Saturday, September 29, 2012

KAAY Eric Thomas, Sept. 27, 1981 (Pt. 2)

Thanks to Russell Wells and his vast collection, here is another Eric Thomas aircheck! This is the PM drivetime slot, and it is 'scoped...but enjoyable, nonetheless.


(or download here)

Thanks again to Russell and Dave S. for bringing this audio to you!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Eric Thomas, KAAY, September 27, 1981

Here is Eric Thomas again, working the graveyard shift!  First time heard here was 12:08 Sunday morning.  Did you hear that phone number for those requests?  "Your favorites as close as 433-0059, area code 501".  As before, 'scoped, from the studio...but still enjoyable!

If some of you listeners may or may not know, many deejays made recordings of themselves, to constantly market themselves to prospective employers and to listen to themselves, to constantly improve their "delivery".  Many of the deejays here were very critical of how well they sounded to the public and constantly worked on their voices and their delivery.  You can tell a quality professional in how he or she presents himself or herself- the work shows!


(or download here)

Once again, my hearty thanks to Dave S. for ALL his hard work here, and to Russell Wells for his audio offerings- despite my constant research and questions to both!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Another Cuban Letter


Here we are, celebrating September 2012 with a letter which was written forty-two years ago!  Thanks to Wayne Moss, once again, for this piece of history.

Once again, dedication to KAAY outside our borders is exhibited....

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Monday, September 24, 2012

Barry Mac: A Few Words About The KAAY 50th Birthday Party

I started out writing a little bit more formally about this event that transpired at The Oyster Bar party room on Friday, September 14th, but ended up scrapping that draft and going with something a little more informal. After all, it’s radio!



My immediate concern that evening was that there had been a couple of torrential downpours of rain, and I thought this might keep a few people away. And indeed, there were at least half a dozen no-shows that stood out. But my main concern was Sonny Martin and his wife driving in from Searcy, which is about an hour northeast of Little Rock. Fortunately, they drove in a bit earlier in the afternoon, and were already at our venue by the time I showed up at 6:00. And then there were more – Charlie Scarbrough, Jay (Elliott) Brentlinger, Bob Robbins, Stuart McRae, Mark Wallace, Tom Wood, and Mr. Beaker Street himself, Clyde Clifford. All of them long time radio professionals, and with the exception of Tom Wood (for over 30 years a Little Rock broadcaster himself), all of them with a very direct connection to KAAY.



Rex Nelson was our guest speaker, and was, in fact, the reason that I moved this event from September 7th to September 14th. Rex is a great speaker and is so exceptionally enthusiastic about all things historical in Arkansas, and I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified to give an opening introduction. I especially loved his story about listening to KAAY Farm Director Marvin Vines back in the ‘70s, as Marvin would talk of “barrels and gilds” and such, and even though Rex had no idea what the hell that was, he’d keep on listening anyway! And the reason? Well, it was AM 1090, KAAY, and that was reason enough.



Our other speakers, excluding yours truly as a kind of host for the night, were Bob Robbins, Sonny Martin, and Clyde Clifford. As much as I wanted a number of other former KAAY broadcasters to be in attendance, this was probably the hat trick, the trifecta, the three most significant, in terms of longevity and lasting impact on the glory years of KAAY. I introduced Bob after Rex finished his opening remarks, but within probably five minutes, Bob brought Sonny Martin up, and together they talked about those glory years, the late ‘60s to the late ‘70s, from George Jennings’ hiring of Sonny to lawnmower racing contests to the various personnel they worked with to their late General Manager Pat Walsh. The stories flowed together seamlessly. And through it all, as Bob put it, the reason it worked wasn’t just because it was a 50,000 watt blowtorch. It was because of the sense of family at the station, the true closeness and affection that everyone felt for each other.



And then came Clyde Clifford. Clyde, like Bob and Sonny before him, talked of the camaraderie amongst his co-workers, and how it all started with him in the middle of a pasture in a transmitter building several miles south of Little Rock, and within a year, it was a cultural phenomenon, with communications coming in from Canada to Florida. And to top off the night, after acknowledging the passing of several former KAAY jocks, I ran a couple of three minute montages of commercials from years past – five to fifteen second snippets from various announcers, including our three primary speakers for the night. Oh yeah, and I had to throw in a national ad that featured June Carter Cash for Snowdrift shortening. It was just too good to pass up.



And with that, we closed out the evening with a little more food, a little more drink, and a number of thank yous and goodbyes. And I’d like to give my thanks to the approximately 30 people who were there. I really wish it could’ve been more, but it was quite a treat for the 30 who did show up. And if you’re reading this, I wish you could’ve been there, too. A wish that I’d be fairly certain you share with me.



