First Fave Central PA Station

[keystonejock]

Johnny Ringo?????

Noticed that a couple of the other posters in this thread mentioned Wildman Johnny Ringo as one of their historic faves. He was another alum of 1590/WCBG, as "Sky King," circa 1975. A/K/A Bob Ditto, of Hagerstown. From Harrisburg I recall him going up to 1520/WKBW for a time, then sorta fell off my radar screen. Anybody know what Johnny/Sky/Bob ever ended up doing?

A GREAT radio talent... more than slightly off-kilter!

> > But for personal faves, let's not forget Ray Thomas on
> > Chambersburg's erstwhile Mighty 1590/Super CBG!
>
> High atop "Radio Hill." Now THOSE were the days!
>

 

[Alan Criswell]

Re: Johnny Ringo?????

> Noticed that a couple of the other posters in this thread
> mentioned Wildman Johnny Ringo as one of their historic
> faves.

Just to clarify, I used "wildman" as a description, it wasn't part of his name.


> He was another alum of 1590/WCBG, as "Sky King," circa 1975. A/K/A Bob Ditto,
> of Hagerstown. From Harrisburg I recall him going up to 1520/WKBW for a time,
> then sorta fell off my radar screen.

That's good info! Johnny was working the evening/night shift at Q-106 by 1979.
He split for a while around '80, then returned in '80 or '81. I'm fairly certain he
moved on by 1982.


> Anybody know what Johnny/Sky/Bob ever ended up doing?

Good question. Maybe he's flying commercial airliners?


> A GREAT radio talent... more than slightly off-kilter!

It was good to hear him again after ten years, during his '91 stint at 98YCR.

 

[tjweege]

I grew up with Ringo as a family friend in the early to mid 1980s. In that time, he spent time at Q106, 98YCR, and then went to Albuquerque, Buffalo, Charlotte, and God knows where else. I know he was flying parachuters in the Central PA area at that time as well. He would disappear and call us from time to time from another state and another radio station.

http://www.thatwasradio.com/audio/johnnyringo.rm is a link to Ringo in 1987 in Charlotte on the radio. Brings back the good days!

I have no idea where Ringo is these days but hopefully he's doing well!

 

[Jenna]

WMPT, Williamsport...

 

[jayedwards]

WSBA with pro jocks --- Fred King, Bob Janis, Ed Lincoln, Gil David and others!

 

[Alan Criswell]

I grew up with Ringo as a family friend in the early to mid 1980s. In that time, he spent time at Q106, 98YCR, and then went to Albuquerque, Buffalo, Charlotte, and God knows where else. I know he was flying parachuters in the Central PA area at that time as well. He would disappear and call us from time to time from another state and another radio station.

http://www.thatwasradio.com/audio/johnnyringo.rm is a link to Ringo in 1987 in Charlotte on the radio. Brings back the good days!

I have no idea where Ringo is these days but hopefully he's doing well!

Thanx for the data and link, tjweege.

 

[Tracy from York]

98YCR was my first fav from 1980 to the late 80's. I remember going with my dad to the 98YCR Budweiser Raft Race that was held in Wrightsville. Contestants would design their own rafts and sail down the Susquehanna River.

 

[cingram]

When I was a youngster, our family (me, my Mom, and an aunt and grandmother) used to take an annual trip across the state and back, on our way to spend part of our summer in Atlantic City, long before the casinos. I discovered WIOO and WHYL early on. WKBO was not yet a Top 40 station.

At some point, I wrote to both stations, and got a nice letter and some weekly music lists from WIOO, and some "Silver Dollar Surveys" from WHYL, which I believe are still around in a box here somewhere.

 

[BigBob]

I remember Johnny Ringo (in fact, I have some 15 inch reels of tape somewhere around here when he and I used to do bits on the air together...) I always wondered what happened to him...he was a very nice guy off the air...we got along great.
Bob Michaels