"I secured my first paying job at KKYK in the spring of 1980. At that time, Mike Lewis, was working 7-midnight and he basically trained me at KKYK. He was - and I’m sure still is - a great guy. So upbeat and positive. He was very helpful to me. Anyway, it was during the summer of 1980 when Mike moved over to the Mighty 1090. He began doing 7-midnight on the AM dial. It was at this point in time he created Beau Ryder (later becoming “The Original Beau Ryder.”) Ray Lincoln was KAAY Program Director then.
As I said, Mike/Beau was very kind to me, and he was the one who opened the door for me to get on-the-air at KAAY. Steve Kelly had come on board as Program Director in the first half of 1981 and Beau had asked me if I would be interested in coming over as a weekend and fill-in guy with the possibility of more. He put in a good word for me with Steve Kelly, and after my meeting with Steve I was hired away from KKYK. I was thrilled to be working at my dream station! Amazing days!
Beau worked at KAAY doing 7-midnight while I was there and once again showed me the do’s and don’ts of the station. It wasn’t much longer – maybe several months – when Beau left. I’m not familiar with the details of why he left KAAY but PD Steve Kelly saw fit to immediately plug in part-timer, Mike Young, as (the new) Beau Ryder. Yep, it sounds crazy! So Mike Young (a friendly, always smiling guy who LOVED radio and sadly passed away much too early) became Beau Ryder. Mike Lewis/Beau Ryder had moved on and thus became known as “The Original Beau Ryder.” KAAY still had their own Beau Ryder though it was obviously not the same guy. I don’t recall how this was resolved. Eventually Mike Young/Beau Ryder was moved back to part-time and Billy Dee came on as the 7-midnight guy at KAAY. And for the remainder of my time at Multimedia, Mike Young simply just used his real name “Mike Young” while on-the-air.
And that is the story as I witnessed it all those years ago. And the link to the aircheck you have on your site from March 13, 1981 is the voice of “The Original Beau Ryder” – Mike Lewis. I am 100% sure of that. That is the voice of the guy I worked with at KKYK and KAAY.
Oh yea, and “The Original Beau Ryder” is still working today. For years he has been working afternoon drive at a station up in the Midwest. Quite successful. And Mike Lewis isn’t even his real name.
So that is what I know. Maybe this info fills a few holes in the storyline of KAAY – and Beau Ryder.
Like the old 1974 song by Reunion states, “Life is a rock (but the radio rolled me).”
My condolences to the family and friends of Bo Ryder. I know how it feels to lose a parent and my thoughts go out to his children and friends."
Thank you Eric, for helping fill in some "historical holes" for us and identifying the "Ryder" of our aircheck.
If ANYONE has any information an\bout Andrew "Bo Ryder" Williams, PLEASE forward it to my e-mail address below- thank you!
Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)
I am sad to hear that Mike Young is gone. He was working on KLPQ (later country KFM94) while I was Chief Engineer. Mike was very easy to work with and an extremely nice guy.
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