A New Beginning

[CSHARP]

Hi John I have always wondered and have always asked Why??? August 1979, KFRC is on top only getting bigger, Your on top owning Afternoons, You got a great PD Les Garland and you annouce your retiring from Radio??? WHY??? Did you feel you at reached a Peak or just burned out, were you and Les having differences about programming, I remember the morning in Early August Dr Don was talking about your retirement I thought he was joking (remember I was 12 at the time) and I'm like why would JMF retire from radio when he's so good, I just did not get it. Thanks for all your stories, were enjoying them all.

 

[LKellerIII]

I agree with Martinezguy. John - your reminiscences have been fascinating, and we're happy to read them as long as you're willing to supply them to us

 

[Jim Beam]

Back in Late 97 early 98, I got my first gig in radio and it was a college internship hanging out with John Mack while he was doing mornings at 97.7 KMGG Santa Rosa. I grew up listening to him, and he was my entry into radio. Fast forward to now, I have worked in SF and full time Sacto, and am going through my first firing. His storys were electric, and I was nothing but a punk ass kid trying to soak em in. John if you remember I was Stunt Man Steve (you gave me the name at KMGG). And now that KFRC is officially gone from the oldies I knew it as, I miss hearing Johnny Mack more than ever. It's good to hear from you JMF.
Steve Z

 

[John Mack Flanagan]

The Lord Works In Mysterious Ways...His Wonders To Behold! I did my last posting yesterday (10/11/06) signed off, removed the book marks, and when I tipptoed back this morning, somehow the post wasn't there?!? You didn't know I'd quit! hee hee Guess I should carry on a few posts longer? By, the way, thanks for the kind comments. And, if you want to rip me? Well, do that too. I'm a big boy:5' 10", 260 pounds! What'll we talk about today? Oh, Stuntman Steve mentions his first termination from Radio. There's something I know something about! I was fired the first time, September 1985. 25 years in the business! Then 7 times in 6 years, and my last fulltime layoff in 1998 (think I mentioned that?) After being passed over for fulltime work 5 times at Y-93 (country..the music I love. Started Radio in Country 1964...) I unplugged my headphones and went on down the road. One year of no work! Started in Security. ... Not guard, Security OFFICER. Which is better isc Jockey ... Air Personality? Uh, huh thought so. I'm happier now that I've been, doing highrise security! Steve, there's life after Radio. There really is. My wife of 41+ years, keeps saying it. Don't let the world bend you. You bend the world (grasshopper). You're meant for great things...go find em'.

Two things to come: The truth behind my departure at KFRC, and why they've NEVER had me back. (I did a little 10 second thing and the phones went crazy!)

Can you tell I like the truth? Do you believe what I'm saying? BELIEVE IT? There may not be too many real things out there, but I'm one of them.

Number 2: What's up with this "Legend" thing seemoochie? Am I a "legend"? We'll answer it next. (Don't ask about Kelly & Kline..hee hee..No, I love those guys! We were full of fire!) -John-

 

[BossRadioDJ]

John Mack Flanagan wrote:

> Number 2: What's up with this "Legend" thing seemoochie? Am I a "legend"? We'll answer it next.

There's just one answer to that. Is John Mack Flanagan a legend? Oh, yes he is!

I have interviewed hundreds of Bay Area radio personalities over the past thirty years, and I can safely say that my favorite was getting to spend a day with John at KFRC. That interview is now online on the Bay Area Radio Museum website:

http://tinyurl.com/et4cy

The interview includes the photo I took of JMF at the time, plus a couple of airchecks from KFRC and one from KWSS.

John -- I tried emailing you through your website, but I haven't heard back. (I'll bet you've received about six billion messages from fans and admirers since you started posting here.) Anyway, I'd love to update your story when you have a moment to spare.

DJ

 

[John Mack Flanagan]

David Jackson, THANK YOU for your friendship, and every kind word. Your photo of me (Easter Sunday, 1994??) is the only authorized photo of me. (hee hee) That photo is me!!! Minus about 60 pounds! HA! HA! Anyway, while I'm giving a shout out (God, I have that term too! "Shout Out" and "Old School", ugh! ... So, why do I use them??? Sometimes there are more questions than answers - Grasshopper...) Where was I?? Oh yeah, I have to recognize Greg Love just about my best friend in the world. Greg is Chief of Police where I live (don't mess with me!) and is a real 'Computer Master'. Greg set me up with this Radio-Info site, and I'm forever grateful. I've been able to express myself in a whole new way. I don't know if you know this but I fancy myself a writer. I have developed a condition in my right hand (not carpal tunnel) that makes to difficult to communicate handwritten (my favorite way), or computer. Anyway, Davis Jackson, I don't think Greg would mind too much of you used him to get to me. 650-755-3838. Everyone, please respect Greg's privacy. ... Plus, he's got a gun and badge! Anyway David I've tried to reach you and it's impossibe. ... ... What to discuss today? How about, "Why Me?" When I left KRIZ in Phoenix for KFRC San Francisco, I was told, "You won't last six months out there!" "You're a New Mexico Country (Poor)Boy." It's been 33 years September 17th, 2006. How'd that happened? We'll investigate, next. -John-

