WILLIE NELSON,
HORACE LOGAN AND KPCN
The father of the Louisiana
Hayride, was HORACE LOGAN. In the summer of 1967, HORACE was a DJ at KPCN-730 in Dallas when I was so fortunate to be a member
of that fine team. KPCN's allstar cast included ED MILTON (MILLER), BILL MACK, JOE POOVEY, RANDY RYDER and JIM ROSE. HORACE
told me that WILLIE HUGH NELSON wrote most of his most memorable classics when he and LOGAN layed carpet in Dallas. The owner
of the floor covering company fired NELSON because he said WILLIE spent more time writing songs than laying carpet.
Probably the most monumental
song written by anyone is Crazy by WILLIE NELSON. Every female artist in all music genres has recorded Crazy.
Of course, the only one which stands the test of time is the PATSY CLINE translation. WILLIE says he wrote that marvelous
masterpiece in 1959 or 60 when he was traveling between club engagements in Houston. Neither NELSON nor anyone else ever dreamed
of the effect that particular song would have on all of us music lovers as well as the entire world of music.
WILLIE grew up and was raised
by his grandparents on a farm near the central Texas town of Abbott. NELSON was naturally shy and adored the peace and quiet
of the farmland. Even had the desire to become a farmer himself, but knew his destiny was as an entertainer. NELSON got his
first guitar at the age of six.
During NELSON's early times
in Nashville, he was hired as a tunesmith for a then small publishing firm. WILLIE was placed inside a small room and was
told not to come out until he wrote a song. NELSON says he looked all around that cubicle for inspiration and all he
saw was walls. Another of WILLIE's timeless classics emerged, Hello Walls. WILLIE put the tune to record and
scored a hit. But, it took superstar, FARON YOUNG, to take it to the limit.
FARON was just out of Shreveport's
Fair Park high school when he began to appear on clear channel 50,000 watt KWKH. WEBB PIERCE was already a top Country music
artist. PIERCE was struck with the talent that FARON posessed. WEBB quickly snapped up FARON to be his front man, as it was
then called. What that meant was FARON's fabulous vocal range was going to harmonize with PIERCE on all his appearances and
records.
What a find! Capitol records
immediately took notice of FARON YOUNG and he was signed to a recording contract. Hello Walls was one of the first
huge hits to come out of that agreement. Hello Walls became #1 on all the nation's Country charts and did what all
artists desire the most - crossed over to the Pop charts. Hello Walls debuted May 1, 1961 on Billboard's Hot 100
and jumped to #12 and remained there for 11 weeks. This was unheard of for a Country music recording artist, but was the pairing
of legends WILLIE NELSON and FARON YOUNG.
From 1962 to 1993, NELSON
has amassed 20 #1 hits and 114 chart singles. July 4, 1973, was the debut of the annual WILLIE NELSON Picnic in Dripping Springs,
Texas. The festival, with its cast of stars, became a national tradition. One writer described the annual event as Woodstock
South of the Brazos.
One of NELSON’s first
Austin inventions was the LP titled The Red Headed Stranger. This 1975 concept album was recorded in a small
Texas studio for just a small amount of money. Columbia Records' executives did not want to release the LP. They felt
it was too raw, sounded to them like a demo record. But. low and behold, this became the first of many million sellers
for WILLIE during the 1970s. From this masterpiece came WILLIE’s first #1 single, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,
which was not a song written by WILLIE, but a 1945 tune penned by Fred Rose. 1976's Wanted.- The Outlaws, became
the first million-selling country album. It remains one of the best-selling country music LPs of all time.
Good at trivia questions?
DOBIE GRAY had two hits, one in the sixties, the other in the seventies. One was uptempo, the other was a smooth
ballad. Can you name those two tunes? The answer lies toward the bottom of this column.
Breaking news! JIMMY
BUFFETT heads for Sirius business. That's right. Soon you will be able to hear BUFFETT on satellite radio. JIMMY will present
a Radio Margaritaville music channel exclusively for Sirius subscribers. This is a new 24-hour channel, which features BUFFETT
concerts, plus some of JIMMY's favorite tunes by other singers. BUFFETT's extravaganza debuts this summer. JIMMY commented,
I first listened to Sirius’ incredible programming in my car and my boat. We designed Radio Margaritaville after the
old pirate radio stations that sat offshore and played what they wanted. Sirius President of Entertainment and Sports, Scott
Greenstein said, When I saw how SIRIUS is changing the way radio is being heard, I welcomed the opportunity for Radio Margaritaville
to join them. Margaritaville is more than just great music - it’s a lifestyle.
