WAVN/WVIM/WKZB/WIQQ Back in Early 90's

[Shon White]

Greetings,

Back in my early days in Radio, I had the fun experience of working first for WAVN in Southaven/Memphis.. Came from Phoenix, and moved back to Memphis and did mornings on the Mighty Country 1240 WAVN.. (ok not so mighty 580 watts i believe LOL).. This station was interesting. Country 5am-6pm, Black Gospel 6pm-12mid.. Off the air 12mid-5am.. From there ran across a guy, ex country singer or just a legend in his own mind, name escapes me at the moment.. He owned WVIM in Hernando.. Real dump of a station in a house.. Transmitter caught fire the first day I went on the air there, but none the less, they patched it back together and I auditioned for a PD, Morning and Afternoon host position for a NEW FM going on the air in the Delta in Drew, MS.. WKZB.. Hot Country Z 95 FM.. Was told this station was in much better condition than WVIM equipment wise LOL.. Got the Gig, and got a rental truck and moved from Memphis to Drew, MS.. Once in Drew, took a backroad out of town to a cotton field where there was a tower sticking up in the middle of nowhere.. Turned off the paved road and took a little gravel road to the Radio Station. There it stood.. A little metal shack with 4 little rooms.. A shed that held a 1,000 watt Harris (I believe) transmitter and I think an 8 bay antenna.. Lucky for me the Mobile Home (part of my agreement) was right next door to the Radio Shack.. (Not a Radio Shack as in Questions we have Answers LOL).. Put the station on the air and it was quite fun.. Until I realized this station owner was less than honorable with Business... So left after a few months and headed to WIQQ (Live Radio Q102.3 FM). Was the 6pm-12mid Jock.. Station signed off at 12mid and back on at 5am.. Weekends was 24/7.. This was the most fun I ever had in Radio. Worked with Larry in the Morning Time, Ray in the Mid-days and Brent in the Box (Brent Bernard I believe was his name) in the afternoons and a weekender named John. Engineer was named Percy. A sweet old man that was very much opposed to anything above 95% modulation. Cant remember the older gentleman that ran the outfit, but I believe his wifes name was Margaret who did sales. Not certain that was her name. Station was actually quite big as it also housed WNIX. There were a few others that passed though during my year and a few months at Live Radio Q102 I can't recall.. Of course the "Live" part was coming to an end so moved on back to Phoenix where I continued my radio career. Although now I volunteer mostly with a LPFM station locally.. My hopes is someone here can help me recall some names from around 1990-1992.. And maybe reconnect to some of those I worked with back then. I could go deeper with what I recall, if any interest then I will LOL.. If not then I'll just keep quiet

Haven't been back to Greenville in a good while. But I very much enjoyed my time there in the 91-92..

Thanks for reading my ramblings and short history lesson

 

[jboyd]

WVIM: Eddie Bond
WKZB transmitter: Gates
WIQQ Engineer: Percy Kuhn
WKZB Manager "Big Mouth" Marlin

 

[robgrayson]

Thanks for the narrative! I came along a few years (hey - quit snickering... okay, many years) before you, and worked with the WIQQ owner/manger you mentioned, Jimmy Karr, at WDDT. Margaret Karr was my junior year English teacher and senior year speech and drama teacher back in high school, when she was Miss Kazan. I first ran into Percy Kuhn when I was around junior high age, and would stack my 45's on the handlebars of my bike, and ride down Broadway to WJPR's studios in the creepy haunted house next to Ella Darling Elementary School. My mentors let me bring my records in and "play" DJ in the empty control room (in audition, of course) when they had the automation running. From my perspective as a kid, Percy Kuhn was a figure of awe, respect, and he just plain scared me. But every time I have run into him since, he has been nothing but gracious. The last time I saw him, he had just come back from tweaking the audio on the AM, and he said he had it set just like he liked it.

 

[Powerpig56]

I worked at WIQQ briefly in 93 doing the afternoon gig. Quit when two paychecks in a row bounced. I've been wondering, whatever happened to Larry?

