Happy Thanksgiving all! Time to be with friends and family, and, of course, the WKRP Turkey Drop!
http://vodpod.com/watch/2354771-wkrp-in-cincinnati-turkey-drop
Ohhh, the humanity! ; > ) Gobble gobble !
Dave M/
(Wow, Dave, I needed that! I'd forgotten about that particular episode and you came through!
Folks, Dave also mentioned to me, as A. J. did on his blog a couple of years ago, that fictional WKRP was surprisingly close to real radio stations.
As a dishevelled Arthur Carlson said: "As GOD is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"
Wow, what a laugh...now, I've got to go and watch it! bs)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
KAAY Thanksgiving 1962
This is from the A.J. Lindsey archives. In A.J.'s own words, from his blog:
I have been looking for this since the starting of the Thanksgiving season. This ... is what Mike McCormick a/k/a Jim Hankins called a "seasonal". It was a production element to set the stage for the season. Note this one runs 1 minute and 20 seconds. Jim wrote this and it aired as KAAY had been on the air barely 3 months. The voices are newsmen B.Bruce Jenkins and George J. Jennings.
Monday, November 23, 2009
“Ole Discount Jack Here”
That’s the way Jack Garner always began his radio commercials. He was “comin’ at ya with the new album by (artist) on (label). It’s hot. It’s rock and roll. And it’s at Discount Records NOW.” He invariably bought 60-second commercials and he’d pack as much music into them as possible so potential consumers could get a good idea of what he wanted them to buy. His spots always ended with “Discount Records, a better way to get music to the people.”
Sometimes he brought Trader Jim (Ledbetter) or Carroll Dee (Bland) with him to record, but the basic structure of his messages never varied. Unlike a lot of clients who cut their own commercials, Jack had a very clear concept of what he wanted to accomplish. And I think you could measure the vinyl he sold in tons.
I met him in the summer of 1972, after I left KAAY for the first time. He was an early and consistent supporter of KLAZ 98.5—the station that would have been KAAY-FM if the construction permit had not been allowed to lapse. He showed up one day with a handful of albums and his script written on a legal pad and all I could think was, “Oh, great. Here’s another client that’s going to take half a day in the studio because he doesn’t know what he wants.” Wrong! Underneath that hippie exterior lived a businessman who was always the sharpest knife in the drawer. (Small but telling detail: his mention of the record label in his spots earned him what’s called co-op money, meaning the label would help him pay the cost of his ad schedule.)
He was over six feet tall with bushy, curly hair and a beard that made him look like the missing member of Jethro Tull. His favorite wardrobe items were faded overalls and high-topped shoes—the kind my grandfather wore when he was plowing the fields. There was a gleam and a glitter in his eyes and he loved to laugh. You could talk to him for thirty seconds and tell you were in the presence of a great intelligence.
He had spent some years pretty high up in the food chain at Mattel, figuring out ways to make the mothers of little girls buy ever-increasing amounts of Barbie stuff. He was rather well off when “I just couldn’t take the hypocrisy any longer, so I blew it off. And I swore I was never going to wear a tie again!”
So he came from Up North and decided to settle in Little Rock to sell records. His business thrived for years (and radio benefited from it) until the chain stores squeezed out the Mom-And-Pop operations. (Try going to Walmart and asking for Steeleye Span or Daddy Cool. Jack kept them in stock, along with a thousand other esoteric delights.)
I’m pretty sure that he sold out for a good price when he saw the end coming. He was probably very comfortable for the rest of his life. Cancer took him out sometime in 2000, I believe. Pity, that. In all the years I knew him, I never saw him in a bad mood, never heard a negative word from him. I am blessed to have been given his KAAY Honorary Announcer certificate (thank you, Laura) from 1977.
How cool that he managed to live a good part of his life on his own terms. How many of us can say that? Rock on, Discount Jack—we’ll not see the likes of you again!
David B. Treadway
Doc Holiday VII
Sometimes he brought Trader Jim (Ledbetter) or Carroll Dee (Bland) with him to record, but the basic structure of his messages never varied. Unlike a lot of clients who cut their own commercials, Jack had a very clear concept of what he wanted to accomplish. And I think you could measure the vinyl he sold in tons.
I met him in the summer of 1972, after I left KAAY for the first time. He was an early and consistent supporter of KLAZ 98.5—the station that would have been KAAY-FM if the construction permit had not been allowed to lapse. He showed up one day with a handful of albums and his script written on a legal pad and all I could think was, “Oh, great. Here’s another client that’s going to take half a day in the studio because he doesn’t know what he wants.” Wrong! Underneath that hippie exterior lived a businessman who was always the sharpest knife in the drawer. (Small but telling detail: his mention of the record label in his spots earned him what’s called co-op money, meaning the label would help him pay the cost of his ad schedule.)
