THE 2005 TEXAS RADIO HALL OF FAME INDUCTION DRAWS NIGH
Texas Radio Hall of Fame's
2005 Induction Celebration will be held in Dallas on Saturday evening, November 5 at the Grapevine Convention Center,
1209 South Main, Grapevine, Texas, just north of DFW Airport. That's also about 3 miles south of Grapevine Lake. Quizzed BOB
TOMLINSON if he received that news.
BOB TOMLINSON (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net Jim, Congratulations, you have my vote. Hey, nothing like turning your induction in the TRHoF into a birthday bash.
I'd say a whole bunch of people, some you've known for years and some you've just met through your internet newsletter. I'm
looking forward to meeting you. I'm sure just like others, your path and mine have come close to crossing many times. I still
kick myself for turning down a chance to work at KIKK-FM in 1970. Only reason was my wife grew up in Houston and hated the
thought of living there again. I think of the day in 72 when I boldly walked into KBOX looking for a job. You may have been
the first person I talked to before the PD whose name I don't recall barely gave me the time of day. I think you said you
were there that year. Peace be with you my friend, Bob
RON RICE was KBOX-1480's
Program Director when I was there 1971-72. He was a holdover from KBOX's golden Rock-n-Roll years. He and his wife
lived near Lake Tawakoni and he drove a pick-em-up truck. He later moved over to KRLD-1080 in the sales department.
RON was tragically killed in a head-on auto accident not long after that.
BOB mentioned his experience
one time at KBOX. When I went over to KLIF-1190 to meet with TED AGNEW in 1972, there was a girl who was in my 1962 graduating
class at Kimball high who was behind the window. She had married the famous sports announcer JAY RANDOLPH. She acted as if
I had just walked in off the street and had no business at KLIF. Little did she know of my radio resume, also that KLIF's
News Director, TED AGNEW, had invited me over for an interview. In just a day or so, I was behind the newsroom mic at the
Mighty 1190 KLIF. Those were the days, my friend.
Reminds me of another similar incident. When I was at KILT FM the 2nd time, one day
I came through the front door. Always entered the rear door from the parking lot with my KILT building card. The uppity receptionist
acted as if I had just wandered in off the street. A young lady who sat next to her said, That's Jim Rose! Told the
recept person that for the past 2 years, I had always entered through the back door with my KILT card and held it up for her
to see. People definitely are funny. You can only look back and laugh at those odd times in life. That's just a small part
of the seasoning process.
WHO WAS PATSY CLINE'S HUSBAND?
(Find out at the bottom
of this column)
BOB TOMLINSON (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net Subject: Contemporary Christian music stations. Jim, My memory is not near as sharp as yours but I remember once
stopping at a Christian station in Houston sometime between the last 70's and 81 or 82. Seems like it was on the Gulf Freeway
but I could be wrong. Studio seemed nice. Later I would say why didn't I ever give that a shot. I had a chance to visit Jeff
McLain at KENR one weekend in 1980. What great equipment. State of the art and what a great view out the windows as I recall.
Those were really the only stations in Houston I ever saw the inside of. Talk to you later. Bob
What BOB described sounds like KGOL FM, which was off
Loop 610 across from the Astrodome on the ground floor of a Holiday Inn. KFMK FM was in an old skyscraper in the Medical District.
The transmitter was on the other side of a very wide sliding glass door. KFMK FM was sold and became an Oldies station.
A group of well-heeled investors got together and
formed KSBJ FM which is way up north near Conroe. When I was there briefly toward the last of 1986, they were in new studios.
We played records from index cards inside metal boxes. This meant that you pulled out a card which represented a particular
tune, initialed it and filed it to the back of the small gray tin box. The 50+ mile drive to KSBJ FM began to take
its toll, so I resigned.
This was a year after the Shell lay off on December
17, 1985. Had been out of radio since the first month at Shell in October 1981. Later went over to KENR-1070 for another Saturday
morning show and yes it was really nice but a consultant came in and moved me to Saturday afternoons. Told him that I only
wanted Saturday mornings, but he wouldn't budge, so I quit radio until the 2nd round at KILT FM from 1992-96. Been out of
almost everything ever since. Until last year when I started writing this column on the first Friday of June 2004.
