Thursday, July 30, 2015

Tin Can Alley Arkansas' Best Oldies Radio Show!

As per Sidney Woodbury's post on Facebook (and urged on by Doug Virden):

"Barry Mac's radio show Tin Can Alley was recognized by the Arkansas Times for best oldies radio show! This is further proof that a full time classic hits/oldies station on KAAY can work. Listen Saturday at 1pm or Sunday at 2pm for an early 1980s themed show!"

(Bold lettering and underlining mine!  BS)

Keep up the great work, Barry!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Monday, July 27, 2015

Radio Yesterday from Barry Mac! March 20, 2005

Once again, Barry Mac brings us another of his retro-KAAY "Radio Yesterday" shows.

On this show -- A first from Otis, Aretha hits gold, somebody else dances in the street, a song that took over 5 years to hit the top 10, an A side that is upstaged by its B side, and our one-hit wonder of the week.

This aired on March 20, 2005.


(or download here)
Greg Barman

 

Monday, July 20, 2015

Focus on the Newsmakers - Dec 28, 1969

This Focus On the Newsmakers show aired on December 28, 1969 and features:  Debate over the death of a state prison inmate; the head of the local PTA; a defensive driving program; and the Univ. of Mississippi football coach on an upcoming Sugar Bowl encounter with Arkansas. 


(or download here)
Greg Barman



Monday, July 13, 2015

Eric Thomas Brings More Introspect...

...to our understanding of how KAAY worked!  In his own words:

"I went through more folders and found a few things. Many of the memos and pages in these folders aren’t too interesting. Enclosed are a few attachments that kind of add some color to the everyday workload at the Mighty 1090. Feel free to use any of them. And yes, I am still looking for more, too.
First of all there is a “1981 KAAY music memo” from our PD Steve Kelly. These are the kinds of memos he sent out frequently. The man was always tinkering and making moves. I learned a lot from him. Enjoyed working under him – very much.


Secondly, attached is a KAAY 1978 FCC required signature list. It actually ran on thru 1979 when I signed it. These are real names and so no “on-air names” appear on it. I was told this was required by the FCC in case they wanted to match log signatures. That is, if any questions came up over who was working when any transmitting problems occurred. True? I don’t know. But it was kept at the reading site.
(Signature list removed, due to possible legal ramifications. BS)


Third, here is a copy of the station sheet listing all of The Beatles songs in order during our Beatles scramble contest. The songs were all meshed-up in very brief segments and the first caller to name them in order won some big Beatles prize during a ‘’Beatles Weekend.’’


Next is my hand written list of songs played on KAAY during the “Sixties at 6” on June 28, 1981. We kept these so we wouldn’t play the same songs over and over. It was a great show – totally free form taking any requests. We used a lot of vinyl and some carts. The LP was for album, CT for cart, and 45 for – well, you know. Rather basic. I recall bringing a few albums from home since I had, and still have, a nice sized music collection. Of course, I had to clear any songs played with our PD, Steve Kelly. I very much enjoyed doing special shows like this all thru my radio years.


And next is a 1982 KAAY memo from our PD. All these years later after going thru a folder of similar memos I can’t help but chuckle. Man, there was no feeling like being the only one in the building late at night, guiding The Mothership, the 50,000 Watt Mono Monster of the South. What a rush! The control board at your fingertips. Broadcasting to over 23 states, Central America, Canada and out into the Caribbean. It was a dream come true. I would often just sit there, turn out all the lights in the control room with just the glow of the twinkling machinery – and CRANK IT UP! Of course!


Mentioning the power of the airwaves, the next attachment is a letter I received from an inmate at The Tucker Unit (Arkansas State Prison.) There was a brief time when KAAY did some overnight weekend simulcasting with KLPQ-FM. Q94 ran a program at midnight called ‘’The Midnight Snack’’ (I think Mark Wallace came up with it) and it featured a classic rock album. Since this went out on KAAY as well, you could say this was a slight nod to the Beaker Street days. Very Slight. Anyway, the letter is self-explanatory.


Just a note – I have always been a music freak. I love it. It remains a big part of my everyday life. That is how I became interested in radio – it was a tool to get music to the people. I relished sitting at the board and segue between two songs, or a song – jingle - and song. I always did in manually over riding any cue tones. Man, nothing better than hitting a tight, smooth segue. And that was what I was most proud of during my radio days.

If I can do anything for you, please let me know. Once again, keep up the great work and take care.

Eric "

Eric, you don't know how much you have pleased us, having let us take a peek at the inside of KAAY!  There was- and always is- a lot of work behind the mic- and in production, news, sales, etc., so it's NOT just all a deejay and a stack of wax!  Thank you for being "there"- and, rest assured, I'll keep asking, so keep on digging and sending us more stuff to ogle!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Monday, July 6, 2015

Radio Yesterday on KAAY from early December 2005

The Radio Yesterday Shows roll on!  Here's one from early December 2005 featuring:  Some mean woman blues, taking a stroll in the Big Easy, a first for the Rascals, something to tell Mama, the Supremes' single after Diana, a word from the Late Night Weirdo, Carole King in Spanish, and our one-hit wonder of the week.  

Barry Mac mixes some big hits along with songs that I haven't heard anywhere in years.


(or download here)
Greg Barman

Thursday, July 2, 2015

We Hear From Jonnie King!!!

