Almost anything WHBQ was part of was a major event. I attempted to involve the station in as many activities other than remotes as possible. We got involved with the zoo, broadcasting live from there many times. We became know as the Q Zoo Crew (so that’s where somebody got the idea to name a morning show the Q Zoo) . We sponsored the March Of Dimes Walk-A-Thon. All the jocks were suppose to make the entire walk. Dees walked about a block then "had a previous engagement". Landree, Dickie, Robert Gray, a couple of others and I walked just close enough to Overton Square to disappear through somebody’s yard and spend the balance of the afternoon at the Public Eye, a bar/restaurant , where the Q had unlimited trade. Landree broadcast "live" from a hot air balloon piloted by one of Elvis’s former bodyguards. WHBQ chief engineer, Chris Karb found a way to make the Marti work on battery power. Bob took off and was floating across the city. As the balloon crossed a busy intersection, Bob asked listeners who might be stuck in traffic to honk their horns. There was silence, then people started honking and getting out of their cars. The incident created a real traffic snarl.

"WHBQ, WLOK POST GAINS IN RATINGS FOR RADIO" was the headline in The Memphis Press Scimitar on July 15th 1977. We had done the unthinkable...beaten WDIA. We had a 13.7 share; WDIA fell from 16.4 to 11.8. WLOK another R&B AM almost tied ‘DIA with an 11.6. Q had already soundly whipped old rival WMPS in the Fall book , 10.7 to 5.1. Rick scored an 18.3 in mornings in the first book.. French put together a victory party at The Hyatt Regency and once again spared no expense. All of the advertising agencies in Memphis were invited. I invited the local record promotion people. A photographer took tons of pictures and French had them assembled in a book. The printer screwed up and printed French’s girlfriend’s name as his last name or something and the whole thing had to be redone. French was so upset he demanded that every copy of the misprinted booklet be returned. I still have mine!

Now that WHBQ was the number one top 40 in Memphis, attention from the record companies got more intense. WHBQ could break new records and artists. I wasn’t afraid to take chances on record I felt fit our sound. I wasn’t always right. There were still some record people who resented my relationship with Jimmy Davenport. They complained to Drew. I got angry and decided not to see or take calls from promotion people anymore. I left that to my music director. Drew’s comeback was, "Does that include Jimmy Davenport?" I acquiesced when I realized I was punishing everyone for the sins of a few. The dissidents with companies who didn’t use independent record promotion people, couldn’t get arrested with a hit, and took themselves far too seriously. I got a call one day from a guy who was really pushing me to add a record to the playlist. He got so exasperated that he finally yelled in the phone "Hey remember that suite you and Gerry Petersen stayed in at the Kal Rudman meeting in Vegas year before last, well you two ran up a $3,000 tab. Now I want some payback." I hung up on the guy , didn’t play the record despite it being a big hit, and never spoke to him again. Nothing was mentioned about OWING anything when he INVITED Gerry and I to be guests of the company. And we were both out of work at the time. I might add. 

There was a great misconception about the way records were added to RKO Top 40’s. Christy Wright was RKO Music Coordinator. Her job was to gather all the local market research from the RKO Top 40’s and compile it into a weekly report which each PD received by Friday each week. She also met with the record reps in Los Angeles and kept Drew informed of the new releases. Every Tuesday, I had a specific time that I called Christy. I usually had my music director give her all the information we had compiled, then I spoke with her or Paul to discuss my additions to the playlist. No one approved or disapproved my adds. Paul was usually a little conservative, but once a PD proved that he had a handle on his market, Drew rarely objected to our choices. I can’t tell you how many calls I received from record people saying "I’ve spoken to Christy or Paul and he/she/ or they like the record and don’t have a problem with you adding it". Guess what, the reason they didn’t have a problem was that they knew I wouldn’t fall for that crap.

