WSM Nashville Promo Package 1974 Part 2

Time for part 2 of the WSM 1974 Sales Promotion Package. Thanks again to Wes Green for the goodies. Here are scans of the interior pages, one for each show throughout the dayparts. Click on any pic to enlarge.

The broadcast day started with John McDonald and the farm report. He was so popular as a commercial spokesman that he charged sponsors on his show $3 for every time each spot aired.

Ted Johnson was the morning man, smooth and knowledgeable with a great radio voice. He later owned a television production studio, and was the national voice of Lenscrafters for years. Listen to an aircheck of Ted from 1976 here.

I believe WSM was the last station in the country to have a live band in the studio each morning. The band members would do the morning radio show, the midday TV show, then roll down the hill to the bars, where I got to know a lot of them.

What can you say about Ralph Emery? A legend.

Teddy Bart started out as a piano player, but quickly became a radio star in the talk arena. He is still active today.

Pat Sajak started in radio as a comedy writer in Chicago. His afternoon radio show was in the same league as Dr. Don Rose, with many groan-inducing puns. Pat also was a live booth announcer for WSM TV, and a weekend weatherman. He left in 1975 to do the weather in Los Angeles, an experience I think Steve Martin used in L.A. Story.

Remember when radio stations had real news departments? WSM and WLAC were always locked in battle for ratings and news scoops.

Hairl Hensley knows more about country music than anyone. His mellow voice on the radio and as an announcer on the Grand Ole Opry was the touchstone for many listeners. You can't think about Martha White Flour without thinking of Hairl.

Cap'n Jim and Flight 65 had the most popular air traffic reports in town for many years. Jim eventually took his plane to San Diego, where he was equally popular. In each city he ran out of fuel in the air at least once, and glided down to safety in a field. Flight 65 was later manned by long time reporter and policeman Richard Thomas, who switched to a copter.

Tom Bryant was a true production master. He came up through ham radio, so he knew the technical end cold. He also had one of the best voices ever, in the "Voice of God" catagory. And he could make spots. He would always call my commercial sound studio and let me know when my azimuth was off on the tape dubs. Find out more about Tom on his website here.

Part 3 will be posted soon.

Wayne Ashworth's WTOB Memories

WTOB 1380 Winston-Salem NC was one of the best sounding Top 40 stations around from the 60s on. Jocks like George Lee, Willie Edwards, The Flying Dutchman, and later Rick Dees and Steve Norris kept the station ahead of rival WAIR. News Director Wayne Ashworth published these photos on Facebook, and they're reposted here with his permission.

 

Ralph Beavers and Wayne Ashworth in front of the WTOB studios in the Thruway Plaza. 

 

Bob Dale at the board.

"Wild Child" Willie Edwards on the air at WTOB.

WTOB digs Reynolds High School pennant

Tiny Tim in the studio with WTOB jock Steve Norris.

Long time jock Buddy Latham with a great board shot.

WTOB promotional materials. I wonder what that record is.

Thanks again to Wayne Ashworth, WTOB News Director, seen here from 1969.

WKDA Nashville Survey November 01, 1969

Another WKDA Top 40 survey from late 1969. Note the jocks Jay Thomas, now famous jock and actor, and Don Sullivan, who later became a concert promoter at Sound 70. Click to enlarge, as always.

WIBG Philadelphia Survey March 25 1963

Another Top 99 survey from Wibbage. Note Don L. Brink on the bottom, soon to be known as Scotty Brink. Study the groups in the survey carefully, in less than a year the Beatles would arrive and many of these groups would never chart again.

Click to enlarge, thanks to Scotty for the scan.

 

WKDF Nashville John Lennon Tribute Dec 9 1980

The day after the death of John Lennon, local group The Piggys played a rooftop concert in his honor at the WKDF building near downtown Nashville. The crowd was still in shock, but the music was great. Here's a couple of pics that I took with my 110 camera. Click to enlarge.

 

It was a very good tribute to John. The Piggys were Tom Deluca, Howie Watson, and Ronnie Brooks (later a Budweiser frog).  Check out one of their YouTube videos here.

WFIL Philadelphia Survey April 22 1968

SM95 WSM-FM Hall & Oates Photo 1982

Thanks to Donna Brake for this grip & grin shot from the early 80s. Donna was Program Director for SM95, WSM-FM in Nashville. Click to enlarge.