People who influenced me to get into radio/Where are they now?

[ZAX Double J]

This is a hybrid subject. Allen Vick was mentionibng to me the other day of some of the people who influenced him in getting into radio. And someone else mentioned starting a thread about where they are now so I combined the two. My first post will focus on the people who influenced me to get into radio.

One of the first was my dad who carried me to the station that I would later work on - WEED. This got me excited about radio and how neat it was. I recall a few months later my parents gave me my first tape recorder and the rest they say is history, well not quite. I remember listening to WEED and one of the jocks there that I would wind up working with was an inspiration, Ron Eric Lundy. He was so cool and smooth onair that I wanted to be like him. He is a really nice guy to work with too and I highly respect him. A great friend too. The second person that would influence me was Famous Bob Inskeep. I remember listening to him every morning as I got ready for school and his sideckick - Zoot. I never met him personally, but I knew I wanted to be in radio and be like him. And of course the man that counted them down, Casey Kasem. He was the pinnacle of radio and I'd wish many a time I could have had a voice like him. I was lucky enough to get a picture of me beside his star on the Hollywood walk of Fame a few years back. And the one person that I thank for sort of keeping me in this crazy business, Bill Jordan(no relation that I know of) A super nice guy and also a true friend.

There are many others and friends too that have influenced me including my good friend Allen Vick. He doesn't get half the credit he deserves. He knows way more about radio than I do. A great friend who on one occasion saved my life and for that I am greatful.

 

[allenv]

Double J, for you to mention me is an honor.You are simply a good person whose love and passion for radio has inspired me. I wish I had you're knowledge.Its like I've told you before you have alot to offer this business.Your present situation doesn't offer you a fair chance to show what you can do but you work with good people in a fairly stable enviroment and there are folks that see and realize your worth. I am very lucky to have you as a friend and to learn from your honesty,good nature, and passion for what can be an industry full of people who are polar opposites from you.I am not shy about tooting the horn of people I believe
in and you are one of those people...

Allen

 

[allenv]

By the way Ron Erick Lundy is an out of this world talent and simply a fine person.
I second Double J and all that he said about Ron...

Allen

 

[XTalker]

The Inskeep era at WRAL was amazing. He was "on the air" all the time - long before we knew what voice tracking was all about! He did all those community switchboard PSAs and station promos in such a conversational style you just knew he was live!

I believe they used InstaCarts in that day.

 

[ZAX Double J]

The Inskeep era at WRAL was amazing. He was "on the air" all the time - long before we knew what voice tracking was all about! He did all those community switchboard PSAs and station promos in such a conversational style you just knew he was live!

I believe they used InstaCarts in that day.

Yeah he was such a fixture there. I remember when I toured the TV 5 sudios in 1976, 101.5 was in the basement and there was a wall of reel-to-reels and I was told that was their automation. I saw the extremely small studio he did the show in. it was about 4 foot square and a small opening for the chair and that was it (other than the equipment). When I started working for RBC Centura in 1999-2000 he was doing the ads on the phone system, but shortly thereafter they got a different person to do them. If I had a station I would get him as my morning person. A great voice and somewhat of a legend around here. I have some recordings of WRAL in the early 80s that he is on.

 

[ZAX Double J]

Double J, for you to mention me is an honor.You are simply a good person whose love and passion for radio has inspired me. I wish I had you're knowledge.Its like I've told you before you have alot to offer this business.Your present situation doesn't offer you a fair chance to show what you can do but you work with good people in a fairly stable enviroment and there are folks that see and realize your worth. I am very lucky to have you as a friend and to learn from your honesty,good nature, and passion for what can be an industry full of people who are polar opposites from you.I am not shy about tooting the horn of people I believe
in and you are one of those people...

Allen

Thank you Allen, I had no idea I inspired anyone. But yes, my situation leaves me little room to sine unfortunately. I wish it did, but you know how it is here. I do work with good people and I admit it is fairly stable given the current radio landscape which is rare. I am glad to have your friendship, support and inspiration.

 

[Marathon Don]

I remember listening to Pat Patterson, Dale Van Horn, Charlie Brown and the rest of the KIX Krew back in the 60's & early 70's. Those guys gave me the radio bug at a young age. My dial shifted to WQDR in 73. Not only did I love the music, I hung on to every word those jocks said.

When I was about 14 years old, my younger brother's cub scout pack visited WVOT on a field trip. I tagged along as Mr. Jim Lafferty led the tour. Somehow, I knew I would one day work there. A decade later I did.

In 76, a high school friend got a part time job babysitting the reel to reel automation at WGTM. He reluctantly snuck me in the back door one night, as I was dying to see what the place looked like. Six years later, I would work there myself. Keep in mind, people actually listened to AM radio back then!

 

[ZAX Double J]

Keep in mind, people actually listened to AM radio back then!

Yes this is true. And only in the largest of markets does AM shine today if at all. I doubt that HD Radio can bring AM back to it's former glory. The only formats that are there are sports, talk, gospel/religious or spanish stations if then. Most of them are either satellite or fully automated. Sad that where radio started is now a ghost band and FM will be in a few decades.