He was over six feet tall with bushy, curly hair and a beard that made him look like the missing member of Jethro Tull. His favorite wardrobe items were faded overalls and high-topped shoes—the kind my grandfather wore when he was plowing the fields. There was a gleam and a glitter in his eyes and he loved to laugh. You could talk to him for thirty seconds and tell you were in the presence of a great intelligence.
He had spent some years pretty high up in the food chain at Mattel, figuring out ways to make the mothers of little girls buy ever-increasing amounts of Barbie stuff. He was rather well off when “I just couldn’t take the hypocrisy any longer, so I blew it off. And I swore I was never going to wear a tie again!”
So he came from Up North and decided to settle in Little Rock to sell records. His business thrived for years (and radio benefited from it) until the chain stores squeezed out the Mom-And-Pop operations. (Try going to Walmart and asking for Steeleye Span or Daddy Cool. Jack kept them in stock, along with a thousand other esoteric delights.)
I’m pretty sure that he sold out for a good price when he saw the end coming. He was probably very comfortable for the rest of his life. Cancer took him out sometime in 2000, I believe. Pity, that. In all the years I knew him, I never saw him in a bad mood, never heard a negative word from him. I am blessed to have been given his KAAY Honorary Announcer certificate (thank you, Laura) from 1977.
How cool that he managed to live a good part of his life on his own terms. How many of us can say that? Rock on, Discount Jack—we’ll not see the likes of you again!
David B. Treadway
Doc Holiday VII
Friday, November 20, 2009
Hello, Visitors!
I just wanted to say "Thanks!" to all those who visit this blog! I've noticed that more of our neighbors to the north have been stopping by: Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Calgary, Alberta and an unnamed place 'way up in the Nunavut Territory, as of late.
Most of these locations were in the direct northwest path of KAAY's upper figure-eight night-time pattern. It would be interesting to us, I believe, as to what conditions were like, receiving KAAY's signal during all times of the year. I guess its the "Ham nerd" in me. Please, Canadian neighbors and KAAY fans, please drop us some comments about your memories of listening to KAAY!
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Most of these locations were in the direct northwest path of KAAY's upper figure-eight night-time pattern. It would be interesting to us, I believe, as to what conditions were like, receiving KAAY's signal during all times of the year. I guess its the "Ham nerd" in me. Please, Canadian neighbors and KAAY fans, please drop us some comments about your memories of listening to KAAY!
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Another Record Shop, Per Dave M.
"One of the local record shops that advertised on KAAY, KLAZ, and other stations in the market, was “Discount Records”. “Discount Jack” Garner would ad-lib the opening of his spots with a very cordial and laid-back “Hi folks, Discount Jack here, from Discount Records, across from the University in Little Rock. Today we’ve got the new release from _______________ . . . “ and then he would have a few short cuts from the album as ear-teasers. He’d also mention anything else that might be of interest to the counter-cultured listener. And then close with something like, “be sure to come in Saturday when the new __________ album arrives.”
Jack (Discount Jack) Garner was a bit of a thorn in the local establishment society’s side. Aside from selling lots of bleeding edge rock and roll records, he also sold “paraphernalia”, black lights, incense, posters, and, well, you get the picture. Jack was also involved in some legal activity related to the definition of paraphernalia and what it might be used for. Quite a character he was, and certainly up for a good conversation or debate when you could catch him in the store."
Thank you, Dave! We also had one of those places, but it wasn't a record shop- at least, I don't remember any records being in there- but they carried leather goods, wierd clothing, black lights & posters and, yes, "paraphernalia". I didn't go there much, due to the fact they didn't have records and the times I did go there, I got the "hairy eyeball", probably because I wasn't part of their "regular crowd"...even though I had shoulder-length hair & a beard. Maybe I was too "clean" for them, in more ways than one?
By the way, you may or may not believe this...the name was, "The Head Shop" and it was in a little out-of-the way place not normally travelled in one of our local malls. I stumbled upon it one day by mistake. Moms & kids wouldn't be normally headed out this particular exit to the parking lot- there wasn't much of one, basically being a very small employee lot, opening into the larger area quite some ways away. It was actually in an alcove behind another shop...you wouldn't know it was there unless one heard of it by word of mouth or if you happened to go down an unlit hallway, which wrapped around the little shop "out front".....
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Jack (Discount Jack) Garner was a bit of a thorn in the local establishment society’s side. Aside from selling lots of bleeding edge rock and roll records, he also sold “paraphernalia”, black lights, incense, posters, and, well, you get the picture. Jack was also involved in some legal activity related to the definition of paraphernalia and what it might be used for. Quite a character he was, and certainly up for a good conversation or debate when you could catch him in the store."
