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Little Rock Talent Pool

K

Keef59

Guest
Who do you think are the 5 most talented people on Little Rock radio? This is a variation on the old
''desert island albums'' question. Format doesn't matter, ratings don't matter...we're talking simply
talent. I'll start...in no particular order...
Tommy Smith
Charlotte on KLAL
Corey and Jay (one show but two people, so it counts as two)
John Lee (not just because he can do radio, but he also plays about 19 instruments)

It's your turn.
 
the talent pool in little rock...

it used to be an olympic sized pool.

not so much any more.

i'll agree on Tommy and John.

i have not heard Charlotte much, so my jury is still out.

i gotta go with Sharpe - mainly because of his energy and he's a one man promotion machine.

i am witholding comment on the other two.

mama said if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything.

;)

i'll think about this and get back to you.


(former radio TALENT was Ray Lincoln, Craig O'Neal, Gallagher, and way too many names from a KAAY, a KLAZ {Z98}, a Majic 105 and a KKYK of long ago...)
 
Your first assumption is that Little Rock has talented on-air personalities. Having been associated with broadcasting for nearly forty years, I've found that most medium-sized markets are about the same when it comes to on-air talent...and in most cases we're talking about morning personalities.

Having been in the Little Rock area for only seven years, I can't discuss the previous group of on-air personalities, but with the deregulation of radio back in 1996, the talent aspect of radio has been degraded along with the quality of radio itself.

If you look at a lot of medium markets you'll find that there are those on-air personalities that have become notable for being at the top of their field in that market strictly due to 'longevity'. Now some people will say that you have to be talented to have longevity on-the-air. Not so. Many mediocre on-air personalities are still around because 'they were in the right place at the right time' and, in addition, many started when radio was what many of us 'oldtimers' know as radio. There are those, I won't mention names, in the Little Rock market that are not necessarily good and, probably, wouldn't have made it in larger markets, but they've been up there year after year because they've been around the longest. There are always those exceptions that will leave a market and be successful, but you also have those who know that its better to be a 'big fish in a small pond' than a 'small fish in a big pond' as a medium market on-air personality told me many years ago.

If you want to compare local Little Rock talent to local Little Rock talent, then you may be on-the-mark with your picks.

And, I must admit, most on-air personalities are doing the best they can with what they have to work with. Not all station owners provide the right environment for today's air personalities and big corporate owners tend to be less appreciative of their air talent, their listeners and advertisers.

A little analogy here: A fly may land on a pile of crap. He's at the top of the pile...but it's still a pile of crap.
 
Ok. Who are your five picks? That was my original question.
 
If you're wanting me to pick the best of the worst, I can't do that. As far as I'm concerned, there's no one that deserves to be in the top 5. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, no one that I know of in this market is above a 6. Again, I'm not putting all the blame on the personalities. As I mentioned previously, many are making the most of a bad situation. The larger players in the market, as they're doing in most other markets, are weeding out those that have been around the longest because they are, usually, the higher paid and you find CC and others trying to cut costs and that means eliminating those high salaries. It's unfortunate that personality radio has given way to the Bobs, Jacks, and other forms of cookie cutter formats.

In this spot where I'm writing this, I had replied with my pick for the air personality I feel is the 'best' in the market, but I changed my mind. I'm reluctant to name anyone, at this point.

Sorry!
 
gjdodger2 said:
Grant Merrill #1. Everyone else tied for second.
Click to expand...


Your standards are fairly low.. Disturbing might be the better word.

These are the top five... not necessarily ranked, but the people whose talent I have admired none the less.

Tommy Smith
Jeff Matthews
Becky Rogers (Best female voice talent in this region)
Broadway Joe (He is worshipped by the African American community...)
Scott Thrower (If he was still on the air... Do the counties covered by FM 100 count?)

When we talk about the best, I have to say that I miss Ray Lincoln and Paul Eells every day. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about both of them.
 
Wow, you people are cynical. Sorry I asked the question. I need to lighten things up after reading all the negative, downtrodden posts here. So, I'm going to go trim my tree, open the blinds and let the lovely
sun shine in, whistle the Oprah themesong and listen to some Grant Merrill airchecks.
 
Mogul, I picked up FM100 loud and clear in downtown Little Rock on Saturday. Thrower was on and tearing it up! I have friends in Cabot and Sherwood who listen to WMC-FM all the time. That's what 300,000 watts of
power will do. Wonder if that violates Thrower's noncompete?
 
Yeah I listened this morning driving in from Russellville... 99.7 comes in loud and clear between Conway and Morrilton for some reason.

My family had a business over there in Memphis, and we advertised heavily on FM 100 and probably got the best results. I got a lot of personal response from people that heard the commercials on their way to Tunica.

I absolutely love the "Whatever" weekends. I don't tune out during that time if I am headed that way. I heard Thrower during my last visit to Rendezvous...

Who knows about the non-compete... it would be hard for a judge to tell someone who had been released from Market #85 or whatever we are now that he can't do part time in Market #45...
 
OK, OK, OK...I still can't give you a top 5 but, keef59, I do agree with you and mediamogul in selecting Tommy Smith for the #1 spot. Personally, I can't stand to listen to more than a few minutes of him, but I give him credit for overcoming some adverse situations over the past few years, hanging in there, and being able to adapt to a changing world of radio while still being the same guy that many have come to love over the years he's been in the market. What I also like about him, he can make fun of himself. I worked with a lot of morning men over the years who thought they were God's gift to radio. Tommy doesn't give me the impression that he feels that way and I think that's what endears him to his listeners. He's not above them...he's one of them.
 
Tommy is hands down number one. Scott Thrower was excellent on B-98. Grant Merrill for his age is very good and has an unusual grasp of the business, and could rival any of our sportscasters on play-by-play. I heard him doing a game on the big sports station in Fort Smith over the weekend. I would agree with Mogul that Becky Rogers "tears it up" as Keef says as a female talent. Sharon Lee was another good female voice talent. Not the best people skills but a good talent. I miss Little Rock a lot, but I am happy in my small market where there is none of this backbiting.
 
Everybody's doin the fish...yeah....yeah....yeah Lock up your daughters and bring back CATFISH!
 
i think catfish is still driving a station van...somewhere he's not supposed to...and with 3 or 4 girls in it. after hours. and out of market. ;D
 
Craig O'Neill was one of Little Rock's most talented air staff ever. He was funny without being off-color, and a really nice guy. I remember arguing long and hard for him to replace Uglee Jerry on KZOU. That was probably the move that could have saved that station from being as short-lived as it was. They did it, but only after the Zoo had died. Kevin Miller was another great jock. Nothing fancy, just good radio. Broadway Joe Booker deserves ever bit of success he got. I worked with him in the KOKY days, and he was by far the most professional of the air staff. Hot Scott Fisher behind the production board, and Gail Daniels KSSN circa 1986 as an all-around pro female jock. Tommy Smith and Sharpe as well.
 
You guys are prob going to laugh but I really think that Marty Olaf was a good cat.. Great talent too. Down to earth and all around good guy.

First time I met him I told him I wanted to be in radio he said "don't" Now I understand why..


Second Possibly Trent Treetop Tyler. Great guy good voice.. I think he is still doing sales for Clear Channel ( If I can call it that any more.)

Third. Well I would have to say "Crazy" Craig O'Neill I grew up listening to him.

Where have all the greats gone? That is my question.. Why is Little Rock talent crummy??

We need a change. Too bad none of the corporate fat cats are willing to let go of a couple dimes to make that happen...
 
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