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Remembering Winston-Salem's 93.1

CCX said:
As I mentioned on another thread, everything is cyclical. I promise you that before long some Agency bigwig will come out with the latest trend... "Marketing to the generation that wouldn't age". The Baby Boomers are different from their predecessors. They still try new things, remain curious, and have piles of money. Who wouldn't want those people???? I hate to say it, but I think the real problem at Oldies 93 was not having good salespeople. I can't say that I know that for a fact, but if you can't sell with the station's reputation, their numbers, and their incredible qualitative, then what can you sell?
Click to expand...

When I worked at WFMX from 98 til 05, we never had "numbers" to sell. But look at the station, people bought it ALL the time. It was NOT a hard sell. I'd like to think that we had "real" sellers at WFMX, not just order takers. We worked hard for every client we got, and worked even harder to keep them happy. We serviced clients weekly. I knew sales people that would go by and take biscuits to clients on Fridays, just to say thanks for your business. I knew AE's who would ask the jocks, including me to go with them and service a client. That's how radio SHOULD be done!

-radioguy801
 
Great post about sales. Squirrels can sell numbers. Sales PROFESSIONALS do indeed sell relationships and service. It's amazing how much you can sell simply by making the call.
 
I worked at Oldies 93 during the Jeff Silver era. Station had such great potential then. A screwed up music test and Jeff's wanting to hold onto the 93-MIX logo kept the station from being a bigger success, sooner. There were a couple of good people then in that day! Scott Norris, Ed Snow did news way back then ...
 
Well,

One of my co-workers at JR Discount Outlet was telling me the other night when we had to close...that he was peeved that they switched formats....and what was funny about what he said was and I quote
I am so pissed off I could spit
Click to expand...
that was about the funniest thing I had heard all night....but nonetheless...I will miss Oldies 93....they were one of my fave stations...and one of his too....b/c when they made the switch, he even told me he deleted the station on his settings for stations in his car...

Now tell me they didn't screw up...b/c they lost a very loyal listener...hell he bought product that they recommended, plus he went to just about every remote just b/c that was his fave station...

Wayne
 
I wanted to make sure I hadn't said it here.

I also remember a vandalized billboard from right after the switch. Or maybe that was part of their "new attitude". The old billboard said it played the hits. Someone covered that up with "ROCKS"! Now, it COULD have been a plan ...
 
Wow...just found all this stuff sort of by accident. My first "real" radio job was at Z-93. I started there in June 1981. Pete Berry (Flying Dutchman) had recently left and was replaced by John Michaels, "Michaels in the Morning," a big-time jock from KNUS Dallas (also worked at KLUV and KVIL).

My first day was Bob Ziegler's last day and the staff at the time was:

John Michaels 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Rob Leonard 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bob Mahoney 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Brett Pryor 7 p.m. to 12 m.n.
Jim Martin board-opped the overnights when we ran Bob Dearborn's Night Time Ameria (from RKO).

Don Matney did news. Don was practically blind -- he had the thickest glasses and held his news copy an inch from his eyes.

Weekends included me, Jim Martin, and Paul "Hoochie Koo" Richards who also worked in sales. I also spent time driving the station's yellow Audi with the logo all over it -- doing "traffic" reports and bumper stick checks during the morning show. Of course, the only way to do traffic was to drive around and observe and to listen to J.R. Richards on WSJS.

Brett was canned while I was there (can't remember why) and was ultimately replaced by Steve Finnegan. Steve had been doing nights at WRQK and before that had been in Roanoke at WROV. Steve was one of the best all-around jocks the Triad had at that time -- and the triad spawned its share of great talent (Jack Armstrong, Rick Dees, Tom Kent).

Other memories: The station was owned at that time by Nick Patella, a one-time Wake Forest football standout and NY Giants draft pick. He also owned the AM -- WAIR, which was Black (before it was called "urban"). WAIR had two legendary and amazing jocks: Oscar Alexander (Daddy-0 on the Padio) and Ernie C. Don Brewer was the station engineer. Bob Mahoney used to love to mess with Brewer. Candy Lawson was the receptionist.

The station was tucked back off of Peters Creek Parkway surrounded by apartment buildings, down the street from Mr. BBQ.

I long ago lost track of all those wonderful people.

BTW -- it was more or less top forty in 1980/81 and then 1981 saw the advent of A/C and Z-93 went in that direction under the direction of consultant Steve Rivers. Doing that A/C format was not a lot of fun.
 
I know where a couple of these people are. Don Mahoney does AM news on the new Majic 94.1 (was Hitz94 WTHZ out of Lexington, NC). They also just hired Steve Finnegan to do, I think evenings (not sure about time slot), and Tom Collins is the General Manager.
 
Hey Xtalker,

Were you affectionately refered to as "Chromeus Domeus" by the late Dale Van Horne?

If so we should catch up. It's been a long time.

Cleve Humpwell, Now in OBX.
 
Z-93 was my favorite station when I was in high school. I really liked Bob Mahoney and there was another guy (was it Jim Quinn?) who was really funny.

I used to enjoy listening to American Top 40 on Saturday nights.

My mother was a big fan of Oldies 93. She was really upset when they changed their format.
 
That building off Peter's Creek Parkway was a real piece of work! Evert time it rained, it would flood. They finally built a wall around the entrances to keep the water out - you had to walk up two steps and back down to the foor! Great for the AM ground system.