BOB TOMLINSON (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net --Jim, I really enjoy it and too I think it's good for you. I think at one time or another we all got bad raps from
managers. I know of two big ones I ran into. I could have handled both of them better. I was only fired from one job,
but it sure could have been more. I guess thats one area we didn't talk about at Elkins. You may be right about KGOL but it's
been too long ago and I was never good at names or calls signs of station I didn't work at. When I left KIOX in Bay City to
go to college in Dallas, I thought I'd be able to find a job even part time in Big D. Didn't happen so after a semister in
school I packed up the family and headed west to the area south of Lubbock. At that point I found out I was making too much
money in a small town to take a cut and go to a bigger market. Oh well, lots of west texas dust over the bridge. I'm really
enjoying the exchanges. Lets keep it up. Bob
SEND US YOUR TRIVIA QUESTIONS
What a nice surprise for JAYE to feature this column
in her fine site. The Internet totally astounds and mystifies me. The one true love in my life was PARRIS WILKES in 1959 in
Dallas while we attended JUSTIN F. KIMBALL high school. MISS WILKES became the Ninth Grade Sweetheart in the school coronation
ceremonies. PARRIS is now a famous romance novelist.
PARRIS AFTON BONDS (Dallas, TX) parris@parrisaftonbonds.com Jimmy, one of my brothers e-mailed me your website and your comments on our dating, among other things. You were
my first big crush. So handsome. Now, my apologies. I truly don't remember stealing your 45 record, but, if I did, I am exceedingly
sorry. My youngest son has all my 45's. I'll have him go through the collection for the So Tough 45 and, if it's among the
45's, I'll see that it is returned to you. It appears that Life is dealing wonderfully with you, and I'm so glad. You deserve
joy -- especially, if you had to angst all these years over my record kleptomania! Your fan, Parris
Several years ago, my sister told me that PARRIS was
a novelist. That was when they were still living in Dallas. They've been in New Orleans for quite some time. After my sister,
SHIRLEY, told me about PARRIS' writing career, I looked for and found one of PARRIS AFTON BONDS' books - The Flash of
the Firefly. Keep it close at hand just for old time's sake.
PARRIS AFTON BONDS (Dallas, TX) parris@parrisaftonbonds.com Well, Jimmy Braveheart, who would have ever thought? A famous D.J.! I often wondered where you went. Ever so often,
I've attended the Kimball reunions but, of course, never ran into you. I'm 5'4 and 125 pounds, still have brown hair, as well
-- if you discount the highlight, so much so that I appear blonde 8-). I love being 61 -- the pleasure of life without the
angst that came with being the reverse -- 16. Please keep in touch, as you will always be special in my memories, Parris
Remember PARRIS with love, but I never have been to
France.
Bonneville broadcasting in St. Louis has reduced its
news department. MONICA ADAMS eases out of the WIL building. ADAMS has been AM Drive and News Director at WIL FM (92.3) for
eight years. MONICA says she was let go due to downsizing at WIL FM. You can get in touch with ADAMS at monicaadams2001@hotmail.com .
MICHAEL JAMES LUCAS (Austin, TX) mjlucas@austin.rr.com Subject: Old KXOL studios Jim, I was just reading the conversation you've been having with Dave Jarrott regarding
the downstairs of the KXOL 7th street building. When I was with KNOW/Austin, Wendell Mayes owned KXOL. At the time, there
was a recording studio down there.
In about '66-'67 I was managing a rock band and
we drove to Fort Worth and recorded several tunes there. I remember the studio engineer's name was York. I can't remember
his first name, but I'm sure York was his last name.
Later, when I was PD in '75-'76, Turner owned KXOL
and they had offices down there. Turner also owned Turner Oil, which included all the Shamrock service stations in this part
of the world and I vividly recall going down there to get my Shamrock credit card. Just thought I pass along what I remember
about that great radio building. Cheers, Michael Lucas
Yes, I loved KXOL's building, studios, location
and our fine radio station. TOM TURNER owned 255 Sigmore-Shamrock u-fill-em-up gasoline stations in south Texas, plus an Amalie
franchise and many oil and gas 18 wheelers. It was TURNER who invented the you pump your own gas operations that we see everywhere
today.
Besides the petroleum industry, TOM dabbled in
broadcast preperties like KBUC FM-AM in San Antonio. HARREL BANKS was the General Manager who hired me from WFAA in Dallas
in August 1968 to go to the Alamo City to program KBUC FM-AM. Neither TURNER nor HARREL ever gave me a Shamrock auto
fuel credit card. Guess that was because as KBUC's Program Director, all my petrol was furnished by TOM's Shamrock
gas stations. Plus, TURNER gave me a brand new baby blue Ford XLT pick-em-up truck to use. It was a rolling advertisement
with KBUC boldly emblazoned on both sides of the vehicle. Steppin' high and swingin' low. Those were the days, my friend.
KRYS-1360 in Corpus Christi and KTON in Belton were
also under TURNER's auspices. Ironic that both KXOL and KRYS shared the 1360 spot on the radio dial. Have a few TOM TURNER
stories that I may share at another time.
