Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Column 3 - DON KEYES-BOB TOMINSON-GARY MCBRAYER-GARY MACK-MICHAEL JAMES LUCAS

DON KEYES (Dallas, TX) keynote@comcast.net

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 Knoxville, Tenn. He was ND at KTSA and a year later when Gordon bought KILT Bill Weaver, Joe and myself were transferred over there, me as PD, Joe as ND and Weaver as GM. Then, in 57 or so I became National PD and returned to Dallas and not too long thereafter Joe came along as ND of KLIF. We became good friends over the years and I miss him to this day. Do you have any info about his widow and kids?

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 Dallas with an offer to return to San Antonio as PM Drive News Anchor at KITE! This was after JOHN recently came over from KTSA.

Ironically, on a later Southwest Airlines flight between Dallas and San Antonio, TED AGNEW sat down next to me. TED said he had tried to locate me awhile earlier to come back to KLIF.

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 (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net

I've enjoyed your stories on Dallas radio. I grew up in Dallas and remember the great radio of the 50's,60's and earlie 70's. I always wish I had had a chance to work in Dallas before I left the business. Charlie Van Dyke has been one of those I have followed for some time. We emailed for a time but have since lost touch. He's in Phoenix, Arizona and can be reached at tvfmam@aol.com

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 Texas radio memories, especially your time working with the legendary Joe Long. I noticed you mentioned working with Bobby Brock at WFAA. I collect airchecks and have been trying to find Bobby Brock checks from his days at K-BOX and/or WFAA. Do you know of anyone who might have something or do you have any information on his whereabouts? Regards,

Gary McBrayer

GARY, Last time I saw BOBBY BROCK was in August 1968, just before leaving WFAA for a Program Director offer from KBUC FM-AM in San Antonio. CHARLIE VAN was Program Director at WFAA. He and BOBBY were best of friends and were next door neighbors at the time. Bet if you locate CHARLIE, some news of BOBBY will surface. Still have an LP that was autographed to BOBBY after a MARTY ROBBINS interview in my vast record and C-D collection!

GARY MACK (Dallas, TX) GMack@jfk.org

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 Dallas and have wondered what happened to him. Any ideas? Thanks, Gary Mack Curator The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

411 Elm St Suite 120 Dallas TX 75202-3308 gmack@jfk.org

GARY, haven't seen DICK MOORE since I left KBOX for KLIF in 1972, then back to San Antonio. Kinda lost touch with Dallas Radio happenings for awhile. DICK MOORE brings to mind a few neat stories that might be interesting at another time.

GARY MACK (Dallas, TX) GMack@jfk.org

Jim, I was PD at KLEO in Wichita, a Swanson Broadcasting station. Swanson bought KFJZ AM/FM and I moved to Fort Worth in 1976 to turn the FM from beautiful music to Top 40. We signed on as Z-97 in April 1977. Peter McLane was brought in to program the AM while I was getting the FM ready. We did well, then disco split our 12-24 target audience and there was little we could do. The numbers started to go down, the AM actually got an ARB asterisk in spring 1980 (!) so management wanted the FM to get 12-49. I said it couldn't be done (in this market at that time) and that wasn't what they wanted to hear. So I was out and got into tv as a booth announcer. Heh!

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 Dealey Plaza to Parkland Hospital......

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).

Gary gmack@jfk.org

GARY, You make a good point and I understand what you're saying about being "cut off" or "losing your connection." But, what JOE taught was that you never draw attention to any mechanical malfunction on the air. If a connection is lost, most people won't even notice. But, if attention is drawn to it, everyone becomes aware of it. JOE's scheme was to try and make problems and transitions flow smoothly, so the viewer or listener won't be drawn up into whatever difficulty arises. The Producer chats often in the News Anchor's ear plug.

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 (Austin, TX) mjlucas@austin.rr.com

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 Nashville.

You might recall that when I left KXOL in 76, I went to program KRZI in Waco. I actually replaced Charlie who went across town to WACO where he stayed just a short time. My recollection is that the owner/manager of WACO hired Charlie and half the staff away from KRZI just to hurt them, then after everyone was replaced at KRZI, cut them all loose. (Remember those kinds of horror stories?)

That's when I met Charlie. He had just been cut loose from WACO and was trying to decide his next move. As it happened, he and Don McGuire, another fellow who got caught up in the KRZI/WACO massacre took off for Nashville and opened a commercial production house called "Charlie and Company". They did really well for a number of years when Charlie had a fatal heart attack. I don't remember the year, but I believe I was still in Waco and I left there in '95.His family is still in the Nashville area and his son Gibb is still running the production house. The last number I have is 615.661.7770 office; I haven't called it in a couple of years, so I'm not sure how good this number is.

I see you've been hooking up with Jarrott. That's good. If you ever visit Austin, we could have a KXOL reunion just among ourselves. Hope all is well with you and stay in touch. Michael Lucas

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 New York. As I recall, sometime back in the early 70's, CHARLIE was Program Director at KXOL. That was the last time we sat down and chewed the fat. We chatted for at least THREE hours about Radio experiences. CHARLIE PRO had a pleasant deep voice and truly is a Texas Radio Legend!

That's pretty much the way I REMEMBER it!

JIM ROSE

Houston, Texas

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