Doc Holiday 1976

In response to Pat's question:

Greetings, Emperor, may you live a thousand years!

This is in response to Pat's email posted on 10/17,
enquiring as to which Doc Holiday was on at night in
1976. That would've been me, David B. Treadway, on my
second tour of duty at KAAY. At least I think it was
the second; things have always been a bit blurry in
the radio business. You can be here today and gone
today.

Like Pat, KAAY was a big part of my youth. It was the
only thing happening for a teenager in the "suburbs"
of the VERY small town of Friendship, Arkansas (south
of Malvern, north of Arkadelphia, exit 83 on I-30) in
the early 1960s. From the first minute that I heard
Rock And Roll on KAAY, my consuming ambition was to
work at the Big Station in Little Rock. I saw it as my
way out of the boondocks. I would have been 25 when
Pat heard me on the air, and from what he says about
28 years in the business, that would put me eight or
nine years older than him. Give or take.

1976 was a watershed year for KAAY. In my opinion, it
marked the beginning of the long, sad decline of that
great station. Early that summer, Multimedia (who had
bought the station from Lin Broadcasting) decided to
dismiss Pat Walsh as General Manager. Operations
Manager and Program Director Wayne Moss was also
sacked at the time.

At that moment, KAAY began to lose its heritage and
its sense of connection to Little Rock and Arkansas.
We "old-timers" talked of it as the Invasion Of The
Brilliant Yankees--outsiders who had come to Podunk to
show us stupid, slow Southerners how it was done in
the Big Leagues. The latter half of 1976 was when
radio in Little Rock began to lose its soul, and I
suspect that KAAY was never again the money machine
that Pat Walsh had made it.

On November 1, 1976, we moved to the new studios at
2400 Cottondale Lane. The Riverdale section of town is
now thriving and crowded, home to Alltel world
headquarters among other notable businesses. In 1976,
it was regarded as swamp land and Pat Walsh caught a
great deal of grief from his peers about his decision
to move the station there. As usual, Walsh had the
last laugh.

There was a certain "magic" about KAAY; it was a
living, breathing entity--apart and complete unto
itself *without* the human beings who made it run. For
the past thirty years, I have been convinced that the
magic did NOT make the move with us from 1425 West 7th
Street to 2400 Cottondale.

It would take the clueless Multimedia almost the next
ten years to run KAAY completely into the ground, but
the Final Approach began on November 1, 1976.

40 States and 19 Foreign countries

That was the claim in the early days of KAAY. Over the years we have seen that was probably understated.

Here is email from Pat about his early memories of KAAY:

I just found out about your blog featuring KAAY.
Saw it on radio-info.com

One of your pages listed you as "Doc Holiday". I've been searching for the guy who used that name in 1976 on KAAY. Was that you or another guy?

Back in the early 70's, I lived near Gainesville, Missouri, way back in the Ozark Mountains. The AM radio was my way of hearing about things outside those tree covered mountains -- at night the Big stations would come to us over the airwaves.

I listened to KAAY, WLAC, WLS, WOAI and others that popped up on my little radio.
The music was great for a teenager -- it rocked! I loved it.

So -- now as a radio professional of 28 years, I search for some of those things I remember from my youth. Doc Holliday was one of my favorites on the night-time and I'd like to know more about him.

Any info you could share would be appreciated.
Thanks,

More Razorback Records on KAAY

In 1975 Tommy Riggs a/k/a Rock Robbins had left KAAY for Pine Bluff. He was Program Director and later Manager of KCLA. Pat Walsh needed a Razorback Record for the Cotton Bowl so he called Tommy to come up with a song. At the time "Convoy" by C.W. McCall had been a big hit and served as the inspiration for this song. Tommy picked a new name for himself, "T. Tommy & The Gray Ghost Crew". Greg Fadick a/k/a Hot Scott Fisher of KLAZ fame did the engineering. Recorded off the air, and for educational purposes, here is "Cotton Bowl Ambush":Click Here

KAAY control Room 1964

Jim Pitcock a/k/a Ron Owens sent this picture taken in the KAAY control room in 1964. The control room was in the Channel 11 building and had a big picture window that overlooked the Channel 11 studios. In fact, there was a small wire that came through the wall, that when pulled would rattle the lighting grid and greatly spook anyone on the air on TV. But, I digress. Right to left is Jim Pitcock, Liberty recording artist Bobby Vee (who still tours and is often in Branson) and record promoter Stan Lewis. Not to be confused with Stan Lewis of Stan's Record Shop. Liberty was a hot label at the time, as was Bobby Vee.

What KAAY meant to me

Thanks for the email from Jim relating what KAAY meant to him:

Let me first say that I listened to you as a child growing up in Rison, AR (IÂ’m not making that up) even we later worked together. As a teenager in the 60Â’s, KAAY was my link to the outside world while I grew up in rural Southeast Arkansas. It truly was as if all the popular artists of the day were performing just for me at the behest of KAAY, which seemed larger than life itself. I can remember going to the State Fair when KAAY had he booth/trailer above the Main Gate and trying to get a look at jocks as they came outside.



I can remember vividly when KAAY got the Funmobile because Sonny Martin would broadcast live from the front lawn on sunny days. He even mentioned on one of the first broadcasts that someone from the Secretary of StateÂ’s Office called to find out why the guy was out on the lawn.



From various Doc Hollidays, Buddy Karr, and George J. Jennings during the mornings, Sonny Martin in the middle of the day, Mitch McCormick in the afternoon, Tom Robbins, Johnny King, and Phil North at night, and of course Beaker Street with Clyde Clifford, my friends and I escaped our small town and traveled the world thanks to KAAY. I love the blog. Thanks for it and for great memories.



Jim

Thanks Jim for expressing what KAAY meant to you. "Larger than life" is often used in relation to KAAY. For those of us who were there, we also had that feeling. We knew what was going on was significant. It served as a creative pressure to create more than a juke box. As I have often said in this blog, it was not about the music. Sure we played rock and roll, but so did our competitors. The guys who started KAAY with something different, set a standard which all those who followed tried to live up to and surpass. Most of original guys were not there long enough to see the rating success. The comments I read from folks whose lives were changed or inspired by KAAY mean more than money or ratings. My challenge to radio stations today, are you making a difference in people's lives, or are you a juke box?

Tommy Riggs a/k/a Rock Robbins

I thouight I had written about Tommy in a previous post. I went back through the archives but I didn't see it. Something is missing in the archives, like the month of May. If anyone has saved anything from May let me know.

I will write a story of Tommy at KAAY later, but I am writing this to share a link to a website that has lots of mp3 files of Tommy's songs. Click on the album covers for more songs. Also, I will be encoding the Razorback song Tommy did on the KAAY label, "Cotton Bowl Ambush", since I was thinking about all the Razorback songs.

Here is the link to the Tommy site: Click Here

50,000 Watt Hog Caller

If KAAY were a music station today, it would probably be playing a song about Mitch Mustain.

KAAY was always involved in Arkansas Razorback promotion. Many records, (45s with the big holes) had their beginnings at KAAY. In the era of payola, Pat Walsh wisely decided the station didn't need to be directly involved with the records. Also, if a Razorback song came from KAAY, other stations wouldn't play it. Enter J. Paul Scott. He wrote and produced may of the Razorback records on his labels and with his talent. Today's feature is a song about Light Hoss Harry Jones. As best I can date it. 1965. The group is The Rivermen, sounding a lot like the Kingston Trio. The flip side is "Quarterbackin' Man" which also got a lot of play. For legal purposed this was recorded off the air and is used here strickly for educational purposes.

Where are the radio stations today doing anything like this?

Here's the aircheck: http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/Light Hoss Harry.wma

Thanks 2000 Visitors

Over 2000 folks have visited this blog. I thought that was great, but my daughter-in-law has over 2500 visitors to my grandson's blog.

I would especially like to get email messages that I could post on this blog, telling where you were, and what listening to KAAY meant to you at that time.

I received this email from a reader who asked for more audio of Razorback support on KAAY. That's a very good idea. KAAY was one of the best Hog cheerleaders. Bumper stickers, store signs, pep rallies, and all those Razorback records added to the Razorbackmania. I remember one Texas game where even the telephone information operators answered their calls, "Beat Texas", Information how may I help you".

Here's the letter from GH:

i came across your blogsite and very much enjoy the old days of KAAY

ray lincoln was my favorite and would enjoy hearing more of him. nostalgia is a great thing, and radio will never play the role in teens lives the way it did back those days.

i fondly remember ray lincoln (circa 1979) on the radio , with one comment i will always remember. he said " we have high inflation, rising crime rate in the US, corruption in our political leaders, hostages in Iran, and shortages at the gas stations - but in 20 yrs from now, they will call these the 'good ole' days'

do you have any airchex from the razorback promos?? always the debates with jennings . i remember lots of "beat texas" promos, etc and "calling the hogs". if you have any of these, it would be great to have this added to your site.

THANKS MUCH - THIS IS A GREAT SITE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT FOR ALL OF US OLD -TIME KAAY FANS.

GH

More Ray Lincoln

KTHV television in Little Rock has a video clip of an interview with Ray Lincoln by Craig O'Neill in 2005. You'll notice the humor is still there even though the voice has changed.

Many thanks to Craig for this interview and all he has done to save radio history, including a feature on KAAY, sometime ago. Craig, to my knowledge, never worked at KAAY which is a shame. He is truly one of the radio personality giants in Arkansas. Maybe he will start his own blog and we can link to it.

Here is the link to the Channel 11 page:

click here

Ray Lincoln remembered

I would like to receive more comments on Ray Lincoln to post on this blog. If you have a memory of Ray Lincoln, please email me at ajlinds@yahoo.com.

