After all this time, J. Robert Wood and Dick Williams finally meet.
L-R: former CJBK Morning Man Steve Garrison, former CJBX-FM Program Director Ian
McCallum, Radio Historian Charles Ritenburg, J. Robert Wood, Dick Williams, Radio Consultant
Dave Charles and former CJBK/CJBX General Manager Warren Cosford.
10.17.16
by Rollye James
and
Claude Hall
Warren Cosford: “In 1966, J. Robert Wood arrived in the London/St. Thomas Radio Market
from CKY Winnipeg for his first PD job at CHLO. At the time, the #1 Station was
multi-formatted CFPL, which played "teen music" after 6 at night led by 'The Tall One' Dick
Williams.
“Inspired by former CKY Program Director Jimmy ‘Darin’ Hilliard, JRW put together a team
that included future Hall of Famers Chuck McCoy and Paul Ski which so upset The
Establishment that, as Dick Williams recently confessed, "we had to help get Bob Wood a job
somewhere out of town".
“That would be 1050 CHUM Toronto.......and The Rest, as they say, Is History.
“Recently, thanks largely to the efforts of Dave Charles, whose Joint Communications
consulted many London area stations over the years, J. Robert Wood and Dick Williams met
for the first time at a luncheon in the resort town of Port Stanley near London/St. Thomas.
Joining them were former CJBK Morning Man Steve Garrison, former CJBX-FM Program
Director Ian McCallum, Radio Historian Charles Ritenburg and former CJBK/CJBX
General Manager Warren Cosford.”
Rollye: Warren included a link to Dick Williams’ website, www.adjspin.com which will keep
you happily busy for quite a while. It accompanies his must read book, A DJ’s Spin, which you
can order on Amazon here.”
Bobby Reno
Bob Walker WTIX Retired: “FYI - Iconic New Orleans DJ Bobby Reno passed away this
morning (10/10). Bobby worked on WTIX-AM, WRNO-FM & WNOE-FM. Bobby sang
with bands too and when he got a DJ gig in Memphis, we admired his moxie by recording
Elvis hits and playing them on his show in Elvis’ home city.
“Bobby Reno’s obituary posted it on my website. It doesn’t mention his stay at WMPS in the
’70’s where he recorded Elvis songs and played them on his radio show in Elvis’ home town.
Again … moxie. :-)
“Bobby was fine tuned at WTIX by Buzz Bennett. Actually, so was I. Bobby also worked
with Buzz and CC Courtney at WNOE-FM.”
Rollye: “Bob Walker’s website is aptly named the New Orleans Radio Shrine. It’s a treasure
trove of New Orleans radio and music history. Where else can you hear a clean copy of Big
Joe’s “Ice Man”? (Ooops.. the audio link appears not to resolve at the moment— but I’m sure
it will again soon. Bob? Until it does, you won’t run out of things to enjoy at
“Bobby Reno started on WTIX just as Hurricane Betsy hit in 1965. As Bob mentioned, he
was also a singer. Reno released a 45 with a couple songs written by Mac Rebennac (‘I’ve
Been Hoo-Dood’ b/w ‘Just Like A Fool’ —click on ’em to hear them in youtube)— but it’s the
flip side of “Crying Of A Storm” by The Real Bobby Reno that always made me smile. Check
out the sound effects in The Frog:”
Rollye: “If The Frog doesn’t play, it might be a blessing. But for the hearty, here’s a link.”
Frank Boyle to Woody Roberts--RE Judge Hoffheinz-- San Antonio: “You'll recall 680 earlier
calls had been KABC-then KGBS-- George B. Storer-- then--The Judge bought it and hired
the guy who brought me into the radio Business--Elmer Wayne at WJR in Detroit in 1953.
