DON KEYES (
Enjoyed your Joe Long tribute. I hired Joe into the McLendon organization back in 56 when I was PD of KTSA. Got him out of WNOX in
Don Keyes
DON, As you well know, JOE was one of a kind. His funeral was a private affair attended by only family and very close friends. I have no information on JOE's widow or kids at this time. JOE LONG, and what he induced becomes more clear as time passes. He was Wise beyond his years! DON, What a discovery you made in JOE LONG!
When I first arrived at KBOX in 1971, one of JOE LONG's opening remarks was, "News Broadcasting is 90% Effort and 10% Talent." That struck a chord! But, soon discovered it's true! Work hard in that News Room and you will produce!I joined TED AGNEW's KLIF News Team in 1972!
JOHN RHODES called me in
Ironically, on a later Southwest Airlines flight between
To be taught by the best, my venture into Radio Newscasting at KBOX, KLIF and KITE in the early 70's, drug me away from a long term DJ role that eventually pulled me back into its web. But, what a huge knowledge gained!
BOB TOMLINSON (
I've enjoyed your stories on
Thanks Jim keep the stories coming.Rev. Fr. Bob Tomlinson Fort Worth, Tx
Over 30 of Texas Biggest, Best, Smallest and Worst Radio Stations since 1964, should qualify for a huge 45 rpm record to be stamped somewhere on my anatomy. Experienced Radio format changes, management changes, programming about-faces, silly consultant 'mini-dramas', music sped up where JOHN DENVER sounded like the chipmonks, chased down I-10 by a Houston "Play Misty For Me" crazy woman who simply would not take "NO!" for an answer, ONLY DJ all day long every day with no cart machines, endless series of little Radio occurrences that bring many Smiles and Chuckles.
GARY MCBRAYER GMcbr1480@aol.com
Jim: Enjoyed your
Gary McBrayer
GARY MACK (
Hello Jim, I enjoyed your remembrance of Joe. I was in Top 40 radio from 1964 to 1980, but I'm not the Gary Mack who worked at KBOX. My knowledge of Joe comes from his pool coverage of JFK's arrival at Love Field in 1963. Very distinctive voice and delivery, and that's part of what makes radio interesting! I'm not sure I agree with Joe's belief that one should never call attention to a mistake or being cut off. Having worked in television, too, I know that while a new anchor will say "We've apparently lost our signal," he's clarifying what happened AND, perhaps more importantly, waiting for his producer to say in his ear what he should do next. But I'd also like to know if you have information on Dick Moore's whereabouts. I met him back in the late 70's here in
GARY MACK (
Jim, I was PD at KLEO in Wichita, a Swanson Broadcasting station. Swanson bought KFJZ AM/FM and I moved to
Things worked out. I developed an interest in the JFK story and eventually spoke with or met several KBOX people over the years, including Dick, Irene Runnels, Stu Hepburn (he's still around), Ron Jenkins and Sam Pate. What a group! And I was the first to tell Ron that I knew he and Sam had recreated some of their "actualities" in the minutes after the assassination. He was stunned. I could tell because the siren sounds they dubbed in were recorded in a downtown area with reverb from the buildings. Well, there were no such buildings from
Please let me know if you hear about Dick - he's the one who ran air checks at the studio of KBOX's coverage that afternoon and kept the tapes. He loaned them to a congressional committee in 1978 and when they came back, they were dubs, not his originals (which are now at the National Archives).
On FOX Network, just this week, a News Anchor drew attention to the fact that the Producer was giving advice in their ear plug. Just yesterday on one of the Network News Channels, I saw and heard a new News anchor make big mention that she was hearing a loud buzz in her ear. I could just hear JOE LONG say, "Pull it out of your ear! Lay it down!"
We all make mistakes - LORD knows I've made many more than the allotted share - but after you have any period of time under JOE LONG's tuteledge, it becomes so obvious, things like these Reach Out and Grab You.In JOE LONG's mind, repetition begats seasoning. After awhile, you begin to just glide right over on-air problems like they don't even exist. The viewing and listening audience never knows. It seems, to me, no one is teaching News Anchors or Newscasters about these things anymore, because every single one of them does it. Instantly, the thought is "Where's JOE LONG?!"
JOE insisted that you be ready for anything to happen. Always have another News story or pertaining item at your side, waiting for an opportune moment. Simply move on like nothing happened. JOE instilled another thing that stands out in my mind, even today. One of the most mispronounced words is pronunciation. How many times have you heard someone correct a word by saying, "_____ is the correct pronounciation?" JOE was so keen-minded in details. When you joined a JOE LONG News team, educating was an ongoing process. JOE never made you feel dumb or stupid. He merely pointed out how something could be done better or more smooth.
MICHAEL JAMES LUCAS (
Jim,Saw your note in Claude Hall's column asking about Charlie Pro (Procise) and his whereabouts. I am sorry to tell you Charlie passed away a number of years ago in
You might recall that when I left KXOL in 76, I went to program KRZI in
That's when I met Charlie. He had just been cut loose from
I see you've been hooking up with Jarrott. That's good. If you ever visit
MIKE, This was indeed a shocking report. I had lost touch with CHARLIE PRO over the years. At one time, CHARLIE, had been a DJ in
That's pretty much the way I REMEMBER it!
JIM ROSE
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