DALLAS RADIO WILL NEVER BE THE SAME
RON CHAPMAN announced to the world March 3rd that he is going to hang up his Rock-n-Roll shoes. RON's going
to retire from being behind the boom mic this summer. CHAPMAN is only 69. RON has much more radio entertainment
in the storehouse for his anxious listeners, so don't be surprised to hear RON again now and then.
RON became a member of GORDON MCCLENDON's KLIF in 1959 and remained in Dallas the rest of his illustrious
radio career. RON held the starring role in the CHARLIE and HARRIGAN morning show on the Mighty 1190-KLIF and kept all of
Dallas county mesmirized. CHAPMAN pulled off real broadcasting masterpieces each and every day he was behind the mic. While
the rest of us deejays moved hither and yon, RON has spent most of his 50 years on the radio in Dallas. RON outlasted many
on KVIL FM for over 30 years. KLUV FM was delighted to have RON around for the past 5 years.
When I attended the 2004 Texas Radio Hall of Fame
induction ceremonies in the large Radisson Hotel and Spa banquet hall last October in San Antonio, was thrilled and honored
when RON CHAPMAN and his lovely wife joined AL LURIE (Legendary KLIF General Manager) and his spouse, CHET MAXWELL (Well-known
KBOX General Manager and KILT sales exec) and me at our cozy ten-place table. Every few minutes, RON was called to the stage
for this or that honor or speech.
DON BARRETT (Los Angeles, CA) db@thevine.net are you the KZLA jim rose? db
No, not that one. Never wanted to leave Texas. There
was another JIM ROSE also in Texas radio, but it was not his real name. He later became a Texas highway patrolman. Must be
several of us jim roses out there.
RUSS HORTON (Georgetown, Ontario, CANADA) rhorton60@hotmail.com HI JIM, I live in Georgetown, just NW of Toronto. Could you do an ID for the Station? Do you have the facilities?
It would be excellent to get you on there. How about old airchecks of you? Let me know. Thanks man. And stay in touch! RUSS
Thank you very much for the invitation. That's something
that I keep forgetting to do is make dubs of some of my old KULF, KFJZ, KXOL, KBOX, KLIF and KILT airchecks. Have promised
several folks copies of those air days. The growing list of seekers draws nigh.
RUSS HORTON (Georgetown, Ontario, CANADA) rhorton60@hotmail.com Hi Jim, man you worked at some trend setting rockers..KBOX..KLIF, McClendons baby..KXOL..did you know Ron Seldon..but
that was 73..was he still there when you were there..and KILT..wow.
Have you got any airchecks unscoped you could
send..how aboout doing an ID for Mr Aircheck Radio..just say who you are etc..your listening to Mr Aircheck radio etc.
I've been a jock for 25 years off and on..worked
CFGM Country 1980..CKO News 1979..CING FM-108 CANADAS ORIGINAL OLDIES STATION..CKMW..and so on..I do the introductions to
the airchecks..
I also have a 3 hour radio show on the internet..Radio
Samantha Live 365..check me out 2.30pm eastern every sunday..top 40 oldies for 90m..and classic rock for 90m..its great fun..dont
even get paid for it..I do it just for fun..I am negotiating with Radio Caroline for a gig though..check out my show www.radiosamantha.com Let me know what you think of Mr Aircheck Radio..great huh! Later man and thanks! Russ
Missed RON SELDEN at KXOL-1360 and KIKK FM by just
a hair. Here in Houston, RON was KIKK FM's PM Drive DJ in the 1990s. While I was at KILT FM in the early to mid-nineties,
Westinghouse bought KIKK FM-AM and added them to its Bayou City holdings. All the KIKK FM DJs were given their walking papers.
SELDEN moved over to KKBQ FM and don't know where else he landed.
Yes, I was at KILT FM and KILT AM (1980-81) when they
switched to Country in early 1981. That turnabout was tragic because I finally was on BILL YOUNG's fine team and was a very happy
camper. KILT FM had a wonderful Album Rock format. After the change to Country, my Saturday night ARB ratings became
phenominal. #1 in almost all demographics except the upper age group and it was #2 and #3. Still have a copy of that great
ARB. The ratings shot straight to the ceiling but when BILL left, the magic was gone. That's when I eased over to KENR
and Shell Oil.