The whole process was for license protection and more importantly the RKO stations were in some of the largest markets in the country. If we couldn’t trust our own research, who could we trust. R&R had become the standard in terms of national airplay charts, but it had flaws. I never saw an RKO PD manipulate music data or try to convince another guy to play a record. We were too proud of who we were. Drew had a lot of friends and if he smelled a rat, he’d investigate. He encouraged the RKO GMs to allow the PDs to have reasonable budget to do the entertaining, rather than be entertained.

Charlie Minor was the greatest. He was with United Artists in ‘77 and always came up with clever ways to get my attention. One day he walked into my office with a beautiful redhead (nothing new for Charlie). He asked if he could close the door to my office, something not usually allowed. I consented. The redhead stood up and took off a coat she was wearing. She had two 45’s attached to her 38D’s. Charlie acted like nothing had happened and began to promote me on "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty. The girl walked over and offered me one of the records to audition. Charlie called me on another occasion and asked me if he could come by WHBQ . Normally, I saw record folks on Monday’s only, all other visits were by appointment or they could always catch me at the Bull Shotte. Charlie said he had someone he wanted me to meet. About an hour later, he and Kenny Rogers walked in. Kenny hadn’t had a big hit in awhile. I had played "Love Lifted Me", off the album by the same name, although it never was a hit. Kenny had just released "Lucille", the album and we were playing the single. Kenny came by to say thank you and I asked him if he wanted to go on the air with Bo Landree. He immediately agreed and they did about twenty minutes culminating with Kenny singing "Lucille" a capella. When he got to the chorus, he substituted ‘Boob" (that’s what Bob often called himself) instead of "Lucille". Before it was all over we had people pulling in the parking lot at the station wanting autographs. Landree played the "special" version over and over in the coming weeks.

(click picture for larger image)

Willie Nelson was scheduled to appear at the Mid-South Coliseum the evening Elvis died. Concert promoters debated whether to postpone the show, but Willie felt it would give people a place to go in this time of shock and sadness. Usually, I arranged for a motor home stocked with food and beer to take contest winners to the major concerts. We were always allowed to pull in the loading area next to the busses of the acts. I usually had pre-arranged for the acts to stop by our "moving hospitality suite" with the bands’ manager or the record company. Our winners got to sit off stage, the best seats in the house. Tonight, we were asked to put them in a special section near the front of the stage. I was in constant touch with Dick Edwards that evening to stay abreast of listener reaction and any new developments. Willie was gracious before the show, sharing a joint with me and the Columbia records promotion man. He listened carefully as I recounted the events of the day. He said he was going to do his usual show, but include a tribute at he end of the show. All went as planned until two limos pulled up behind the coliseum. Jerry Lee Lewis, feeling no pain , and his entourage walked in the stage door. He tried to go onstage and security stopped him. One of Willie’s road people handed him a note when he finished singing a song. Jerry Lee was being loud, and the only thing Willie knew to do was to let him come onstage. Willie invited Jerry Lee to join him in a tribute song to Elvis and maintained control of the situation to the end. Given the chance, The Swaggert side of Jerry Lee would have come out. I could tell he wanted to repent and do a little preaching. I guess it takes a guy who’s been a little out there a couple of times himself to know how to handle a situation like that. Willie handled the whole thing beautifully, asking everyone to give Jerry Lee a standing ovation as his road crew helped the Killer off the stage.

I organized an on-air "Moment Of Silence" tribute with as many radio station across the country as I could contact. I have no idea how many actually participated. In our search for what to do on the air, Bob Landree came forward with a verse that was very special to him. Bob’s father was shot down in Viet Nam and up until then, his body had not been found. Bob read me a verse that had been used at his Dad’s memorial service: "There is no death . The stars go down to rise upon some other shore; and bright in his jeweled crown, they shine for evermore". It was perfect. Someone at the station recorded the verse and it was played after the minute of silence at the hour of the funeral. For weeks after Elvis died people still flocked to Memphis. Television crews stayed and filed documentaries, I appeared in one done for Japanese Television although I never saw it. WHBQ had secured a block of tickets to an upcoming Elvis concert the month he died. It was to be the last stop on that brief tour.