Thank you, Dave! We also had one of those places, but it wasn't a record shop- at least, I don't remember any records being in there- but they carried leather goods, wierd clothing, black lights & posters and, yes, "paraphernalia". I didn't go there much, due to the fact they didn't have records and the times I did go there, I got the "hairy eyeball", probably because I wasn't part of their "regular crowd"...even though I had shoulder-length hair & a beard. Maybe I was too "clean" for them, in more ways than one?
By the way, you may or may not believe this...the name was, "The Head Shop" and it was in a little out-of-the way place not normally travelled in one of our local malls. I stumbled upon it one day by mistake. Moms & kids wouldn't be normally headed out this particular exit to the parking lot- there wasn't much of one, basically being a very small employee lot, opening into the larger area quite some ways away. It was actually in an alcove behind another shop...you wouldn't know it was there unless one heard of it by word of mouth or if you happened to go down an unlit hallway, which wrapped around the little shop "out front".....
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Moses Melody Shop
Whew, when the ideas flow, the memories come back, especially when I'm doing research and find something ELSE that pops up in passing.
Moses Melody Shop was termed "the hippest record shop in Little Rock" by a couple of sources. Several local bands were able to hawk their records there. What little bit I could find is from the text of a book I found on Google Books and Amazon, "A Corner Of The Tapestry: A History of the Jewish Experience in Arkansas":
Moses Melody Shop was termed "the hippest record shop in Little Rock" by a couple of sources. Several local bands were able to hawk their records there. What little bit I could find is from the text of a book I found on Google Books and Amazon, "A Corner Of The Tapestry: A History of the Jewish Experience in Arkansas":
"Cleve Moses (1880-1949) established the Moses Melody Shop in Little Rock shortly after World War I. It was one of the most popular stores of its kind for more than sixty years and was continued by Cleve's sons, Cleve Moses Jr. and James (Cleve Moses Jr. moved to Houston after World War II and established a music store there.)"
Moses Melody Shop was one of the tenants of the McCain Mall; others were the McCain Mall Cinema, Johns Jeans (mentioned in the blog previously), The Ranch, Foxmoor Casuals, Butler's Shoes, Musicland, Paul's Shoes and Mr. Dunderbak's, as per some info I found on another blog (and I lost the address!). I'll have to find it again, for reference...does anyone remember any of these vendors advertising with KAAY?
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
AP Copy of the Kennedy Assassination, from Jerry Sims
In light of this grevious but historic anniversary, Jerry Sims passes along an AP (Associated Press) copy he had sent to A. J. for his blog, and thought it would be appropriate to post again here. This is a link to one of A. J.'s freewebs storage site and still works:
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/2.pdf
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/1.pdf
Thanks to Jerry, a.k.a. Sonny Martin II, for this important piece of history.
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/2.pdf
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/1.pdf
Thanks to Jerry, a.k.a. Sonny Martin II, for this important piece of history.
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tom Perryman: About the JFK Assassination
This Sunday, November 22, marks another anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
KAAY's "voice", Tom Perryman, was a highly regarded news broadcaster at WAKY, Louisville. In 1963, Tom was offered a job at WFAA, Dallas, and he took it. This led him to participate in the coverage of John Kennedy's assassination.
Here's Tom's story, in his own words:
When I went to Dallas in the summer of 1963 (a job offer from out of the blue), I joined a very good news team of six at WFAA.
When Kennedy came on that November trip, I was assigned to cover his arrival in Ft. Worth on Nov. 21 in the evening. JFK was flying up from Houston and was late getting out of Houston, and the several hundred people at Carswell Air Force Base in Ft. Worth were getting a little anxious, but he finally got there, as I recall --- about 11:30PM or thereabouts --- and got a lot of cheers, but I don't recall him making any speech there. Since it was late, I suppose he was ready to get to bed. His motorcade passed by my WFAA mobile news unit and we gave our report of his arrival and departure. Since I lived in Richardson, north of Dallas, It was about 2 or 2:30AM when I got home.
I had press credentials (which I kept to this day) for the luncheon JFK was to attend in Dallas on Nov. 22 and I had planned on being there, but since I was so late getting back from Ft. Worth, I stayed in bed... until I got a call from a DJ buddy of mine at WAKY, Louisville, Jack Sanders, saying he wanted a feed on Kennedy. (Jack will be remembered by fans of WAKY; he was very popular and a great guy.)