Elm left WJR to own part Of WHAM - Rochester with Henry I. Christal-- The National
Rep--- then to San Antonio. Elm wanted to make KGBS into a clone of WJR--Hoffheinz
owned there San Antonio "45's" Minor league baseball team.--changed calls to KBAT--it never
worked for Elm or for the Judge. We, Eastman Radio Reps, repped the KBAT disaster. Then
came the Good Guys-- Swanson Frozen foods Swanco Radio Group-- Ken Greenwood The
Boss-- and Ric Marcellan, General Mgr. Then to KKYX---with Bill Rohde as GM--great run.
in a great Market with the River Walk.”
Woody Roberts: “Sad indeed that 68% of Americans have less than "fair trust" in main stream
media news reports, Gallup. Knowing what I know after forty plus years of analyzing news
content, I don't blame them. And to add to it, there's no question this is the mudslingingist
election I've ever witnessed; no important issues yet debated.
“Walter Cronkite was the voice of the '60s for CBS news and trying to fill those exra-large
shoes of Edward R. Murrow. After the Hurricane Katrina disaster I worked with his
daughter Kathy Cronkite (then living in Austin) to help those homeless Crescent City flood
victims find emergency shelters. Our group of four had meetings at UT's Eugene C. Barker
Texas History Center where a large photo portrait of her dad was hung by the conference room
entrance. Along with photos of JFK and MLK. Very nice woman, attractive too. PS
Interesting aside, at that time Dan Rather's daughter Robin was also living in Austin.”
Claude Hall: “As many of you know, I'm a trained journalist, whatever that means. My
degree was in journalism. I started my career, as once was traditional, writing obits on the El
Paso Herald-Post, a newspaper that once was renown, but now, like many newspapers, is gone.
One of the highlights of my career was having lunch with Walter Cronkite in the New York
Press Club, courtesy and at the invite of my old college professor, Dr. DeWitt Reddick. Thus,
is was with somewhat dismay that I learned the reporters of CNN and MSNBC now require
bodyguards when they cover a political event. This is sad commentary of either our political
system or the world in general.”
Rollye: “Agreed on sad. The other side of it, is that people who are interested enough to parse
what they’re hearing, are discovering a verifiable disconnect between events and reports of
them. With the growth of the internet, citizens are ‘fact checking’ on their own. (I use the
term in quotes as it’s easy to support any world-view online, regardless of how off-center it is.)
The result is palpable. People are frustrated by, to put it in its best light, ‘selective reporting’.
(I agree with Woody that the partisan pitch of this election fiasco is record-breaking. And it
doesn’t matter which side of what aisle you’re examining.) Unfortunately, the online
community resembles the “group mind” mentality, which sociologists explain is, without
exception, more emotional and less rational (coalescing as mobs). Look at any unmoderated
message board, and see how quickly the comments devolve. Deserved or not, the press has
good reason for those bodyguards.
“Years ago when Monica Lewinsky’s ‘blue dress’ was impossible to miss, I quipped that the
nobel prize in politics would go to whomever could turn economics into a sex scandal, because
every American would involve themselves in the discussion, the same way they recognized the
dress from The Gap. Now, almost 25 years later, I’m starting to think it's fashion over sex
(though still, guaranteed to not be politics). That’s the only conclusion I can draw about the
hoopla over the Kenneth Bone’s red sweater:”
Chuck Buell from “Chuck Ghoul Radio Halloween Headquarters Global International”:
“So we all know who Kenneth Bone is from the Second Nationally Televised Presidential
Debate. Now Izod has revealed: The Ken Bone sweater has sold out. But thank goodness,
with Halloween just around the corner, the Kenneth Bone Halloween Costume is now
available. Yes, it does comes complete with a fake mustache, black glasses, blue pants, a
microphone and a crop top version of Ken’s famous red sweater! I'll be giving away a
complete Ken Bone costume on my radio show* everyday during the week leading up
to Halloween Weekend!
* If I HAD a radio show . . .”