 

[Shon White]

WVIM: Eddie Bond
WKZB transmitter: Gates
WIQQ Engineer: Percy Kuhn
WKZB Manager "Big Mouth" Marlin

Eddie Bond... Indeed that was him.. What a guy full of B.S. back in the day.. Thank you for the reminder...

Thanks for the narrative! I came along a few years (hey - quit snickering... okay, many years) before you, and worked with the WIQQ owner/manger you mentioned, Jimmy Karr

Jimmy Karr... Thanks again.. He was a very nice guy, seemed quite the opposite from Margaret Karr LOL..

And Percy again was just a real honest and since man from what I remember.

I never had a paycheck from WIQQ bounce, but then again they were never that big LOL.. But living in Greenville, rent was very cheap so didn't take much at the time. Lived right down stairs from Larry in the Morning Time. Can remember on Sundays watching football at Larry's apartment and all of us from Q102 tossing the football around as well on Sundays. Everyone just got along real well as far as air staff goes..

Quick responses with some names, I really appreciate the info and bringing back some cool memories.. Much appreciated..

 

[J Alex Bowab]

I built the cable system in Hernando in 1980, and was aware of Eddie Bond/WVIM at that time. Station actually licensed to Coldwater, but it primarily served Hernando and Senatobia. Bond's claim to fame (if you can call it that) was as a rockabilly performer prior to his on-air career. Go to You Tube and key in "Eddie Bond, Rockin' Daddy" and you can listen to his Sun Record that may have gotten on the charts in 1956. Actually it's pretty good if you like rockabilly.

In their promotional materials, WVIM stood for We're Very Involved in Mississippi.

 

[robgrayson]

Another Eddie Bond claim to fame would be that Eddie audtioned Elvis Presley to front his band, and turned him down.

 

[mikl73]

Hey Shon... It's been a while but crossed paths a few times... I too worked at both of the 95.3's. Drew when it returned to air then at VIM later when I moved to Memphis.

It was kinda spooky at KZB after dark out there in the middle of no where wasn't it?

 

[J Alex Bowab]

The original Drew station, IIRC, was WDRU ... heard it a few times when I was in the Delta ... it was a homebrew beautiful music station, playing scratchy vinyl albums all the way through ... in a town where I estimate less than 5% of the people there were into beautiful music. Soul or country would have appealed to bigger segments of the population. Wondered how long it would last.

 

[mikl73]

Country actually worked on 95.3 until Larry Fuss came to town and put WDTL back on the air. WKZB had a decent signal in Cleveland and it worked when WDMS was the only competition in the format in Cleveland. Delta Country came on the air with a strong local presence and a much better presentation. The rest of the story came later when an ice storm took out the tower at KZB. Eddie sold the station to Larry and eventually move it to the WDTL tower on HWY 8 between Cleveland and Ruleville.

 

[Shon White]

Hey Shon... It's been a while but crossed paths a few times... I too worked at both of the 95.3's. Drew when it returned to air then at VIM later when I moved to Memphis.

It was kinda spooky at KZB after dark out there in the middle of no where wasn't it?

Oh yes it was indeed very spooky after dark at the Z95.3 Studio/Transmitter/Mobile Home Complex deep in the Cotton Field. At the time we were 24/7 With a Live jock all the time. Even remember getting a Club in Cleveland to sponsor the Overnights (Oasis) if I recall correctly. Bond wanted to use a VCR and record 12pm-6pm and replay it in the overnights. Talked him into giving me a chance to find a sponsor for it to pay for being Live 24/7.. Station had some good imaging at the time. Sweepers with "In the heart of the delta, with the delta at heart, Hot Country Z95.." It was indeed pretty cool back then. Don't think there are many stations left with live local talent 24/7 anymore, especially in Small Markets. May not have had the most professional sounding DJ's then, but it was indeed local and involved with the community..