I said, "sure", and Jack said "you know he has been shot?" I said no and rushed to WFAA to get involved in the assassination coverage of JFK. (Later in the afternoon I gave the report Jack asked for.)
The newsroom was going crazy, and NBC Radio network wanted a live report from the studio. I got info from what was available and was questioned by several of the top news people on NBC radio and TV at the time. So after wanting one day to be on the network with polished and rehearsed news, here I was ad libbing around the world a very hot story that just broke. I did numerous news reports that day and the following several days on NBC Radio (WFAA was affiliated with both the NBC and ABC Radio networks since we had 2 AM frequencies at the time). All the news guys did a lot of reports over several days to both networks and the many radio stations who called in.
Recently in the Louisville paper they printed a letter from a reader that implied Dallas was full of right wing zealots wanting Kennedy dead and all the flags were flying upside down (a sign of distress), which was totally false. Kennedy had received a warm welcome at Love Field. A retired General Walker who was a right-wing zealot did fly his flag in front of his house in Dallas upside down. It was later revealed that Lee Harvey Oswald fired a shot through the window of General Walker's home (this became known after bullets were compared) a few days or a week or two before the Kennedy assassination. The bullet didn't hit anyone at Walker's house, and I always wondered if there was more to that story.
I later talked to and interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald's mother, who lived in Ft. Worth, and I can understand why Lee Harvey might have been a little goofy.
Jack Ruby was represented by a team of lawyers headed up by Melvin Belli, famous San Francisco attorney, who got to know all the local news reporters because of the frequency of news conferences and edicts from the Judge in the case, etc... so Belli sent out a bundle of subpoenas to a lot of local Dallas people and reporters, including me, which he planned on using testimony that a lot of publicity in Dallas about his client would prevent a fair trial. But the Judge wouldn't have any of this and denied the hearing, but I did keep my subpoena. Belli was a true lawyer/entertainer/orator and he loved publicity. I remember on some issue that came up in Dallas while he was in California, I called his office and they told me the name of a restaurant where he was dining, and I called and got him very quickly on the phone for a comment. He loved to talk to reporters and was always very gracious.
Thanks, Tom, for these remarks!
Here is a Youtube video of part of the CBS coverage of Kennedy's shooting. It includes extensive footage from the luncheon that Tom had planned to attend.
Rest in Peace, JFK and Walter....
---Dave S.
KAAY's "voice", Tom Perryman, was a highly regarded news broadcaster at WAKY, Louisville. In 1963, Tom was offered a job at WFAA, Dallas, and he took it. This led him to participate in the coverage of John Kennedy's assassination.
Here's Tom's story, in his own words:
When I went to Dallas in the summer of 1963 (a job offer from out of the blue), I joined a very good news team of six at WFAA.
When Kennedy came on that November trip, I was assigned to cover his arrival in Ft. Worth on Nov. 21 in the evening. JFK was flying up from Houston and was late getting out of Houston, and the several hundred people at Carswell Air Force Base in Ft. Worth were getting a little anxious, but he finally got there, as I recall --- about 11:30PM or thereabouts --- and got a lot of cheers, but I don't recall him making any speech there. Since it was late, I suppose he was ready to get to bed. His motorcade passed by my WFAA mobile news unit and we gave our report of his arrival and departure. Since I lived in Richardson, north of Dallas, It was about 2 or 2:30AM when I got home.
I had press credentials (which I kept to this day) for the luncheon JFK was to attend in Dallas on Nov. 22 and I had planned on being there, but since I was so late getting back from Ft. Worth, I stayed in bed... until I got a call from a DJ buddy of mine at WAKY, Louisville, Jack Sanders, saying he wanted a feed on Kennedy. (Jack will be remembered by fans of WAKY; he was very popular and a great guy.)
I said, "sure", and Jack said "you know he has been shot?" I said no and rushed to WFAA to get involved in the assassination coverage of JFK. (Later in the afternoon I gave the report Jack asked for.)
The newsroom was going crazy, and NBC Radio network wanted a live report from the studio. I got info from what was available and was questioned by several of the top news people on NBC radio and TV at the time. So after wanting one day to be on the network with polished and rehearsed news, here I was ad libbing around the world a very hot story that just broke. I did numerous news reports that day and the following several days on NBC Radio (WFAA was affiliated with both the NBC and ABC Radio networks since we had 2 AM frequencies at the time). All the news guys did a lot of reports over several days to both networks and the many radio stations who called in.
