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WOAI-AM Airchecks

Here is an aircheck I posted a few months back on Youtube of my Dad, George L. Davis, with a composite of his mid-day show at Music Radio WOAI from 1971 and 1972. The station sounded great with custom PAMS jingles and lots of reverb. George "Super Cooper" was the PD and Cliff Hunter was the GM. They had an interesting music format that was seriously "dayparted" - An AC/MOR type sound in the day and Rock & Roll Top 40 after 7 PM at night when the 50,000 watt signal blasted to dozens of states in the middle part of the country. However, there was a "Top 40" style presentation (weather jingles, for example) in both music formats that kept the show moving.

More to come!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKdZVNiHvNM
 
Great to see some other WOAI airchecks emerging from days gone by!
 
Hi,

Thanks for posting these... Sure would like to hear more of these from the 60s.

I do recall WOAI-AM making the shift from music to news talk from early to mid 1975.
 
fredcantu said:
Wasn't Kenny Garcia-- now Kenny G on KXTN-- on WOAI in its musicradio days?
Click to expand...

He sure was! Check out the picture of the WOAI jocks featured at about 1:20 into the video of the George L. Davis aircheck. This was taken from the inside of a record album the station put out. It features all of the then-current WOAI jocks from 1972. Ken Garcia is on the upper left, just to the left of Larry Kent.
 
That was him. He ran a super-tight board considering he only had one arm. It was jaw-dropping to watch him work at KRGV slinging carts around, cuing up records and of course running the audio board itself.
 
Indeed, absolutely brilliant work! The late Tom Nix once did a news feature on Kenny and we got a response on it that lasted for weeks. I don't think there was anyone more respected at KRGV AM.
 
gabigley1 said:
I do recall WOAI-AM making the shift from music to news talk from early to mid 1975.
Click to expand...

That sounds right. I recorded a short WOAI aircheck from DX all the way in Indianapolis on a cold, winter night in February, 1975 and they were still doing top 40 music. "Randy Rice" was the evening jock. They played "Black Water" by the Doobies as a current and "Rocky Mountain Way" by Joe Walsh as an 'oldie' (1 1/2 years old at that point). There was a contest called "Zip Zap" (complete with a station contest 'sounder' to alert listeners to call in) and the winners would get a portable AM pocket radio (!) presumably to listen to WOAI "wherever you go".

Do you remember any of this, Johnny?
 
I remember hitting the beach at WOAI in April of ''74. I realized two dreams! Working 7PM to Midnight on a 50K clear channel station and getting in on the grown floor of something big. Man, it was a kick to cover North and South America..Canada as well on a rocker! When then owner AVCO came out with home video cassette units that weren't viably priced for the market, they sold their Broadcast Division. It was Red who closed the deal..and got WOAI for pennies on the dollar. He and Lowry, of course. I was PD during the transition from Rock to News/Talk/Sports in '75. Talk about an interesting experience! The market had never seen anything like it. The advertisers lapped it up..and this with no Arbitron participation..no ratings at all! We had a visionary as GM (J. Barger) and me in programming. The salesmen were the "super stars!" I recall Allan Dale holding court one night before the switch..introducing Carl, Mary and others to "talk radio" at the "Old San Francisco Steakhouse.

Many of the guys split for Providence where a station was changing formats and wanted to take everyone. I decided to stay. Be$t decision I ever made. When we incorporated with 3 stations, it was decided to call ourselves Clear Channel Communications because of WOAI's designation. The rest is b'cast history. I've got some stories to pass along if anyone would care to hear them. I won't pull punches.

