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Chopper Bob dies

T

the golden boy

It was just announced on WLBT this morning that Chopper Bob Rall passed away in his sleep last night at age 67. Sad news to wake up to. RIP, Bob.
 
He will be missed. I grew up listening to him on the Bob and Al show on WSLI. and later as the morning man on WJDX. If I'm not mistaken he was the first voice ever heard on Miss 103 back in 1981 when ZZQ went country.
 
The passing of a radio legend. Its ironic the last topic in this forum was started by him and it being the best of all time. He would be there at the top. The last time I saw Bob, I was at JDX in 82, doing weekends.I was on overnight on Sun. that went into Mon.am. Bob started his shift at 6am but was late.I had pulled his music carts for the hour and Randy Bell had brought in some carts that were his actualities,quotes from people to be used in the newscast. At the time I did not know what they were and Randy didn't tell me to load them in the cart machine, he just layed them on top of the reel to reel and said nothing. NBC news came on, still no Bob. Randy begins the local news still no Bob, Randy hits the button for his first actuality and Art Garfunkels, I only have eyes for you plays, instead of his actuality. I then figured out those carts were to be loaded and I sure felt like a dumbass. Randy gets up and walks out of the newsbooth and a couple of minutes later Bob comes in and asked what happened. I told him I had not been told about the setup for the local newscasts. He didn't say anything, got his can of Lysol sprayed everything down and went on with the show.

Mike Smith
 
Bob was one of the people I looked up to in Jackson radio. I remember him from his GM days at WRBC, and Bob and Al on WSLI ("Remember, folks... keep them cards and letters!") A great voice, and a witty guy.
 
Bob Rall was a hero. I grew up in Jackson listening to him on the original WJXN (studios on Foley
Street before the interstate was built). He was part of the reason I went into radio and the reason my first job was at the same WJXN.

I was just looking at the WLBT web site yesterday and saw his picture in the helicopter. It was the first time I had seen his image since the only time I ever met him in person. That was somewhere in the 60's (I think) when I walked into the studios of KBOX Dallas looking for a job. The receptionist sent me into this small conference room to talk with an interviewer. That interviewer was Bob Rall. We compared notes about WJXN and Jackson, then he sent me on my way, without a job.

We did "talk" to each other once on this web site. I had a strange feeling yesterday when I was looking at that photo.
 
I caught the news while I was at work on a Facebook post, and I was stunned and deeply saddened. When I was a jock in Jackson in the early and mid-70s, Bob and Al had by far my favorite show. I was a Facebook friend, but never really knew Bob in person. I never missed a post from Bob, though, and loved his sense of humor.

There are friends- people I saw everyday- from those years whose names I can't recall, but I never have forgotten Bob Rall, even after all the years since I left Jackson.

We lost an incredible talent, and from everything I know, one of the good guys in the business. It is still sinking in- I recall his post yesterday morning about having been off work for a few days and how he wasn't sure he could find his way back.

Damn. What a loss...
 
beachguy3b said:
I caught the news while I was at work on a Facebook post, and I was stunned and deeply saddened. When I was a jock in Jackson in the early and mid-70s, Bob and Al had by far my favorite show. I was a Facebook friend, but never really knew Bob in person. I never missed a post from Bob, though, and loved his sense of humor.
Click to expand...

Speaking of Facebook, Kim Allen on Miss 103, while interviewing Bert Case, mentioned how she was friends with Bob on Facebook and there was an entry on Bob's page about how he was due to meet a guy named Bob Rall from Ohio this weekend for the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Now Bob in Ohio won't get that chance.
 
Like so many others I have good memories of Bob during my short two years as owner/GM of 107.5 when it was Majic 107. While waiting for FAA and FCC approval I was in Jackson every few weeks doing preliminary work and getting ready for the move from Magee. Bob reached out to me in my home up in Memphis and we shared a burger and beer most of the weeks I was in town. After Majic launched and we were competitors he still remained courteous and friendly. We stayed in touch shortly after the sale of the station in the late 80's and I kept up with his whereabouts from Kenny Windham as he and I talk from time to time. I liked Bob a lot and will join all the others who send condolences to his family.

Craig Scott
 
cscott hit the nail on the head when he said "...we were competitors he still remained courteous and friendly" That is what I remember Bob being like! I did not see him many times but when we did bump in to each other he would call me by name and we would talk about non radio stuff. He will be missed.
 
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