Paul writes:

Living in St. Louis, KAAY still reached north just before sunrise, and I remember hearing Ray in the morning in the fall of 1979, as I got ready for school, along with the ag reports. I am sorry to hear of his recent passing.

Mayor Laman Loses Bet to Emperor Holiday

Emperor Holiday was always making high school football predictions. Those predictions were always based on what school would react more to the prediction. In this case, it was the Hall High vs North Little Rock High game. The Emperor predicted a Hall victory and the outcry was tremendous. The North Little Rock Mayor Casey Laman even got in the action with a wager. If North Little Rock won, Emperor Holiday would work a day for the street department. If Hall won, his Honor would do the Emperor's radio program. From the picture, you can see who won. The mayor did the three hour show, with the help of an engineer, and newsman George Jennings even calling the mayor's political opponent offering him equal time.

Jim Pitcock a/k/a Ron Owens 1963

Records! Remember what those were? Remember cueing a record. Here is Jim reaching for a cart. Remember carts. This is the KAAY control room on the second floor of the KTHV Channel 11 building. This is the original control room chair that only lasted a year or so. It was the most comfortable one we ever had. Like earphones, control room chairs only lasted a few months.

Return with us now...to Pres. Carter, snowstorm in LR and Pryor announces for Senator

Perhaps the headline should be "Short clip of Ray Lincoln chatting with newsman Mike Mckenny". For many reasons this is a great audio sample to save. In view of Ray Lincoln's recent passing it might be good to review an AP report:

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Ray Lincoln, a longtime central Arkansas radio personality who created colorful characters to entertain listeners on their morning and afternoon drives, died Monday. He was 64.

Lincoln had a heart transplant in 2003, but his cause of death is not yet known, said his wife, Maxine Coday.

Lincoln worked at several Little Rock radio stations starting in the mid-1970s. He retired in 2000, after anchoring the afternoon drive show on KARN-AM 920.

"Ray was an enormously talented person, and he had the tremendous good fortune to get started in radio when it was still an awful lot of fun and owned by very competitive smaller companies," said Pat Lynch, who worked with Lincoln at KARN in the 1980s and '90s.

At KAAY-AM 1090 in Little Rock, Lincoln worked a morning drive show where he created alter egos like Ram Led, a west Texas cowboy, and Sport Jackson, a horse handicapper.
(end)

To me, Ray was a DJs, DJ. He was one we always tried to listen to.

Now here is the clip:

http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/Mike.wma

KAAY Music Survey Feb 66

Herman's Hermits Visit KAAY

In the photo are:

In the back Herman's Hermits
Front from left to right: Ray Brown a/k/a Doc Holiday, Jerry Sims a//k/a Sonny Martin, Bob Mullins a/k/a Buddy Karr

Thanks to Jerry SIms for this photo. I don't have the date. Anyone?

More KAAY Komandoes Basketball Team

The Komando Basketball team was a very long running promotion and we went through a lot of employees and friends to keep a team going all over Arkansas including playing the Harlem Globetrotters. Thanks to Jerry Sims we have the original press release that we will share later. Above is a picture of Emperor Holiday and Daphnie.
Daphnie was played by Barbara Lewis who was Manager Len Carl's secretary. Usually Daphnie was involved in distracting opposing team's players, coaches, or officials.
Here she is attempting a free throw.

Also above is a memo from Len Carl, typed by Barbara, showing the schedule for a couple of months in 1965. I have even forgotten where Kirby, AR is.

Day For Decision

Thanks to Jerry Sims, the Day For Decision, in its' original form is now available for you at the end of this post.

You will notice the original author and narrator are listed on the photo of the record. It all started as an editorial on WMAK, Nashville. Public reaction was fast. Soon all the Lin Broadcasting Stations were airing it. And the requests just kept coming. Please enlarge and print out the 2 publicity sheets and the sheet that was inserted with the record.

The publicity material indicates 750,000 records were sold. I'm not sure which version that figure relates to. KAAY pressed about 5000 and gave them away. The country artist Johnny Sea at some point in time, bought the publishing and all rights to the editorial and released his own version, which also had great success. If you do an internet search for "Day For Decision" you will see it credited to Johnny Sea. Johnny Sea's version is available on several internet download music services.

Someone should do a 2006 version of "Day For Decision". Where are the radio stations today that editorialize? Where are the editorials that touch the public in the way "Day For Decision" did?

Here is the original Day For Decision:
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/Day For Decision.wma

Marvin Vines KAAY's Farm Service Director

To tell the Marvin Vines story is a challenge. When listeners talk about KAAY, seldom is mentioned the farm service director. When employees of KAAY talk, he is almost always mentioned. Marvin ran his own show, brought in lots of money, and was interested and made friends of all the rock and rollers. According to the publicity sheet, (everyone had one) Marvin started with KTHS (predecessor to KAAY) in 1953. He was one of the few people and the only on the air person to make the change to KAAY.
Marvin's talent was not so much on the air, as it was driving 64,000 miles a year and speaking everywhere he could. My memory of Marvin was his terrible coffee. He arrived at the station early (like 4AM) to prepare his show. The all night jock was not interested in making coffee so the first pot of the day was made by Marvin and it was terrible. I arrived at 6 AM as Marvin was doing the farm reports. By then it was old and terrible. But Marvin was always in a good mood and even had his own contest and promotions for the farm shows.

David emailed me this memory of Marvin:
My favorite memory of Marvin was one day in the summer
of 1971, when he went to Pat Walsh proposing that no
farm-related advertising be sold on the station within
15 minutes either side of the noon farm show. This
produced a famous Walsh Tirade, which could be heard
from one end of the building to the other. It went
something like this:

"Hell, Marvin, that's THIRTY MINUTES! Thirty f******
MINUTES! Do you have any g****** IDEA how many
commercials I can sell in thirty minutes?"

I do not know the outcome of this little meeting in
the hallway. Fearing that things might get ugly, I
escaped out the back door!

Regardless of this exchange, Marvin was one of Pat's favorites. In one of Pat's last comments to me recalled Marvin's funeral:
Marvin Vines, Farm Director died in the late 70's his funeral was huge. Attended by 2 sitting U S Senators, 1 sitting Congressman, a sitting Governor and 1 past Governor as well as the Secretary of Agriculture.

Also, according to David:
I am pretty sure that Marvin was doing the farm
reports at KAAY as late as November of 1977. It was
May of 1978 when he was killed in a tractor accident.

The accident was on Marvin's farm and his tractor turned over on him.

Changes in Personnel Post

There have been corrections and additions to the KAAY Personnel Post. If you have copied it please get the revision.

Michael O'Sullivan a/k/a Bob Steel Heard From

I got a great email from Bob Steel who was the only Michael O'Sullivan KAAY ever had. As was Pat Walsh's custom as an inside joke, the actual Michael O'Sullivan was an accountant with Lin Boradcasting Corp. Along with some additional names, Bob sent a newscast with an exclusive interview with V.P. Spiro Agnew as he visited Little Rock. This is another great example of a real functioning radio news department. As you hear this great newscast you will probably be blown away with the commercial for "Black Ceasar" showing at the Capitol Theater and a couple of drive ins. Someday maybe I will tell you the story of the movie theater account at KAAY. Here is the aircheck: (For anyone who doesn't know you can save any of the audio files on this blog by right clicking on the file name and then select "save target as" and save it where you want it.)
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/A.wma

Some Early KAAY Jingles and Promos

Thanks to Jim Pitcock a/k/a Ken Khight for some early jingles and promos. The jingles
(I believe) were written by Jim Hankins a/k/a Mike McCormick and recorded in Nashville.

http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/pitcock.wma

KAAY Personnel

I am attempting to put together a list of KAAY Personnel and dates they were at the station. I need your help in filling in the dates and other names. Later I will be adding off the air people who were often on the air as character voices or Ear On Arkansas characters. Transmitter engineers even got into the act on the Commandoes basketball team.

One of my most prized books is "Arkansas Airwaves" by Ray Poindexter. Printed in 1974 it chronicles radio stations and personalities from the beginning of radio in Arkansas.

Pat Walsh should have written this blog, because he had all the dates and people in his head. All of us got used to picking up the phone and asking Pat a simple "whatever happened to....." and getting a college education on the subject. Pat was quick to get the facts straight. I miss him everyday.

Most folks may not realize Pat was the third manager at KAAY. Tom Bishop was first, coming from KAJI. He was there only a matter of months before he was replaced by Len Carl,(Voth) who had been sent from Lin Broadcasting in Nashville, to be a salesman and keep an eye on the place. Len did it all. He of course managed, but he also sold advertising, voiced editorials and commercials (mostly he got stuck with the PIs because no one else wanted to be the voice of "20 combs for $1". He played on the Commando basketball team (in the publicity shot that follows in the Jeep roadster, (he is the only one in the Commando Basketball uniform) and managed to maintain a certain air of dignity admixed a staff of egotistical maniacs. When LIN Broadcasting bought WAND-TV in Decatur, IL he was promoted to General Manager and Pat Walsh was promoted to manager.