Recently in the Louisville paper they printed a letter from a reader that implied Dallas was full of right wing zealots wanting Kennedy dead and all the flags were flying upside down (a sign of distress), which was totally false. Kennedy had received a warm welcome at Love Field. A retired General Walker who was a right-wing zealot did fly his flag in front of his house in Dallas upside down. It was later revealed that Lee Harvey Oswald fired a shot through the window of General Walker's home (this became known after bullets were compared) a few days or a week or two before the Kennedy assassination. The bullet didn't hit anyone at Walker's house, and I always wondered if there was more to that story.
I later talked to and interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald's mother, who lived in Ft. Worth, and I can understand why Lee Harvey might have been a little goofy.
Jack Ruby was represented by a team of lawyers headed up by Melvin Belli, famous San Francisco attorney, who got to know all the local news reporters because of the frequency of news conferences and edicts from the Judge in the case, etc... so Belli sent out a bundle of subpoenas to a lot of local Dallas people and reporters, including me, which he planned on using testimony that a lot of publicity in Dallas about his client would prevent a fair trial. But the Judge wouldn't have any of this and denied the hearing, but I did keep my subpoena. Belli was a true lawyer/entertainer/orator and he loved publicity. I remember on some issue that came up in Dallas while he was in California, I called his office and they told me the name of a restaurant where he was dining, and I called and got him very quickly on the phone for a comment. He loved to talk to reporters and was always very gracious.
Thanks, Tom, for these remarks!
Here is a Youtube video of part of the CBS coverage of Kennedy's shooting. It includes extensive footage from the luncheon that Tom had planned to attend.
Rest in Peace, JFK and Walter....
---Dave S.
Black Oak Arkansas
I didn't know until recently that they'd formed back in 1965 as The Nobody Else. I sure know they were popular on the 1970's. Beaker Street gave the band exposure, "which introduced the band to a national audience by making such songs as “Lord Have Mercy on My Soul,” “When Electricity Came to Arkansas,” “Hot and Nasty,” and “Uncle Lijah” staples of its program.", re: encyclopediaofarkansas' link below.
All I know is, Jim Dandy Mangrum's gravelly voice, like Wolfman Jack's, was appealing to lots of us listeners, but it sure was hard to emulate either....
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=600#
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Not Related To KAAY, But...
...I just wanted to throw these in here. I spent many a happy hour at the Mobile Municipal Auditorium, now known as the Mobile Civic Center:
But of course, times and ticket rates change and I haven't been there in years, especially with some acts demanding up to $40 per person! We also had our share of shyster promotors, who went to prison after skimming cash off the top of ticket sales. The auditorium, as you can see, is round, while the arena is square and attached to the western side of the auditorium. Just my memories, nothing more....
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Stan's Record Shop, Per Ron H.
I first heard about Stan's Record Shop on KAAY. When I wanted to purchase an oldie, I would write to Stan's and ask them to send the records C.O.D. Stan's never let me down; I would have the records I desired in about ten days.
When I was in Vietnam, I wrote to my parents and asked them to telephone Stan's to order two 45's for me. Stan's didn't wait for my parents to send the money. The records were mailed directly to me in Vietnam about ten days after I wrote the letter to my parents. I'll never forget that act of kindness.
Gary Wegner and I were both drafted on the same day; consequently, we were both released about the same time in September, 1968. We decided it would be fun to visit our friend who was stationed at the air force base in Alexandria, LA. Our friend had requested a leave, so we asked him to checkout and drive to New Orleans with us. Gary asked me if I would like to make a little detour to Stan's Record Shop on the way home. He could tell by the smile on my face what my answer would be.
When we arrived at Stan's the next day, I looked all over for the large stock of oldies which were supposed to be there. "Apache 65," for example, was a record I wanted to buy. The shelves were full of only the latest records, so I was disappointed. Something shiny on the wall caught my attention. It was the gold record for "I'm leaving It up to You" by Dale and Grace. It was on the Montel label which did not belong to Stan. That is the only gold record I have ever seen. My friend Ronnie Allen notified me he was doing a radio interview with Dale and Grace, so I asked him to find out the story behind the gold record. They told him they didn't remember it being there.
Just before we left Stan's, I spotted drawers below the shelves. Eureka! That is where all of the older records were stored. We had planned to stay the night in Little Rock, and it was getting late. We had to hit the road if we were going to make it to Little Rock before dark. I only took a few minutes to browse those drawers, but I still spent a wad of money before we departed.
We listened to WNOE all of the way to Little Rock; then we tuned to KAAY. The next day we listened to KAAY for about the first 300 miles during the last day of our trip back to Chicago. Wow, what a signal! It was a trip to remember.
Stan's Record Shop! There will never be another place like it.