Maybe next time…



Friday, September 21, 2012

50th KAAY Reunion Lauded

(Folks, Guy Lancaster of the Central Arkansas Library System sent this link along- please enjoy!  Bud S.)

"Hey Bud,

Hope you’re doing well and you got some cooler temperatures down there!

Just wanted to pass this along, in case you hadn’t yet seen it:

http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com/?p=4396.

Take care,

Guy

Guy Lancaster
Editor, Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
Central Arkansas Library System
100 Rock Street
Little Rock, AR 72201"



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Letter From Paul Kauffman, Costa Rica


I have been told, and read, that Costa Rica is one of the more American-friendly nations in our hemisphere- that living there is pretty easy these days and that they have no overly-restrictive laws.  Apparently, KAAY's signals had no problem with their Border Patrol or immigration laws, either!!!

Thanks to Wayne Moss for this, and many more letters- more to come!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Monday, September 10, 2012

Eric Thomas, September 6, 1981 Drive-Time!

We'd had a previous post with Eric Thomas working the graveyard shift on this date- well, here he is, back again on the same day (Sunday), this time in the afternoon drive-time!  This is one versatile-- and tireless-- dude!

Another 'scoped audio clip from the studio, obviously, but great memories, nonetheless!  The movie "Continental Divide" with John Belushi is advertised.  Eric continually mentioned to be careful, with all the crazy people out on the road for the Labor Day Weekend.


(or download here)

Where were you thirty-one years ago?  Groovin' on great music in the warm sunshine, I hope!

Thanks again to Russell Wells for more great audio from his collection, and to Dave S. for his great audio help, so we can enjoy this wonderful history!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Sunday, September 9, 2012

45 YEARS...AND COUNTING !

MY FIRST DAY ON THE AIR WAS SEPTEMBER 10, 1967...45 years IS a long time !

But. I want to Celebrate by honoring two of my closest friends who were there with me before I ever became the "me" that you know today.

My friends DON PIETROMONACO (KXOK's Johnny Rabbitt) and GAYLE McCORMICK (Singer of the R&R Classic "Baby It's You") were two of the BEST !

 

Don was one of St. Louis', and the countries, leading Air Personalities; Gayle was a Superstar whose humble beginnings in St. Louis led to National & International fame as a recording artist: with A Group Called Smith, and, later, as a solo artist.

Don, Gayle, and, myself were linked together, personally & professionally.  In fact,  with Gayle & I there is a KAAY CONNECTION that you will read about in my Tribute to her.  

You'll also see how her career and mine ran side-by-side from our time in Rabbitt's "Bat Cave" in St. Louis, to Hollywood for Gayle, and Detroit for me...all within a fast-tracked 5 year period !

These stories are a History lesson in Radio in the 60's & 70's, Music changes during that same time period, a Chronological History of both Gayle & myself...showing how the link was indelibly forged, and that Don was the catylist for the THREE of us.

You'll also learn of the mystical, magical, event that caused me to write the Tributes that you'll read...and no the were not based on "coincidence".

Gayle's Tribute Section was a massive undertaking that required 10 days and 60 hours worth of work...but I was there from the beginning, and my first-hand memories of all the events documented needed to be written, so neither Gayle, nor Don, will ever be forgotten.  I loved them both...they were the truest friends you could imagine.

Thank you, each and everyone for FORTY-FIVE FANTASTIC YEARS !  

(You will love the King-KAAY-McCormick Connection Story...it helped "put us on the map Nationally"  !)

Here's Gayle's Link:  http://www.jonnieking.net/gpage28.html
(Don's is at the Bottom of Gayle's Page !)

My humble thanks,

Jonnie

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Eric Thomas, KAAY, September 6, 1981

Eric Thomas seems to be everywhere!  Here he is on the "graveyard shift".  The first time mentioned was "12:02" and then "12:06 Sunday morning", where he was covering the shift until 5:30 AM.  There was also mention that this was the Labor Day Weekend.

Temperatures seem a little milder, where he reported 69 degrees at the Capital Building.  Another 'scoped studio copy; nonetheless, more great memories one could have heard via skywave (if one would have been awake!)....


(or download here)

And this Labor Day, it is good to mention that KAAY was born FIFTY YEARS AGO!  Happy Birthday KAAY!


Thanks again to Dave S. for the great work he does, and to Russell Wells for sharing on this momentous occasion!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)