Please look this list over and email me additions or corrections to the dates and personnel. (ajlinds@yahoo.com)


Air Name Real Name Year
KAAY Personnel

Doc Holiday Dub Murray 1962
Mike McCormick Jim Hankins 1962
Sonny Martin Wayne Moss 1962
Wayne Moss Wayne Moss 1870-1976
Buddy Karr Tom Bigby 1962
Rob Robbins Tom Campbell 1962
Ken Knight Howard Watson 1962
John K. Anderson Jack Grady 1962
George J. Jennings George W. Jennings 1962
Doc Holiday A.J. Lindsey 1963
Sonny Martin Jerry Sims
Rock Robbins Tommy Riggs
Buddy Karr Richard Weithan -Aug 1967(killed
in Nat.Guard summer
camp jeep accident)
Ron Owens Walt Sadler
Mike McCormick Barry Wood 1965-1972
B. Bruce Jenkins B. Bruce Jenkins
Ron Owens Jim Pitcock 1963-1964
Doc Holiday Ray Brown
Sonny Martin Matt White
Rob Robbins Bob Spears 1972-1976
Mich Michaels Nick Markel
Jack Lee Mike McKenny 1976-1978
Jack Lee Gary Souheaver Early 70s
Jonnie King Jim Edwards
Phil North Phillip David Rowe 1969-1972
Buddy Karr Bob Mullins
Clyde Clifford Dale Seidenschwarz 1966-1972
Doc Holiday David B. Treadway 1971-1972
1976-1977
David B. Treadway David B. Treadway 1983-1985
Doc Holiday Al Eisenman 1969-1970
Michael O'Sullivan Bob Steel 1972-1973
Marvin Vines Marvin Vines 1962-1978
Linda Page Linda Pasier 1976-1978

First At :45

Thanks to Mike McKinney a/k/a Jack Lee for several airchecks. This cut is a George J. Jennings newscast from Jan. 1964. I do the commercial in the middle for Holly Ham. This is a great example of a George newscast complete with Jimmy Fiddler at the end. Is anyone doing exciting radio news today? Hearing this makes me want to shuffle through the 45s and find the fastest, hotest hit, cue it up and be ready to blow the monitor out with more muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusic!!!(See earlier discussion of Jimmy Fiddler and how we got "free" Ampexes)Even in 1964 "Hollywood" news was big. The news departmetn was never excited about Fiddler, but I'm sure he added to the adult audience.

Here's the clip:
http://www.freewebs.com/ajlinds/geo.wma

Promotions that back fire- KAAY Flying Saucer

One of the most unusual promotional devices we had at KAAY was the Flying Saucer. I'm not sure where we got it. I think it came from KEEL when they got tired of it.
It is basically a "hovercraft". A motor is connected to a very large fan, blowing downward that provides a lift to make the saucer rise up off the ground. One person could set on a seat that covered the motor. The direction could be controlled by leaning in the direction you wanted to go. It could also be pulled by a rope. We decided it would be great to have the flying saucer in a parade since it really got attention. Jerry Sims a/k/a Sonny Martin and I had a bet and the looser would pull the winner on the flying saucer in the rodeo parade. The rodeo parade was on Main street in Little Rock and attracted lots of spectators. Unfortunately or position was behind any number of horses that had left deposits on the street. You guessed it!
The enormous wind created by the fan in the saucer blew s___ all over the spectators. The call letters were very large on the saucer and I'm sure we made an impression on the side lines. The Emperor's robe also had to go to the royal cleaners.

Problem Identified

Alert reader Paul pointed out in an email:

I thought you might want to know that I have had trouble downloading the third Timeless Tracks .wma (10 September). The clip sounds all right at first but then it sounds like it plays back at 1/2 the speed. On my end I tried it twice and it came back with the same results.

By the way, was anyone experienced at sailing that boat when it was used on the water? :-) If not, if they ever used that boat at a flea market, they could have renamed the event a "yard sail!" Thank you--I'll be here all week--tip the waiter on your way out.....

Thanks Paul, I have never seen an audio file do that. I have reposted the file and if you go to the entry entitled "More Timeless Tracks...etc" it should play correctly.

Another KAAY Silver Dollar Survey

Thanks to Jerry Sims, this is one of the earliest music surveys I've seen. It is dated Jan. 63 and the jock pictures show the original jock lineup that signed on KAAY. Also note the story of the newsmen on the back. John K. Anderson and George J. Jennings pictures side by side and a story about them.

For those of you not old enough to remember, top 40 stations usually put out a weekly music survey. In afternoon drive, KAAY did a countdown of the top 10 songs. In those days it was a big deal what was number one. Collecting radio station music surveys has become a hobby for many and ever once and a while, a KAAY survey turns up on Ebay. They often sell for $15 or $20. I still remember the huge file folder we had of all the surveys. Wonder whatever happened to that file and what it would be worth today. It's sad that the printed music survey has disappeared from today's radio scene. This is the largest picture I could post or blogger. Try saving the picture and enlarge and print it out for a nice copy. If would like the original scan, just email me.

Whatever Floats Your Boat: Sonny Martin a/k/a Jerry Sims

For several years in the 60s, KAAY put a DJ to live above the entrance to the Arkansas Livestock Show and Rodeo. This was great state wide exposure and contact with the public. As the cowboy Doc Holiday, I lived for a week in a small prefab house atop the entrance. The next year, wanting to share the experience with others, a bet was made with Jerry/Sonny. It was all done so that Sonny could loose and spend the week in a sailboat housted above the main gate. I forget why a sailboat was used and don't remember how or where we got it. Jerry indicates a high wind one evening almost put an end to the fun. Until you've been there you have no idea of how late the rodeo and fair folks stay up. Then there is the all night nationwide audience of KAAY to keep you up. There is nothing like the personal contact even if it is constant. KAAY was always out there in front of people. It might be the Gould Turtle Derby, or the Grady Catfish Fry, or the Gilette Coon Supper. If there weren't enough real events, we made them up. The Eggplant that Ate Chicago and came to Little Rock movie, or the Cow Chip Throwing Contest, etc, etc. The more outragious the better.
Radio just isn't FUN anymore.

Stan's Record Shop

In all the discussion and retro news pieces on KAAY, very little is ever mentioned about Stan's Record Shop that ran 11:00-12:00 PM nightly. Stan bought the hour and we played his music. I still remember the address: 728 Texas Street, Shreveport LA.
If you worked the 6-midnight shift, you got to do Stan's Record Shop. Here's a little history of Stan I found on the net:


About Stan Lewis & Jewel-Paula Records

Stan Lewis opened his first record store on June 22, 1948, with money he saved from selling newspapers. At twenty years old, he became a music industry pioneer by setting up a national independent distribution network and sponsoring radio shows on clear channel stations KWKH in Shreveport and KAAY in Little Rock, covering most of the country and advertising his records through mail order. Stan "the Record Man" quickly became friends with the early entrepreneurs of R&B and rock & roll: Leonard and Phil Chess, the Bihari Brothers, Sam Phillips and his brothers. In addition to sales and distribution, Lewis also had an ear for talent and the ability to shape hits. In 1963, Lewis started Jewel Records and later Paula and Ronn Records. He also acquired a large collection of Chicago Blues material, including recordings released on the Cobra, Chief, Artistic, JOB and USA labels.

From the humblest of beginnings in a record store no larger than the size of a closet, Stan Lewis became the South's largest independent record distributor -- and Jewel Records became a leading independent label with dozens of national hits on the R&B and pop charts

I had to do a little editing on the above because "clear channel" was capitalized and I wouldn't want anyone to confuse the expression with today's large group owner.

More from Timeless Tracks: Buddy Karr aircheck, Comments about Ear on Arkansas, and Buddy Deane

Here is a segment from Timeless Tracks and discussed below. Be sure and save any and all of the audio files you want. If you are new to the blog, checkout the archives, and save all you want.

http://www.members.cox.net/kaay/TT.wma

Jack Lee Heard From

My name is Mike McKinney and I learned of your KAAY blog the other day from Bill Sadler (ASP and before that - KARK). I worked in news at KAAY back in 76 thru 78 with Nick Markel (Mitch Michaels) and djs like Bob Spears (Bob Robbins) and others.

From his email: I wish the present owners of KAAY would drop the call letters. Then maybe XM Radio's 60s on 6 would do a Friday afternoon re-enactment of the old KAAY like they do so many other old classic AM stations from the 1960s.

Thanks Mike for you comments and Mike has offered to share some recordings which I will share with all of you on the blog. Bob Spears (Rob Robbins) deserves a feature story on this blog, but I don't feel qualified to write it. Will someone step up and do a story on Bob for this blog?

I will try to do something on Matt White (Sonny Martin) who you have probably already heard on the "Timeless Tracks" audio clip. Knowing Matt, he may beat me to it and write his own, which would be great with me.

Concerning Mike's comments about XM and current owners of KAAY. First, I appreciate current KAAY attempt at broadcasting some of the old KAAY sound. However, the few shows I have heard seem to have mostly been about the music. With the exception of "Beaker Street" KAYO was never about the music.

I was a very early subscriber to XM, having heard raves from other past djs. I really enjoy what they do. They are almost like a super 50,000 watt station with lots of formats. It's a shame they don't go the extra programming step that creates loyal listeners as in the "old days". If they did some contests, local appearances, and create a following, Howard Stern wouldn't have a chance. Sometime look at their stockholder's report under a figure called "listener acquisition cost". Think what they could do if this were spent in contests and building a loyalty.

Update of Phil North

Thanks to David for an update on Phil North. His email message follows:
Greetings, Majesty!

First off, how wonderful to hear from the Mighty
Jennings. Outside of Pat Walsh, he was the scariest,
most intimidating individual in the building at 1425
W. 7th Street. And, like Walsh, he had much to teach
anyone who was willing to pay attention.

Now, as to Chris's inquiry about Phil North: I don't
have a lot to offer except for a few places that he
went after KAAY. The first was WDRQ in Detroit, I
believe. This would have been late '72 or early '73
and Jonnie King (Jim Edwards) would have gone at the
same time.

From there, it was on to XEROK (uncertain of the
actual call letters), a high powered Mexican station
down in the 800 kc range with studios in El Paso.

After that, he was at KRBE in Houston for a rather
long time. He did a lot of production there (he was/is
a master at it) and took the air name Eric Chase.