Rollye: “Chuck Buell should have a radio show! His hilarity came with several illustrations
(all copyright protected, unfortunately). I don’t believe it’s possible you’ve missed Kenneth
Bone, but just in case:
“If the above youtube clip doesn’t open, watch it here . And read about the popular sweater
here. (Izod should be giving him a cut of every order). As for that Halloween costume,
Yandy’s got you covered— or not entirely covered. Here’s the bare-midriff ladies’ getup
dubbed “the undecided voter”, running you just $95.95. Depending on the age and shape of
the wearer, it truly could produce a horrifying halloween encounter.
“The most interesting thing about Mr. Bone to me is how quickly the coverage has built him up
and taken him down. Within days after undeservingly becoming America’s darling, he equally
undeservingly has become America’s swine. Here’s a Washington Post article hinting at a
seamy side. And for those with a lust for detail (or dirt), here’s some of the details behind it.
“It’s hard to find commercial creativity online like Chuck Blore used to produce, but leave it to
Chuck to not only find a great example, but one which ties today’s technology into it. If it
doesn’t open, click here.
Chuck Blore: My hat's off to the advertising team that came up with the idea. It has been said
that paper is dead ... You just watch. GRRRRREAT!!!!
Claude Hall: “Joey Reynolds should have known better than to send chocolate cookies to this
house. Barbara is a chocolic and my eldest son doesn't have a stop sign when it comes to
something like that. And I had no way, Rollye, to forward it on to you. But, be aware that the
great Joey Reynolds tried to send you some chocolates.”
Rollye: “I’m eating them in spirit. Hope they’re as good as Joey’s new show on WABC!”
Mel Phillips: “Last week we celebrated the 50th anniversary of WRKO-FM. We launched
Boston's first rocker on October 13, 1966. Five months later, to the date, we lanuched
WRKO-AM. We are another week closer to June 2, 2017 and the start of our 50th WRKO
Reunion. We continue to highlight the events that made headlines in 1967 prior to our launch
on March 13,1967. Reunion dates to remember follow the memories:
“In February of '67 The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour debuted... The Beatles released
Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane...
A picture of a wall at the Salvation Army Orphanage that lent its name to
Strawberry Fields Forever.
“And The Buckinghams were No. 1 with Kind Of A Drag...
“In early March, Ruby Tuesday topped the charts but we also played Let's Spend The Night
Together when no one else would touch it. On March 13, we launched WRKO iat 21 Brookline
Avenue in Kenmore Square. Further down Brookline Avenue was Fenway Park.
“Original members of our on-air staff:
John Rode
J.J. Jeffrey
Al Gates
Joel Cash & Chuck Knapp with the Dave Clark Five
Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg, Dick Burch, who was a victim of the strike that hit us and Jon Powers
who replaced Dick on overnights...
“Reunion dates to remember:
“Friday, June 2, 2017 Reunion Dinner in the Crowne Plaza (Newton) Charles Ballroom
starting at 6 pm. Jordan Rich (WRKO, WBZ) will emcee. (Parking fees will be waived with
front desk validation for those driving to the event. Email invitations will be sent out in the
spring.)
“Saturday, June 3, 2017 7 pm - 11 pm: Live on WRKO & Backbone Network streaming
(produced by George Capalbo Jr.) featuring a lineup including Al Gates, Joel Cash, J.J.
Jeffrey, Chuck Knapp, Arnie Ginsburg and other WRKO Radio stars (TBD).
“Art Vuolvo will video tape the reunion, a copy of which will go into the National Radio Hall
of Fame in Chicago.
“Reservations for rooms at the Crowne Plaza (Newton) Check-in Friday (June 2) Checkout
Sunday (June 4). Call 617-969-3010 and ask for special "WRKO Reunion" rate of $159 per
night (tax not included). You'll pay about $175 after tax but more if you park your car at the
hotel. We suggest using a cab or car service getting to the hotel and while staying there...
We'll see you there in less than 8 months.”