Eddie Bond's biggest claim to fame was Eddie Bond LOL.. Just my humble opinion.. But then again if not for him being the way he was, I wouldn't have moved on to WIQQ where I enjoyed every minute I was on the air there.. Lots of Community involvement, Used to do the Top 8 at 8 with Baby DJ's (listeners).. Phones rang constantly at Q.. That was a pretty awesome time. Q even let me do an Alternative Rock show on Friday Nights. Back when Alternative was really Alternative of course. ;D

 

[Dr. Bob]

Actually, when WVIM went on the air in 1975, it had pretty good equipment for a small market. It was a Harris turnkey with a Stereo 80 console and a 2.5H3 transmitter. I helped with some of the wiring and small amounts of engineering during the early years. What it didn't have was heaters on the antenna so when it iced, it was off the air. I grew up in Senatobia and worked on WSAO including a small amount of time with Eddie Bond. He was memorable. In about 1976 or 1977 he did his show on WSAO via Marti from a building in Tunica because I recall going over there to help him with some small issue although I was working at WABG-TV by then. WSAO's transmitter was still working ok then and the station covered Tunica well.

Bob

 

[robgrayson]

So, at one time, you could hear WSAO all the way to Tunica. The last time I was down, I lost them northbound before the Coldwater exit on I-55.

 

[J Alex Bowab]

As for comparing WSAO's current coverage with what it was in 1976 ... wasn't the station on 1550 at that time, and moved to 1140 in the following decade? Just a thought.

 

[Dr. Bob]

WSAO started out on 1550 in 1962 and moved to 1140 in about 1982 or so to allow the 1550 in Jackson to "let out" their daytime pattern. J. B. Skelton added a small mast to the top of the tower and retuned the ITA transmitter & ATU. Since the tower was shorter electrically on 1140 than 1550 some efficiency was lost. Lower frequencies have greater coverage for the same amount of antenna radiation so the frequency change was a "wash" as far as coverage was concerned. That's the way I recall the before and after coverage too. Of course the transmitter had good tubes and was working correctly then. Needless to say the present owner, Jessie Ross, most likely has trouble making ends meet and making the old ITA work correctly. The other thing working against all AM stations is the man-made noise situation and the lack of sensitivity of most AM radios.

I engineer three AM stations in Houston, TX and not a week goes by that I receive a call or email from a listener who is having problems with reception. One of the most memorable was the listener who lived in an apartment and the complex replaced all the outside lighting with high efficiency fluorescents. Great for energy consumption, bad for AM reception.

 

[lfuss]

Eddie Bond - a legend in his own mind.

LF

 

[lfuss]

I worked at WIQQ briefly in 93 doing the afternoon gig. Quit when two paychecks in a row bounced. I've been wondering, whatever happened to Larry?

"Laidback Larry" (Larry Louviere) is now a salesrep in Bakerfield, CA.

LF

 

[Powerpig56]

I worked at WIQQ briefly in 93 doing the afternoon gig. Quit when two paychecks in a row bounced. I've been wondering, whatever happened to Larry?

"Laidback Larry" (Larry Louviere) is now a salesrep in Bakerfield, CA.

LF

Thanks for the update. I take it he's selling airtime?

 

[Ken38654]

Mobile Home Complex !
O M G ! Eddie Bond's biggest claim to fame was Eddie Bond -- I LOVE IT !
I Some How (And I Don't Know HOW !) I Never Crossed Direct Paths With That Con, Bond.
I Was With Galtellie Broadcasting - Owner/Operator WKZB-FM 95.3 Drew. MS.
"The Spirit Of The Delta" We Had A Kicking Station & A Stomping Jingle Package, Produced - William B. Tanner Memphis, TN.
The Original Studios Were Located Next Door To The Drew Police Dept., At 112 West Shaw Avenue, Downtown Drew Until The Studios Were Relocated To Tower/Transmitter Site.
It Was Rather Spooky @ PM !
The Building Was Equipped With Alarm & Several Panic Buttons- We Never Had Any Problems.
This Is Great To Find Post From The Great Stations Of The Delta !

Hey Shon... It's been a while but crossed paths a few times... I too worked at both of the 95.3's. Drew when it returned to air then at VIM later when I moved to Memphis.

It was kinda spooky at KZB after dark out there in the middle of no where wasn't it?