 

[michaelhagerty]

John:
I actually heard you do that live and have never forgotten it. I was PD at KUKI, Ukiah (about 120 miles up the 101 from SF)...on my way back to the station from a late lunch. "Can't Help Falling In Love" was on the air when I started the car. I knew something must have happened, since that wasn't a record KFRC played much (if ever) in '77. Your sign-on was the first word I'd heard that Elvis had died. And Les was right...it was the greatest thing I've ever heard on the radio.
The other memorable JMF moment for me was when I decided to drive down to San Francisco for a Sunday afternoon in the spring of '79. I was APD of KOLO, Reno, then and our GM had just bumped the spotload up to 18 minutes an hour and I was bugged about it. My girlfriend said "let's get away", so we drove to the City. Just east of Sacramento, I tuned in KFRC...heard the end of a spot break and then you, over the intro to The Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes" with: "K-F-R-C...and John Mack Flanagan....with the first of THIRTY-SEVEN in a row!"
Damn near drove off the road. I was lucky to get two back to back...you're playing 37!

---Michael Hagerty




[It was about 20 minutes to 3 p.m. on the West Coast when the word flashed through KFRC, The King Was Dead. Elvis had died in Memphis. I started my shift at 3 p.m. Gosh, that was a scary day. How do you handle the death of The King? Well, Rick signed of with "Can't Help Falling in Love With You". The song Elvis ended every concert with. ... ... ... How do you follow that? I sat down behind the board, and as the song totally faded away, I keyed the mic and said, "All the world's a stage...and it's just a little emptier now...The King is Dead. This is K-F-R-C, San Francisco"...and I played some (???) song. The Batphone rang immediately, ( a red unlisted, private number only the program director knew. It flashed a large red light above your head.) Les Garland asked, "What was that?!? That was the greated thing I've ever heard on the radio!". I told Rick Shaw I'd never forgive him for leaving me in such a tight spot! -John-
[/quote]

 

[XM RADIO]

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT JOHN MACK FLANAGAN IS BY FAR ONE VERY TALENTED DJ HE HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVES FOR YEARS!! KFRC SHOULD HAVE NEVER OVERLOOKED HIS TALENT!! I WOULD HAVE MUCH RATHER HAD HIM DOING MORNINGS THAN DEAN AND CAMMY!! IN 1990 HE REPLACED JEFF YOUNG AT KYA 93.3 WOW WHAT A VAST IMPROVMENT JEFF YOUNG WAS BORING!! JOHN REALLY KEEPS YOU LISTENING!! HE ALWAYS USED THE TERM "YOUR VERY OWN JOHN MACK FLANAGAN" WELL HE WAS THERE FOR THE AUDIENCE !! HES GOT THAT RADIO VOICE AND ON A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER DAY DRIVING AROUND CONCORD IN MY 1964 CHEVY IMPALA SUPER SPORT WINDOWS DOWN AND THE VOLUME UP AND JOHN MAC FLANIGAN COMING OUT OF TWO SPEAKERS AS LOUD AS THAT STOCK RADIO WOULD ALLOW!! I WOULD HOPE JOHN WILL GET OFFERED A RADIO JOB SOON SOMETIME THE BAY AREA WILL GET A OLDIES STATION !! DONT CALL DEAN GOSS OR SOMEONE WITH NO TALENT!! CALL JOHN MAC FLANAGAN HES GOT MY VOTE!! WHEN JOHN WAS AT KCBS 97.3 IN 1981 HE HAD DEIDRE GENTRY WORKING WITH HIM WHAT A RADIO VOICE!! WHERES SHE NOW ! AND ANOTHER GREAT GUY JOHN WORKED WITH WAS STEVE GARLAND AND J. PARKER ANTRIM! THAT WOULD BE A GREAT STATION WITH THESE TALENTED DJ S ! SO MANY TIMES I WOULD CALL KFRC AND ASK WHERES JOHN MACK FLANIGAN THEY SAID THEY DIDNT KNOW !I ALWAYS TOLD THEM TO GET HIM BACK ON THE AIR!! THEY NEVER LISTENED!! IF NOTHING ELSE CHANNEL 2 USED TO HAVE CHARLEY VAN DYKE DOING VOICE OVERS FOR THE 10 O"CLOCK NEWS JOHNS VOICE WOULD SOUND MUCH BETTER THAN THE VOICE THERE NOW! TAKE NOTE KTVU CHANNEL 2 HIRE JOHN MAC FLANAGAN !! TALENTED GUYS LIKE HIM SHOULD BE ON THE AIR IM 53 YEARS OLD AND GREW UP IN CONCORD AND WE NEED SOME CHANGE IN BAY AREA RADIO!! I WISH DON BLEU WOULD RETIRE AND KIOI WOULD GO TO A OLDIES FORMAT THEY HAVE THE STRONGEST SIGNAL AROUND !! AND THE NEW OWNERS WOULD HIRE JOHN I WOULDNT NEED XM RADIO ANYMORE ITS PRETTY BAD WHEN YOU CANT HEAR THE "DUKE OF EARL" FROM 1962 IN THE BAY AREA! NO ELVIS NO CCR JOHN FOGERTY IS NOT HAPPY!! JOHN THANKS FOR ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT YOU PROVIDED !! IF EVERY DJ WAS FROM ROSWELL NEW MEXICO RADIO WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FUN! KENNY IN CONCORD !! AND IF YOU NEED A NEWS LADY ITS VICKI LIVIAKIS FROM THE KFRC DAYS I STILL REMEMBER HER SAYING IM VICKI LIVIAKIS AND NOW BACK TO JOHN MACK FLANIGAN AFTER HER NEWS REPORT !!

