I'm just a long time listener and a former radio fan; this is who all I remember from over the years:
I listened to DLP and 3WQ, but I hardly remember them at all. I moved out of the area and listened to my first FM stations, where the DJ's whispered and played whole sides of vinyl records. I came back to Panama City and PFM had signed on. They were so cool. Every remote they did and all those Hawaiian Tropic Suntan contests were the only place in the world to be. Jim King - was he at PFM or just the AM's? There was Young Preston Young, I always liked him. Jeff Davis, Big Rick and Little John Walker. THE BIRDMAN, who is my favorite among all Panama City DJ's; I missed him when he left. And when he partnered with the talented Mr. Lou, they made one of the best teams PC has ever had on the air. Kelly McCann comes in somewhere along the way here. Mike Stone.
Then Island signs on. So fresh, so hip and I was totally devoted. Norm Tanner would play your 5 requests at 5 o'clock and I loved him for playing songs that were not entirely on their play list. Steve Michaels, Steve Christian, Larry Gordon, Gamby Man, Chazrain Blake.
Then Rock 103. Yay! They played rock and I loved them for that. I liked David Lee alot and his wife Stephanie. They had Gary from the The Corner Store on so much, that Gary might as well have been a DJ. They played Gary Moore and Delbert McClinton among others.
At this time it was probably 88-92 and it was probably the best time in radio that Panama City will ever see: Island was cool, and musically, Rock 103 had it going on. I don't remember PFM at this time; had they been padlocked yet? I don't think they ever came back on my radar after this time period. All their incarnations after that were lame. And someone recently asked what is listener perception for PFM. I think PFM is just a memory now. So someone broadcasts from the frequency 107.9, using the calls PFM and they think they are going to reach who? The Great 108's former listeners? They're old now. Are they trying to reach young demo's who don't remember PFM, or if they do, it was someone else's station, so it will never be their own HOT station? Having "PFM" on the air now posing as the former station is like seeing a 45 year old woman in a mini skirt and too much black eyeliner trying to pass as young and cool; everyone sees right through it, and it's pathetic. I think Island should get credit for being the same station since they signed on and have kept relatively the same format.
Then we started listening to DJR out of Dothan, great music and Kelly McCann found Mr. Lou and they were pretty good together.
And then, there was the OUTRAGEOUS and Irrepressible Pirate Radio. BC, Bubba, Gator.... Bubba was too much, talking trash and taking risks with his Out-There proclamations. Sometimes I felt like BC was just hanging on for dear life while Bubba put their employment on the line. Their music was good, but I was starting to sense the feel of tight playlists.
Then in no particular order and no particular station: Kim Styles, CJ Ryan, Cheryl, with her amazing voice, and Uncle Harley, another great voice. Linda Scott and Steve Micheals. Logan and Lori. Butch, the freshest air talent we've had in this town since Pirate signed on. I can't believe he's off the air right now.
By this time, radio has gone corporate. Study groups tell me I have to hear The Pina Colada Song and Jumping Jack Flash because they "test well." I have to listen to one station to hear one narrow format and another station the next day to get a break from hearing the same 30 or 40 songs played again. It's all corporate and it all sucks. And I hate syndicated shows, which are aired most typically am drive. Nothing says corporation and cookie cutter station like a syndicated morning show. I hate them individually and I hate them on principle. Bob and Tom, Rick and Bubba, Lex and Terry, Kid Kraddick.... Bob and Tom sound like 60 year old men who can't go two words without busting into long, drawn out asthmatic guffaws. Disgusting. "But look at all the money we save on payroll !"
Of course I haven't mentioned 92.5 but I didn't listen to country music back then. But I loved the reassuring voice of the guy who was their morning person for so long, Reed Kinney, maybe. And I didn't mention 98.5 because when they signed on they were so super dorky and super nerdy that I will never be able to overcome that image of them.
I almost forgot my SOUL WITH CC! Saturday mornings with CC, first Soul, then he updated the name and calls it Blues with CC and The Quiet Storm, but the music is the same. How many years have I listened to CC? I'm old now, and I remember listening to him when I was young. His show is now on 93.5 The Beat and I can't get the signal in my house at the beach.
I'm sure there are people who I should remember but couldn't think of them in time to post this.
I fondly remember when radio itself was cool, and each station could be unique, and each DJ played, at least to some extent, his own music choices. I think those days are long over, but to our Panama City FM radio air talent pioneers, I salute you.
Hello:
>
> I've been coming and visiting the board for a couple years
> now, but I haven't posted much. I have to say this board is
> great and many of you bring back so many memories about
> radio. I grew up in Panama City and lived there from 1985 -
> 1996, but my parents lived there for many years after that.
> I currently live in Pensacola and I still keep up with radio
> in PC. I would like to share some of my favorite Panama City
> memories and what I remember about the stations and how they
> have changed over the years.
>
>
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