading programmer and consultant starting in 1986.

In his career AD worked with stations in over 90 markets, including 11 of the top 12 cities. 

Alan went on to own WEYE-FM and WFYE-FM located and serving the upper East Tennessee and SW Virginia listening areas which he sold in 2012.

These days Alan is having fun living in Indianapolis.

"Bring On The Brothers"...

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. 

Hey George, what a nice surprise to see that photo of me and Alan Sneed at WKDA/WKDF! Thanks to AD for sending it to you and for the kind words. Alan’s impact on my career was life changing. What a great teacher, mentor, and friend. I was so lucky to be in his orbit in those years. All the best! GBO! (Mike Beck)

Back in 1978 the radio gods shouted, "head west", and several jumped-on board. After Dick broadcasting bought WKDA and WKDF in 1976 both Mike Hammond and Paul Lyle relocated from WIVK to Nashville...the invasion was not over! Vic Rumore became GM with Alan Sneed and Mike Beck from WKGN as station leaders!

NashVegas 1979...

Mike (Beck) was PD of Country WKDA, and I was Program (Operations) Manager of WKDF/WKDA and PD of KDF. A great guy. (Alan Sneed)

Happy Birthday

Inside your radio Ktown knew him as Alan Douglas, today 101 wishes Alan Sneed a very happy birthday.

For years AD was on the air at the iconic W-149, then he stayed on with 15Q. Alan teamed up with Gary Adkins as the original version of "The Brothers".

Alan programmed WKGN and introduced its AOR format...then headed west to Nashville and WKDF.

As part of Alan's many years on the air and in leadership Alan hung his hat (mic) at 96 Rock in Atlanta and 96 Rock in Houston.

Alan contributes to our blog, which I greatly appreciate.

Bring on The Brothers!

Happy National DJ Day...here's WKGN 1340 in 1976~

WKGN started 1976 with the following DJ line up- Dr Al Adams 6-10, Frank Erwin 10-3, Mike Beach 3-7, Scott Sams 7-12 and David Todd 12-6. The news team included Joe Anderson, Lauren Murphy, and Karen Hitchcock. Weekend DJs were Chris Lee (Kerry Lambert) and Phil Michaels.

In mid-January Barry Tucker (Mike Beck) debuted as a weekender. 

PS- Alan Douglas (Sneed) was still mornings at W-149, soon to be 15Q. And Russ Brown was on WNOX 990. He had started at WKGN in 1975 as Tollie Michaels. Russ, Mike, and Kerry all graduated from West High School (with Chris Paris) in the class of 1975. 

In April, Mick Rizzo joined WKGN from 15Q taking over the 7-12 slot, with Scott Sams moving to overnights. Terri Jones became afternoon news reader. Shortly thereafter, Scott exited 1340 for 15Q as Jamie Rivers so Barry Tucker took over the graveyard shift. 

At the tail end of May Dr Al and Frank Erwin flipped time slots, making Frank the DJ there that had worked mornings, middays, afternoons, evenings, and overnight. 

The 4th of July arrived with Pat O'Brien joining as the 7-12 DJ. Beach shuffled out and Pat took over afternoons with Barry Tucker moving into the 7-12 evening show with Chris Lee overnight.

In August Frank Erwin was gone after many years behind the 1340 mic, so enter stage left...Steve West to mornings from 15Q. 

...that didn't last long, exit Steve stage left, and Mike Beach was back and on in the morning. Allen Free as another Charlie Chase (think Wayne Bernard in Nashville) was on the air. 6 Beach, 10 Lee, 3 O'Brien, 7 Tucker, 12 Chase.

In September Mike and Kerry both adopted their new stage names as Robin Beck and Keith Lambert. New format and new names with Alan Douglas 6-noon, Pat O'Brien noon-6, Beck 6-12, and Lambert 12-6....and the station became 1340 WKGN Album Rock. (but O'Brien soon exited after the format change).

