Ron Jacobs and wife en route to Hong Kong to do radio prior to KHJ, Los Angeles.
2.1.16
By Claude Hall
And Rollye James
Claude Hall: “Trade magazine endeavors are always intriguing. True, we hoped to be
somewhat entertaining on Billboard, but the primary purpose was to mine information and,
hopefully, become a goldmine for an industry. In our particular case, two industries – radio
and music. And in the majority of situations, the information overlapped. That is, a story that
I might write about a program director would be interesting to both radio people and record
promotion men and women. Maybe even vitally important to their careers. For example, it
was Don Graham who suggested that I might write a story about Bill Randle, a disc jockey
working at the time on WERE in Cleveland as well as an hour daily on WCBS in New York
City. And it was Don Graham who told me that Terry Michaels, i.e., Terrell Metheny, had
been interviewed to program WMCA where Ruth Meyer was then the program director.
“No wonder I was always close to record promotion people. Jan Basham, Don Whittemore,
Vince Cosgrave … where are you guys now that I really need you? You, too, Buzzy Willis?
And Edna Collison?
“This brings up the matter of Barry O’Neil. He’s not a record promotion man so far as I’m
aware. Probably more of a music geek I would think. Not that you couldn’t be both. Vince
Cosgrave took pride in two jukeboxes that he owned, both stocked with records. But Barry is
providing me some excellent current information about music and the music industry and
might just do the same for you if you’d write him at mot8198yrab@att.net. Barry told me that
he sends his information out to a list. I recommend you write and ask to be on his list, which
includes sales information about records. And here’s the kind of information he also provides:
“‘Low morale at MTV Networks is said by the rank and file to be attributable to its tanking
ratings, which have most recently plummeted 26% overall and 25% in the crucial 18-49 demo
on the watch of new chief Doug Herzog. The station, which once upon a time played a
decisive role in dictating the course of pop culture — when music and music related
programming were the heart of its power menu — has staked its fortunes on reality and the
hyper-expensive horror/fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles, which opened and bombed
this week, instead of investing in and perhaps even believing in the M in MTV. Now it finds
itself at #30, below MSNBC, in ratings and #21 (just above TLC) in demo. MTV is but one of
the Viacom properties targeted in a controversial PowerPoint deck from activist investor Eric
Jackson of SpringOwl. But in several of his slides showing precipitous plunges in ratings,
MTV has dropped the most. Herzog chose to scrub most of the previous generation of MTV
Networks execs (basically only keeping Amy Doyle, the well-liked, multi-talented bridge
from the heyday). Observers wonder if Herzog and his new executive team, at a network
previously piloted by visionary execs like Tom Freston, Bob Pittman, Van Toffler and Judy
McGrath, have squandered the brand once and for all.’
“Truly, the Internet is changing the way we distribute information as well as how we look at
information. My son Andy, the poet and college professor, has an iPad constantly at his side.
I remark to my wife Barbara that I may need to get a heart valve replaced and she closes her
iPad and says, ‘Pig or nylon?’ We’ve become an iPad generation and I would have one, if I
could afford it.
MEADOW MATTERS
Bob Meadow: “Hello, Claude. I just subscribed to your column and I wanted to thank you
for including my ‘Growing Up With the Boss Jocks’ Video. That is so cool. I'm pretty sure
this is how Ron Jacobs found and watched it for the first time. He contacted me and I talked
with him for about an hour on the phone and he just made my day! I was so happy he liked
and approved of the way I did it. I enjoyed hearing some of his stories about KHJ and Elvis.
What a nice man he is. Thank you for being a part of that.
“I saw the pic with you and Cliffie Stone and I wanted to share something with you. Cliffie
Stone was a customer of mine back in the 80s. He lived on Sand Canyon in Canyon Country
(you probably know that). I started in the Appliance Repair Business in 1979 in Canyon
Country and we had quite a few celebrity customers that lived on Sand Canyon. I remember
Cliffie and he was so down to earth and friendly. Very nice man. For some reason I always
remember what brand appliances celebrities have. Cliffie had one of the original Maytags
which were the most dependable washers & dryers ever made. I told him how much my mom
loved him and his music so he gave me one of his books and signed it for my mom. My mom
loved it. When she passed away I kept the book and still have it. I also was called out to his
neighbor's house, Stuart Hamblen. I remember his wife let me in and I saw this piano sitting
in the front room and Stuart was sitting in a wheelchair not looking too well. They had a GE
side by side Refrigerator I repaired for them. He passed away not long after that. Of course,
not far from where they both lived was Gene Autry's Melody Ranch. I believe Cliffie's son
Curtis lived there, too, and Curtis was in Highway 101 who had 1 or 2 hit songs at that time. I
remember always shaking Cliffie's hand when I went there and what a nice man he was.
Thanks again for including my ‘KHJ Tribute Video’. That was my labor of love and knowing
Ron Jacobs is happy with it, makes it ALL worth it!”
Claude Hall: “That was, indeed, a special time in my life. I consider it an honor to have
known men such as Cliffie Stone.”
RONSTADT MATTERS
Claude Hall: “Turns out that I’m not the only devoted fan of Linda Ronstadt. A radio man
that I’ve known for more than three decades – a good friend -- would like to write her a fan
letter. Does anyone have a snailmail or email for her? I probably know someone who has her
phone number – Joe Smith. But I no longer do phone. Tom Campbell didn’t believe it. So
he hopped in a taxi during the recent CES and came to check me out. But if we can get a
snailmail or email, it might be fun to write her a fan note. Johnny Holliday offered to set me
up with a phone call to Rick Barry, but heck I was never more than a ragknot and I’d get all
flamboozled talking with a real basketball player like Rick who was right up there amidst
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy and various gods of basketball and, like I said, I
don’t do phone anymore and so I took a pass. Do I have a chance to write to Linda
Ronstadt? I’m writing a fan letter to Doc Rivers, coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Actually, it’s from both Barbara and myself … to tell him what a great coach we think he is.