I have seen or heard from him him maybe three times
since he left Little Rock, the latest being around
1993. At that time, he was working for the ad agency
that handled Sam's Town Casino in Mississippi. He
could be heard doing voiceovers on their TV spots.
Where he is now, I have no idea.

I will always be grateful to Phil/Eric/Rico for
getting me in the door at the tail end of KAAY and for
teaching me every dang thing he KNEW about audio
production. I hope he sees this and knows that I am
ALWAYS his friend!

David

Whatever Happened to Little Johnny Garner?

This picture is some kind of a drawing for a contest at a movie theater. In all the discussion of previous jocks, we haven't mentioned "Little Johnny Garner". I don't remember his air name, or what happened to him. I do remember he was the most nervous person I have ever met. Right behind John is Bob Mullins who was the 2nd Buddy Karr. He left the station and returned as many jocks did. I would be happy to post more discussion or updates on these guys. The lady in the picture holding the drawing basket is Sue Baber who was the executive secretary to the manager. I believe she was one of the few KTHS employees who made the transition to KAAY. I understand Sue passed away. I always felt she just tollerated us rock and rollers, and was always amused by what was going on.

George J. Jennings tells how he came to KAAY

The following is George's recount of how he came to KAAY and where the "J." came from. His real name is George W. Jennings. A publicity photo of George appears on down in this blog.

In the summer of 1962, I was a disc jockey at WRR in Dallas. All of a sudden on a Sunday afternoon there was a pounding on the back door of the station. It was a person named Jack Grady who was looking for a friend of his who allegedly worked at the station. I let him in and he came into the booth where I was playing records and sat for about three hours, while he waited for his friend to show up. Grady was between planes at Love field and had nothing else to do. During that time I did several rip and read newscasts. Grady left about 6 PM and I thought I would never hear from him again. About 2 weeks later, I heard from Grady. He had heard my newscasts and thought I would be perfect for a station signing on in Arkansas. On a whim, I took my wife, infant son, and cat, and drove 300 miles to Little Rock. I had no idea what a newsman does. When the station signed on as KAAY, it was distinguished by playing "Baby Elephant Walk" and reading the Little Rock telephone directory 24 hours a day. We would say things like, "The friendly giant welcomes Mr. and Mrs. Jack Jones of 123 Apple Street to the land of KAAY. During this time I rip and read newscasts. After about a week, I started trying to figure out what a newsman was suposeded to be and started actually covering things. For the first two months Grady was news director but he left to pursue "other interests". At that time, the disc jockeys used all fake names. During the entire time I was at the station, I used my own name, except for the J. initial that was inserted in the middle. It finally became a situation, where I was inserted in the morning program with a number of Sonny Martins or Emperor Holiday,adding wit and humor or setups for the DJ to play off of. That was the entire pattern for my stay until 1974. Through a pattern of attrition I became news director, operations manager plus salesman at KAAY. I eventually had another newsman working with me, and over the period, I became a fair newsman, so much so that I was able to become news director for such stations as WOAI, San Antonio, and WFAA in Dallas, with stops in New Orleans, Louisville, Minnapolis. KAAY was for me a testing ground, where I learned what I needed to. I am still in contact with Grady and I curse him every time I speak to him. I am now retired in San Antonio and have nothing to do with radio except for constant listening to old time radio shows.

KAAY's Sonny Martin Heard From...Jerry Sims

Well, one of four (I think there were four...it's easy to lose count). Jerry Sims was Sonny Martin between Wayne Moss and Matt White. Wayne was the first. Jerry was at KXLR prior to KAAY. Jerry was involved with lots of stunts which we will share later and was one of the few serious basketball players on the Komando basketball team. Jerry is now media director for Hank's Finnnnnnnnnnnne Furniture and we can thank him for all those TV placements. Jerry writes: I
enjoyed the pictures of you and Barbara and the car pushing
shot. Richard spelled his name Wiethan and, as you probably
know, he was a newsman then and became Buddy Carr after Bob
Mullins left.
Thanks for the "Weithan" spelling correction. I knew it was wrong when I typed it, but I knew the phonetic spelling would bring out the correct one. Even though Richard was with us a short time, anyone who worked with him will always remember him.

Whatever Happened to KAAY's Phil North?

My computer crashed and has slowed my posting. I'll try to catch up.
Chris sent me an email as follows:

I'm
writing to say thanks
for taking the time to establish the site and contribute so
many nice
pieces
to it.
I grew up in Fordyce and remember listening to Sonny and
GJJ getting ready
for school. Graduated FHS in '72. The old 'breakfast
serials" were great
and
can just hear Sonny saying " . . . welllllllllll" when the
plot would
change and leave
the listener hanging 'till next time". I had an
opportunity to visit the
Big K studios
when Sonny and GJJ were on the air! What a pair those two
were. I'm
wondering -
whatever happened to Phil North? As I understand it, he
left for Detroit
in the early 70's. Wonder if he is retired now or just
what he is doing?
He did the
8-11pm slot as I recall.
So - thanks again. Just wanted to send you a quick note
today.

Chris

Anyone know? If so, email me at ajlinds@yahoo.com

George J. Jennings & Sonny Martin Remember

From the program "Timeless Tracks" explained below, George And Sonny remember some KAAY experiences:

http://www.members.cox.net/kaay/Timeless Tracks edit2.wma

From the "Timeless Tracks" KAAY 40th Anna. Pgm

Tony Warner currently does a radio program called "Timeless Tracks". Even though this is a music program, Tony has done more to preserve radio history, than anyone I know. He has even written a book on Buddy Deane, of Baltimore radio fame. (If you have any interest in the book contact Tony at tonyw@arkansas.net. Tony's show can be heard online at: http://www.k1063radio.com/ or on the air: KOLL 106.3 (Little Rock AR vicinity)6-11 PM Sundays.

Tony did a 5 hour "TImeless Tracks" broadcast on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of KAAY. The following 8 minute clip tells of the sign on of KAAY, the consistent DJ name structure, and a rare radio appearance of long time KAAY manager Pat Walsh. Pat did appear on KAAY occasionally but it was only to do a mobile unit follow contest which he really enjoyed doing. This recording is very significant, do to the recent loss of Pat Walsh.
:http://www.members.cox.net/seniornet/Timeless Tracks edit1.mp3

Emperor Holiday & Daphne

Remember the cast of characters for the Emperor bit? There was Col. Splendid, Daphne, & Lt. Cavendish. In each market the comedy material was the same, just the Emperor's name changed. Lt. Cavendish was the foil of many of the jokes. Daphne was the bright, sexy, one. When we made personal appearances we had staff members who often played the parts.

In the fall, Emperor Holiday made football predictions. Mostly local high school teams. However, what the public didn't know was that these predictions were made based on how we could get the most reaction. For example, Hall Hi was in Little Rock and always had a good football team in those days. North Little Rock Hi was across the river and had great school spirit. We felt we could get far more reaction by predicting NLR to loose. We appeared at the NLR pep rally and at the game, spent most of the time on the NLR side. We were booed, pelted with drinks etc. The Mayor of North Little Rock even entered into a wager. If NLR won, Emperor Holdiay would spend a day working for the street department. If Hall won, Mayor Casey Laymen would do the Emperor's radio show. NLR won and the Mayor did 3 hilarious hours.

Finally the story behind the picture. Emperor and Daphne cool it on the side lines. Daphne was played by Barbara Lewis the manager of the KAAY's secretary. She also did cheerleading for the Commando's Basketball team. Barbara was a great team player, and a good friend.

Those Wonderful RCA Microphones

These pictures are a before and after KAAY.On the top, I was in high school and working at KBBA, Benton AR, my first radio job when this picture was taken with a wonderful RCA BX-44 that could make even a teenager sound good. The left picture was taken a few years ago with an RCA 77D. The best mike ever. I still use it to this day.

KAAY used RCAs extensively. Mainly because they were there from KTHS. We also had a lot of Ampexes. A few from KTHS but we got several in a bonus deal from Jimmy Fidler.

Remember "Jimmy Fidler in Hollywood reporting for KAAY". When you signed a contract with him, you got a free Ampex. More on Jimmy later and an air check for those who don"t remember.

All this was prompted by an email from David:

Majesty,

I was told some years back that Jerry Sims was a Sonny
Martin. I do not know this for sure, but I seem to
remember the voice appearing under that name. This
would have been prior to the time when the RCA 77DX
ribbon mic in the control room was replaced by the
Electro-Voice 667 (or perhaps the short-lived 666
model).

I always wondered why the voices on KAAY sounded so
large, even the higher-pitched ones. It was that RCA
ribbon mic!

David

Corrected Air Check

You log visitors are on the ball. Paul wrote: The other day, I downloaded the .wma of the Jennings blog, and found out that the file gets corrupt at around 15 minutes and stops playing. I just tried downloading it again, and it did the same thing.

Very alert Paul, the file should have been 32 min 19 sec. Part of the problem I am having is webspace to hold the tiles. That space filled up and wouldn't take the whole file. I reencoded it to a slower bit rate and a smaller file. It is now all there but the quality is not great. All this discussion about the air check link under George J. Jennings.

The Jingle Post Vanished

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about jingles. For some reason it seemed to disappear from the blog. I have no record (or memory) for that matter of what I said. It was discovered missing, while I was checking the files that are used to link the audio downloads. There was the huge audio file and nothing on the blog linking to it. If anyone remembers what I said let me know and I'll try to reconstruct it. The audio is KAAY jingles from several years and several different companies. I am reposting it for any of you who would like to copy and save it.
:http://www.members.cox.net/kaay1090/blog.mp3

I Need Your Help

I need your help with the air names for a couple of people in this picture. It was a publicity photo, but I forgot why we were taking it. If anyone remembers email me.
From left to right: B. Bruce Jenkins, Howard Watson, Bertha Sims, Jerry Sims, Sammy Peters, Len Carl, Richard Weetan, Emperor Holiday, Barbara Lewis and Bob Mullins.