Oh, Mike Beach returned again, noon to 6p!

In October of 1976...Dave Elrod joined! the DJ line up stabilized for the remainder of the year...

6a Alan Douglas

noon Dave Elrod

6p Robin Beck

12a Keith Lambert

...and I believe they were automated at some point?

Page 3...

101 heard from Alan Sneed- George! Kerry and Mike...Great ones! I worked with Mike again after he came over to WKDA/KDF in Nashville and also did some project work for Kerry in Birmingham. I'm still friends with both on Facebook after all these years. 

101 heard from Mike Beck-George, thanks for the shout out in the blog! The “Mother” Tucker nickname came from “Brother” Mick Rizzo. He was doing 7-12m on KGN and I was doing 12-6. I used to hang out with him for his show before doing mine. He called me that one night during the crossover. I wasn’t at KGN for long, but it was an incredibly important time for me with so many wonderful friends and influences. Dr. Al, Alan Sneed, Kerry Lambert, Russ Brown, Mike Beach, just to name a few. I was so lucky. I’ve been in Hampton Roads since 1995. Thanks for all your work on the blog. The rich history of Knoxville radio is in great hands!

Hello from Alan Sneed...

I inherited Moby as my night guy on WKDF in Nashville when Jim Dick hired me as PD in 1978. The first time I was at 96 Rock in Atlanta, he was at 98 Rock in Tampa. After my move to Houston in 1981, I hired him for afternoons and moved him to mornings a few months later. I also carried his syndicated Country morning show (“The Biggest Small Town in America”) 2007-10 on a small Country FM I owned south of Kingsport. We had been friends for 45+ years and still stayed in touch.

                               (photos are AD and Moby, and AD and Moby, and the band Journey)

When AD speaks, the readers read...

Hello, George!

When did Bob leave WKGN as PD? 

(Gary Adkins and I actually worked with Bob providing music and a sound system for parties in 1975. I’m thinking he might have been gone from 'KGN at that point.)

As I recall, Dr. Al replaced him and was there until I came over from 15Q as PD in August of 1976 when we flipped 'KGN to AOR.

I left for WKDF in Nashville in April of ‘78 and Kerry took over!

Thanks...I hope all is well in your world!

 

A.D. Sneedo

 

...On June 3, 1974 WKGN rolled out their new line up featuring Wayne Bernard as morning DJ and new PD as Bob Baron exited. (my notes say Baron went to WCFL Chicago, not sure, and Kent Newton left for WHBQ Memphis). Newton became Tom Kent on the air and still is! 

...Wayne Bernard exited stage "west" to sister station WMAK Nashville, with his final WKGN show airing on Friday November 3, 1974. WKGN at that time included Your Dave Young as morning DJ, Frank Erwin, Rick Davis, Bob Thomas, Joe Anderson, Jean Ash and more! PS- 'Nard became Charlie Chase upon arrival in Nashville and the rest is history.

...Dr. Al Adams came home to WKGN on Monday February 24, 1975 and took over as morning DJ with Mike Beach arriving as afternoon jock.

...in the fall of 1976 changes were happening at 1340- Dr. Al left with AD entering as PD. The station became an AOR format and 2 DJs got new names...Barry Tucker (Mike Beck) became Robin Beck and Chris/Kris Lee (Kerry Lambert) morphed into Keith Lambert. 

...fast forward to late March 1978 and AD moves to WKDF Nashville as PD. Gina Logue, Dave Elrod, Keith, and Frank Green were the air patrol at that time at WKGN. Kerry Lambert was PD, then later exited to start up WIMZ, first known as WBIR-FM aka We Believe In Rock!

...and yes, disco was in the 1340 future!

speaking of names...

Alan Sneed had a great radio career after Ktown at WKDF/WKDA Nashville, 96 Rock in Atlanta, 97 Rock in Houston and into ownership and programming consultant roles for many years.

101 heard from  Alan...

