Yesterday, I wrote a post on Country Music and what it has
meant to me in my life. Over the day, I got to thinking about how that love of
music led me to pursue a career in radio, and how beneficial that experience
has proven in my life. I grew up being enamored of radio – I’ve covered that
before. But, I wanted to offer a few of my thoughts about the career I have had
since 1991. And, the first words that were uttered to me on the job were……
“You can’t wear shorts.”
I was seventeen years old, and had just began working at
WDKN. Jackie Rhodes, the station manager, uttered those words to me when I went
in her office on day one. I will admit that after a few years, that rule became
a little bit lax. But, I got it. Radio – even though you can’t see it – was all
about appearances. And, it was a totally different world back then. The year
that I started at the station, WDKN got their first fax machine – and their
first CD player. And, it wasn’t an instant play model. Let me explain. Once you
cued up a track to play, you paused the CD player. But, for the audio to hit
the airwaves….you had to wait seven to ten seconds. It took me a while to figure
that machine out – and a lot of dead air.
I was fortunate to have some great people from which to
learn at the station – people that
became like a family. I mentioned Jackie earlier – whatever I have done in my
career, it wouldn’t have been possible had she not given me that chance. Her
husband at the time, Gordon Rhodes, was the PD. I can’t even type his name
without smiling. Gordon had his own language – which we won’t go into
here, but he was always entertaining. I
learned most of what little I know about programming on the fly, but one lesson
I picked up from Gordon was to not sweat the small stuff. The guy didn’t get
worried about too much. If something wasn’t working right, he would arrange a
solution. One night, we were broadcasting a basketball game, and to put the
game on the air, he wired a solution to the phone problem we were having with
paper clips. I had to make sure that I took them off of the cards inside the
board when it was commercial time – and put them back on when it was time to go
back on. Then, there was the time when the owners thought it would be a good
idea for we employees to drive the station van. It was stick. I didn’t and don’t
do stick. Gordon found this out one day when he took me out driving, and there
was almost a malfunction at the junction. Needless to say, there were no more
lessons.
Other than the Rhodes, there were others who have a special
place in my heart – Joe Webster, who had been at the station since 1960.
Mastering a CD player was something that took him a little bit of time, but he
did it before he retired in 1995. Kip Reynolds, who was the most bizarre
personality I ever worked with – definitely a free spirit, and someone who I
learned the term “Personality” from. And, of course, there was Warren Medley. I’ve
written about Warren before….but suffice to say, that if WDKN was Ewing Oil
from Dallas (you know I have to get a JR link in there somewhere), Warren
Medley was Jock Ewing. Though he never owned a part of the station, he was the
leader. The biggest lesson I learned from him – self promotion. One day, this
humble man in his 70s told me “Thou who doesn’t toot his own horn doesn’t get
his horn tooteth.” I don’t know how much I have learned that…..but it’s true.
You’ve got to make people aware of you and what you do.
As my time at WDKN continued, there were others that I became
close with. Kristy Owings – who is one of three sisters from other misters that
I have – came to work at the station in 1995. I’m not saying I’m proud of it,
but probably my most quick witted remark came when she was taking a meter
reading one day….A meter reading measures….well, heck…I don’t really know to
this day what I was doing, but by this time we did it every two hours on an
automated phone line. You had to type in a pass code after the computer
answered the phone and said “Enter.” Her reaction one day was….well, very
Gordon Rhodes-ish, and my comeback left “Miss Swap and Shop” speechless! Even
since our time ended at the station in 2009, we still have remained close and I
treasure her friendship to this day.
I have learned so much from a lot of people I have worked
with, and enjoyed being around those that shared the microphone with me – like Bill
McCullough, Jim Hudson, Cory Williams, James Garton, Marcia Campbell, Richard
White, Jay Harper, Don Craig – and his father, Donnie – my favorite on-air
sidekick, Jim Anderson, J. Patrick (Finger Wrasslers) Tinnell. But, in the
summer of 1996, I met the person that would become the “Frick” to my “Frack,”
the “Hawkeye” to my “BJ” or “Trapper John,” – Ken Loggains.
A native of Arkansas, Ken moved to Dickson like a lot of
people do – to play music. He found a job at the station, and I have to say
that I’m glad he did. Technically, I was the PD. But, I learned so much from
him – that I will never be able to repay. As where my personality can run hot
and cold, he is the most steady person that I know – not just a co-worker, but
one of the best friends that I ever have had. We worked together for eleven
years, and I value each and every one of them. We worked during the day,
remotes, basketball games, sales, you name it. And, I am the better for it.
Still to this day, we do a five minute country news segment on the station that
he works at in Arkansas.
One of the biggest lessons I learned from Ken was how to
conduct yourself in the community. I don’t think anyone who knew him would tell
you that he was no less than the consummate professional. Another person that I
put in that class is Randy Tidwell. He was the sports director at the station
during my time there, and also the “Voice of the Cougars.” Outside of my
father, Randy Tidwell is the finest man I know. Period. One of the best
examples of being a human being, and one of the best sports broadcasters that I
have ever been around. I was very fortunate to spend the better part of 20
years on Friday nights with him. He is simply the best. Anyone who don’t think
so…..is wrong.
Those years are very special to me. The fact that it ended so
abruptly with the closing of the station in 2009 stung for so long – there was
no chance to say goodbye. Maybe though, it’s better that way. Long goodbyes
become long-winded.
Since 2009, I have been blessed to work with Steve Turner at
WNKX in Centerville. I have known him for years, and was glad to get the chance
to work with him. He’s an owner who gets what radio is – having been in the
business since he was “Little Stevie” Turner as a child. His exuberance and
love for the station is infectious, and he really helped to repair my
confidence in myself at a time I needed it. Mickey and Sheila do their jobs so
good at the station, that I just do a weekly oldies show and some fill-in work,
but I love the association. I just recently became involved with the sports
broadcasting department of the station, and am having a blast. I’m not trying
to be Mike Brown – the longtime voice of the Bulldogs, or Randy Tidwell, for
that matter……but I am having a ball on Friday night. This past weekend, a few
hours after interviewing Randy Owen and Darius Rucker, I was broadcasting a
football game from Scotts Hill, Tennessee – and enjoying every second of it.
Still loving radio as much as ever…..but Jackie Rhodes, please forgive me…..I
wasn’t in the press box…..and it was 90 at kickoff…..I was wearing shorts!
Signing off….for today!