Does anyone know the "on the air names" for Jerry Sims, and Sammy Peters?

George J. Jennings

George J. Jennings was the first newsman at KAAY. He was actually at KAAY twice. When he came back, he made the news position more than a news reader. Along with Sonny Martin he wes a co-host of the morning show. Later, George became Operations Director. He lives in San Antonio with his wife Nancy. I've ask George to write some history notes for us, but until he does enjoy an aircheck of Geeorge and Sonny as they play a KLIF aircheck and discuss a nude Cosmopolition photo spread.
:http://www.members.cox.net/kaay/KAAY 4-17-1972.wma

A Car an Hour

Continuing the contests memories. KAAY signed on September (Labor Day weekend as I remember.) 1962. I was Program Director at KXLR. With KAAY, a total of four stations in the market were top 40. We had heard on the street, that KAAY was going to give away a car. So, we got our crack sales department to go out and trade out a car to give away. KAAY's contest was to give away a car a day for a month and ended the promotion with a car an hour for 24 hours. Mike McCormick (PD at the time) always thought big even for 1962. The run of the mill contests, the news tip,etc. were usually small dollars. Mike D. remembers:

I love listening to old airchecks where the prize is something like a dollar
and a half. They'd give the winner's name and street address out on the air.
Sometimes their phone number. In the '60s they used to have contests where
the object was to go knock on people's doors looking for something or asking
if this was the secret house. You'd get shot today. The "Mr. Whisper"
contests were popular too, or guess the record played at a different speed.
Sometimes they'd give way the entire Top 40 of that week on 45s. That must
have set the stations back a bundle.

Never the 91 caller!

Contests and promotions were contributing factors to the success of KAAY. There were always several contests going at once. A variety of contests with different ways to enter, were key factors. In those days, many of the proof of listeners was from the mail that was received from across the country.

One contest I found a picture to support was the "Christmas in August" contest. I don't even remember the details, perhaps one of you can refresh my memory. I know it involved Jim Pitcock whose air name was Ron Owens (I think). We thought it was so funny to dress skinny Jim in a Santa suit with NO padding and drive him around in a convertible in the heat of an Arkansas August.

Tombstone

An emailer asked: Did you ever see the gravestone of little
Glaspie Dillard out under the west tower?

I've been to the transmitter site many times and have never heard this one.

Anyone out there have more details?

Ghost at the Wrightsville Transmitter

As you have seen in previous posts the transmitter for KAAY was in Wrightsville, AR (south of Little Rock) and Clyde Clifford's real name is Dale Sidenswartz. (the name Clyde Clifford came from the comptroller of Lin Broadcasting. Pat Walsh delighted in naming air personalities after Lin corporate types). With all this in mind here is a post from Bill S. shedding some light on the story:

Several years ago, I asked Dale Sidenswartz about the rumors I had heard like you of the Mighty 1090 transmitter building being haunted.

While I don’t recall the entire story, Dale did confirm that in his late nights at the transmitter as he kept the Beaker Street alive, there was on more than one occasion some unusual occurrences, if not, ghostly spirits, moving through the inside of the transmitter building. Never did he mention anything about a gravestone.

In 1969, as a teenager, having visited the Wrightsville three towers site during a tour of the grounds and building by Felix McDonald, I never noticed a grave marker.

Answer to Paul's Question

Thanks to David for the answer to Paul's question:

"House Of The Rising Sun" to
which Paul refers was done by a group called Frijid
Pink (I think that's the proper spelling). They had
maybe two albums on Parrot Records, a subsidiary of
London.

David also raises questions about the haunting of two
studio locations and the grave stone under one of the
towers. I'll have to research that one. If anyone has
any experiences with this, please email me.

Beaker Street & KAAY

Any discussion of KAAY usually comes around to "Beaker Street". Here from a newspaper article are Clyde Clifford's (a/k/a Dale Sidenswartz) own words:

But the audience was enormous back in 1966, when Clyde Clifford got the job of hosting KAAY’s “Beaker Street” because the Federal Communications Commission required an engineer to be on duty at the transmitter.
“I was out there at the transmitter anyway,” he said.
The eerie background music of “Beaker Street” was used to mask the hum of the machinery since the show didn’t broadcast from a conventional studio.
“We wanted it to sound really trippy,” Clifford said.
Despite being in the center of the country, as far away from the recording centers of the East and West Coasts as it was possible to be, KAAY was bringing groundbreaking music to the heartland.
“I knew there was a lot of stuff we were doing that no one else was doing — that we were ‘out there,’” Clifford said of KAAY. “We were rocking, but we weren’t really a rock station. Some country would slip in, some soul would slip in, even some jazz would slip in. Nothing extreme, but not a strict format. We even aired farm markets.”
The advent of FM radio saw improved sound and steady — although less far-reaching — signals. Rock-formatted stations migrated to FM, a change Clifford calls “hard to explain. There was just change in the air at that time. It was like the change from spring to summer — you didn’t really notice.”
Clifford himself moved to FM in 1974 — to Little Rock’s KLAZ, 98.5 — and “Beaker Street” was abandoned.
The legend of KAAY and the prog-rock show only increased as KAAY finally “went pure religious” in the 1980s. There was a celebratory last day of broadcasting in the original format with original staff, culminating with the return of Clifford to do a final broadcast of “Beaker Street” on KAAY.
“I thought that was the last radio I’d ever do,” Clifford said.
Improbably, in the late 1980s, “Beaker Street” was resurrected on FM and again on Sunday nights. Now, Little Rock’s classic rock stalwart Magic 105 has aired Clifford’s “Beaker Street” longer than the original lasted on KAAY.
A block of religious programming airing earlier on Sundays helped pay for the airtime of “Beaker Street” on KAAY during the hippie prog-rock show’s initial run. Meanwhile, “the Mighty 1090” itself has exclusively broadcast Christian sermons since the 1980s. KAAY still carries on in its storied call letter form — and its storied power.
“It was a great time to be in radio,” Clifford said of KAAY’s heyday. “It was a great time to be in Little Rock.”

I received this email from Paul regarding "Beaker Street"
The one thing I am curious about is the version of "House Of The Rising Sun" that was used. This opening theme was used since at least 1973, and the whole song was usually played. Unfortunately, when I recorded it, it was not, and as an 11 year old, I stopped the tape. I wonder if anyone recognizes this version of the song. The only other time I heard this version was on an episode of the old NBC "Weekend" show during a feature on competitive frisbee throwing....

Here is the opening Paul recorded:
:http://www.members.cox.net/kaay1090/Beaker.mp3

Pat Walsh & Bumper Stickers

Several times in this blog I have made reference to Pat Walsh, long time manager of KAAY, who has passed on. One of the great tributes to Pat was an editorial cartoon in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Anyone who knew Pat, knew his love for the Razorbacks. This was often translated into a promotional bumper sticker for KAAY and the Razorbacks.

This is just one of dozens of Razorback bumper stickers. (For those of you much younger, in the 60s and 70s it was almost a requirement to have a bumper sticker of some type on your car.)

Where did you hear KAAY?

Naturally I was always interested in where people were when they were listening to KAAY. One evening we were shocked with a record request from a part of the world where we knew we shouldn't be heard. After closer questioning, the caller revealed he was listening on an Air Force line that had KAAY patched into it.

Here is another email comment I received: Living on the West Coast, I wasn't able to hear KAAY due to co-channel interference from XERB in Mexico. My first impressions of the station were from bits and pieces recorded by a friend traveling along I-10 from Arizona to Florida, probably around 1971. That friend later worked at a station in Tulsa and would record stations he was hearing from that location during the night. Of course, KAAY was one of the stronger signals. He'd record a bit of KAAY before moving on to lesser signl stations he was hearing such as WING in Dayton, some of the Kansas City stations, and whatever else he was receiving. At the time, KAAY was using the PAMS Series 42 "The Igniters" jingle package.

In September of 1973, I had an opportunity to travel to Tulsa to visit relatives and took time out in the evenings to listen to KAAY which I thought had a great format at the time and was using the PAMS Series 44 "The Music's On Us" jingle package. As mentioned by another poster, I also remember quite well hearing the 8:00 pm station ID "Greetings QSLers..."

The airchecks, jingles and other audio you're posting on this site is great! Brings back a lot of memories of what radio was like back in the good old days of radio when clear channel stations actually meant a clear signal.

Hope you can keep up the fantastic job on this blog.

Kevin

Today's download is 20 minutes of KAAY jingles. I love the old style jingles that built a station image not just bridged songs together. This covers a wide span of years and includes several companies including Pams and the great sonovox cuts. The quality is not the best coming from carts and dubbed to cassette before being digitalized. I have some better quality cuts of some of these jingles but this represents many together. Enjoy:http://www.members.cox.net/kaay1090/blog.mp3

Thanks & Another Air Check Gem

If it is easier to email me than to post a comment please do so at ajlinds@yahoo.com. I received the following email comment:
For the record, I am 41, and first discovered KAAY as a seven-year old in 1972.

KAAY was a great, great radio station. It didn't have a strict "Top-40" sound, the way stations like WLS, CKLW, WCFL, or XEROK had. The station played the hits, and played mid-chart hits that other stations (at least any other 50 kW blowtorches) didn't touch. The jingles, the personalities, and songs all combined to create something that was truly magical.