Went back to KILT FM and KILT AM (1992-96). Both times
I was primarily a KILT FM DJ, but also appeared on KILT AM. Westinghouse spread me pretty thin. Everyone knew how
much I loved radio and took full advantage of it. Many times I would get off the air on KILT FM or KILT AM, zoom
to the other side of the old building on Lovett to go on the air on one or the other. In 1996, KILT AM switched to All Sports.
ROD TANNER and CHUCK JOSEPH escaped downstairs to the back door and left the building.
A few months later, I meandered out that same gate.
In fact, after the move to new surroundings in the Galleria, all the KILT FM DJs, program directors, music directors and managers
had left the building. DAN GALLO was the last of our original DJ crew to depart the confines. Got caught up in the big middle
of several radio switch-a-roos from Top 40 and Rock to Country. Was at KXOL (1975-76) when they decided to reshuffle
the dance music from shimmy, bop and disco to two-step, line-dance and hoe-down in the Fall of 1976.
ROD TANNER (Houston, TX) rodiana@ev1.net Hey Jim, Just checkin in. Saw where you were nominated for the Texas Hall of Fame, Congrats, its about time.
I've been enjoying all of the comments from the guys about San Antonio radio.
My days at KONO are some of my fondest. We had
a lot of fun when I was there and some of my best buddies were guys who were working at other stations. Two guys I ran around
with the most were Tim Kelly who was doing 6 til 9 at KTSA and Bob Moody who was doing 7til Midnite at WOAI while I was doing
9til Midnite at KONO. We would gather to close down the clubs at 2am. We all left within about six months of one another and
ended up working at KTLK in Denver.
Talked with both Tim and Bob not too long ago.
Tim is still in LA, semi-retired, He co-founded Premiere network, which he sold to Clear Channel for a truck load of money
and Bob is VP at Regent Communications. Keep up the good work, Rod Tanner
ROD TANNER (Houston, TX) rodiana@ev1.net Oops forgot, I too would love to track down Nick St. John if anyone out there knows his whereabouts....Rod
RUSS HORTON (Georgetown, Ontario, CANADA) rhorton60@hotmail.com Hi Jim, You can now hear radio from years gone by..every week the selections change and are aired the same week
we are currently living in..for example if the current date is July 14..you will hear airchecks from that week..only its 1959..1965..1973..or
1984.
The station is dedicated to the DJs from the past
..the great music stations of the world..and all airchecks include music..spots..newscasts uncut..the station is growing daily
and is 99 percent old jocks and broadcasters... who want to remember the good old days. I thought you might want to tune it
in once in a while..dont worry its free..
Mr Aircheck is just a click away heres the link
www.live365.com/stations/mraircheck4159 or my website will tell you more about me..this is simply a labor of love..enjoying great broadcasters like yourself..and
having these guys back on the air again is most pleasing to me..leave a message on the forum..its a great place for radio
people to chat! www.newpov.com/russ Thanks for taking time to read
this! Russ Horton
Certainly do yearn for those sparkling solid gold
moments when radio was so much fun and filled to the brim with excitement. Radio nostalgia is good for the heart, mind, body
and soul.
ED GUERRERO (San Antonio, TX) edward-guerrero@sbcglobal.net Jim, On the 440.com, the people locator, website you wrote about your other career..that with the oil exploration
industries. Looking at the list it shows that you left the San Antonio market in 1973 to air your speaking expertise elsewhere
in Texas.
As a draftsman did you work here with the aerial
surveyors and/or photogrametry companies involved with oil exploration here during '68 thru '72; places like: Jack Amman Aerial,
Tobin Aerial and/or Petty Geophysical? The reason i mention this is because i too was involved with the same industries as
a Rep for an oil exploration instrumentation mfg company (H. Dell Foster) that interfaced computers with the customer's data
collection instrumentation (Wild or Ziess stereoplotters and H. Dell Foster photorectifiers).
If you worked here we might have crossed paths
then. During my tenure with the co. i made several business trips to Houston to support Ray-Petty Geophysical, Ray merged
with Petty while i was working for Foster. I believe Ray-Petty eventually became part of Halliburton Ind. I valued my association
with this industry. But i decided to leave this road warrior job (1976) to crossover into the industrial factory automation
careers as a systems designer/programmer.