Looking back, I have mixed feelings about helping start Clear Channel. The "Mom And Pop's" that were gobbled up didn't sit very well with me. Otherwise...It was great! I'd never invested in anything before. After CCU bought the Louisville stations (correct me on the market, please) they had 401k's... so the entire Corporation had to offer them to all employees. I borrowed $10,000 from family and bought the IPO at $10 per share with no commission. I also put as much as was allowed into company stock in the 401K. It was scary when deregulation hit. Those 3 stations grew to over 1,200, then TV, World Wide Outdoor Advertising, Concert Venues, etc. As mentioned..interesting. Johnny
 
Jinglefreak...Your Dad was a true pro! He preceded me at WOAI by a year or two. Cliff Hunter was still there in April of '74, but left shortly after we arrived. That's a great photo of your Dad on You Tube! I remember that board very well...I use to listen to him while I was programming KEYS in Corpus Christi.

Just wanted to touch base! Johnny
 
johnny marks said:
I remember hitting the beach at WOAI in April of ''74. I realized two dreams! Working 7PM to Midnight on a 50K clear channel station and getting in on the grown floor of something big. Man,
Click to expand...

So you worked the 7-Midnight shift. That clear channel signal was amazing.

Were you "Randy Rice" working that same shift in early '75 or was that another jock? If that was you, I have a couple of airchecks to share with you!
 
Here is a *new* WOAI-AM aircheck of my Dad, George L. Davis (his real name) from Friday morning, November 19th, 1971. This is mostly unscoped with some full spots, including Jax Beer and Handy Andy. I included some pictures and drawings of the WOAI staff during 1971 and 1972. I will be posting another aircheck from earlier in his shift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynsxoU8Ndw
 
Those are great clips. Inspired me to go to Amazon and purchase Mary Hopkin's "Goodbye". ;D

Thanks for bringing back some good (and not so good) memories!
 
johnny marks said:
When then owner AVCO came out with home video cassette units that weren't viably priced for the market, they sold their Broadcast Division. It was Red who closed the deal..and got WOAI for pennies on the dollar. <snip>

I borrowed $10,000 from family and bought the IPO at $10 per share with no commission. I also put as much as was allowed into company stock in the 401K. It was scary when deregulation hit. Those 3 stations grew to over 1,200, then TV, World Wide Outdoor Advertising, Concert Venues, etc. As mentioned..interesting. Johnny
Click to expand...
These two anecdotes in your post just made me realize something.

Back in the 70s, my parents owned stock in AVCO. Boy, did they bet on the wrong horse! :'( ;)
 
Daypart..they weren't alone! A lot of people lost their shirts on AVCO.

I don't know if anyone has heard, but Don Couser (and George the Duck!) passed away 4/18 of this year. Great talent and a great man. Don touched many people having taught b'casting at San Antonio College here in the Alamo City and spent most of the '60's and '70's on KONO.

It's always sad when we lose a fellow radio friend..but, hey, it's as natural as being born. Don's voice (and ours) are continuing to travel through space..that always amazed me. Certainly a big plus for "Broadcasting." Take Care, All..Let's stay in touch! Johnny
 
johnny marks said:
I don't know if anyone has heard, but Don Couser (and George the Duck!) passed away 4/18 of this year. Great talent and a great man. Don touched many people having taught b'casting at San Antonio College here in the Alamo City and spent most of the '60's and '70's on KONO.

It's always sad when we lose a fellow radio friend..but, hey, it's as natural as being born. Don's voice (and ours) are continuing to travel through space..that always amazed me. Certainly a big plus for "Broadcasting." Take Care, All..Let's stay in touch! Johnny
Click to expand...

Yes, recall Don and George from the 60s on KONO. Don Couser and Howard Edwards where two
of the biggest San Antonio radio icons from the 60s in my opinion. This is sad news.

Here is the obituary:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?n=donald-couser&pid=164454710#fbLoggedOut
 
I remember working with Tom Nix (got into politics?), Bob Tucker, Roger Ramsey..so many more.

One night while working at Channel 3..I filled in for Charlie St. John on weather and also worked news..He was on vacation or otherwise indisposed! Moved the weather board and all Charlie's empties came crashing down!

As PD at KZFM in '70 we were giving FM converters away!! Not much penetration in those days!
 
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