Terre Haute Radio has changes alot. I was employed in the Radio Market in Terre Haute from the late 70's to late 80's. I remeber themarket being more copetetive. The last time I drove thru I found it very boring (but the again so is most radio). I remember WVTS FM101 , worked there, 97DJ "The Rock Of Indiana" worked there andof course the infamous WZZQ. Worked with great people like Tony Brown, Terry Jacobs, Rockin Scot Foreman, who could not forget RJ at PFR and of course the Breakfast Flakes. What a great time in Terre Haute Radio. Stations were locally owned and what great promotions. How may people remeber when Teery Jacobs was fired from WZZQ for calling the Governors wife a "Car Test Dummy" and then he is rehired later with a promo based on the shower seen from Dallas. The parody songs thatwere produced by Terry and his band, and of course one of the great days when the news director at WZZQ was hypnotized into beleiving Barry Manilow was a musical Genius. Great Days in Terre Haute Radio. Anybody still have a 97DJ credit card?
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Great Days In Terre Haute Radio
- Thread starter northernlightsmedia
- Start date
I can remember all of those that you mentioned. 97DJ, was WBDJ in Brazil which turned to top 40 in 1980. Richard Kauffman, Ricky "the k", Buffalo Bill. That station was processed to the max with tons of reverb. And they had the best jingles. I think at the time they did very well. I would love to get some air-checks and jingles from them!
I worked at WVTS from March 1977 to May 1980 when the station was located on U.S. 40 out in West Terre Haute. I wanted to work there because of what the original intent of what the station was to be. A group of 12 Christian business and professional men bought the station in December, 1976, with the intention of having a station with a clean A/C format and mixing in contemporary Christian music and an occasional 60 second Christian viewpoint called "From Another Point Of View" which news director Jim Wright did. Former WBOW-AM Top 40 dj "Bouncin' Bobby Rouse" was GM of the station. Keith Gaddis was Sales Mgr. RJ Cortrecht was afternoon drive dj. During the 3 years that I worked there, there were several program directors, including Tony Brown. From what I could tell, none of them were informed of what the intent of the station was to be and after awhile there was always tension when they were told the formula that was to be done. For awhile I worked midnight to 6 when Bob Rouse told me I could play whatever music I wanted to during those hours. So for about 9 or 10 months I did that shift, calling it "A New Day" and played all contemporary Christian music. The last few months I was there I had been promoted to Music Director and I started to implement the original plan of dropping the A/C tunes that carried a wrong message such as "Tonight's The Night" and "Torn Between Two Lovers" and began introducing CCM tunes by artists like Dan Peek who had just left the group America, B.J. Thomas who had just done his first CCM album, Debby Boone...in other words, by artists that the listeners would recognize. Even so, what happened with WVTS is what happened across the country where this same experiment was attempted and that is, no one was pleased. Non-Christians wanted to know why we were playing that "religious stuff" and Christians wanted to know why we were compromising by playing secular music. So the station went back to a regular A/C format and I went to Indy to work at what would become Love 98.
northernlightsmedia said:
Thanks, guys, for sharing.
I didn't arrive in Terre Haute until 1985. WVTS hadn't flipped to WMGI "Magic 101" yet. WZZQ still called itself "Rock 107." 97DJ was already gone, replaced by the dreadful, bird-fed Wisdom 98. And I won't forget the WPFR jock who always managed to call it "10P 3FR" on the air -- couldn't tell whether it was a joke or not. But Terre Haute radio seemed already to be in decline. In the early 90s, when people found out I worked at WBOW and/or WZZQ, they would always immediately talk about how great Terre Haute radio used to be. I wish I had a dollar for every time somebody mentioned Terry Jacobs' name and wondered whatever happened to him or wished he'd never left.
jim
I didn't arrive in Terre Haute until 1985. WVTS hadn't flipped to WMGI "Magic 101" yet. WZZQ still called itself "Rock 107." 97DJ was already gone, replaced by the dreadful, bird-fed Wisdom 98. And I won't forget the WPFR jock who always managed to call it "10P 3FR" on the air -- couldn't tell whether it was a joke or not. But Terre Haute radio seemed already to be in decline. In the early 90s, when people found out I worked at WBOW and/or WZZQ, they would always immediately talk about how great Terre Haute radio used to be. I wish I had a dollar for every time somebody mentioned Terry Jacobs' name and wondered whatever happened to him or wished he'd never left.
