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Altoona-Johnstown Where Are They Now?

Most of them are probably popping a can of Ensure right now. PLEASE!
 
Fryman, I'm no culinary expert, but I would suggest you batter dip the lasagna before
before throwing it in the deep fryer. Maybe feature a first...Fryman's Lasagna On-A-Stick!
 
I like that idea. My sugar waffles went over great this summer. I had the Tubster chasing the wagon from county to county. Hopefully gas prices will remain down and I can enjoy some health profits next year.
 
fryman said:
I like that idea. My sugar waffles went over great this summer. I had the Tubster chasing the wagon from county to county. Hopefully gas prices will remain down and I can enjoy some health profits next year.
Click to expand...

Rich Deleo was chasing you from county to county?
 
Whatever became of Big Gene? Many years ago I visited the Tyrone studios and the walls were plastered with fan mail, some not as sincere as others... I think there were even a few songs recorded about him that he played, all citing his famous "uh - huh" that he said every time he opened the mic.

One of the more popular features of the Big Gene show was only possible because he frequently would put the phone down near the microphone when he did his break - the trick was you called him & BS'd until he did a break, then scream obscenities into the phone. This seriously happened almost every night -- he'd open the mic and you'd hear "f-you, f-you, f-you" in the background, depending on how well the microwave was working on a given night. That was real radio. There has been nothing on the air like it since.
 
theengineer said:
Whatever became of Big Gene? Many years ago I visited the Tyrone studios and the walls were plastered with fan mail, some not as sincere as others... I think there were even a few songs recorded about him that he played, all citing his famous "uh - huh" that he said every time he opened the mic.

One of the more popular features of the Big Gene show was only possible because he frequently would put the phone down near the microphone when he did his break - the trick was you called him & BS'd until he did a break, then scream obscenities into the phone. This seriously happened almost every night -- he'd open the mic and you'd hear "f-you, f-you, f-you" in the background, depending on how well the microwave was working on a given night. That was real radio. There has been nothing on the air like it since.
Click to expand...

I believe Harlow said he had passed away awhile back.
 
He's up there in truck drivin' heaven with Dooooooooooogeeeeeeee Potter and the little lad, Teddy Bear.
 
John Blair (Potts) is living in west virginia and doing well.
he is the wild man who has calmed down.
he had a set of pipes God would have borrowed.
 
John still has those pipes, is doing well, and is hale and hearty. He still enjoys ramps and my french fries.
 
Ok...How about Rich Dennis, Jim HAtch, Dave Bithell, Mac Daniels, or Bob McCartney? Any Idea where these guys are? All Former WVAm and WPRR Jocks. Bithell I thought I heard on Rocky.
 
As I can last recall,
Rich "Dennis" Knott- Selling for WBXQ
Jim Hatch- Altoona Water or Highway?
Bithell-On Rocky as news director.
Can't remember Mac and you meant Bob Mc Carty, right?

I was there around 86-88? Can't remember exact dates, but I was the 24 hour voicetracker on WPRR after John Potts and Rocky McCumbee.
Some were there working with me and some came in (Rich) after the sale of the station.
 
whome? said:
Ok...How about Rich Dennis, Jim HAtch, Dave Bithell, Mac Daniels, or Bob McCartney? Any Idea where these guys are? All Former WVAm and WPRR Jocks. Bithell I thought I heard on Rocky.
Click to expand...

Rich is an Account Executive at a television station in Altoona. Jim Hatch is in Altoona working for the city. Bithell is at Rocky with Tommy Edwards. Mac has a job out of radio, but was doing some part-time work at Forever a short time ago. Last I heard, Bob McCarty was working for the Discovery Networks somewhere in Virginia.
 