Ron Henselman W9FT
(A further note per Ron-)
I forgot to comment about a ham radio conversation I had. I was in Northwestern, Wisconsin, and I was playing with my ham radio. It was the mid-ninties, and I contacted a gentleman named Ship in Shreveport. When I mentioned Stan's, Ship informed me Stan and he had been friends for many years. Ship said he was sorry to inform me Stan's was no longer there due to the poor economy of the area at that time.
Ron
When I was in Vietnam, I wrote to my parents and asked them to telephone Stan's to order two 45's for me. Stan's didn't wait for my parents to send the money. The records were mailed directly to me in Vietnam about ten days after I wrote the letter to my parents. I'll never forget that act of kindness.
Gary Wegner and I were both drafted on the same day; consequently, we were both released about the same time in September, 1968. We decided it would be fun to visit our friend who was stationed at the air force base in Alexandria, LA. Our friend had requested a leave, so we asked him to checkout and drive to New Orleans with us. Gary asked me if I would like to make a little detour to Stan's Record Shop on the way home. He could tell by the smile on my face what my answer would be.
When we arrived at Stan's the next day, I looked all over for the large stock of oldies which were supposed to be there. "Apache 65," for example, was a record I wanted to buy. The shelves were full of only the latest records, so I was disappointed. Something shiny on the wall caught my attention. It was the gold record for "I'm leaving It up to You" by Dale and Grace. It was on the Montel label which did not belong to Stan. That is the only gold record I have ever seen. My friend Ronnie Allen notified me he was doing a radio interview with Dale and Grace, so I asked him to find out the story behind the gold record. They told him they didn't remember it being there.
Just before we left Stan's, I spotted drawers below the shelves. Eureka! That is where all of the older records were stored. We had planned to stay the night in Little Rock, and it was getting late. We had to hit the road if we were going to make it to Little Rock before dark. I only took a few minutes to browse those drawers, but I still spent a wad of money before we departed.
We listened to WNOE all of the way to Little Rock; then we tuned to KAAY. The next day we listened to KAAY for about the first 300 miles during the last day of our trip back to Chicago. Wow, what a signal! It was a trip to remember.
Stan's Record Shop! There will never be another place like it.
Ron Henselman W9FT
(A further note per Ron-)
I forgot to comment about a ham radio conversation I had. I was in Northwestern, Wisconsin, and I was playing with my ham radio. It was the mid-ninties, and I contacted a gentleman named Ship in Shreveport. When I mentioned Stan's, Ship informed me Stan and he had been friends for many years. Ship said he was sorry to inform me Stan's was no longer there due to the poor economy of the area at that time.
Ron
Barton Coliseum
"Barton Coliseum, which was constructed in 1952 and named for industrialist Thomas Harry Barton. Located in Little Rock (Pulaski County), it was Arkansas’s largest public building at the time, containing 6,750 permanent seats and 3,000 portable floor seats. (Courtesy of Jim McDaniel)"
We've heard so many times about the concerts at this venue...and what a beautiful building! Current records show that events are still being held here. Here is another view:
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Grey Line DXing Revisited
Hi Bud,
During my last business trip, I was watching the moving map GPS display in the airliner and a thought occurred to me – that under very unique circumstances (and extremely difficult to reproduce, I might add) it might be possible for someone to listen to KAAY in Vietnam. Here’s how.
Gray line propagation is the unusual propagation of radio waves that happen twice each day during morning twilight and evening dusk. Many “hams” take advantage of this effect to communicate very long distances. The effect lasts only a few minutes, and fades as quickly as it begins. Don Payne has also mentioned gray line propagation in a couple of his posts.
Here’s a definition of gray line propagation from the website http://dx.qsl.net/propogation/
Quote: “The grey line is a band around the Earth that separates the daylight from darkness. Radio propagation along the grey line is very efficient. One major reason for this is that the D layer, which absorbs HF signals, disappears rapidly on the sunset side of the grey line, and it has not yet built upon the sunrise side. Ham radio operators and shortwave listeners can optimize long distance communications to various areas of the world by monitoring this area as it moves around the globe."
What I noticed on the airplane’s moving map GPS display is that both Arkansas and Vietnam could both be inside the gray line at the same time during fall or winter months. Daylight hours are shorter in the northern hemisphere during winter months, and if you plot the gray line from Arkansas to Vietnam following the wintertime Great Circle Route, you go up over northern Canada, and then down into south-east Asia. If this theory holds any water at all, early morning in Arkansas would be sundown in Vietnam, and vice-versa. A late afternoon listener in Vietnam, for example might be able to catch a few short minutes of the KAAY morning show, when they are both within the “gray line”.
Also, there would only be a few days each year when both Arkansas and Vietnam would be in or close enough to the gray line to make this possible. I have absolutely no way of testing the theory but perhaps some of the wiser readers would be able to expand the theory or label it as “bs”. Have fun discussing!