I remember when the AM tower came down in a tornado (around 1990).
 
XTalker you forgot to mention that the front door of the biliding was kept locked twenty four hours a day and the daily police activity in the parking lot of the apartments across the street. In my 40 plus years in radio working in that building was the only time i felt the need to carry a gun to work! By the way, do you remember the "Triad's Largest Christmas Tree"? At least you could get a pretty good hotdog at Mr. B.
 
Seeing you guys talk about that building is a real treat. I was in there several weeks ago, doing some work on the AM (now WPOL). What a grand old building, except for the floods and neighbors.
 
;D Us TOB Good Guys hung out at the Bar at the hotel, where the K&W Blew up..Name escapes me ..Lunch had to be at Bell Brothers Caferteria or at Sams TOG.. Never forget, the numerous nights we would all go drinking at the Holiday Inn and sure as Hell Curley Howard WKBX would show up. Well, thoise who knew him, will remember he called everybody "Hoss" and he was going to take care of all the bar tabs..Needless to say after about 3 hours of this, I kept noticing people going to the bathroom and not coming back..Curley was the last and I got hung along with Tommy Walker with a 300 some dollar bar tab..

;D "Rest In Peace HOSS"!
 
I remember working overnight in that building one night in '81 or '82 and some nutcase kept calling the request line and asking for a song I either didn't have or didn't want to play. Heck, nearly every song imaginable was on a 45 across the little hall from the studio. This whack job called over and over again. Finally I just quit answering. Line rang for an hour straight in the middle of the night. Then the light went off to say someone was ringing the doorbell. I ignored it. Then someone was banging on the door. I probably should have called the police but was young and stupid...and freaked out. I got done -- can't remember who relieved me -- but went out the back door to my car and one of W-S' finest was there in his squad car, a little irritated. "Son, I've been calling your phone, ringing the bell and banging on your door for an hour. Why didn't you answer?" "Cuz this nutcase kept calling the request line and threatening to kill me if I didn't play his song. When I heard the banging, I figured it was him." "Well, it was him. He called us and told us he had a shotgun and was going to come over and shoot you." We came and got him. Next time, answer the phone."

Off to breakfast at the Lighthouse on Burke Mill.
 
Couple more questions...

Whatever happened to Nick Patella?

Paul Richards? (was his last name Bledsoe? ...can't remember...he sold for Z-93 and spun beach records at the Guard...I think that was the name of the place).

Also...Oscar Alexander (Daddy-O "If this were TV You Could See Me" on the Patio)...Ernie C (or was it G?)...and the sales manager from 'AIR--Bob something?

And did Russ Spooner ever work at SEZ?

I seem to remember that Pete Berry was there two different times...anyone remember?

Don Matney?
 
Breakfast at the Lighthouse is still one of the best in town! Last I heard Nick was still around. Paul has a small ad agency in Winston. Daddy O has gone to that big control room in the sky. The sales manager at air may have been Bob Horton, he is still in town selling insurance I think. I know Spooner was on WAIR but I am not sure about the Z. Those who remember Curly know that you could hang around any bar in town and sooner or later he'd show up. Most times I was with him which is why I am in such sad shape today, hard living! The last time I saw Bob Lacky he was driving a cement truck and still has a great voice.
 
BarneyPip said:
Couple more questions...

Whatever happened to Nick Patella?

Paul Richards? (was his last name Bledsoe? ...can't remember...he sold for Z-93 and spun beach records at the Guard...I think that was the name of the place).

Also...Oscar Alexander (Daddy-O "If this were TV You Could See Me" on the Patio)...Ernie C (or was it G?)...and the sales manager from 'AIR--Bob something?

And did Russ Spooner ever work at SEZ?

I seem to remember that Pete Berry was there two different times...anyone remember?

Don Matney?
Click to expand...

I worked at AIR and ultimately Z-93 from 68 to 79 (started as a wee high school lad). Nick is still around...in fact, he called me a few months ago. After selling AIR/SEZ he started an agency with a partner, Patella and Donahoe. He had interest in a few businesses around the Triad, too.

Paul Bledsoe owns Bledsoe and Associates. I don't recall him selling for SEZ, but he did go to KZL in 79, as did I, where he sold for maybe 6 months. He eventually founded Bledsoe and Associates which continues to this day where he handles Thruway Shopping Center, PART, and a few others.

Oscar Alexander, aka DaddyO on the Patio was a real character, and a happy drunk who sported a pistol. That always made me nervous. Ernie C, I believe, is still around. He called me several years ago looking for voice over work.

Russ Spooner worked as PD for WAIR back in 1975-76; just before, if memory serves, AIR began simulcasting on SEZ.

Pete Berry worked there twice. Back in the 60's, for one day, which many felt was a publicity stunt. He left AIR and came back to WTOB where he was arrested on the air for violating his contract. TOB replayed the arrest during newscasts all that day and there was TV and newspaper coverage, too! Much ado about Berry!

Don Matney...now there was a work of art. Legally blind and drove a Moped when he was doing news for WSEZ in the late 70's. I remember one classic episode where he backed his then large Buick into the back of Steve Norris's tiny, tiny Toyota, locked bumpers and actually pulled the vehicle to the top of that huge hill before realizing he was car-napping.

I could write a book...
 
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