Listening to airchecks of the station is like having a ice-cold 41 degree Coke on a summer afternoon (and I really enjoyed the Walt Sadler aircheck offered here). KAAY offered Southern hospitality in radio form.

When KAAY would reach into St. Louis through skywave, I usually heard religious programming (typically Garner Ted Armstrong), which I didn't care for, but now understand kept the bills paid. Then at 8 PM, heard "Greetings QSL'ers, this is KAAY Little Rock" kicking off the hour with music.

I also remember "Beakerstreet" which came on at 11 PM. By the time I started listening to the station, Clyde Clifford was gone, but the show remained on the air until 1977. It was not a show I listened to as a kid, but through airchecks and Clyde's current show, grew to really enjoy. Programs like "Beakerstreet" added a certain mystique to the station, and gave KAAY a certain degree of credibility to my friends who didn't care for Top-40 music, and were listening to Album-Rock radio instead.

Even later on, shows like "Blues Alley" had KAAY stand apart from other stations on the dial.

If Doc Brown's modified DeLorean really existed, I'd set the dials at some point in the early 1970's, drive 88 M.P.H. and put 1090 kHz on the presets and hang out there for a while. And I'd bring a tape recorder/hard drive and bring it back!

Best Wishes/73

Paul

Thanks Paul, and here is an air check of the second Buddy Karr, Bob Mullins. I also show up this aircheck reading the "Bannerline news" as Doc Holiday. News was not my favorite, but working the 6-midnight shift you did what was necessary. Notice in the background after the record as Buddy starts to talk, a KAAY jingle is playing softly behind him. This was a requirement of the program director Mike McCormick. The jingle was on a cart machine in a rack out of the way and no one was to touch it. A remote button, under the console was pushed as the jock started to talk. I saved nothing air check wise during the two different times I worked at KAAY.I am always happy to find anything from this era. The air check was made in October of 1963. Bob Mullins also worked for the Big Kay twice and did George J. Jennings.
Enjoy the air check by clicking on this link:
http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/Karr.mp3

KAAY's 1st Program Director Mike McCormick

Mike McCormick a/k/a Jim Hankins, as mentioned previously, created the original sound of KAAY. He did the 9-12 AM shift. Here is his bio from 9/27/62. Click on it and then use the enlarge button to read:



Now hear Mike and some of the early KAAY production with some of his "seasonal" promos: Here is the link:
http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/mike.mp3

The First Buddy Karr a/k/a Tom Bigby

If you click on the above and then the enlarge button, it should be ledgible.

In the original lineup of jocks that signed on KAAY, Tom Bigby was Buddy Karr. He did afternoon drive.

Now hear a short aircheck of Buddy:
http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/B Karr.mp3

Rock Robbins a/k/a Tommy Riggs 6/15/43-6/29/00

Tommy came to KAAY 8PM to midnight to do something different for the nighttime. Tommy was a DJ but more important, he played piano by ear. If you could hum it, Tommy could play it. We put a small electronic piano on top of the console, and Tommy would play and sing short bits as he was inspired to do. Additionally Tommy created many songs and material for "Ear On Arkansas" (a 30 minute saterical view of the news airing on Sunday). I remember often at 2 AM being 15 minutes short of a finished program and calling Tommy who would come to the station and fill the void with great stuff.

Tommy's passion was live entertainment. Even though he left KAAY to do more with his band, he did go to Pine Bluff, AR to be program director and eventually manager of KCLA.

Tommy was living in Nashville at the time of his death and was remembered there as well as back home in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, saw fit to remember him in a lengthy obit subtitled "Singer, Songwriter, ŒProm King.' " The article recalled how the North Little Rock native gained local fame as the "Prom King" for performing at high school proms throughout central Arkansas. He earned a larger following in the '60s and '70s as Rock Robbins, a rock deejay on the high-powered Little Rock station KAAY-AM, which could be heard from Canada to Cuba.

A Nashville paper had this to say: Tommy Riggs (Tom Payton) is an Arkansan singer, piano and keyboard player who had several bands while performing around the state in the 1960s and 1970s. He also was working as a radio DJ (as Tom Jones) at the time, on KCLA, during 1968 through 69 &As Tom Payton on KXLR in North Little Rock in 1964, and in 1966 at KAAY]]. During this period, he promoted himself as Tom Payton and the Kingpins, Tom Payton with The Playboys, and several other names. He recorded while he was Rock Robbins from KAAY on the Little Rock label "MY Records" in 1966. Two songs from the session were released on a 45 rpm record, "My Little Girl" and "Good Lovin'"... The other songs and all tape masters are in private hands. Promoting himself as Tommy Riggs, he performed around the country From St. Louis to Las Vegas before settling down in Nashville, Tennessee and frequently playing at the Stockyards Lounge

Emperor Record

As the Emperor Holiday promotion got into gear, promotional material begain to roll. This is a 45 record (remember those) recorded by a local band in the conference room of KTHV. The records were all given away,probably a pressing of 5000. If you want to save this or any of the audio clips just right click on the link, select "save target as" and save it on your computer where you want it.

Here is the link: http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/Emp Holiday.mp3

Emperor Holiday Sticker

I received an email from David B. Treadway, who was program director of KAAY at the end of its existence as a top 40 station. He credits KAAY as inspiring him to get into radio. From his email message: (a time when it
literally was MAGIC to thousands of teenage Arkies,
myself in the forefront. I had an Emperor Holiday
sticker on my looseleaf binder in the 7th grade.
"maneuvers" was spelled wrong.)

More on the whole "Emperor" bit later. Interestingly enough the layout for the bumper sticker went though several hands at the station and the screen printing folks at Adcraft of Ar. No one caught the error. The stickers had been out for several weeks, when a loyal commando pointed out the error of our ways. Without missing a beat, we replied that was intentional. It was all part of the comedy of Emperor Holiday. (Holiday being spelled different from the historical Doc Holiday)

Thanks to you......

Thanks to you for your interest in "The Mighty 1090". Many of you have taken the trouble to email me about this blog.

However, NO one has taken advantage of the "comments" feature. It will add so much to this blog if you will leave a comment. At the end of each post is the word "comments" click on that and follow the instructions. Others will then be able to read your comments. You can leave your comments anonymously if you like. I would especially be interested in where you were and what you were doing when you heard KAAY. You comments will also help me determine where the blog should go. For example the post and air check on Ron Owens was prompted by an email newsletter, where someone asked "whatever happened to Walt Sadler". Please comment and comment often. Be sure and also check out the "archives".

Whatever Happened To............

Before he died, Pat Walsh long time manager of KAAY made a recap of some of the early KAAY employees:

Marvin Vines, Farm Director died in the late 70's his funeral was huge. Attended by 2 sitting U S Senators, 1 sitting Congressman, a sitting Governor and 1 past Governor as well as the Secretary of Agriculture.

Jack Grady, ( John K. Anderson), went on to be successful as a record promoter. I think he lives in Nashville.

George J. Jennings, went to Milwaukee, came back to KAAY to work for me. Went into business for himself selling old radio programs. After that he worked for Clear Channel and my friend John Barger, now semi-retired ( Disability ) and living in San Antonio with Nancy. email georgeotr@sbcglobal.net ( He rarely answers email but Nancy does,)

Dub Murray ( Doc Holiday ) went on to Texas to never be heard from again, I kept the Doc Holiday name on the air for 10 years after he left.

Wayne Moss ( Sonny Martin ) went to Dayton then to manage a station in GA, I brought him back to KAAY to be my operations mgr. and he was great. After I left the new guy ran him off to bring in a friend ( who did not last ) Wayne went to Roanoke Va. as a salesperson, became sales mgr. and when the station was sold he owned 25 % of it. ( sold for 10 Mil. ) He is now retired there and he and Linda are restoring an old home, his son is a VMI grad and now an FBI agent. I also kept the Sonny Martin name on the air ( Until I left in 76. When Wayne came back I already had a Sonny Martin on the air so I let him use his own name , something I never let occur otherwise.

Howard Watson, ( Ken Knight ) went to work at KMYO in LR tried to take his on air name with him, lost in court so adopted Len Day and as that worked at KMYO KEZQ and now at a station in Hot Springs Village where he and wife Jerry moved about 6 years ago. I also kept the Ken Knight name on the air for about 8 or 9 years.

Jim Hankins ( Mike McCormick ) As you know went to KMYO in Little Rock, then to WLS in Chicago and multiple points after that. Now residing in Texas retired and I think is still married to Patti. I also kept the Mike McCormick name on the air for at least 10 years. "Mike Hankins" <mccradio@swbell.net>

Tom Campbell, ( Rob Robbins ) I think he went to California but don't know for sure. I also kept the Robbins name in some fashion on the air until I left in 76.

Eddie Graham studio and production engineer. Became a salesman ( Top one in the market ) worked at KAAY until the early 80's got fed up joined me at KLRA, worked there a couple of years after I left to join Fred Gregg he then bought the only 2 stations in his home town of Arkadelphia, sold them last year and he and Carolyn are visiting grandkids and he is constantly going hunting or fishing. eddie@ezclick.net


Felix McDonald , xmtr engineer , became Chief engineer , still takes care of KAAY transmitter ( now owned by Citadel ) bought a daytime religious AM in 78 still owns 25 % of it. Put a 25000 watt FM with a tower on land he owned down next to the KAAY
xmtr, sold it about 3 years ago to Citadel for 1.8 million. KLAL calls )

Sue Baber, secretary, deceased.

Celeste Dozier, traffic. Worked for me for years as my secretary stay when I left. Went to various markets later with Gary Friez. Managed a station in Mississippi then rejoined Gary, left Phoenix when he did went to Colorado Springs to work for Jones network, now at TM Century in Dallas running collections (see web site )

Joe Dickey , sales. Worked for me for several years, left to sign on KLAZ FM , station sold went to manage KXLR,left to move to Dallas, worked for Mutual network, came back to Little Rock now works for State of Arkansas.

