Getting The Letters Right....

Being 35 years old, there have been many adjustments in life that one makes. Getting used to being in school as a child is one. Making the jump into marriage and fatherhood is one that has happened to me over the past few years.

Another such change happened to me over the past month. As many know, a chapter of my life came to an end with the decision by the owners to close WDKN. After eighteen years at one place, it's quite different to realize that you are a free agent. It's scary, and to an extent, heartbreaking----but also kind of exciting.

It has been a month, and I am still looking for a full-time opportunity, but thankfully, the Lord has provided me with some work. I have been doing a lot of writing for the DICKSON HERALD, as well as a few music sites, and am in the process of pitching stories to some other magazines and periodicals. So...I am staying busy.

One of the best things that has happened to me is my association with WNKX / Kix 96 in Centerville. Since I first met Steve Turner back in 1993, I have had a tremendous amount of respect for him. One of my friends, Mickey Bunn, has been there since about that same time, so I have known about the station and liked them for some time. Mickey's wife "Sheila B After 3" has also been a longtime friend. Steve has always been someone that I would have liked to work for. It has just so happened that if he was looking to hire....I was satisfied where I was, and if I was looking...he was full of people on air.

To make a long story short. As I was loading all the CD's I had kept at WDKN into the house, it occurred to me. "What am I going to do with my THE BEST OF FERLIN HUSKY CD?....After all, there's not enough time to listen to everything I had in my collection." So, I contacted Kix 96 about doing an Country oldies show for them. Steve literally made me feel like a member of the WNKX family by inviting me in.

My first show was April 9, and the listeners have responded well. I have had a few of the former Dickson listeners call in, and I will be honest when I say that it feels good to have someone excited about having you as a part of their team. Granted, it's just a weekly two-hour show (for now, but I could see it expanding very soon!), but the people in Centerville have been really nice.

The change in radio stations leads me to something that anyone who has ever worked at more than one station will identify with---call letters. If you have any experience in radio, you know that when you turn the microphone on.....you will say the call letters of your station quite often. For me, it was at the beginning of every song....(That's something I learned from Ken Loggains, a former co-worker and a better friend...also one of the best radio voices you will ever hear!) I still remember giving the call letters of WDKN, as well as the phone number when I was doing overnights on the Interstate Radio Network a few years back....

Well, it's been three weeks, and so far I haven't uttered my old call letters into the microphone.....though I about gave out the WDKN phone number out last week. You know what Hank Williams, Jr. said about "Old Habits." Well;, let me tell you it's the truth!

In any case, I invite you to tune in this Thursday from 1-3 on WNKX / Kix 96.7 FM. We'll be celebrating the upcoming 50th birthday of Randy Travis, and playing quite a few of (hopefully) your all-time favorites....on W....I mean, Kix 96!.....(Keeping the streak alive!)