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Who would you put in a MS Radio Hall of Fame?

Percy Kuhn from WNIX in Greenville. Percy actually help build the 3-tower directional array in the 40s and still shows up at the station every now and then. I think he knew Marconi personally!

LF
 
Great to Finally be back in the USA, this is Good Stuff,
Eddie Fritts, needs to go in, local owner, good community broadcaster
Percy Kuhn, needs to go in, he could make a transmitter whistle montavoni
Houston J, too, that guy could tune impedence thru Dental Floss.
Bob Pittman-?, good-creative broadcaster, but his success was outside Miss
Tanner gets in-for Jdx, station ahead of its time, for Mississippi
Farmer Jim gets a spot, Fiest Dog too, some today could even learn from his live reads
Howard Lett, top notch news guy
Woody A & Ready Kilowatt
The SeaL Lilly Ice Cream Dude, he gets in just for eaten on camera
Bob R,
Bob L, for the coast stations, very tight operations
Stan T, and Jack C, TreMendous Picture Painters,
Might as Well Throw -Woo-Woo-Mercy Bill G, in there to
Tv Sports Guy on Channel 12, Setup the Camera, then
went around and read his own sports.... ?...he defintely
gets in.....Auggie File...just for having the name "Auggie"
Joe Phillips gets in just for wearing out the word "Apprapoe!"
There are many MagnoliaStaters that should go in, and be remembered forever. Because we are Not in Kansas any more Toto,
we should All Thank Our Lucky Stars we got to watch and hear some of these people work their magic, for many of us, its WHY we stepped into this ride in the 1st place. God Bless'em all~!
 
We should go back further. The very, very old days. Herb Guthrie, manager of rock-n-roll WRBC. Ownby (first name not known) who put on the air WJXN (Jackson), WDOB (Canton) and 4 other stations in the late 40s and 50s. And then later, J. Alex Bowab, who came to town and put WKXI on the air and made it immediately central Mississippi's number one station. Oh, and as Tex Ritter said in "Hillbilly Heaven," me!
 
jboyd said:
Wasn't it "Roger" Owenby? JBI
Click to expand...

I think Roger Earl's father, Jim Owenby was the one that put WJXN on the air, along with Ms Elva. Seems like he had an AM in Hawaii at one time also.

RFB
 
Flattered, but I doubt I merit a place of honor. Rodger (correct spelling) Earle Ownby's dad was Jim Ownby, aka The Colonel, and yes he did own KNDI 1270 in Hawaii also.

Speaking of spelling, I think OWNBY is correct, not OWENBY.
 
J Alex Bowab said:
Flattered, but I doubt I merit a place of honor. Rodger (correct spelling) Earle Ownby's dad was Jim Ownby, aka The Colonel, and yes he did own KNDI 1270 in Hawaii also.

Speaking of spelling, I think OWNBY is correct, not OWENBY.
Click to expand...

I believe you are correct on the spelling. Funny story about the "Colonel" logo that WJXN used for years... not sure if it is true, but this is how it was told to me:

The original "Colonel" logo for WJXN had a cane in one hand and a mint julep glass in the other. When WJXN went to a gospel format, it was some time later that someone realized the mint julep glass may not be a good idea for a gospel station. The logo was modified to place the Colonel's hand behind his back.

RFB
 
True story. I used to have some promo pieces with the original logo on it ... and yes he was holding a "beverage."
 
Yes, I'll drink to the Colonel.

Rodger is alive and well and working in the furniture business in Jackson. I keep threatening to come visit him. He's the man who first put me on "the radio."
 
I had forgotten about that Colonel sign. I wonder whatever happened to it? I remember in 1979 the entire station went under water. I wonder if they got any of the equipment out. It was off the air for a while. The building is unrecognizable now. Somewhere inside of the NWN studios is a Jim Walter house.
 
WJXN

flytrap said:
I had forgotten about that Colonel sign. I wonder whatever happened to it? I remember in 1979 the entire station went under water. I wonder if they got any of the equipment out. It was off the air for a while. The building is unrecognizable now. Somewhere inside of the NWN studios is a Jim Walter house.
Click to expand...

The old neon sign sat next to the building facing the driveway for a long time. I haven't been by there in a few years, so I don't know if it is still there. Billy Harris managed to salvage a good bit of the equipment but the transmitter and several other pieces of gear had to be replaced after the '79 flood. WJXN-AM had the distinction of being the first station in the area to get a solid state AM transmitter.

RFB
 
As a kid growing up in Belhaven, just north of Fortification Street in Jackson, I spent many evenings watching the magic of Bob Rall and Rodger Earl on the air in the late 50's, early 60's...both let me answer phone lines....sit in the control room....and just plain fall in love with the business! Bob and I turned out to be lifelong friends.
 
Gee, that's how I got started. Bill Harris, Rodger Earl and others let me answer the phones.
 
Yes, I recommend Bill Tanner. He is one of my heroes.
 
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