Bob Jones Houston Radio Station KQUE Does anyone have any information?

[tomovox]

Hello. I'm hoping someone can fill in some blanks here. Right now, I am listening to an aircheck on YouTube of radio personality Bob Jones on Houston radio station KQUE. It's really intriguing for a number of reasons. First, it's a nice slice of easy-listening or MOR radio. I am really enjoying its very relaxed, stress-free format as well as the music featured. But- what's really stealing the show is Mr. Bob Jones. There are many things that aren't quite working 100% here: long gaps of dead air, records being played a second time briefly before the realization hitting the radio personality. Bob himself, at the very outset, sounds like he may have come from the dentist is was still a bit under an anaesthetic. There has to be a story there. As the broadcast goes on, Bob seems to be recovering, but still there are some "technical difficulties" as he mentions. Looking past this though, the aircheck is fantastic. In fact, if there was a station this relaxed-sounding on the radio today, I would have had my busted car radio repaired years ago.
(P.S. I tried to read all the rules and such, and I hope I'm not violating any rules regarding adding the link to the YouTube post, if so, please let me know and I'll remove it. Thank you.)

 

[bturner1]

I have heard stories about this aircheck. Some say he was drunk. Others say he was sick. One Houston jock that knew his sister said she hold him Bob did not drink but when he got sick he was always out of it. She said he was sort of groggy and could be mistaken as sounding drunk when he was sick.

It seems Bob was not supposed to work that shift but a jock had called in sick. Bob had been awake all day before the overnight shift. One story is told he felt like he was getting the flu, not feeling well and running a fever by the time his shift began.

The aircheck was recorded by a Houston DJ after his shift ended. He tuned over to KQUE and thought Bob sounded drunk, so he ran tape. It seems at one point, Bob throws up all over everything with the microphone on (we're talking console, etc.). This is right about 5:25 or 5:30 about when When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees airs. He calls a friend and explains things and how he has to get the studio cleaned up and aired out before 6. It seems this call went on the air. Surprisingly the last 30 minutes of his shift, he sounds pretty good or should I say as if he was feeling good.

Bob, as I understand it, was let go after that shift. I might be mistaken but I think Bob has passed (some years back). I have no idea what Bob did after KQUE.

KQUE was still going in the 1990s with the same format. After the FM signal sold and became, I think, The Planet, KQUE became an AM station before simply fading away.

 

[Fieldtech1]

Reminds me of spring 2021 when an on air person here in Lafayette worked through their CV19 illness. They sounded terrible on air, but said on air that management forced them to work through it cause it was a ratings period. (Diary market)

 

[tomovox 2]

I have heard stories about this aircheck. Some say he was drunk. Others say he was sick. One Houston jock that knew his sister said she hold him Bob did not drink but when he got sick he was always out of it. She said he was sort of groggy and could be mistaken as sounding drunk when he was sick.

It seems Bob was not supposed to work that shift but a jock had called in sick. Bob had been awake all day before the overnight shift. One story is told he felt like he was getting the flu, not feeling well and running a fever by the time his shift began.

The aircheck was recorded by a Houston DJ after his shift ended. He tuned over to KQUE and thought Bob sounded drunk, so he ran tape. It seems at one point, Bob throws up all over everything with the microphone on (we're talking console, etc.). This is right about 5:25 or 5:30 about when When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees airs. He calls a friend and explains things and how he has to get the studio cleaned up and aired out before 6. It seems this call went on the air. Surprisingly the last 30 minutes of his shift, he sounds pretty good or should I say as if he was feeling good.

Bob, as I understand it, was let go after that shift. I might be mistaken but I think Bob has passed (some years back). I have no idea what Bob did after KQUE.

KQUE was still going in the 1990s with the same format. After the FM signal sold and became, I think, The Planet, KQUE became an AM station before simply fading away.

Hi. I'm the original poster- I had to create a second profile (because like the dummy I am, I forgot my password!) Thank you SO much for such a fast response and a lot of information about Mr. Jones. I was listening to the airchecks again yesterday and like you said, I did in fact hear him say something about being sick. I also heard the part where he was on the phone. Your comments also explain why it does sound as if he was coming out of his "fog" after some time. That's really sad if he did lose his job after this. I don't know this man and never heard of him before these airchecks but somehow I feel a lot of empathy for him. Thank you again for bringing out so much about this night.

 

[bturner1]

It seems he threw up all over the board and everything nearby (carts, some records, etc). The poor 6am jock must have had that smell and likely, not a G.I. cleaning job done by Bob. Not really a scenario you want while your first cup of coffee kicks in.

 

[tomovox 2]

It seems he threw up all over the board and everything nearby (carts, some records, etc). The poor 6am jock must have had that smell and likely, not a G.I. cleaning job done by Bob. Not really a scenario you want while your first cup of coffee kicks in.

I'm queasy just reading it! Poor Bob! I was listening yet again to the 2 airchecks online and I missed a lot, but after reading your comments, I did indeed hear Bob say at the end of his shift that he hoped his flu would be over and that he would sound like an announcer again. I think I missed a lot because he would garble some of his words. Hopefully things turned out well for Bob career wise down the line.

 

[davideduardo]

Reminds me of spring 2021 when an on air person here in Lafayette worked through their CV19 illness. They sounded terrible on air, but said on air that management forced them to work through it cause it was a ratings period. (Diary market)

Still, there are 24 weeks of ratings a year in Lafayette... it has two 3-month books. That sounds just like poor management with a lack of compassion.