WWOD Tribute Site Postcards From the Edge - Emails on WWOD
From: Phil Beckman Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 9:23 AM To: Rick Subject: WWOOODD
My thoughts of WWOD...
I grew up in Bedford where we could only hear WWOD-AM during the day, and only hear WWOD-FM on a really good FM radio, as they had only 940 watts! Looking at my 1967 Broadcasting yearbook, I see that Marlin W. Myers was listed as the PD! He was the night personality for the Top-40 "Night Train" for a number of years.
I don't know when WWOD started programming rock 'n roll part time, but in remembering their huge record library, they had many, many mid-50's rock and r&b records filed. They didn't become full-time Top-40 until Sam Raymond became the GM. David Glass would remember the year for that. WWOD positioned itself as a 'hipper' version of WLLL, calling itself "The Lynchburg Heavy". You would hear album cuts at night with Allen O'Brian was on, and we'd play a few in the afternoon as well.
Working at WWOD was cool! All that ancient equipment and that control room set-up. The original plan was for a TV studio for WWOD-TV, Channel 16, that never materialized. You sat on an elevated platform in an elevated room, so anyone who came in to talk to you was at eye level while you were seated. What a feeling of power!
I worked there afternoons from August-December of 1970, which was the end of their Top-40 era. There are so many stories to tell; one of my favorites is the day lightning struck a tower while I was reading a newscast. It scared the s*** out of me, and I used that word! Luckily, the transmitter was off. The lightning strike blew out a bulb in a studio overhead which didn't lessen the instantaneous fear any!
More later.
And, thank you Rick for keeping the spirit of "The Big 1-3-9", "The Lynchburg Heavy" and other 'OD incantations alive!!
Phil Beckman
Dick Bartely Emails - He has a nationally syndicated radio oldies show on Saturday nights
His 1st Radio Job in 1969 was at WWOD when it was Top 40
Hi Rick - great speaking with you on Saturday! I look forward to seeing those old WWOD photos when you get a chance to send them. Take care.
Dick Bartley
Hey Rick - thank you so much for the link to those great old WWOD photos - brought back a tidal wave of memories - I really appreciate it!
Dick Bartley
In a message dated 4/30/2007 1:28:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, RickBurnett@dc.rr.com writes:
I am assuming the old production room phots was a shot of the on-air control board you used when you wer on the air at ‘OD. Let me know if that is correct.
Yes, that appears to be the board I used on-air at WWOD in 1969 and 1970 - thanks for the additional pictures!
Dick Bartley
BIO Dick Bartley has been a radio announcer and producer for nearly 30 years - beginning as a teenager in 1969 at WWOD in Lynchburg VA. With successful on-air and programming stints in Chicago and New York to his credit, Bartley has been hosting and producing nationally-syndicated oldies programs since 1982...first for the RKO Radio Network, next for United Stations, then for Westwood One, and since 1991, Dick has been producing his shows exclusively for the ABC Radio Networks. Bartley has also produced several best-selling oldies compilations: "Dick Bartley Presents One Hit Wonders of the 60's, Volumes 1 and 2 (Rhino Records), Dick Bartley Presents Collectors Essentials of the 60's & 70's, Volumes 1 and 2 (Varese Vintage), Dick Bartley Presents Collectors Essentials - On The Radio, Volumes 1,2,3 and 4 (Varese Vintage).
From: Ted Bell [mailto:ted@949thesurf.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 8:33 AM To: Rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: WWOD Memories
Hey Rick,
What a great site!! I was born in Lynchburg and grew up listening to the Night Train Show. The first host of the show, that I listened to was Bill Swartz, this was around 1959 thru 1960, then Jim Wilkie joined the staff and did Night Train. He was there for a few years. My dad was very kind to take me to various remote locations around town to see Jim do the show "Live" He was a nice man and was very patient with a 13 year old kid.
We moved away from Lynchburg in 1962, Marlin Myers had replaced Jim on Night Train when he went to work in Altavista.
We moved to Orangeburg SC where I began my career in radio in Sept of 1962. I've had the pleasure in working in Los Angeles, Boise Idaho and now at 94.9 The Surf in Myrtle Beach SC..I do the 10-3pm show. Our format is Carolina Beach Music & Classic Hits..Temptations, Four Tops etc..
In 1995 for several years I did a Saturday NIght "Night Train" Show on WGOL-FM in Lynchburg. I sent the show in each week and it ran 3 hours eveery Saturday night. I even interviewed Jim Wilkie, who at that time was an engineer for some tv station in Norfolk Va.