jim
After my earlier post I took some to reflect on what I remember. 97DJ was WWCM which played country and had the market reports hourly. 6kw out of Brazil was the most listened to station in the Wabash Valley with both WTHI and WVTS (WMGI) both playing elevator music. I can remember WVTS fliped to rock to compete with WBOW-AM 1230. The first song they played in the new format was Steely Dan's "Reelin In The Years" I can still hear my dad giving me the business because he thought I had changed the station on his clock radio. WPFR was mostly religious music and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-12 midnight they played rock and called it the Night Train. Later WPFR was sold by Paul Ford and the new owners played somewhat of a ac format. One dj I can remember was Frosty Stillwell, and the now famous Bubba the love Sponge who started in Terre Haute. WZZQ was jockless at first. They had many changes throught the years. They were first WBOQ-FM simocasting WBOW-AM. Then went to all sports around 1970 and later playing country till the mid to late 70's. When WZZQ was born it was first jockless. And later through the years had many personalities. Terry Jacobs to name a few was by far the best thing to hit Terre Haute. Terre Haute was too conservitive to handle his type of humor. He use to poke fun at local tv personalities and those in local goverment. Another good ZZQ person was Todd Holman. Not sure what he's doing these days. Yes Terre Haute Radio is not the same, but isn't that true for a lot of markets. Is good radio a lost art? Oh I don't have a 97-DJ credit card, but I do have a bumper sticker.
Was Terry Jacobs on the air in Terre Haute between 1977 and 1980 (when I lived there) because I've never heard of him.
radio lover said:
Did 97.7 get sold between its "Great Jingles" era and "Wisdom 98"? I know it has been through several owners, but I don't really know when it got sold and to whom.
For those of you who are Ricky the K fans you can hear him on Ricky The K's Solid Gold Time Machine (www.60sradio.com). I talk to him quite often, he lives in Dallas which is great for him because it is the radio jingle capital of the world. Barney Pip who worked a short time there passed away several years ago. For those of you who did not know Barney Pip was a very famous DJ from Chicago and had worked evenis in the 50's and 60's at WCFL "The Voice Of Labor". Barney I think still holds the records for the most reported shares during evening radio. He also trained Larry "Uncle Lar" Lujeck when he started at WCFL. 97 DJ's Buffalo Bill aka Paul Kenny " the skinnest guy I knew with a fat man's voice) dissappeared. Scot Foreman 'Rockin Scott" is most likley dead , I think the Mob was looking for him. My best memory of Scott was waking him up for his morning show, and he had had a few too many -----. Putting him into the air chair then turning on his mic to hear him say Hey I can't see a F_____ thing. Ted Tanner middays is still lost in Illinois somewhere. Kevin Obrian, well he' s doing weather for WTHI TV 10 hey remember when he did Bingo on TV-38 And of course myself still doing radio in Ohio I have no idea what happened to Terry Jacobs aka Terry Scroggins. I would sure love to know, Terry and I shared an apartment for a while. He was great " Remember 10,000 songs with tiny little scratches in them Todd Holman was PD when I was their, no love between Terry and Todd. Had some great times then with Terry on the Morning Show. I was at WVTS just before them, worked under Tony Brown then ISP Trooper Jim Bell. I worked some evenings and overnights. If anyone knows where Terry Jacobs is at please let me know. I was luckly that Ricky the K gave me a break I was only 15 years old when I started at 97DJ.. Ok I can rememberthe short like of WWCM AM "Disco 8' then it changes to religous for while then back to country. When I was with 97DJ one day I had to run them both. 97Dj then Disco 8
Terry Jacobs was in Terre Haute for the first time in the mid 80's. When he was fired, he was gone for a year or two and he was back in Terre Haute. He stuck with his same ol stick which drove management nuts and kept his listeners in stiches. After he was fired for the second time I believe he kept working for Mike Rice in St. Louis, after that I lost track.