"Until I retired I was PD or consultant in roughly 90 markets. But in 1975-80 I used Alan Douglas (like you my first and middle names) on W149, 15Q, WKGN, and WKDF in Nashville. I was very average but boy did I have fun and it helped prepare me for 40+ years as a programmer."

A.D.

Happy Birthday to Alan Sneed...Alan Douglas on the radio!

Alan teamed with Gary Adkins in the early years to form the very popular "The Brothers".

Along the way Alan programmed several groovy stations...WKGN Knoxville, WKDF Nashville, 96 Rock Atlanta, and  97 Rock Houston! (and more)

These days Alan calls Indy his home!

HDB Alan...and bring on "The Brothers"!!!

S Paul Lyle

101 was sad to learn that S Paul Lyle has passed away.

Paul was WIVK's first Sports Director and moved to Nashville when Dick Broadcasting purchased WKDA/WKDF in Nashville in the mid 70's.

Paul became Sales Manager there and made a career of it!

Paul was a regular contributor to our 101 blog~ go rest high on that mountain!

(photos are from Paul's FB page~ WKDA/WKDF crew with Paul Harvey, and Paul with VFL Mike Jackson)

Merry 101 Christmas!!!

In December of 1976 I graduated from UT and had been at WIVK as Sports Director and News Reporter for 3 and a half years. Mike Hammond who hired me had moved to Nashville where Jim Dick had bought WKDA-AM-FM in August of that year. Mr .Dick had ask me to stay with Dick Broadcasting after my graduation. He met with me in October and told me I could either stay at WIVK or move to Nashville. I decided to stay at WIVK. In late November I got a call from Mike saying that Mr. Dick was going to speak with me again about coming to Nashville to work there. I would be Sports Director and Sell also.  (Many WIVK folks sold at that time if you wanted to make $$$) Mike told me not to tell Jim Dick he said this but I needed to make sure I got my parking paid. 

The Phone bussed a few minutes later and it was Mr. Dick telling me to come see him if I had a minute. I took the long walk down the hall. He told me he’d gotten a call from Mike and Mike needed help at KDA and what was being changed to KDF at the end of the year. 

He said he’d agreed for me to stay at WIVK but Mike and he both would like for me to go to Nashville. He assured me that he would stick by his word and I could stay at WIVK if I still wanted to do so. However, he explained that most of my income would be from sales and that at WIVK most of the good accounts were taken. If I went to KDA/KDF all the sales people would be turned over in the next year or so and I would get able to have a shot at some good accounts as we built their business. This all makes sense to me now but then I had no clue what he was talking about! HA! However I told him Mike Hammond had given me my chance at WIVK and worked with me to get better and trained me. If he and Mr. Dick wanted me to go to Alaska I’d do it.  Nashville wasn’t quite that far!

I couldn’t let Mr. Dick know Mike had already called me and prepped me about the parking. So I just said, “Mr. Dick, aren’t the stations in an office building down there??? Where do you park?” I guess he was so surprised by the question he never realized I had inside info. He quickly responded we’ll pay for your parking.  I said….how about moving expenses. You pay for that! We’ll at least I’d proven I’d ask for the order!!!

After I’d been in Nashville about a year and a half New GM Bill Hays called me in one day and asked me, “Paul, are you getting parking paid?”  Yes I replied. “Who did that deal with you?” Bill asked.  “Jim Dick” I answered.  “Oh ok, Well don’t tell anyone. You me and Mike are the only ones getting Parking paid.”  Believe me….I never said a word!!! Until now!

I worked for Dick Broadcasting for 27 years. 20 years as General Sales Manager for the Nashville Stations and Titans Radio when we started it. I worked for Citadel for 4 years after they bought us. That four years was all I could take of corporate life. Steve Dickert and I were made General Manager and General Sales Manager on the same day. 20 years later and within two weeks of each other we both resigned. The company was bankrupt within two years. Not just us…lots of great people were fired, run off, or just left.

 

Paul Lyle