BLAKE LINDSAY (Dallas, TX) blazin_blake@iqmail.net Hi Jim! Please keep up your first-rate fun to read writing. I appreciate your contribution,
to one of my very favorite subjects to talk about. I love to hear radio memories, and all of the exciting experiences we can
all share.
One
of my fondest, and funniest memories, was working with the real Wolfman Jack, in February of 92. My Saturday shift, was from
two until seven PM, and Wolf would follow me. He would always come in an hour early, to get ready, and also do more than his
fair share of joking around with me.
I
understood his fascination, because Wolf had never worked with a blind guy before, and thoroughly enjoyed practical jokes.
He would switch my Braille labels all over the radio console. I would go along with his little funny, and act confused,
but thank goodness I already new my way around the board well enough, to not make any big mistakes.
One
afternoon, I decided to get back at Wolf. We were playing the long version of the 1972 hit, Nights in White Satin by the Moody
Blues. I purposely had the monitor turned down low, and was anxiously waiting for the part of the song, where the big base
voice booms out the lyrics breathe deep. Wolf was sitting across from me, on a stool, for our stand up board. A split quarter
of a second or so before the base voice was ready to boom, Breathe Deep, I cranked those nice JBL speakers which were located
three or so feet above Wolf, to their maximum blast. Wolf jumped right out of his chair, completely caught off guard.
I
learned some choice words, I never even heard before. I laughed hysterically, and said, don't mind if I get you back a little
do you Wolf? I am sure happy, he didn't have a heart attack at that point, I would have never been able to get over it. We
made each other laugh, every Saturday he worked with KODZ. What a treat. I know we will all take pleasure in everyone's participation.
Talk to you soon Jim. Blake Lindsay Have a Blazin Good Day!
Does
your computer give you fits? Mine certainly does, but it's an old clinker. You'd better hold on to what you got before
you upgrade for at least another year. BILL GATES at Microsoft has something new just for you. The next
version of Windows is called Longhorn and it will be available with for sale signs in late 2006.
EDWARD GUERRERO (San Antonio, TX) edward-guerrero@sbcglobal.net Subject: Remenbering DJ's & Newscaters of Yesteryear Jim,
Today i had sudden remembrances of the following DJ's & Newscasters who made identity statement(s) which made radio listening
a joy and pleasure because there was certainly a human in front of the mic. Jim, Did You adopt a personal saying too? DJ's:
Bill
Rhode - Whose show's intro commented that it was He and not the other guy name "Rhode". In the past there was a realtor turned
politician named Rhode...who went around wearing an Uncle Sam's outfit, including the top hat. I won't try to paraphrase his
saying, but hoping that he will read Your website and comment on this.
Howard Edwards KONO 860 - "Fair Dinkums" Never Knew what it meant. He said other endearing comments about his
wife, but my brain cells can't make a recall what words he used. Again, hoping that your readers would fill in.
Mark Carrillo KKYX 680 - Currently an afternoon drive DJ offering "God's Blessings"
Budd Whaley KMAC 630 (circa
late 1940's) - "Go find a shamrock"
Newscasters:
Walter Cronkite CBS - " And that's the way it was" ( I guess as He saw it )
Dan Rather CBS - "Courage" When
he accent it in Spanish it meant "anger"
Remembering DJ's & Newscasters:
Bill Keilly KONO 860 - Announcer for
the (actual field recorded crime events) "So You Want To Be A Cop Show"....about 4 decades ago!
Bob Jenkins KONO 860 -
DJ George Sharman KONO 860 - DJ ( may have his last name spelled wrong )
Ray Hunt KONO 860 - Newscaster, he
tried KONO TV when it was launched. He looked like the guy from The Drudge Report, because he wore a hat too.
Henry Guerra WOAI AM 1200 - Old San Antonio historian, newscaster, funeral director and St. Mary's University Alumni
who had his start w/WOAI back in 1940. He and my former boss, Layman W. Cameron, worked at WOAI together then. You mentioned
Your association w/him on a Travis Savings commercial in the past on one of your previous website pages.
Alan
Dale WOAI AM 1200 - Talk Show Host
"Old leather lungs" Austin Williams WOAI AM & TV4 - Newscaster, Preferred AM especially
when he felt a little tipsy.
Henry Howell WOAI AM & TV4 - Newscaster,
Dave Matthews WOAI AM & TV4 -
Newscaster
Martha Buchanan WOAI AM & TV4 - Newscaster, A beauty... she stole my heart!
Pat Tallman KKYX 680 -
Radio Personality
Joe Simpson KKYX 680 - Newscaster, farm news was his specialty
Paul English KITE 930 - Radio Personality
Mary Denman KENS TV & other outlets - Radio & TV Personality.