Oh yes it was indeed very spooky after dark at the Z95.3 Studio/Transmitter/Mobile Home Complex deep in the Cotton Field. At the time we were 24/7 With a Live jock all the time. Even remember getting a Club in Cleveland to sponsor the Overnights (Oasis) if I recall correctly. Bond wanted to use a VCR and record 12pm-6pm and replay it in the overnights. Talked him into giving me a chance to find a sponsor for it to pay for being Live 24/7.. Station had some good imaging at the time. Sweepers with "In the heart of the delta, with the delta at heart, Hot Country Z95.." It was indeed pretty cool back then. Don't think there are many stations left with live local talent 24/7 anymore, especially in Small Markets. May not have had the most professional sounding DJ's then, but it was indeed local and involved with the community..

Eddie Bond's biggest claim to fame was Eddie Bond LOL.. Just my humble opinion.. But then again if not for him being the way he was, I wouldn't have moved on to WIQQ where I enjoyed every minute I was on the air there.. Lots of Community involvement, Used to do the Top 8 at 8 with Baby DJ's (listeners).. Phones rang constantly at Q.. That was a pretty awesome time. Q even let me do an Alternative Rock show on Friday Nights. Back when Alternative was really Alternative of course. ;D

 

[Ken38654]

WKZB 95.3 Drew Was Authorized ERP- 3,000 Watts.
Gates Transmitter- When The Tower/Transmitter/Studios Were In Drew.
After The Tower Fell (Much After!), WKZB Was Moved (7) Miles North Toward Cleveland And The Power Was Lowered To 2,500 Watts.
Love Your "Ramblings" SHON !! - Bet I Can Out Rable Ya ! lol

Greetings,

Back in my early days in Radio, I had the fun experience of working first for WAVN in Southaven/Memphis.. Came from Phoenix, and moved back to Memphis and did mornings on the Mighty Country 1240 WAVN.. (ok not so mighty 580 watts i believe LOL).. This station was interesting. Country 5am-6pm, Black Gospel 6pm-12mid.. Off the air 12mid-5am.. From there ran across a guy, ex country singer or just a legend in his own mind, name escapes me at the moment.. He owned WVIM in Hernando.. Real dump of a station in a house.. Transmitter caught fire the first day I went on the air there, but none the less, they patched it back together and I auditioned for a PD, Morning and Afternoon host position for a NEW FM going on the air in the Delta in Drew, MS.. WKZB.. Hot Country Z 95 FM.. Was told this station was in much better condition than WVIM equipment wise LOL.. Got the Gig, and got a rental truck and moved from Memphis to Drew, MS.. Once in Drew, took a backroad out of town to a cotton field where there was a tower sticking up in the middle of nowhere.. Turned off the paved road and took a little gravel road to the Radio Station. There it stood.. A little metal shack with 4 little rooms.. A shed that held a 1,000 watt Harris (I believe) transmitter and I think an 8 bay antenna.. Lucky for me the Mobile Home (part of my agreement) was right next door to the Radio Shack.. (Not a Radio Shack as in Questions we have Answers LOL).. Put the station on the air and it was quite fun.. Until I realized this station owner was less than honorable with Business... So left after a few months and headed to WIQQ (Live Radio Q102.3 FM). Was the 6pm-12mid Jock.. Station signed off at 12mid and back on at 5am.. Weekends was 24/7.. This was the most fun I ever had in Radio. Worked with Larry in the Morning Time, Ray in the Mid-days and Brent in the Box (Brent Bernard I believe was his name) in the afternoons and a weekender named John. Engineer was named Percy. A sweet old man that was very much opposed to anything above 95% modulation. Cant remember the older gentleman that ran the outfit, but I believe his wifes name was Margaret who did sales. Not certain that was her name. Station was actually quite big as it also housed WNIX. There were a few others that passed though during my year and a few months at Live Radio Q102 I can't recall.. Of course the "Live" part was coming to an end so moved on back to Phoenix where I continued my radio career. Although now I volunteer mostly with a LPFM station locally.. My hopes is someone here can help me recall some names from around 1990-1992.. And maybe reconnect to some of those I worked with back then. I could go deeper with what I recall, if any interest then I will LOL.. If not then I'll just keep quiet

Haven't been back to Greenville in a good while. But I very much enjoyed my time there in the 91-92..

Thanks for reading my ramblings and short history lesson