Tom Bishop, mgr. Went to Texas, made a good career in producing Spanish language covers of American hit records, sold them to convenience stores in high population Mexican areas of the State. Sold out of that and became a real estate investor in Austin in the late 70's. Guess he is now retired, have not heard from him in about 5 years.

Len Carl ( Lind Voth ) Left KAAY as manager transferred to WAND TV as manger, transferred from there to New York City to run the LIN direct mail order division . Resigned as Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors in 69. Opened a direct mail company, sold it and started buying radio stations. At one time he and his partner owned 6 of them.Sold his last station in 2002. He and Margie have lived in the Tampa.St Petersburg are for over 20 years.

Ron Owens a/k/a Walt Sadler

Walt came to KAAY from Louisiana at the recomendation of Ray Brown who was then the 3rd Doc Holiday. Walt took the name "Ron Owens" and I believe he was the second. He did D.J. work, news, remotes and anything he was asked to do making friends everywhere. Walt worked as sales manager at KOKY, and news at KLRA. He was back at KAAY (religious format) when he passed away a few years ago. Here is an air check from the 11/20/69 : http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/Walt.mp3

KAAY & The KTHV Building

In the beginning KAAY, was located in the KTHV Building at 8th and Izard, Little Rock, AR. Lin Broadcasting bought the radio affiliate of KTHV and rented space in the building. This offered a great opportunity for fun with other broadcasters in the same building but not employed by the station. It was a great source of additional voices for free when needed.

As I remember, there was a bookie named Raymond who had several clients in the KTHV building. One day Raymond was arrested on the sidewalk near the Blue Goose. The ever alert news department rushed outside to film the event. Yes, in those days it was film that had to be developed and edited. Raymond was not too happy to see some of his clients capturing his demise and putting it on television.

The news department of KAAY ignored the story. After all, Raymond was a good contact.

KAAY & THE ELEGENTLY APPOINTED BLUE GOOSE

The original Blue Goose was at 8th and Izard accross the street from KTHV.KAAY, at that time was located on the 2nd floor of the Channel 11 building. Howard Watson, known as Ken Knight on KAAY started referring to the "elegently appointed Blue Goose". He built on this illusion for the listeners by describing the LR elete arriving for the floor show.Night after night to 40 states and 19 foreign countries he painted a vivid picture of a great night club with floor shows and all the trappings. Of course locals knew there were only two tables in the Blue Goose and those were usually taken by George Moore or other KTHV celebreties. The bar-b-que was great and the beer coldest in town.One evening a couple appeared at the door looking quite bewildred and lost. Come to find out they were from Wisconsin and had called trying to make reservations for the floor show. Or course the Blue Goose owner and help were completely oblivious to all that was going on. By proping open the control room door and looking out the windowed stairway, "the wierd beard" could see all that was going on and verbally fanticize even more.

Mike McCormick Originates Early KAAY

Mike McCormick A/K/A, Jim Hankins, originated the original KAAY, Big Kay, Friendly Giant, Mighty 1090, jingles and "sound" of KAAY. This Jingle is a very early KAAY jingle that mentions the Silver Dollar Survey shown in earlier posts. It also mentions the friendly giant and the logo line K A A Y, Tune Ten Ninety. In later years the word "tune" was dropped, but for several years it served the purpose of establishing a logo that listeners could and would sing any time they saw the mobile unit on the streets. Click the link and enjoy a 1963 jingle: http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/KAAYsilver.mp3

The Big KAAY Twist

One of the early promotional 45 record give-a-ways at the Mighty Ten Ninety was "The Big KAAY Twist". Originally it was a jingle produced in Nashville. The full version on the record runs 1:30. As good as any of the twist records out at the time, the thousand or so pressings were quickly given away. This would be a great find if you could turn one up today. I have seen one go on Ebay for $30.00. You can have it free! Here it is: http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/twist.mp3

Lin Broadcasting the parent company of KAAY, bought 2 full pages in SRDS to announce the birth of KAAY. One page was full color. I'm sure this was a very expensive purchase, since I don't remember many (if any) full page ads, let alone color. A side note: the letters LIN in LIN Broadcasting stood for Louisville, Indianapolis, and Nashville. Those were the markets in which they intended to establish stations. Even though LIN went on to own TV stations, Cell service, and other radio markets, Indianapolis was never one of their markets. Nashville was the first station. Fred Gregg was the President of LIN Broadcasting. Here's the ads:

KAAY is often remembered for the music. As many radio people listen to the old air checks they always remark about the music policy. The music was not KAAY's strength. It was the unique combination of music, news, contests, promos, jingles, DJs, and commercials. In those days a broadcast hour usually contained far less that 30 minutes of music. Never were two songs segued together. Our highest rated hours often contained more that 18 commercial minutes.
News was a critical part of KAAY. There was always a news director and a newsman. The original format called for the five minute newscast to be "1st at 45". Bannerlines were at :15. Later I will be posting a sample newscast, but today is the news intro jingle without the big into voice of Tom Perryman. A lot of people never understood the expression "COMEX News". COMEX was an abrivation for Communications Exchange, the name for the newsroom. It's just the singers and music, so jump in there and be newsman of the day as you listen to: http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/news.wma

Jingles were a critical part of the Friendly Giant's sucess. Early on after the change to top 40 and the call letter change from KTHS to KAAY, then program director Mike McCormick (Jim Hankins) had a seperate cart machine in the rack away from everyone with one cart in it that just had a very low level jingle "K A A Y, One Oh Nine Oh" repeating and fading out quickly. The jock, coming out of every record, hit a button below the console that started that jingle in the background. He then went on with the next element as though the jingle wasnt even there. This went on for months, but I have never heard an aircheck with this in it. Today's treat is jingle from a much later period when KAAY could afford Pams jingles. This is one of the Big K sonovox jingles. http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/kaay.mp3

Today is a very rare audio treat. It is a jock promo that features the voices of the original DJ's that started when KAAY went on the air. As many know, KAAY used a set of disc jockey names that seldom changed. The person may have changed several times, i.e. there were three Doc Holidays. Sometimes the names were retired. The next generation of names were usually an inside joke. Clyde Clifford of Beaker Street fame, was named after the corporate controller of LIN broadcasting. These names were usually the doings of manager Pat Walsh. Notice especially the writing. Anyone who knows Mike McCormick (Jim Hankins) will recognize the style. He was the first program director for the Mighty 1090 and would write a 2 minute promo extolling the virtures of spring. He would write a promo for each season. More on McCormick's original ideas later. For now enjoy this promo and see if you can identify the real names of the voices you will hear. Here is the link http://www.members.cox.net/lindse/KAAY.mp3

KAAY History

Pat Walsh bought a history of KAAY/KTHS, when KAAY was in the 7th street studios. There are a few inaccuracies but the early history is valuable to preserve and pass along.



