WELCOME TO JIM ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO
December 02, 2009 [Wednesday]
Issue #746
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JEFF THOMPSON (Winston-Salem, NC) Subject: I saw the Mel Pennington stories- I had the pleasure of working with Mel in the early '60s at KXYZ in Houston back when it was located in the Gulf Building. Funny, I had just been thinking about Mel yesterday...and how we were both in the midst of covering the great storm, Hurricane Carla in 1962, along with his friend Tommy Thompson from Life Magazine. (No relation to me, Jeff Thompson.) WE were walking the streets downtown, where huge signs were flying through the air, looters were breaking the windows at Foley's...and I was out in the Mobile unit, a 57 station wagon, about to be blown off the Gulf Freeway, while reporting in on the short wave radio. (Pre- CBs and cell phones) Mel had come to KXYZ from Galveston, I had only arrive a month before from Austin and Radio KASE which I had helped put on the air. While in college at UT, I had also worked at KAZZ-FM, which at the time was through the glass in the next studio from KHFI-FM...which I understand is where Mel Pennington either once worked. In any event...almost 50 years later, please, somebody give best regards to Mel from his old co-worker, Jeff Thompson, now in Winston-Salem, NC.

MEL PENNINGTON Back in the mid 1960s Mel comes to KVUE TV CH42 as Sports Director/anchor from KODA-1010 here in Houston, TX. KVUE TV is a sister station to KHFI FM and KHFI-970. All three stations are in a nice self-contained 2-story building in Austin, TX. Radio is upstairs. TV and both news departments, plus sales are downstairs. From 1966-67 I'm PD/MD/DJ on KHFI FM and Saturday afternoon DJ on KHFI-970 (The Sound of the City). Also do a quickie 30 second audio weather forecast at 9pm on KVUE TV. After a few months the radio manager who hires me for KHFI FM, Cal Druxman, leaves. They tack on KHFI radio management duties to Mel Pennington. Along with Mel from KODA-1010 here in Houston, TX, a very deep-voice guy, Dave McQueen, also comes to KHFI-970 in Austin. Dave later moves to the west coast and becomes big in L.A. radio. Back then Westinghouse KODA-1010 is a daytime radio station with a Beautiful music format. Today, under new owners, Tichenor, KODA-1010 is now KLAT-1010 (La Tremenda 1010 AM) with a Spanish format and is now a 24 hour operation. With different owners Sunny 99 KODA FM (99.1) has a soft Adult Contemporary format. While I'm on Westinghouse (Group W) New Country KILT FM and Classic Country KILT-610 the 2nd time from 1991-96 they buy Country KIKK FM and Classic Country KIKK-650 from Viacom in 1995. Due to the FCC rules at the time Westinghouse has to sell KODA FM (99.1) and KODA-1010 so they can buy the KIKK properties. With the new Telcom law of 1996, Westinghouse can own all six radio stations. Then, around 1994 or 95 Westinghouse buys CBS Radio and changes the name Westinghouse (Group W) to CBS Radio. Long after I leave KILT, Viacom buys CBS Radio. So, since the Telcom law of 1996 radio acts like a merry go round. Viacom now owns Country KILT FM, Sports Talk KILT-610, Top 40 KKHH FM (formerly KIKK FM) and Talk KIKK-650. Sad to say that both Mel and Cal are no longer with us. They are by far the best radio managers that I ever work for and in memory remain dear friends. Really fun guys with wonderful personalities. Radio is lots of fun in the Sizzling Sixties.

CHUCK CASHMERE (San Diego, CA) Jim, a belated Happy Birthday and Thanksgiving. Congratulations on making it another year, and I'm delighted to know you have a new companion. Regarding the Great Al Alberts...yes, He and the Four Aces were one of the great pop groups before the advent of Rock & Roll. I remember seeing them at the Shamrock Hotel when Love, etc was big. They were terrific. I think they also had the hit Standing on the Corner Watching all the Girls Go By. Paul Berlin MC’d the show and my companion was my first wife and the mother of my beautiful daughter; we were childhood sweethearts and I'll always remember that song. Oh if I knew then what I know now. Have a good one. Keep your eyes open for Christmas. CC

WHERE DO YOU READ JRRR? Tell us how far away from Houston, TX that you read JRRR. Send your full Name, City, State and Country of residence to rosekkkj@earthlink.net.

MIKE SHANNON (Dallas-Mesquite, TX) Hi Jim! ...a passing to report in DFW radio...Ralph Widman. Widman was at KTBS in Shreveport starting in 1939, worked for the Texas Independent Network thereafter, then over to KFJZ-1270 in Fort Worth in the mid-40s. Next, Widman was PD at KWBC-970AM in Fort Worth (later known as KNOK and KHVN) from 1946-48, then with WFAA-AM (and occasionally TV) in Dallas from 1948-57 as sports director. He went over to the new KBCS-730AM (now KKDA) in Grand Prairie from 1957-58 as station manager, then back to WFAA-AM sports until 1960. Some old timers might recall him as one of the premier regional sports announcer/play x play for college sports on the radio during the 1940s-50s-60s, and host of the long-running "Football Scoreboard" and "Sports Review" on WFAA from 1948-60. Widman went on to manage two radio rep agencies in the 1960s, but kept his weekend job announcing college football, mostly over WRR-AM in Dallas. Thanks Jim, and congrats on that new pup! Mike Shannon (www.knus99.com/)

SOMEONE FORWARD THIS ISSUE OF JRRR TO YOU? GREAT! You can subscribe to JRRR right here. Then you receive each new issue of JRRR as soon as it publishes three times each week come rain or shine. We like to hear your radio stories and radio news, too! SUBSCRIBE NOW: Send your complete Name, City, State and Country to rosekkkj@earthlink.net Thank you.

BUD BUSCHARDT (Dallas, TX) Jim, I did not know this man (Ralph Widman, Jr.) but I'm sure some of your readers from the DFW area might have had the pleasure of working with him. Bud

TRIVIA ANSWER: In September 1965, Police in Columbus, OH arrest the Four Seasons' Frankie Valli because his manager forgets to pay his hotel bill.

RALPH WIDMAN III (DFW-Arlington, TX) This a copy of the obituary that will run in Sunday's Star-Telegram. It will also be available on their website, www.legacy.com/obituaries/dfw/ Due to the cost, I decided not to run it in the Dallas Morning News. I thought maybe you could forward it on to friends in Dallas. I've put together some material to email to Joe Simnacher at the Dallas Morning News, so maybe he can get write an article for us. Thanks so much, Ralph

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.

Jim Rose and Lacy
Houston, Texas - En Dieu nous croyons

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