As far as the 97-DJ jingles. I was told that they were done by Pams just before they went out of business. Rick Kaufman who was owner of the station knew someone at Pams and had made "special arrangements" to get them. When KenR resurected Pams he couldn't find any masters of WBDJ 97-DJ. Kaufman who is in Texas and has his own on line oldies show ( 60's Time Machine ) still has many of the 97-DJ t-shirts, credit cards, bumper stickers, and those fantastic jingles that he won't let go of. I've tried for years to get my hands on air-checks that might contain some jingles. So if someone out there knows of someone, please post something!! After Kaufman ran the place dry, the feds padlocked the doors and the station was silent for several monthes and with a AC format called itself Stereo 97. That lasted for a year or so and then fell silent again untill Mark Lane purchased the station and changed calls to WSDM. They played anything form Nat King Cole to America. After a few years, Lang sold the station to Jack Teiken who played classic country and country artist on independant labels and carried the Indy Colts. After a few years the station sold again to what we now know as Crossroads Communications. Whew!
As far as the 97-DJ jingles. I was told that they were done by Pams just before they went out of business. Rick Kaufman who was owner of the station knew someone at Pams and had made "special arrangements" to get them. When KenR resurected Pams he couldn't find any masters of WBDJ 97-DJ. Kaufman who is in Texas and has his own on line oldies show ( 60's Time Machine ) still has many of the 97-DJ t-shirts, credit cards, bumper stickers, and those fantastic jingles that he won't let go of. I've tried for years to get my hands on air-checks that might contain some jingles. So if someone out there knows of someone, please post something!! After Kaufman ran the place dry, the feds padlocked the doors and the station was silent for several monthes and with a AC format called itself Stereo 97. That lasted for a year or so and then fell silent again untill Mark Lane purchased the station and changed calls to WSDM. They played anything form Nat King Cole to America. After a few years, Lang sold the station to Jack Teiken who played classic country and country artist on independant labels and carried the Indy Colts. After a few years the station sold again to what we now know as Crossroads Communications. Whew!
northernlightsmedia said:
Hardly. Followed up his stint at DJ with afternoons at WBOW and then to Evansville at WSTO as Paul Gregory. Moved to WNAP Indy as Rock Starski. Eventually afternoons at WZPL, mornings at Z104 Norfolk, along with gigs in Pittsburgh and Youngstown OH as John Trout.
And we must not forget Paul Kenny's April Fools Day broadcast on WKKG 101.5 Columbus where he reported that all the toilets in Edinburgh were going to be backflushed & advised everyone not to use their toilets that morning and to put the lids down and place heavy bricks on them. Edinburgh officials were not amused and it did end up in the paper. The newpaper, that is. When he was ready to leave WKKG, he locked himslef in the studio & played Take This Job & Shove It until he was removed from the air. Considering that he and I both started in radio at the Christian Voice of Cincinnati (WAKW 93.3), I never saw this coming...even after his wild ride as Buffalo Bill. I did get a 97DJ T Shirt, but who knows where it is.
radio lover said:
Nighttrain (one word) was produced by the broadcasting club at Rose-Hulman, from the facilities of WRTR, a carrier-current AM at the school and the predecessor to the current WMHD, first at 90.5 and now at 90.7. The show was beamed by microwave from Rose to WPFR, I'm told.
Oh, and when Todd Holman left WZZQ (I was on WBOW by that time), he headed to some station in Little Rock, AR. Just as well; this was just before the whole Mike Rice debacle and therefore a great time to leave Contemporary Media. But that's as much as I know.
I remember my brother's fraternity brother at I.U. was a dj on the Nighttrain program. Also, I do remember Paul Gregory at WBOW and WSTO, what a talent. I rembember Ricky the K telling me that he wanted 97-DJ to sound like a WLS-FM. It was the loudest station on the dial. Barney Pip would play his bugle on the air. He eventaully passed away in Indy in his car. What a pleasure to hear this guy, and for all the talent on 97-DJ. Thanks Ricky the K for bringing it to us. Too bad it was a short run.
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Can someone tell me who made the WBOW jingles of the 70's and 80's? I checked with Pams and they have no record of ever producing any for them.
97DJ: The jingles were all JAM and mostly from Positron. Pams was out of business by the time WBDJ appeared on the air. And, no, Rick Kaufman did not have "a deal" with anyone at JAM. Argh.
WBOW: The station had TM's Phase III for years, and then "You've Got It" from JAM (with Los Angeles vocals).
WBOW: The station had TM's Phase III for years, and then "You've Got It" from JAM (with Los Angeles vocals).