Chuck,

Your stint as the WPRR voice must have been prior to '86. I was part of the first live staff at WPRR debuting in late 1986, early 1987. I did weekends and part time until the middle of 1990. Your stint also had to have been after 1983, as I did nights at WVAM until December 1982. And, during this period, WPRR was AOR with a live staff programmed by Dave Banks.
 
dbrooks said:
Chuck,

Your stint as the WPRR voice must have been prior to '86. I was part of the first live staff at WPRR debuting in late 1986, early 1987. I did weekends and part time until the middle of 1990. Your stint also had to have been after 1983, as I did nights at WVAM until December 1982. And, during this period, WPRR was AOR with a live staff programmed by Dave Banks.
Click to expand...

I am thinking 85- early 86. It was before the station was sold from Drayton to Delereme/Helsel/Grappone group. Rocky Mc Cumbee was the PD, and the FM was totally automation with the three reel to reel decks, and the AM country was still live. Some of the employ at the time era,
Jerry Gamber
Tom Harpster
Bob McCready
Walt Mong
Tom Lewis
Jim Galentine
John Potts
John Koza
Dave Bithell
and myself.

I did stay with new ownership for a little, about the time Rich Knott, Darrell Hollingshead (Ray), were arriving and starting to transition WPRR to live status. Darrell took over as PD ( I am thinking that is when I met you too Dave as that was when you started back).

I left and went to WIYQ to start transforming that to a rock/top 40 station from country and also with WHPA as both offered more pay and a better position.

Dave Gionfriddo (Banks) was WAY before I worked on the hill or got in radio. BTW, is he still doing real estate sales? I kind of lost touch with him a few years back.
 
Chuck,

If I remember right, I changed WIYQ from the automated country to Rock/40.

You did time on WTRN and WIYQ, but I programmed it and created it. You met Dave there because he did nights. Only reason it died was stealth contracts.

Let's not take credit for something you didn't do.
 
Well, this is GREAT! An arguement about WIYQ, a "never been, never was" station in the first place. Never a factor except in a few people's minds...
 
Good point Fryman.

We could have been something without the stealth contracts that our sales manager made up.

We had one book in 1987 that had us 3rd in Johnstown.

Laugh all you want, but for a bunch of teenagers, we had a pretty good station.
 
John Harlow said:
Chuck,

If I remember right, I changed WIYQ from the automated country to Rock/40.

You did time on WTRN and WIYQ, but I programmed it and created it. You met Dave there because he did nights. Only reason it died was stealth contracts.

Let's not take credit for something you didn't do.
Click to expand...

Well John, you still have that overabundant ego like you did as a teenager.

Seems odd, as Ted and Cary said I was the PD, the record companies had me listed as such, the Power 99.1 letterhead did too as I still have some in the footlocker, and Cary and Bill Moses use to meet with me on all changes. It was less than a year, but still counts. If you remember, you were back and forth between Tyrone and who knows where else you were living at the time, I am thinking Florida or down south. You were not even doing a daily regular airshift when I was there (late 86,early 87?). I was PD when we still were dealing with John Walko and Gene Bennett wanting to play crossovers, and Mitch was just starting in the radio industry.

I believe the airshifts were;
6-10 Walko
10-2 Ted, or Joan, or whoever was around at the time
2-6 Me
6-10 Gene Bennett (Mitch then took his place)
Overnights- Rob Diehl, Jimmy Novak, or whoever else was around.


Correct, you were PD after I left because I kind of got tired of the "adopted Simpson family" son (meaning you) trying to worm his way into my job and do what he wanted instead when he came to town and also coming in many Mondays to see the equipment missing because someone did a road show and didn't bring it back in time which happened pretty regularly. We know who that was. ;)

Face the facts, you and I did not get along too well back then, still the same now. Don't be a hater! ;)

Fact was, even though the station was running on a shoestring, an antenna problem, a group of teenagers on the air, no true direction whatsoever, it still was fun and had a listening audience. I enjoyed every minute, even when Ted and I had to go up the Johnstown Incline to fix the translator.

And as far as the jealousy thing, I have had to deal with that from most since I was born, nothing new. I am sorry I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth and a family who cared, but love every minute of it and wouldn't change a thing.

End of story. If you want to continue the war, do it without me.
 
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