As I reminiscence through my old radio logs (memory), I realize there are so many people I haven't taken the time to write about.
Now there are several reasons for that.
One is I try to back up my memory with factual information. In most cases I'm going back 30 or 40 years trying to piece together the whens, whos and whats. They say the second thing to go is the memory, and I've forgotten the first.
I've found the newspaper archives at the library and on line searches to be helpful with that. There is nothing more fun than to watch the microfilm go by on the reader at the library. I think at the end of the day my optometrist will probably chastise me for watching the combination of light, film and images whiz by as I go looking for the sections of the paper I know contain the morsels of information I'm looking to find. Sometimes I remember approximate months or dates. Other times, it's like throwing a dart at the dart board. Thankfully the Citizen Journal had a radio-tv column (the Dispatch early on did not) that did a fairly good job of keeping track of the comings and goings of local media folks. I remember David Drake of course, but my new friend is his predecessor Jo Bradley Reed. She has columns going back to the early 60's (that's as far as I've looked). Her columns have more than once sparked another memory to track down.
Second is I try to maintain the positive side of things. Sure, I've written about someone being fired or a pairing of personalities that has gone south. You can't write about WBBY without including Wild Bill and some of the things that took place during those times or Bob Conners and the Perfect Partner that wasn't so perfect. So my objective is to share these memories and not cause harm to someone.
Finally, it's time. Time is an evil foe. There's only so much time to devote to this. Inspiration also comes into play. I feel for those writers who have to mass produce on a deadline. I simply couldn't do it. This is a labor of love and fun to do.
Finally, I just can't piece together all the people to write about. There are about a half a dozen works that are in various stages of how to present them. People like Bill Corley of WBNS, Dave Logan of WTVN, Phil Whitelaw of WTVN, Fred Anderle of WTVN and WOSU, Gene Warman and John Potter of WTVN. There are some additional people from WRFD that are in the early stages of jotting down memories. Uncle Tom George, Handsome Howard Hewes, Jeffrey P Morgan and Jack Bartley among them. Or WLW's Music Professor, Bob Beasley, Jockey Joe Kelly and JFPO.
And there are so many people I've not been able to find a lot of information on. Marcy Rodgers of WBBY, Dianne Townsley of WBBY, Rick Seiler of WBBY and WWWJ. John L of WNCI. John Canterbury of WNCI or Sean McKay. Whatever became of some of these and other folks? Anyone who can help?
And then there are the WCOL folks. They have been pretty well covered in Rick Minerd's books and Mike Adams WCOL history site.
8 comments:
While I worked with both Rick and Marcy at WBBY (along with future Chopper 4 pilot, the late Robb Case) around 73-75 (and Rick's wife Carol was my French teacher at Big Walnut as well), I can't help you with either of them.
John L, however, was John Lane. Also a Big Walnut graduate. Played with him in the HS band there (he was 2-3 years ahead of me). I ran into John when he was at WNCI (I went in one day to voice a radio commercial for a friend), and then he showed up at WTVN doing afternoon talk during the time when John Corby was in Pittsburgh...and disappeared when he came back. I had heard that he ended up at Central College Presbyterian Church just east of Westerville shortly thereafter, and sure enough, he shows up as part of the Media Ministry team there on this page:
http://ccpc.us/leadership/staff
Chuck: Thank you for the comments. I was unaware that John Lane of WTVN and John L at WNCI were one in the same.
I believe I also worked with you briefly at WBBY. If your the person I'm thinking of, you left and took a job at the London, OH radio station.
BBY created some great talent. And was a fun place to work.
Good dispatch and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you on your information.
Hey everybody,
I have been corresponding with Chris for a while and how interesting that I should stumble on not only him but Chuck Brown on the same page.
Anyway, John Canterbury is living in Florida. E Karl now resides part of the year up East and part of the summer down around Lancaster according to our last correspondence.
'Funny, my search for John L ( and I seem to remember a different last name folks ) was what took me to this page.
Chris, did you figure out Midnight Sunshine's host yet;-)?
Bob North
Hey everybody,
I have been corresponding with Chris for a while and how interesting that I should stumble on not only him but Chuck Brown on the same page.
Anyway, John Canterbury is living in Florida. E Karl now resides part of the year up East and part of the summer down around Lancaster according to our last correspondence.
'Funny, my search for John L ( and I seem to remember a different last name folks ) was what took me to this page.
Chris, did you figure out Midnight Sunshine's host yet;-)?
Bob North
Hey everybody,
I have been corresponding with Chris for a while and how interesting that I should stumble on not only him but Chuck Brown on the same page.
Anyway, John Canterbury is living in Florida. E Karl now resides part of the year up East and part of the summer down around Lancaster according to our last correspondence.
'Funny, my search for John L ( and I seem to remember a different last name folks ) was what took me to this page.
Chris, did you figure out Midnight Sunshine's host yet;-)?
Bob North
Midnight Sunshine still escapes me. I believe there were two John L's in the market at seperate times on WNCI. The original, Lazar and the one Chuck mentions, Lane.
This blog is one of the most fun things I've done and allows me to memorialize the great memories I had growing and and eventually working in radio.
But part of that is an effort is make sure the memory and reality don't stray.
John L was my favorite DJ at WNCI. I was a win winner of his guest DJ contest, but we were cut off before I was able to go on the air. I called back after it was over but it was too late to get me on the air.
He gave me a time to call and once we were connected he announced the contest. I was "the winner. " I prearranged the song I wanted to announce and I chose "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" by the Partridge Family. He told me I sounded very professional. A few months later we were staying at Scitts inn which also housed the studios and I ran into him In the elevator and thanked him. He was so handsome and very sweet.
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