Pat Shomette KEYL/KGBS TV - TV personality
By no means it is the end of the list, for others need to be recognized, perhaps in the future. Ed G. San Antonio,
Texas
PS. My personal thanks to the original San Antonio's KABC 680 station researcher, Bob Powledge, for his assist
in helping me find an online historical resource for future old time research projects. His recent email msg to You about
his findings on his Grandfather's work with Alamo Broadcasting Co. has certainly my compliments. Ed G.
JOE
SIMPSON was News Director at KBAT-680 when I was a DJ and talk show co-host there from 1970-71. SIMPSON was a very good friend
who had a great sense of humor. Many fond memories prevail.
LEE ANDERSON (McAlester, OK) sleepylee@mcalesterradio.com Jim been reading some of your columns. great stuff. brings back a lot of memories. Pat Tallman
was one. Pat was a dj while in high school. I remember him from the 1956, 57, 58 era on KTSA way before i thought about getting
into radio. Also remember Ricci Ware. Was a Bob Sinclair on KTSA for years, always wondered what happened to him.
Does any one remember when KBAT i think that was the call then was country with Bill Mack, Charlie Walker, Neil Merritt
as dj's. KBER caused them to change format in the early 60's. When i was at KBER we had only 2 commercial sponsors. Lone Star
Beer and Bobbie Barkers Farmers Daughter. Talk to you later. Lee
CHARLIE
WALKER was a DJ at KMAC in the 1960s. Did not know that he was also on KBAT then, too. MISS BOBBIE BARKER,
who owned the Farmer's Daughter, was a very good friend. This is new news that BILL MACK was
a DJ at KMAC, also. BILL and I were DJs at KPCN in Dallas in 1967.
A
long time friend from one of the Elkin's Institute classes of 1964 and a DJ at KBUC FM when
I was there in the late 1960s, JERRY KING, has been a DJ at KKYX for at least three decades. KKYX has remained Country
for over 30 years.
LEE ANDERSON (McAlester, OK) sleepylee@mcalesterradio.com Jim...I am almost positive 680 was country maybe 58 or 59 to maybe 61.
I don't remember what call letters they used. I think they were already KBAT at that time. I remember Charlie Walker doing
a shift on KMAC. This was before he went to KBAT. I dont think i am dreaming, but these days who knows. I think after KBAT
left country they became Carousel Radio and played the big bands. Lee
That really is unusual. KBAT was Country twice in its existance. San Antonio's 680 kc has quite a long and varied history.
We know that 680's original call letters were KABC, for Alamo Broadcasting Company. Then, KENS, to coincide with its partner,
KENS TV. Then it became KBAT. In 1971, KKYX were its call letters. This is proving to be a never ending saga.
LEE ANDERSON (McAlester, OK) sleepylee@mcalesterradio.com Jim, I remember KENS but I don't remember when they changed to KBAT, I
think that occurred when Roy Hofheinz bought the station so he could have an outlet for his Houston Baseball team. San Antonio
people would not support the old Colt 45's, so he bought the San Antonio baseball team and stadium..He moved the baseball
team out and bulldozed down the stadium. Made people hate the Colt 45's even more. I do remember it being country, old fashioned
country, in the late 50's and early 60's..Bamford came along with KBER and ran a fast paced modern for the day country format.
A funny story. Bam was so tight he would not sign an ASCAP contract, so we played only BMI and SESAC music.
Yes,
I remember BAM very well. In 1972, A.V. called me in Dallas for the positions of AM Drive, Program Director and Music
Director at KBER FM-AM. Already knew that BAMFORD held onto his money with a tight fist. Certainly was happy for the
challange that KBER FM-AM posed.
TOM
TURNER, who owned KBUC, hired HARREL BANKS away from BAMFORD to came to KBUC FM-AM as General Manager. BANKS brought BUBBA
REDING and EDDIE DANIELS along with him. HARREL lured me away from WFAA-820 in Dallas August 1968 as a mid-day DJ at KBUC
FM, plus Program and Music Director responsibilites. TOM ORTIZ became the second chief engineer at KBUC back then.
In
1972, a reunification occurred that brought EDDIE DANIELS, TOM ORTIZ and JIM ROSE together again across the
street at KBER FM-AM.
DOBIE
GRAY scored a hit with The "In" Crowd in the winter of 1965 It reached #13 on Billboard. DOBIE's other
hit was Drift Away in the spring of 1973. This was GRAY's shining star. It sold over a half million copies and sailed
to the #5 position on Billboard. Those were the days, my friend.
Jim
Rose
Houston, Texas
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