Robert Carr (Willis the Guard) passes

[rho01]

David Carr, drummer for the band Third Day, called me today to tell me his father, Robert Carr, best known as Willis the Guard on 94Q in the 70s and 80s with Gary McKee, died Sunday night of emphysemia. He had been hospitalized the last three months. Funeral details forthcoming.

 

[blueman]

Is there any relation to the late drummer of KISS, Eric Carr? He was also a casualty of the dreaded lung funk i believe.

 

[Dixie Jock]

Willis was made famous on WQXI AM before 94Q later began the simulcast. Bob also did announcing on WQXI FM before it became 94Q.

 

[vigodsky]

Bob was doing his "thing" long before Gary hit town and doing it quite well at the old QXIE. He was very talented and a genuine eccentric with a finely honed dry sense of humor. If memory serves he was also an expert theatre projectionist which was a passion. I'm so sorry to hear he's not among us anymore.

 

[amlover]

I met Bob Carr through my friend Bill Tush in 1977 when I worked with Bill at then WTCG ch.17 before becoming WTBS and remained friends with Bob since. We both enjoyed the theatre business besides our radio careers even working together at the Columbia Theatre downtown and the Midtown Cinemas. I spoke with Tush today and we both lost a dear friend. I will miss him.

 

[IT_Guru]

David Carr, drummer for the band Third Day, called me today to tell me his father, Robert Carr, best known as Willis the Guard on 94Q in the 70s and 80s with Gary McKee, died Sunday night of emphysemia. He had been hospitalized the last three months. Funeral details forthcoming.

Would this be the same Willis The Guard that put out a Christmas single around 1980 titled "Merry Christmas In The NFL"? I actually have the single if anyone would like to hear it.

 

[rho01]

Here's the obit I wrote about Bob Carr with vintage photos provided by Yetta and Ike Newkirk:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/...otalk/entries/2008/10/29/1028_bob_carr_a.html

 

[craig_ashwood]

One thing I'd add--having worked with Bob during the 94Q days--is that he was a kind man. That's a rare thing with people in life, let alonepeople in radio! From the moment I walked in the door at 94Q the last week of February, 1980, until the last day he worked there, he was always flat out nice to me and everyone else--I never saw him not be.

This was especially important to me, because at one point I ended up being the designated fill-in for Gary McKee when he'd be out on vacation...which seemed to be as much as Johnny Carson, sometimes (just kidding, Gary!), Bob (and Yetta, too) were there propping me up and helping me throughout the show every time I had to do it. It was formatted for Gary's style, obviously, so there were what seemed to be a million talk breaks an hour, and Bob couldn't have been any more supportive than he was. I wouldn't have been able to make it without his help. And despite the fact that I was no morning man, somehow we made it through.

After he left the station, I'd visit from time to time at the theater off Monroe, where he was handling projection work. It was always, always great to see him.

He'll be missed.

p.s. IT Guru, yes, that's Bob doing the Merry Christmas in the NFL--he even did a video which featured him and a couple of Falcons cheerleaders, and I actually remember it being played once or twice on MTV...or maybe it was VH1.

 

[tlyle]

Craig,

When are you going to get around to writing a book about your radio experiences. I am sure you have stories to tell.

 

[dmcco01]

When I was around ten years old in the late 70s, I got to meet Willis the Guard at a charity donkey basketball game at Douglas County High School. To me that was bigger than meeting the president! I just remember him being very gracious to this nervous little girl. His autograph hung on my bedroom wall until I left for college.

 

[IT_Guru]

p.s. IT Guru, yes, that's Bob doing the Merry Christmas in the NFL--he even did a video which featured him and a couple of Falcons cheerleaders, and I actually remember it being played once or twice on MTV...or maybe it was VH1.

Thanks Craig. My dad has hundreds of hours of music videos that he recorded on VHS from MTV and Night Tracks back then.

He also has recordings from a program you were on back then. If I remember correctly the show was called the "Atlanta Rock Review" and he stated that the program was on Channel 5 and you could listen to it in Stereo on 94Q. I remember him telling me that back then stereo television hadn't come out yet so when he watched MTV he had to use his stereo if he wanted to listen to MTV in Stereo.

 

[scottwoodside]

Bob Carr was a hell of a talent, and I'm glad I had the honor of working with him at Quixie!

It's kind of surreal now that I work in the funeral and cemetery business and happened to see that Bob was listed as one of the deceased at one of the 36 cemetery and funeral homes I represent. H.M patterson and son, Oglethorpe Chapel. He couldn't have been in better care than at that facility.

Interesting perspective. I drove from work to go to Bob's visitation and to pay my respects to his wife Judy and to tell his son what his dad meant to me.

As I was walking through the crowd a few people wanted to know if I worked there. I forgot I still had my name credentials showing. I got to see Kevin Occonnell from the old QXI days. We talked about the good old days and how much we enjoyed working with Bob. Then off into the night air saddened and depressed. Where does the time go? Why do we wear watches?

Scott Woodside
www.scottwoodside.com