BROADCAST PRO-FILE
P.O. BOX 982 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA 90028
STATION PROFILE OF
K AA Y for Pat Wa1sh Jr.
The New Arlington Hotel Company of Hot Springs, Arkansas applied for authorization to construct and operate a new broadcast station at Hot Springs National Park in the summer of 1924. The hotel building was constructed in mid-1924 with space and facilities built-in for the proposed station. Two steel windmill towers, one 150 feet and the other 125 feet in height, were erected atop the building, with the forward tower at the midway point between the east and west towers of the hotel structure. On December 19, 1924, the New Arlington Hotel, Central Avenue and Fountain Street, Hot Springs, was granted authority to operate; issued a "Class B" broadcast license; and assigned ca11 letters KTHS by the Radio Division of the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce.
Broadcasts began on Saturday, December 20, 1924 with an inaugural program heard at 8:30 p. m., originating from the New Arlington ballroom. First test broadcasts were conducted on December 11th, prior to licensing. KTHS was assigned a wavelength of 375 meters (equal to 800 kilocycles) with 500 watts, using a new Western Electric trans­mitter, which was installed in the "operating room" on the 12th floor. Main studios were installed in the west tower of the New Arlington Hotel building. Cambel1 Arnoux (pronounced Are-new), formerly of Fort Worth, Texas' WBAP, was KTHS's first Director, announcer, and technical operator. Mr. Arnoux had earlier broadcast "remote controls" from Hot Springs over WBAP, and it was he who sold the New Arlington Hotel owners on the idea of installing their own broadcasting station, in March of 1924. Mr. Arnoux left the WBAP staff in October 1924 to assist in getting KTHS on the air. The call letters represented the slogan "Kume To Hot Springs". The new building was first opened for hotel guests on January 1, 1925.
On April 8, 1925, KTHS began sharing the 800 kilocycle channel with KFRU of Bristow, Oklahoma. KTHS was shut down for overhauling and technical renovations from July 5th to August 2nd, 1926. On June 15, 1927, the station was assigned 780 kilocycles; con­currently raising it's power output to 750 watts. On April 1, 1928, KTHS was assigned 600 kilocycles and was then required to divide time on the new assignment with WBAP, Fort Worth. Also in April, power was increased to 1,000 watts.
The New Arlington Hotel (W. E. Chester) presented the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce a gift of KTHS in August of 1928. The station left the air during the week of August 13th for a move from the hotel to the Chamber of Commerce Building at 135 Benton Street (between Hot Spring's Post Office and the courthouse). In mid-August, the station's transmitter was moved from atop the hotel to a new site adjacent to the Hot Springs Golf Club, three miles southwest of Hot Springs on Malvern Road, where a new 5,000 watt transmitter was installed. Two towers, each 200 feet high and 384 feet apart, just inside a gate on a high kno11, were erected at the site. By the end of August, KTHS returned to the air, still utilizing a power of 1,000 watts. KTHS became a commercial station in September 1928. At 3 a. m., Saturday, November 11, 1928, KTHS was assigned 800 kilo­cycles full-time, as a result of a nationwide frequency real1ocations plan effective that date. Power was concurrently raised to 5,000 watts. KTHS joined the National Broad­casting Company "chain" (both Red and Blue networks) on March 23, 1929. On June 1, 1929> KTHS was assigned to operate on 1040 kilocycles, raising power then to 10,000 watts.
By March 1932, KTHS's transmitter, on Malvern Road (now Highway 270), three miles from Hot Springs, "in the country", was described as two 200 foot towers, with a small fan-type vertical cage antenna suspended between them. Cam Arnoux, Station Director since it's founding, left KTHS in January of 1934 to join a prominent Norfolk, Virginia station. Replacing Mr. Arnoux as Station Manager was Scott Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton left KTHS in the fa11 of 1934. Douglas Hotchkiss then became Station Manager of KTHS. Earlier, in the spring of 1934 KTHS was granted Special Authority (S.A.) by the Federal Communications Commission to operate on 1060 kilocycles until local sunset, while still licensed for 1040 kilocycles. On 1060, KTHS shared the channel with WBAL of Baltimore, operating simul­taneously during the daytime hours and shared time at night (from 9 p. m. Baltimore time). By 1935, the station dropped its NBC-B1ue affiliation but continued its association with the Red Network. In September 1936, Colonel Thomas K. Barton, President of the Lion Oil Company and owner of KELD E1 Dorado and KARK Little Rock, made a bid to acquire KTHS from the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce for $75,000. This sale did not occur, as the Chamber of Commerce elected to retain it's 10,000 watt station. In December 1936, Hot Springs Postmaster S. A. Kemp was elected President of the Chamber and it's KTHS. In September 1937, Stephen A. Cisler Jr. became Station Manager. (In 1925, Steve Cisler had been a substitute announcer on KTHS; leaving the station later in the year).
KTHS, while retaining NBC Red programming, joined the Mutual Broadcasting System as an affiliate in mid-1938. Air slogan of KTHS at this time was still "Kume To Hot Springs". By mid-1938, KTHS began it's broadcast day at 6 a. m. and operated until 9 p. m. and shared the nighttime hours with WBAL Baltimore on 1060 kilocycles, although it was licensed for share time hours on 1040 with KRLD Dallas. The 1060 kilocycle channel offered more airtime for the Hot Springs station. John I. Prosser became General Manager of KTHS in late 1938 replacing S. A. Cisler, who moved to a New Albany, Indiana station. Again in November 1938, Col. T. K. Barton attempted to "buy or lease" KTHS. In late 1939, Mutual network programming was dropped. In 19^0, C. Lewis Brenner was named President of KTHS's licensee. By 19^1, the Chamber of Commerce had moved out of their building at 135 Benton Street, Hot Springs, leaving KTHS as sole occupant of the structure. (The Chamber's offices were moved to 115 Centra! Avenue).
In the NARBA Treaty frequency real locations, KTHS switched from 1060 kilocycles to 1090 kilocycles, at 3 a. m., Saturday, March 29, 19^1. The former authorization for 10^0 kilocycles (sharing with KRLD Dallas) was dropped at this time. In July of 19^1, KTHS was authorized full-time operation on 1090, using 10,000 watts days, but was required to reduce it's nighttime power output; first down to 5,000 watts (for which it was issued a licensed); then to 1,000 watts (for which it was issued an SA). This was to protect co-channel WBAL at Baltimore at night, allowing both stations simultaneous operation. Also in 19^1, Hub Jackson was named Genera! Manager succeeding Mr. Prosser.
The Chamber of Commerce chose to withdraw from active broadcasting and sell KTHS in June of 19^2. Acquiring KTHS for $177,650 was Radio Broadcasting, Inc. (98% owned by Co1. Thomas K. Barton). Other principals of Radio Broadcasting, Inc. were George D. Wray, P. E. Furlow, Alien D. Morris and John McCormack. This sale was approved by the FCC on June 16, 19^2. In 19^2, after the new ownership assumed control, John C. McCormack became KTHS President, naming Kenneth K. Kellum Genera! Manager of the NBC-affiliated station. The station affiliated with the statewide regional Arkansas Network (principally broadcasting Arkansas Razorback football) in 19^2. NBC-Red network programming was retained until June 30, 19^3 when KTHS switched to the Blue Network. At this time, KTHS was operating days with 10,000 watts but reduced nighttime power to 1,000 watts.
Due to the FCC's Duopoly ruling, adopted in the early forties and to be effective in mid-19^, KTHS was transferred (traded even - no money exchanged) to the owners of Shreveport's KTBS in October of 1944. (Concurrently, the KTHS principals gained possession of the Shreveport, Louisiana station). FCC approval of this swap occurred on August 25, 1944. The new ownership, trading as Radio Broadcasting, Inc., was controlled and owned by John D. Ewing, Publisher of the "Shreveport Times" newspaper and members of the Ewing family. In 1945, K. K. Kellum was replaced as General Manager by J. John Wolever, Jr. On June 15, 1945, the Blue Network Company, with which KTHS was affiliated, changed its corporate name to the American Broadcasting Company, Inc. An application was filed with the FCC by the KTHS owners for operation of a station on 550 kilocycles with 50,000 watts at West Memphis, Arkansas in 1946. The purpose was to move KTHS to a larger market area. The Ewing interests proposed to erect "a small station at Hot Springs". No action was taken on this application.
Arkansas Network programming was terminated in 1947 by KTHS, electing to retain it's ABC network liaison. Again, in March of 1950, Radio Broadcasting, Inc. applied for a move of KTHS to West Memphis, Arkansas and to switch to 550 kilocycles with 50,000 watts. The FCC ruled in April against this proposal. A move of the station was made, however, in the early fifties. In late 1951, permission was granted by the FCC to move the station from Hot Springs to Little Rock, Arkansas. In June 1952, KTHS was moved from 135 Benton Street, Hot Springs, to the "KTHS Building" (the old five story Blass Building), 313 South Main Street, Little Rock, where new studios were installed on the fifth floor. The station's transmitter on Malvern Highway, near Hot Springs, was abandoned in early 1953. On Tuesday, March 24, 1953, KTHS went on the air from its new Little Rock studios, trans­mitting from a new location at Wrightsvi11e, southeast of Little Rock, site of the station's new directional antenna system, composed of three 511 foot towers. Power was concurrently raised from the new site to 50,000 watts (directional -- nighttime hours only). Also in March, KTHS dropped it's ABC affiliation. When KTHS returned to the air from Little Rock, W. H. Bronson was President of KTHS's licensee, while B. G. Robertson was Genera] Manager of the newly independent station. KTHS did not remain an independent for very long, as the station joined the CBS Radio Network on June 15, 1953. By 1954, Robert Ewing Jr. was Board Chairman of Radio Broadcasting, Inc.
A new modern radio-television studio and office building was placed into service in February 1956 at Eighth and Isard Streets, Little Rock. KTHS was then moved from 313 Main to the new two-story facility, which was dedicated May 15, 1956. Also housed in the building was KTHV (TV), partially owned by Radio Broadcasting, Inc. F. A. Watkins replaced B. G. Robertson as General Manager in 1957. CBS programming was dropped by KTHS in January 1959, but on November 28, 1960, KTHS rejoined the network. In 1960, B. G. Robert-son once again became Genera! Manager of KTHS.
KTHS was acquired from Radio Broadcasting, Inc. by KAAY, Inc. (a newly formed sub­sidiary of the Lin Broadcasting Corporation - Frederic Gregg, Jr., President) on August 1, 1962. This sale, for $500,000 plus a $79,000 covenant not to compete, gained FCC sanction July 25, 1962. In early September 1962, call letters were changed from KTHS to KAAY, and Tom Bishop was appointed Genera! Manager. In 1963, the station's CBS affiliation was dropped and KAAY switched to a contemporary "Top 40" music format, operating 24 hours a day.
Len Carl became Genera! Manager in early 1964. Studios were moved from Eighth and Izard Streets, to new quarters at 1425 West Seventh Street, Little Rock, in 1965.
Mr. Carl became Vice President and General Manager in the same year, but was replaced in 1966 in that position by Pat Wa1sh Jr., formerly KAAY's Commercial Manager. In 1969, Mr. Walsh became President of licensee KAAY, inc. as we11 as General Manager of KAAY.
Licensee KAAY, Inc. was sold on May 15, 1975 by group owner Lin Broadcasting Corp. to Multimedia, Inc. in a sale approved by the FCC February 28, 1975. Purchase price for KAAY and two additional Lin stations was originally $9,300,000 but the sales agreement was later restructured downward to $8,650,000. KAAY was then transferred to Multimedia Radio, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Greenville, South Carolina-based Multimedia, Inc. --WNcen C. Wearn, President). James A. Tandy was appointed KAAY Vice President and General Manager in August of 1976.
Today, KAAY, Arkansas' third oldest continuously licensed broadcast station, operates on 1090 kHz with 50,000 watts (nighttime directional) from studios at 1425 West Seventh Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, and transmitter and towers situated on Pine Bluff Highway. An independent, broadcasting a contemporary music format and some religious hours, KAAY operates 24 hours a day and is licensed to Multimedia Radio, Inc., a subsidiary of Multimedia, Inc. Wilson C. Wearn is President of the parent organization while Pat Wa1sh Jr. is President of KAAY and James A. Tandy is Vice President and General Manager.