It had been some while since I'd heard from Jonnie King, so I decided to reach out- and I'm glad I did!  Jonnie had just unearthed some photos (which we'll share here) about the same time my e-mail reached him!  Here is his message:

"I did unearth a couple of photos that you're free to use on the KAAY Blog if you want.  They're from July 8, 1969, when I Interviewed Marilyn Kay Allen, who was  "Miss North Little Rock" in the "Miss Arkansas Pagent" for 1969, at her home in North Little Rock.  Then on the night of July 19th, 1969, I went to Hot Springs to cover the "Miss Arkansas Pagent" live for KAAY.

As we all know by now KAAY was a truly respected station, AND, since it was 1969, I didn't have a Cell Phone with me, and so with my KAAY Press Credentials, I was allowed Backstage Access all evening to do my "Live" call-ins from the Pagent Headquarters Area...and in the process saw ALL of the contestants before, or, after they were On-Stage.  All those beautiful girls in-one-place-at-one-time ! What can I say ?  It was a one-night "Bachelor's Paradise" for yours truly. (What made it even MORE fantastic was the fact that all of these beauties who came by and said "hello", told me that they listened to my show every night.  I was sincerely honored to meet them one-on-one...and they were all as nice as they were beautiful.)

BUT, I've saved these TWO Special "Backstage Encounters" for last:  #1.  While I was doing one of my live call-in's during a Pagent break, whom did I see coming toward me but none-other than Judith Anne Ford, the reigning 1969 Miss America !   I was stopped-dead in my tracks.  She was truly much more radiant and beautiful in-person than on TV or in her pictures...stunning in her own way.  Since she was only about three feet from me, I quickly said "Hold on for just a minute !"...to the jock running the board at the station, and introduced myself, asked her that since I was already doing a live call-in, if she would just say a brief "Hello" to all of our "Big K" listeners all-over Arkansas, and all over the World.  She was more than gracious, said "Sure" !   I went back, told the jock that I had a very special message from a very special guest.  I introduced her, and she did exactly as I had asked, said a number of nice things about being in Hot Springs  for the Pagent, and, thanked me for giving her the opportunity to be on-the-air on such a great station...said that she had heard us at her home in Illinois !  She was just spot-on-perfect !

#2. Guess who the Winner of the 1969 "Miss Arkansas Pagent" was ?   The same sweet, so-very-pretty Marilyn Kay Allen, "Miss North Little Rock" that I had Interviewed just 11 days earlier !   As soon as the Pagent was over, I hurried Backstage, found the new Miss Arkansas, again, got her "live" with me as I called the station to do my final report, and did a brief Interview with this very happy Winner.

 
 

 So, yes, those photos that I've forwarded to you, bring back vivid memories for me of that wonderful time, and all of the events that transpired.  My time at KAAY was truly one of the most fantastic times of my life...BOTH Personally, AND, Professionally.  We were a Super Team...the entire staff pulling together to achieve the best we could for our station, for our listeners, and, for each other.

BTW:  Bud, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that I was able to do so many Interviews after I got to the station, and I really loved doing them.  And, many of those were with other very wonderful beauty queens.  Some of my most-memorable were Jody Boggs, "Miss Dogpatch, U.S.A." in 1969, Reba Collette Walsh, "Miss Teenage America 1971", and, Paige Young, the talented, wonderful, "Playboy Playmate" for November, 1968.

In this pre-Intenet era, people actually wrote letters !  I still have the personal, handwritten "thank you" letters from Jody, and, Reba...both remarkable, beautiful young ladies, as well as the personalized photo, and other memorabilia, from Paige. These three, as well as Marilyn, and the many, many, others that I was privileged to Interview while I was at KAAY, have all enriched, and added wonderful memories to my life...by sharing their lives - no matter how briefly - with me.

God bless you, Bud, tell my friends at the KAAY Blog I haven't forgotten them either !  

Your friend,

Jonnie King"

Thank you, Jonnie!!!  Who said "timing is everything"?  This was an opportune moment, both back in 1969, and today, when I contacted Jonnie, as he'd JUST found these pictures.

And, as in the admonition of Clyde Clifford and David B. Treadway, I am not ashamed to say that I love you, Jonnie!  Keep up the good work, keep the memories coming!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

David B. Treadway On Dr. Grady Brock

Gleaned from David B.'s Facebook page:

" Nobody Lives In Echo Canyon But My Brother."

Doctor Brock always used to bark that into the microphone when he signed off. Brock barked everything he did on the air and he was Fierce. The words above would be followed by the most unsettling "PEACE, KEMOSABEE!" I never had a clue what it meant--I just stood there and marveled at his elegance.

Word comes this morning of the passing of William Grady Brock, 66, of Pineville (assuming) Louisiana. I don't see how that could be any...body BUT my man, the Crazy Legs Doctor. I hope it was quick and I hope it was clean, the way Brock always did it. On places like WCFL Chicago, WNOE New Orleans and KAAY Little Rock.

It was one of the thousand delights of the Arabian Nights to work with Doctor Brock and be around somebody that cool after hours. He was the avalanche that walked like a man.

Damn it ALL. If you love somebody, TELL them you love them. If they squirm, so much the better. Good night, Brock, I love you."

David B., you and I are taking the words of Clyde Clifford, to tell someone that you love that you love them, because tomorrow may be too late.  Thank you, David B. Treadway, The Last Doc Holiday, The Last KAAY PD, I love you, too.

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)