Hello all:
Seeing is how there are so many folks on here that love S.C. radio history, I thought you would enjoy hearing a little bit about Gene McKay's funeral last Saturday. It was a walk through the great past of Columbia radio and television. It was a bunch of old radio guys telling hilarious stories about Gene. His co-hosts Bill Benton, Doug Enlow, and the now retired legend Dave Wright all spoke. Bill's son, Charlie, did the opening remarks and did a terrific job. Charlie has been a semi-regular on the show, so I assume he will eventually step in for Gene.
Other speakers were Dennis Waldrop (former GM and co-owner of the old WSCQ with McKay, Benton & Wright), Joe Pinner, Bob Fulton, and several other scheduled friends and former clients and co-workers. All of them told very funny and touching stories, particularly Bob Fulton who talked about a two-year falling out he and McKay once had. He urged the attendees that life is too short to hold grudges and that he realized that morning that he wasted two years of his friendship with Gene. Of course, they later made up and remained friends for 41 years.
Once the scheduled speakers were done, they opened the podium for anyone else with a story or memory. Some that stepped up were Gene Upright (former Columbia radio and TV personality), Charlie Jay (former co-worker at WSCQ), the former WSCQ receptionist, the mayor of Irmo, Teddy Heffner, Gene McKay's brother, his flight instructor, his attorney, and many more.
Also seen attending (and it was packed so I couldn't see everyone) was the legendary John Wrisley, Richard Peterson, Ken "Music" Martin, Hunter Herring, TJ McKay, Brent Johnson, Bill McElveen, Kevin Cohen, Andrea James, Steve Ross, Ray Allen, Tre Taylor (from Kiss FM), Tim Miller, David Adair, and tons of former managers and sales guys. It was a jaw-dropping thing to look around and see all these people. And they laughed their butts off. The stories were terrific. It lasted just over an hour, but I would have been okay with another hour or two.
Afterwards, there was a little meeting room set up with a slide show of Gene's life. There was a lot to this guy. He was a great photographer of nature and they had some of his shots on the slide show.
Seeing is how there are so many folks on here that love S.C. radio history, I thought you would enjoy hearing a little bit about Gene McKay's funeral last Saturday. It was a walk through the great past of Columbia radio and television. It was a bunch of old radio guys telling hilarious stories about Gene. His co-hosts Bill Benton, Doug Enlow, and the now retired legend Dave Wright all spoke. Bill's son, Charlie, did the opening remarks and did a terrific job. Charlie has been a semi-regular on the show, so I assume he will eventually step in for Gene.
Other speakers were Dennis Waldrop (former GM and co-owner of the old WSCQ with McKay, Benton & Wright), Joe Pinner, Bob Fulton, and several other scheduled friends and former clients and co-workers. All of them told very funny and touching stories, particularly Bob Fulton who talked about a two-year falling out he and McKay once had. He urged the attendees that life is too short to hold grudges and that he realized that morning that he wasted two years of his friendship with Gene. Of course, they later made up and remained friends for 41 years.
Once the scheduled speakers were done, they opened the podium for anyone else with a story or memory. Some that stepped up were Gene Upright (former Columbia radio and TV personality), Charlie Jay (former co-worker at WSCQ), the former WSCQ receptionist, the mayor of Irmo, Teddy Heffner, Gene McKay's brother, his flight instructor, his attorney, and many more.
Also seen attending (and it was packed so I couldn't see everyone) was the legendary John Wrisley, Richard Peterson, Ken "Music" Martin, Hunter Herring, TJ McKay, Brent Johnson, Bill McElveen, Kevin Cohen, Andrea James, Steve Ross, Ray Allen, Tre Taylor (from Kiss FM), Tim Miller, David Adair, and tons of former managers and sales guys. It was a jaw-dropping thing to look around and see all these people. And they laughed their butts off. The stories were terrific. It lasted just over an hour, but I would have been okay with another hour or two.
Afterwards, there was a little meeting room set up with a slide show of Gene's life. There was a lot to this guy. He was a great photographer of nature and they had some of his shots on the slide show.