Also, regarding the KAAY listener report from a military base in England – military radios are known their far-above average sensitivity, excellent filters, and variable “Q” tuning sections and when coupled with an amplified, tunable and directional long wire military antenna, you could in theory be able to listen to almost anything. But also remember that KAAY (1090kHz) would have to be sharply filtered against the “local” European long wave frequency 1089kHz, and that would take some specialized equipment not usually available to John Q Public.
I’m just sayin’,
/DM/
(Yessir, Dave, those military and commercial receivers are hot properties...but, the average listener can't afford a $15,000 radio...and some of the top-line Ham tranceivers can run $9,000 to $13,000 for those who are very serious about getting every contact they go after...and that's NOT including the antenna(s), feedline/coax, tower/antenna supports, power amplifiers, meters and what-have-you. I'm just happy to have what I have and enjoy the time operating and listening that I do.
Some of us dream of that multi-acre antenna "farm"- and I'm not talking of just a couple acres, mind you!- for huge rhombic antennas, etc. Or even the hundred-plus feet [some go hundreds!] of tower and the biggest antenna on top. But, its technique and persistance that count heavily, as well. Bud)
During my last business trip, I was watching the moving map GPS display in the airliner and a thought occurred to me – that under very unique circumstances (and extremely difficult to reproduce, I might add) it might be possible for someone to listen to KAAY in Vietnam. Here’s how.
Gray line propagation is the unusual propagation of radio waves that happen twice each day during morning twilight and evening dusk. Many “hams” take advantage of this effect to communicate very long distances. The effect lasts only a few minutes, and fades as quickly as it begins. Don Payne has also mentioned gray line propagation in a couple of his posts.
Here’s a definition of gray line propagation from the website http://dx.qsl.net/propogation/
Quote: “The grey line is a band around the Earth that separates the daylight from darkness. Radio propagation along the grey line is very efficient. One major reason for this is that the D layer, which absorbs HF signals, disappears rapidly on the sunset side of the grey line, and it has not yet built upon the sunrise side. Ham radio operators and shortwave listeners can optimize long distance communications to various areas of the world by monitoring this area as it moves around the globe."
What I noticed on the airplane’s moving map GPS display is that both Arkansas and Vietnam could both be inside the gray line at the same time during fall or winter months. Daylight hours are shorter in the northern hemisphere during winter months, and if you plot the gray line from Arkansas to Vietnam following the wintertime Great Circle Route, you go up over northern Canada, and then down into south-east Asia. If this theory holds any water at all, early morning in Arkansas would be sundown in Vietnam, and vice-versa. A late afternoon listener in Vietnam, for example might be able to catch a few short minutes of the KAAY morning show, when they are both within the “gray line”.
Also, there would only be a few days each year when both Arkansas and Vietnam would be in or close enough to the gray line to make this possible. I have absolutely no way of testing the theory but perhaps some of the wiser readers would be able to expand the theory or label it as “bs”. Have fun discussing!
Also, regarding the KAAY listener report from a military base in England – military radios are known their far-above average sensitivity, excellent filters, and variable “Q” tuning sections and when coupled with an amplified, tunable and directional long wire military antenna, you could in theory be able to listen to almost anything. But also remember that KAAY (1090kHz) would have to be sharply filtered against the “local” European long wave frequency 1089kHz, and that would take some specialized equipment not usually available to John Q Public.
I’m just sayin’,
/DM/
(Yessir, Dave, those military and commercial receivers are hot properties...but, the average listener can't afford a $15,000 radio...and some of the top-line Ham tranceivers can run $9,000 to $13,000 for those who are very serious about getting every contact they go after...and that's NOT including the antenna(s), feedline/coax, tower/antenna supports, power amplifiers, meters and what-have-you. I'm just happy to have what I have and enjoy the time operating and listening that I do.
Some of us dream of that multi-acre antenna "farm"- and I'm not talking of just a couple acres, mind you!- for huge rhombic antennas, etc. Or even the hundred-plus feet [some go hundreds!] of tower and the biggest antenna on top. But, its technique and persistance that count heavily, as well. Bud)
Floyd'sRecord Shop
And, speaking of record shops, let's not forget Floyd's Record Shop, 434 East Main Street, Ville Platte, LA. I remeber hearing a segment of Timeless Tracks where Tony Warner had A. J., Pat Walsh and a couple other former KAAY stalwarts in the studio and A. J. and another fellow boomed out, "V-I-L-L-E, P-L-A-T-T-E!", just as if they were still in the studio!