 

[John Mack Flanagan]

XM, thank you for your kind words (your five dollars is in the mail! Gosh I wish I had that 90,000!) I'm only going to do a couple a more postings and I'm done. I don't think it's fair to pull the plug without warning you. Some folks like it, and I'm grateful. I have a medial condition that really does not allow me to continue. I was hospitalized in 1994, and again in 2004 and 2005 (for a total of 8 months! So it is a serious thing!) ... ... (Don't want to go through that again...)

Why Me?

The road north, I-5, was straight and true, then at Altamont pass it turned west. You could feel the cool breath of the ocean, that came in 50 miles The same cool breath I felt at Travis Air Force Base 45 miles northeast of San Francisco where I landed upon my return from Vietnam. I had departed and returned from Vietnam thru Oakland Army Base. This part of the country had special memories for me, and they were good ones.

(Forgive me, but I've written these words because I want the meaning of each one to be special...)

KFRC boomed down the Big Valley and I'd set the push button on the dashboard radio, and when I got to Oakland on the 580, I'd set 1260 KYA. Iwas punching back and forth.

The Isley Brothers were coming to the Oakland Coliseum and it seemed KFRC & KYA were playing "Who's That Lady" every 10 minutes. "Who's That Lady?" "Beautiful Lady" Whos that Lady?" "Sexy Lady"...

Perfect song for a September night

It was September 17th, 1973.

I had resigned from KRIZ, Phoenix after programming KRUX in Phoenix and KTKT in Tucson (I was Music Director of KIKX-The Great 58! 580am in Tucson) I would do weekends at KFRC (there's that word again: Weekends! Hate it!) Michael Spears who hired me said that was the only way to get in. I wanted to get it.

From my sign on: "God sent me here. If SHE'S listening...Thank you!"... I was Blessed in the Bay Area! Michael Spears told me years later, "you'll never know how people rallied for you". "Why is the best guy on at 4 in the morning?" And people wonder why I'm such a fanatic about listeners. That's why.

Michael called me in about six months after my arrival and said "You really should know this, we took a random survey of 500 people. We said, 'Name a Disc Jockey" #1. Wolfman Jack ("American Graffati") #2. Doctor Don Rose #3. John Mack Flanagan. I was shocked! (He was too. Said it never should have happened...) I never expected support like that. -John-

 

[XM RADIO]