I never saw Elvis perform live. I also never was asked if I wanted to meet him. Bob Spendlove, local RCA promotion man, told me after the fact that he would have taken me to meet Elvis if I had asked him. I don’t know why I never thought of it. Perhaps it was the estranged relationship I had with George Klein. Rumor had it that Elvis had contacted President Carter and asked him to intervene on George’s behalf during the diary scandal. I wish I had made an attempt.

Dees was having marriage problems. As a result of "Disco Duck" he was being invited to appear on may TV shows. He was invited to go to Italy to make an appearance. Rick was nominated for a Peoples Choice Award. RSO had given him the go ahead to do another single. He was a little bummed out, he wanted an album deal. His plate was very full and left little time for his wife. I never got to know her very well, but I sensed that she didn’t feel comfortable in the spotlight. Also, there were rumors of Rick’s dalliances. He was in a major depression and turned to me. I wasn’t the greatest authority of healthy relationships, however, I tried to console him. First he moved out of his new home and into an apartment. I think the apartment complex let him have the apartment free just so they could tell everybody he lived there. I tried to cheer him up with women. I was suppose to meet him at his apartment one evening. I had a key so I let two girls in and told them to get undressed, get in Rick’s bed, and be quiet. He never showed up. Finally, I did the only thing sure to cheer him up. I called Charlie Minor and convinced him to come to Memphis and listen to some material Rick was recording. I bribed Charlie with women, his weakness. Charlie showed up and I picked him up in a limo equipped with women. We went to the studio to meet Rick and he’d left word for us to come to his house. When we arrived Rick was a little surprised to see the girls, but glad to see Charlie. Rick rarely drank and certainly didn’t smoke dope. Charlie and the girls had started the party in the limo. Charlie was attentive as Rick played his songs. Rick had catered some great hors d’ouevres and once the listening the partying resumed. I finally poured Charlie and company back in the limo because Rick had to go to bed so he could get up to do his show the next morning.

The Radio Music Report Convention was held in September of 1977. Paul Anka was the featured entertainment along with Cheryl Ladd, who was trying to launch a singing career. The convention was to be held at, where else, The Royal Coach in Atlanta. There was a lot of hype about a new movie, Star Wars, to be released in that summer. Meco had released a disco version of the movies theme. I had a copy of the soundtrack, but knew nothing about the actual movie plot. Carter Davis and I put together an audio presentation for the conventions awards banquet based loosely on the movie, but more so around the music. Lasers were choreographed to fit the piece. Arista Records was the underwriter for the awards ceremony and pressed special Air Wars LPs to be distributed at the convention. Airchecks of the stations that won awards were also on the LP as well as special jingles recorded by TM Productions. I invited Dwight Case, RKO President to give the keynote address. That insured the RKO PDs convention attendance. The most important thing I remember from Dwight’s speech was that everyone should learn something about computers. It stuck with me. Carter and his wife were on the same plane when I flew to Atlanta for the convention. We had a food fight and almost got into trouble. The convention was less serious than the Radio and Records conventions, but more serious than Bobby Poe’s meeting. We had good attendance at our meeting, ate good, saw good entertainment, and handed out some BS awards.

Accepting my RMR award from Cheryl Ladd

The record guys always liked to present PD's gold records at the conventions. This is the Atlantic gang L to R; Rob Senn, Vince Ferraci, ?, me, Andy ?, and Bill Cataldo.

Before I got the gold record, I had to take a meeting with the boys from Atlantic. They were, not doubt, trying to get me to play some record.

(Don't have a clue who the guy on the right is but he looks familiar.)

1977 had been a great year for me professionally. I had established myself with RKO and hoped that would mean a move West at some point. WHBQ had gotten the go ahead to expand our facilities. Revenues for the station were soaring. Personally, my marriage was on the rocks. 1978 was to be a strange year.

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