Floyd's was another advertiser on KAAY back in the day. If you want authentic zydeco or cajun music, this is the place, but they also carry many other types. Not only that, Floyd's carries musical instruments and also VINYL RECORDS! How many kids nowadays actually know what a vinyl record is?
Anyone deal with Floyd's back in the day? Please leave your comments here!
Bud S. (stacyes4@hotmail.com)
Stan's Record Shop
Another vendor that booked advertising with KAAY was Stan's Record Shop at 728 Texas Street in Shreveport, LA. Due to KAAY's long-reaching signal, there were numerous customers outside Little Rock and the state of Arkansas who advertised with the station; this is one that immediately comes to mind, I'll have to try and research more.
There are several Internet references to Stan's Record Shop and several 50,000-watt stations carried his advertising. He was the distributor for Chess Records of Chicago, IL, as well, and with KAAY, Little Rock, AR, KWKH, Shreveport, LA and WLAC-AM, Nashville, TN, he blanketed the South and became the largest independent record distributor in the region. He also advertised on XERF, Del Rio, TX. Stan Lewis also had an independent record label, but finally sold out while retaining the control of his music publishing companies.
I thought it quite interesting that, as a kid, Stan Lewis sold news papers to buy several jukeboxes and bought the records for them at a record store in Shreveport. Later, when he found that the record store was for sale, he and his wife bought it in 1948, and Stan's Record Shop began in a little 8' x 12' space. From humble beginnings came an empire!
Here are a few links you may want to follow...some have slightly differeng stories, but all tell the story:
http://www.recordsbymail.com/stan_lewis.php
http://www.answers.com/topic/stan-lewis
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:o-NFCnXVbBUJ:www.bsnpubs.com/gulfcoast/jewel-paulastory.html+Stan%27s+Record+Shop&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
One last link, with some really nice pictures and story of Stan in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame:
http://louisianamusichalloffame.org/content/view/108/127/
If anyone remembers buying or mail-ordering from Stan's Record Shop, please give us some coments- I'll bet his service was superb!
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Little Barn, Revisited
Oddly enough, A.J. and I became competitors of The Little Barn in 1980. A.J. had ventured out of radio and into retail selling waterbeds. I was ready for a change, as well, and went to work for him, eventually, as the Manager of A-J's Waterbeds in Little Rock, just a couple of doors down from The Little Barn. Bottom line, both stores eventually closed up shop after the waterbed craze reached it peak. By that time, I had returned to radio, doing overnights at what is now The Point, and getting a couple of simulcast hours on KAAY each night.
Jim Harvill
Jim Harvill
Sunday, November 15, 2009
More airchecks from the Phil North collection
As we work our way through Phil's library of airchecks, we encounter these three items:
- The Campaign: A commercial for The Campaign, where Napolean explains to Josephine that he must be off for another campaign at The Campaign, which has a load of sales merchandise to sell in just 10 days. David Treadway and Mary Donald star....(well, kind of) PLAY STREAM | DOWNLOAD
- The Stars: Mike McCormick takes us from a pioneer's adventure, navigating by the stars, to buying a used car at Twin City Motors. It's a bit of a stretch, but Mike almost pulls it off.... PLAY STREAM | DOWNLOAD.
- Love Story: Phil does his level best to convince us that we really do need to buy a 2-LP collection of the best dialog and music from the Love Story movie.... PLAY STREAM | DOWNLOAD
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Little Barn
You know, all these little things just pop up in my head at 4AM...I just wake up and lay there...I guess I need to get up and write it all down, since I forget most of it when I'm getting ready for work....
Whatever happened to Little Barn, 8500 South University, Little Rock, AR? I suppose like most businesses, when the clientel dries up, so does the business...and there's not many head shops still around that I know of.
Just curious...they got a lot of exposure on Beaker Street....
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Whatever happened to Little Barn, 8500 South University, Little Rock, AR? I suppose like most businesses, when the clientel dries up, so does the business...and there's not many head shops still around that I know of.
Just curious...they got a lot of exposure on Beaker Street....
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
Beaver Productions
Another advertiser heard on Beaker Street and KAAY was Beaver Productions. Maybe someone can tell us if it was Tom Perry(man) or Gary Gears who did that toenails-deep voiceover? Needless to say, they brought many, many bands in, such as Spirit, Baby, et.al. This is a picture from their website, dated 2008. Does anyone have an earler logo from the Beaker Street days? Was there even one any/much different?
For those who want concert information, you can register on their website:
http://www.beaverproductions.com/
Who could forget those concert ads, late at night with that deep, spooky voice? Yeah!
As an afterthought, I've also heard David B. McCallum (sp?)...does anyone know anything about this promotor, advertising via Beaker Street, from the early 1970's?
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
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