JOHN MACK FLANAGAN, I HOPE YOUR PHONE RINGS SOMEDAY SOON AND ITS A RADIO JOB EVEN IF ITS TRACKED ITS GONNA BE GREAT WHY CANT THESE 'SUITS" AT CBS , INFINITY , AND CLEAR CHANNEL GIVE THE BAY AREA A RADIO STATION WORTH LISTENING TO? IM SURE SOMEDAY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER STATION IN THIS BAY AREA THAT HAS THE RIGHT MUSIC 60 S AND 70 S FORMAT OF COURSE! THERES NO DOUBT ABOUT IT CARS, MUSIC , AND LIFE WAS SO SIMPLE IN THE 60 S AND 70 S !!! RADIO WAS FUN AND MADE YOU WANT TO LISTEN! THEY TRACK BOBBY OCEAN AT XM ,HE SOUNDS GREAT AND RADIO NEEDS JOHN MACK FLANAGAN !! THE 70 S CHANNEL AT XM GOES DJ FREE SOMETIMES FOR HOURS THEY OUGHT TO HIRE YOU AND BOBBY OCEAN IF YOU READ THESE POSTS GET JOHN ON AT XM !! LET HIM DO WHAT YOU DO "MAKE RADIO FUN" !!! IN FACT IM GOING TO E MAIL XM AND ASK WHY THEY DONT HIRE MORE TALENT!! THE BAY AREA WAS SURE LUCKY TO HAVE KFRC AND KYA AND THE DJ S WHICH CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO RADIO!! JOHN HAVE A GREAT DAY KENNY IN CONCORD

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Re: CAPS LOCK (Was: A New Beginning)

XM,

Could you please hit that button on the right side of your keyboard that says "Caps Lock" so that everything isn't ALL IN CAPS? In Internet etiquette, putting everything in ALL CAPS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF YELLING.

If you're trying to add emphasis, use the bold or italics options here in Radio-Info.com. They come up on the screen when you reply to a message.

Thanks!

DJ

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Could you please hit that button on the right side of your keyboard that says "Caps Lock"...

Yeah, I know. The button is on the left side.

DJ

 

[semoochie]

I'm up here in the Pacifiic Northwest, have never lived in San Francisco but still have heard of you! That alone, would just about make you a legend but hearing what people think who actually know you leaves no doubt.

 

[John Mack Flanagan]

"Hey! You better believe it! We're movin' it all..wall to wall! You betcha!" ...

"Matthew's, 64 Hundred Mission Street...Top of The Hill, Daly City".

In my mind, those words are as clear as the KOMA "Kissing Tone". Tom Cambell and Matthew's. What a combination! At the 30th Anniversary Celebration of KFRC, wouldn't you know I'd choose to sit with Steven Matthew David, owner of Matthew's. I told him, "You put a lot of meals on my table!" Matthew's was huge! And, Tom Campbell? He's the first thing I noticed about San Francisco Radio (besides the Isley Brothers 'Who's That Lady?"). Tom was terrific! Very Good!Everytime I talk radio, his name comes up. "Where's Tom Campbell?" Hope you realize Tom is the only air personality in Top 40 Radio in San Francisco to beat KFRC in his time period? (nights) I've heard...(rumor,rumor,rumor) Tom came from a wealthy family? And I've heard he was from St. Louis? He would whip out his checkbook and giveaway $1,000 when he felt like it. Quite a guy. I met him at KFRC when he was visiting a salesperson, he was driving a metalic gold Corvette with "Tom Campbell" painted all over it. Quite a promoter. If you looked him up in the white pages he listed helicopter (!) boat (!!) he was something else. I would nominate him for the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. Last I heard, Tom Campbell lived in Palos Verdes (near L.A.) and was married to a wealthy lawyer. appropiate.

Another friend of mine, (I spoke to him recently about my new grandchild...) is Chris Edwards. The REAL Chris Edwards. I heard him the 1st time, upon my arrival from Vietnam. He was doing afternoon drive on KYA and I heard him at Oakland Army Base. First jock I heard back on American soil (Yeah!). -John-

 

[LKellerIII]

"Ohhhh! <theatrical sigh> Tossing and turning again on that lumpy ice-cold dead bed. GET RID OF IT!!! You need a Comfort Zone Waterbed! Take 17 - the Nimitz to Fremont Boulevard - the COMFORT ZONE!!"
- Tom Campbell, circa 1975

 

[XM RADIO]