PTBoardOp94 said:
Mark Lange (Original Company-Vincennes)purchased WSDM in 1985 and put it back on the air with then Transtar's Format 41. After about three years and numerous personnel changes, Lange hired Jack Teiken as manager. Jack had been with the station during it's hey-days as WWCM. The format was flipped to a locally-produced very-traditional country format. It's companion AM, WBZL simulcast the FM. Both stations were sold in July of 1990 to Crossroads Communications based in Terre Haute. Crossroads still owns those stations, as well as WAXI in Rockville, and WBOW AM-FM in Terre Haute. All are operated from the WBOW studio building at 13th and Ohio Streets.
Now being a very good friend of Richard Kaufman and working at the station. Actually Ricky wanted the origianl Pam Jingles at the time, was not able to get them, so he went with Jam. Rick was good friends woth Randy Bell at Jam (who was an investor in WBDJ which stood for w-Be A DJ) The station was designed after the old WWDJ in Hackensack New York, we played anything that hit the Top 40 all away back to 1955. Great format clock with plenty of dayparts. The station was lucky enough to get one of the very first Optimod, it was delievred by mistake to the station it was suppose to go to a New York Station. David Perice was the engineer for 97DJ , he was the engineer for TV 38 at the time also. He knew nothing about Radio. Ricky wanted to get into the Terre Haute Market better so he sacraficed a little of the quality for signal strength by compress the signal with the optimod. We had programmable cassette players for the music with the title and artist on index cards with number of the song and where it was located on the tape. These were always breaking and we were always send out decks for repair. DJ line was Rockin Scott Foreman MD, Ted (Cosgrove) Tanner Middays, Ricky The K Afdternoon Drive, Buffalo Bill Evenings , Bill Knight overnights. Weekends included Kevin TV-10 Weather Obrien Orpurt and myself. I started at 97DJ at 15 years old and it is still one of my best radio memories. Barney Pip was in the line up at one point but left later, What a man , it was just great to listen to his stories. Jeff Weber was SM and was later fired on the air with a Jam jingle, That was a true Ricky The K Thing. The prized that we gave a way cash, motorcycle, trips amn it was great. Ricky still does a show on the internet and owns the rights to the original Pamms Music for the jingles. He is able to use them to produce anything for his show. How may remember the TV commercial, opeing to Bonaza, The same old breakfast flakes, the jingle singers and of course West Terre Haut Dump. What a great time. Ricky finnally left and Bill Horn took over and that was it. The call letters now belong to a Coast Guard Ship. Tried to get them for a station a while back but the Coast Gaurd would not release. SCott Forman MD dissappered a few years ago , he had a gig at pre Bob & Tom days at Q95, he worked at WVTS with me and was still there when I left and went to ZZQ. Lost track after I moved out of state. If anybody knows anything let me know. I was lucky enough to have copies of all the jingle snd some airchecks getting more from Ricky soon. Ricky has sent me a t-shirt but only has a small size going to frame it. 97 DJ for it's wattage did a good job, several years after it was gone it still showed in the book.
Dear northernlightsmedia:
The problem with the Internet: Rumors, myths and falsehoods are placed on blogs as if they are fact, and someone has to respond. Or, at the very minimum, present some much needed clarification. Therefore...
Thankfully, I was never an investor in WBDJ. And, for the record, Mr. Kaufman does not own the rights to PAMS jingles, its copyrights or its service marks. The copyrights are the exclusive property of PAMS Productions, Inc., Dallas, Texas.
NLM: I'll be happy to update you on Bill and a few of the other folks you mentioned in your posting, but not in a public forum. You are certainly welcome to e-mail me at [email protected].
Best,
Randy Bell
Vice President, Sales
JAM Creative Productions, Inc.
PAMS Productions, Inc.
Dallas, Texas
The problem with the Internet: Rumors, myths and falsehoods are placed on blogs as if they are fact, and someone has to respond. Or, at the very minimum, present some much needed clarification. Therefore...
Thankfully, I was never an investor in WBDJ. And, for the record, Mr. Kaufman does not own the rights to PAMS jingles, its copyrights or its service marks. The copyrights are the exclusive property of PAMS Productions, Inc., Dallas, Texas.
NLM: I'll be happy to update you on Bill and a few of the other folks you mentioned in your posting, but not in a public forum. You are certainly welcome to e-mail me at [email protected].
Best,
Randy Bell
Vice President, Sales
JAM Creative Productions, Inc.
PAMS Productions, Inc.
Dallas, Texas
Northernlightsmedia, do you have any air-check tapes from you 97DJ days? If so, would you be so kind to share? Any audio from that great radio station would be greatley appericated, Thanks.
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