My phone began ringing around 6pm, and hasn't stopped.
Sam, I thinks he's spinnin' and grinnin' again with The Rockin' Bird, Bill Winters, Dick Clayton, Jocko Henderson, Georgie Woods, By Saam and Charlie Swift are doing play-by-play, and John Facenda is in the newsroom. Of course, Mike Venditti and Archie Sitchel are keepin' the power to the tower. He's having a ball!
Oak said wonderful things, all true. We loved listening to Hy on Wibbage, WDAS-FM, WIFI, KIX, WOGL...and the small stations too. His was the template many of us used to model our carreers. He was the reason many of us CHOSE this carreer in broadcasting. If you fall down, dust yourself off and start again.
He had style. He had swagger. He had great looks. He exhuded confidence in his walk and talk. Always made the right decisions? No. Every man makes decisions that turn bad. Not every man learned from them, and made things right. Hy succeeded there most. Constantly reinventing himself. He always gave back to the communities that afforded himhttp://www.broadcastpioneers.com/merrillreese.html his success.
He stood up to corporate radio of the 21st century, and won a victory for all of us folk entering our "red zone" of retirement. Hy proved you can't treat your talent like Willie Lowman, eating the orange and throwing away the peel. He represented all of us who have time under our belt. He did it with dignity and justified pride. In our youth, he was a great entertainer. Now as a mature adult, he's admired for his sense of justice, right and wrong.
I'm glad you, Sam, have been able to keep his spirit alive. He sounds so proud on his latest endeavor with his son. My thoughts and condolences are with you.