Being a KYA Buff since I was 9 and listening to KYA1260 Tall Tom Campbell was on KYA in 1968 ,When the REAL Chris Edwards ,Bill Holley, and Tom Campbell all came to KYA!! They really gave KFRC fierce competition!! Tom Campell will alays be remembered for "Top of the Hill Daly City" That guy talked so fast KYA had to pay him by thr Word!! He used to loan that Corvette out! He was a Legend in radio!! The (REAL CHRIS EDWARDS) not the phony on KYA now wea great He Called himself Big Fat Chrissy Edwards in the day ! I remember the KYA Radio Oneders basketball team coming to Concord in 1968 at Ygnacio Valley High , Those guys never lost a game ! Any one remember that team?? i would like to hear the REAL Chris Edwards again , Bill Holley Russ the Moose Syracuse, have passed away <but they will never be forgotten here!! The PHONY Chris Edwards (WHITE) has sure brought back some good memories hes a FAKE but he has all the KYA jingles which I never expected to hear again!! It used to really bother me when, people would call KFRC up yo a couple years ago and say they listenedto The "Big 610" in 1962, sorry they werent playing top 40 till 1966! KYA 1260 was the Number One station then! And lets not forget the @ legendary news men Tony Tramayne , and the guy with the deep voice "Larry Brownell" and then in 1979 KYA hired Candi Chamberlin for "The Golden Gate Greats Show " Sat. nites she was a instant sucess !! What a doll and a voice, Candi where are you now?

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Remembering KYA (Was: A New Beginning)

Being a KYA Buff since I was 9 and listening to KYA1260... I remember the KYA Radio Oneders basketball team coming to Concord in 1968 at Ygnacio Valley High , Those guys never lost a game ! Any one remember that team?? i would like to hear the REAL Chris Edwards again , Bill Holley Russ the Moose Syracuse, have passed away <but they will never be forgotten here!! The PHONY Chris Edwards (WHITE) has sure brought back some good memories hes a FAKE but he has all the KYA jingles which I never expected to hear again!! ... And lets not forget the @ legendary news men Tony Tramayne , and the guy with the deep voice "Larry Brownell" and then in 1979 KYA hired Candi Chamberlin for "The Golden Gate Greats Show " Sat. nites she was a instant sucess !! What a doll and a voice, Candi where are you now?

XM,

Stop by the Bay Area Radio Museum website when you have a few moments. We've got dozens of KYA airchecks in our collection, including several from Tom Campbell, Johnny Holliday, Chris Edwards, Bill Holley and Tom Saunders, along with newscasts featuring Larry Brownell (born Larry Buller) and Tony Tremayne (born Mel Fritze):

http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/kya/

We also have nearly all of the KYA jingles that you mention. I haven't gotten them all online yet, but I'm working on it:

http://www.bayarearadio.org/pages/jingles.shtml#KYA

As for the KYA Radio Oneders, we've got the story of the team by its founder, Johnny Holliday:

http://www.bayarearadio.org/pages/johnny-holliday_jock-to-rock_1.shtml

...plus great team photos:

1966: http://www.bayarearadio.org/holliday/holliday_oneders_1966.shtml
1967: http://www.bayarearadio.org/holliday/holliday_oneders_1967.shtml

The '67 Oneders included NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry.

As for Candi Chamberlain (daughter of Don "California Girls" Chamberlain), she was living in the Northbay and studying for her insurance agent license the last time we corresponded a few months ago.

DJ

 

[LKellerIII]

"in 1979 KYA hired Candi Chamberlin for "The Golden Gate Greats Show " Sat. nites she was a instant sucess !! What a doll and a voice, Candi where are you now?"

I don't know where Candi is now, but I remember that in the late 90s - possibly as late as 2001 or 02, she had a once weekly late night show at KFRC. I don't remember if it was late Saturday or late Sunday night. At that time, the station was allowing DJs a fair amount of leeway to do their schtick, and enough time to talk - unlike their sister station K-Earth in LA. Candi had a couple of amusing characters (all voiced by herself, of course) that visited her on the show. The other great late night weekend show was (Tom) Benner's Basement.

 

[John Mack Flanagan]

By now, you've shared enough time with my words to know my heart's in the right place; can't you see how important people are? When Lkeller or XM start dragging out those memories, it's an important thing. I am NOT saying "Who's That Lady?" by the Isley Brothers or "Lights" by Journey are not important (after all, the music took up a lot more time than the jocks or commercials. Where I work now (highrise security) no one remembers me, and that's more than o.k., I know at one time I was connected to an industry that touched people and their lives in a very INTIMATE way. If I only had one "Dale Weba Experience" ('Viva la Weeba, baby!') then I'm satisfied. I'm happy. One experience. People are important. Why is no one in the media realizing, it's not "me, me, me," ... It's "you,you,you"??? -John-

 

[1069_KIFR]

John,

Yes your heart is in the right place and you are extremely happy. I do hope you will continue to share your thoughts and reflections here from time to time. Also I hope you know that you'll always be welcomed on this site!