He handled the Donald Sterling situation with not only aplomb and acumen, but superb taste.
And now one of his best players, Blake Griffin, slugs an equipment manager and breaks his
hand. Gah! Just like an Oakie. Fortunately, Rivers has Jordan, Paul, Redick, Jamal
Crawford, and Austin Rivers. And Paul Pierce, of course. If he could just bring back Bill
Bradley! Can they hold the team together until Griffin wriggles clear of his stupidity?
Basketball and Linda Ronstadt. Hell of a mix! Just wish she’d recorded more Hank
Williams and maybe hung in there with her voice to record two or three Tom Russell tunes.
She probably doesn’t even know who Tom Russell is. Pity. Boy, that would be great …
Linda singing Tom Russell!”
Jonathan Little, 608-219-1077: “Wanted you to be among the first to know that Duke Sholin
and I, with help from cowboy music specialist Orin Friesen, are launching the Cowboy
Singers and Poets music channel with Kurt Hanson's AccuRadio.”
Claude Hall: “If the Duke is involved, it has to be great. Go get ‘em, Duke! And there
appears to be a music thingamabob starting up in Kansas City … ‘The Rebels and Renegades
Festival’ 4-10 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Crown Center Westin Hotel, 1 E. Pershing Rd. Performers
include James McMurtry, David Olney, Danny Barnes, Scott Nolan, Mike Stinson,
Curtis McMurtry, the High Plains Jamboree and others. Event promoted by Jenni Finlay
Promotions and Squeaky String Productions.”
Bob Weisbuch: “Hey, Claude, I am not so much envious as just admiring of the fullness of
your experience. You know so many and have done so much! And it continues, as Woody
and I and many others read Vox Jox each week. Don't you dare give in or give up. You have
the rare gift of loving others and of loving life: forever young. Your trainee.”
Claude Hall: “Dr. Bob and Woody Roberts and a couple of other guys such as Bruce Miller
Earle keep me in gear and on track. Couldn’t do without you. All of you.”
Rollye: Claude shared the possibility of some heart valve surgery with a few of us, including
Dr. Bob….
Claude Hall: “My uncle Charles, gone now, had a choice of a nylon value or a pig valve and
he was redneck plus. I wrote Dr. Bob about him and got this cute note:”
Bob Weisbuch: “Hey Claudio on the radio, Keep writing and get yourself a fast appointment
with that heart guy. You have a lot more living to do, and if it takes a pig valve to do it, I know
a rabbi who will give it a blessing that makes it kosher I also wrote a new few pages
yesterday on Hitbound. I've finally cleared off my desk so that I can spend several hours a day
finishing it. Then I submit to U Michigan P and five agents simultaneous , give it a month, and
then hire someone to help me self-publish in the best possible way. Meanwhile writing a 20
pager for magazine submission on Lee. It's happening at last. Viva Las Vegas Claude. Call
that other doc. Dr Bob”
Vicki at Vicki@sanantonioradiomemories.com: “We need material both for the website and
possible book No. 2. We would love to hear from you.”
Claude Hall: “I strongly support repositories of information and especially when they
concern radio and radio people. If you worked in the area of the Alamo or were just a fan,
please help. I know that Mushmouth O’Conner, if he’s still alive, lives in Austin. He once
saw cattle driven down the streets of San Antonio. Great radio man! Go get ‘em, Vicki!”
Doc Wendell: “I had to write a piece on my desires to kill the ‘Doc’ character ... well, I think
you'll be entertained by this.”
Claude Hall: “Doc also sent this link:”
John Barger: Claude - The joint in East Austin off Sixth Street was Eastwood Country Club,
and every great Black act of the mid-50's to early 60's appeared there. It was kinda of a
poor-man's Cotton Club, in that the ownership and staff and half the patrons were
African-American and the balance White college kids (UT guys and their dates, with no one
checking IDs on 17-year-olds) dancing their backsides off to some truly great stuff, even slow
dancing to Jimmy Reed, sitting alone in the middle of the small dance floor accompanying
himself with a single guitar, occasionally promoted on air by Famous John R from WLAC,
Nashville, which served all of East Texas and the Hill Country like a local at night. Then
on to Mt. Bonnell. - John Barger, late of KNOW (PM Drive, '60-65)
Joey Reynolds with singer Connie Francis
POETRY MATTERS
Claude Hall: “I felt it necessary to discuss my current medical woes with the family and this
came forth from Andy, who teaches English as an adjunct at UNLV here in Las Vegas and has
his name on a little “bridge” in a park in downtown Las Vegas”
The Endgame
Don't be so quick to dive over the cliff
it's not going to end the pain...
you will only crashland on
the cliff below with no opiods
the best thing to do rather than end it all
is to get even... not through violence
but ridicule... not to demean
the crazy mofos who ruin your life
but to realize
the ridiculousness of it all
and thus forgive everyone
and everything
then you can walk around
in a bathrobe... all your days
placing rose petals
on people's foreheads
and telling them they are forgiven
and don't forget to forgive them as they
place you in restraints
and carry you away
kind of like how they carry off the kicker
after they won the game
although in the thick of it, the game
was never about winning or losing
or anything at all, in fact the rules
have been made up as we went along
and we still don't have a clue
what the real object of it is.
-- Andy Hall, Jan. 2016