50 kw clear channel WBAP-820 sends out a strong
signal to most of the United States. BOB CROWLEY performs the all-night news run on WBAP. When a person is on the air
during that all-night period, you basically have the studios all to yourself. That makes for a very cozy hassle-free envirorment.
CROWLEY delivers his news in that fashion. Have wondered if WBAP is still in the quaint old orange brick two story radio-TV
building on Broadcast Hill.
BOB CROWLEY (Arlington, TX) bobcrowley@mail.ev1.net Hey Jim. Yes, overnight is nice, having the newsroom mostly to myself. I see the guys from the Overnight Trucking
Network, and sometimes some of the people from ESPN 103. We also have KSCS and Twister (two country stations) and Radio Disney
in our facility, but Radio Disney actually originates from North Dallas and the ABC Network facility. We are all owned by
Disney/ABC/CAP CITIES.
WBAP moved from Broadcast
Hill in Fort Worth about 12 years ago. We are in a nondescript office building in North Arlington, about a half mile north
of Six Flags and the Ballpark, I mean Ameriquest Field In Arlington.
Bill Mack has been gone
from here a few years, but I still get the occasional call asking for him. Sometimes I think they printed our number on six-packs
of beer, cause we get some pretty wasted callers sometimes. I've got Chapman Mott's phone number in my book at home. I spoke
with him about 5 or 6 years ago; he's out of radio. Bob
PATSY CLINE's husband was
CHARLIE DICK. CHARLIE was PATSY's second bridegroom. They were married in the place of PATSY's birth, Winchester, Virginia
on September 15, 1957.
Remember CHARLIE quite well.
On a blistery cold dark Saturday afternoon in the winter of 1969, he slipped into the studio of KBUC FM in San Antonio while
I was on the air. DICK was well-known in more ways than one. CHARLIE also promoted recording artists and their tunes. We had
a nice long chat about the music industry, but he never let me know that he was also the late PATSY CLINE's husband.
As a radio station Program
and Music Director, visits from record promo people were quite common. Guess DICK figured every Country radio station programmer
already knew that fact, but I had only been in radio for about five years and was still pretty wet behind the ears. Just a
short time later, came to the realization of who that famous person was. CHARLIE left me a tall bottle
of champaign for the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays of 1969. Stuck it in the refrigerator at home. The next time
my parents visited from Dallas, mom poured its contents down the drain.
CLINE was born September
8, 1932. The name on her birth certificate is VIRGINIA PATTERSON HENSLEY. The leap into international stardom began with her
appearance on ARTHUR GODFREY's Talent Scouts in 1957. So, nineteen fifty-seven became a very lucky number for PATSY CLINE.
OWEN BRADLEY, who was PATSY's
musical supervisor and producer churned out the hits on Decca records for CLINE. OWEN kept her focused. For several
decades, just about all of Decca's top recording artists were produced by BRADLEY, including BRENDA LEE.
PATSY's first major Decca
records smash was Walkin' After Midnight which landed on Billboard's Hot 100 on March 2, 1957 and sailed to
#12 in the nation. This tune was written by DONN HECHT and ALAN BLOCK, an electronic engineer who wrote mainly as a hobby. It
was penned for KAY STARR but her Artist and Repertoire (A & R) department wouldn't let her record it. They said it was
pure B-flat blues.
CLINE had signed a contract
with BILL MCCALL at Four-Star publishing in Pasadena, California which stated that she would only record songs from
their writers. So far, she had been unsuccessful on every tune she recorded. One day, BILL called CLINE in
Virginia about a tune he thought would change matters. PATSY said she hated the title, but listened to
it over the phone anyway. She also disliked the song. PATSY exclaimed, It's nothin' but a little ole pop
song! BILL yelled back, And you're nothin' but a little ole pop singer who lives in the country! They began
to laugh. MCCALL persuaded CLINE to come on down to Hollywood at his expense. The rest is history.
I Fall to Pieces hit Billboard's Hot 100 on July 24, 1961 and climbed to the #12 position. Everyone knows PATSY
by the timeless tune authored by WILLIE NELSON - Crazy. This unbelievable evergreen crossed over to Billboard November
6, 1961 and rose to the #9 site.
One of my all time personal favorites is She's Got You, which beached on Billboard February 2, 1962 and
shot to #14 in America. This beautiful love song became CLINE's swan song. PATSY CLINE was tragically killed in
a plane crash on March 5, 1963. Nashville and the world of entertainment were hit hard by this tragic incident because the
trio aboard that airplane included HAWSHAW HAWKINS and COWBOY COPAS, who also were popular entertainers and recording
stars in Country music.
Jim Rose
Houston, Texas
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