Jim, reading about your extra writing workload
i do not expect You to answer my e-mail msg but. i wish could continue to provide old tyme radio tidbits and questions that
i might come across; for perhaps for use on your future website writings. Best of Luck and Regards, Ed G. San Antonio, Texas
Radio speaking engagements were all over Texas. That's
why I shifted to Houston's oil industry. The initial entry was Western Geophysical of America (1978-79), but KULF tugged me
right back with mighty good bucks for the noon-3 pm program. When I was swing, KULF overlapped with Western Geophysical. Next,
came KGOL FM (1981). Then, KENR-1070 (1981) overlapped with Shell Oil (1981-85), but when the price per barrel of oil
sunk to $8, I was just about the only one left in my department at Shell.
Took 1986 off for a little R & R. Toward the end
of 1986, accepted a DJ position at KSBJ FM, until I had a great fall and fractured some more ribs. In 1987, began to take on petroleum contracts at Amoco, Pecten (Shell
International), Shell, Marathon, Exxon and Chevron. Then came a second round at KILT FM and KILT AM (1992-96). By 1999, I
cut out the petroleum contracts, radio and just about everything else.
Y100 FEZtival Returns Despite No FM Home. Y100rocks.com , the Web site and internet radio station started by ten ex-WPLY Philadelphia staffers and friends has become the first
Internet radio station to host their own radio station concert. On Sunday May 15, Y100rocks.com will present the FEZtival at Festival Pier in Philly, featuring sets by GARBAGE, INTERPOL, THE BRAVERY and a special
guest to be announced.
One of my fave groups is back in the swing of things.
The members of DEPECHE MODE are back in the studio, producing their first album since Exciter in 2001. Songbird DAVE
GAHAN says, It's a great feeling to be back together in the studio again and we are very excited about the new material.
We're all feeling incredibly positive about the album. BEN HILLIER has brought a whole new dynamic to the group which is quite
inspiring.
EDWARD GUERRERO edward-guerrero@sbcglobal.net Jim, Today i logon to RDN.com...wanting to catchup with the latest. With much to my surprise i was reading my own
previous e-mail to You. In a way its good that i did so for i found my errors in my spelling and grammar. I do have the bad
habit of not proof reading my written word. I'm also very cryptic in my writing style.
I learned this mode in my younger years for i
chose a technical career (all branches of electronics) that it only requires one to convey the facts and not the structure
of the written language. When i joined the USAF i tried my best not to show that i had administrative capabilities for i had
a phobia that i might windup being a teat-less clerk in the service. That would have been boring to have had this type of
assignment.
I'm very impressed with the writing skills of
the persons that contact your website. They all have a common thread in that they come to the core of the subject conveyed
very easily. I guess that's what you acquire when you interface with the public at large. Am very impressed by their endless
wisdom.
My former boss, Layman W. Cameron, whose name
i have mentioned in my previous msg had a knack of being a good messenger. He had a very well modulated voice and a very good
vocabulary i suppose very much like your colleagues. When i worked for him at his MUZAK franchise (as a studio engineer) he
was very much my constant critic especially when i entered the days activities in the studio log. He always complained of
my long winded entries. Brevity was his key to his success...the following story was told to me by Layman...very much indicative
of his professional style. I'm sure he used these qualities when he was a broadcaster in his younger days (mid 30's thru early
50's)
Brevity Key To Success
There was a young journalistic major fresh out
of college who was hired by a mid-west newspaper. The publishing editor, a seasoned newspaper person from the old school,
was very hard to please. He hated receiving novel sized stories, his expectations were for his reporters to file well investigated
stories and short enough to fit in the front page columns.
The new cub reporter was having a heck of
a time in fulfilling the ole geezers demands, but in time he learned how to get in step to the stringent polices..as a matter
he learned fast!
Time came for this young reporter to follow up
on a story about an escaped mental patient from a hospital who not only was on the run, but responsible for quite a few female
assaults. This wise young reporter came back from the field and filed this brief report.....NUT BOLTS and SCREWS Regards, Ed G. San Antonio, Texas
Jim Rose
Houston, Texas
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