Thought I'd share my story of WWOD with you. THat station & that program was my inspiration for getting into this business.
The photo's are great and brings back a lot of memories when at 13 year old kid stood in that studio and was amazed beyond belief of how the show was behind the scenes.
Rick; Really enjoyed the site. I was a deejay at The Gospel Truth, WWOD-FM, and the Country Giant, WWOD-AM in the 73/74 time frame. There was Dave Kaye, Jack Daniels and Bill Watts (what a great voice; he was our morning man while I was there. I believe he went on to Chicago). There was also Lynn Nash, Jay Douglas and of course me, Scott Nelson. I sure do miss WWOD. Lynchburg was a beautiful area. And the facility was nice too; all that woodwork and the huge control room. I remember the big rocker, Triple L, as well as our competition, WBRG. 2020 Mimosa Drive will always have a special place in my heart. Thanks for the memories! Scott Nelson
HALL WINSTON-SALEM - Jesse Richard "Rick" Hall, 64, of Winston-Salem, lost his long-time battle with cancer on April 3, 2009. Rick was born in Forsyth County on February 24, 1945 to Walter Robert "Bill" and Virginia Davis Hall. He attended Mineral Springs High School, graduating in 1963. Rick served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was an active member of the American Legion Post 55. He most enjoyed the American Legion Riders motorcycle group. Rick is survived by one son, Bryan (Shannon) Hall of North Myrtle Beach, SC; one daughter, Jennifer (Vince) Canfora of Long, SC; one granddaughter, Lilian Canfora; one sister, Betty Hall (Alvin) Shore of Clemmons; nephew, Lee (Kathy) Shore; and best friend and canine companion, Mr. Bear. A memorial service will be conducted on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Huff Funeral Home Chapel in East Bend, officiated by the Rev. Chris Byrne. A committal service will follow in the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery in East Bend with full military honors presented by the American Legion Post 55. Memorials may be made to the American Legion Post 55, 111 Miller Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
Published in the Winston-Salem Journal from 4/4/2009 - 4/5/2009 ____________________________________________________________ Doug Neatrour was hired by Rick Hall and sent a email with some thought about working with Rick.
"I can thank Rick Hall for hiring me back in 1973. I recall answering an ad in Broadcasting Magazine, then received a call from Mr. Hall himself requesting an interview. I was working as a jock in York, PA at the time and the station was having some personality issues with a new PD...so I was a looking. As I recall, I got off the wrong exit of I-81 South and ended up going the looooong way over the mountain and into Lynchburg, mainly via the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was probably 40 miles from the station and said to myself, well let's try to pick it up, thinking I was much too far away. I kicked on the radio and BOOM, there was one of the country gentlemen and some great country music with a strong bass sound. Arrived in L'burg and got along very nice with Rick. He hired me on the spot, but said we wanted me to start out as the Music Director, prove myself and possibly be the PD. I arrived a week or so later, got a place to live and showed up for work.
Rick pretty much gave we all the leeway I wanted. Two weeks later, I was anointed the PD. He told me to fix the sound, maintain the country music and hire some dj's as he called them. So I did. We had a staff of young, un-married guys (myself included back then). Rick was a true salesman...he could sell ice to Eskimos. He had a philosophy he told me once (this one's for all the sales folks out there)...'always make one more sales stop at the end of the day, because that one will be the BIG order'. I remember remotes with greased pigs! I recall a remote at a mobile home lot with a guy who dressed like Evil Kineval who was popular at the time. The Evil clone had a ramp up and down the sides of a long double wide. He fired up his cycle, did a fake roll to the top of the ramp, came back down...I threw the mike out to him and said 'any last words?' They must not have been too memorable, I don't remember them. Once Rick had a promotion called 'Treasure Man' He somehow talked Sam the engineer to dress up in a traded out tux. Under his arm was a white painted mailbox, the kind you might still find on a post for rural delivery. The door to the mailbox was locked. Sam had ring fll of dozens of keys. You guess it, one key opened the box. The winner got all the gift certificates and stuff obtained from sponsors, who were also sold a nice little advertising spot package for cash. Sam stopped people on the sidewall in downtown Lynchburg, introduced himself as the Treasure Man and asked if they wanted to try their luck at opening the box. Simple but fun.
We had a tight format, a clean facility that was almost always sold out spot wise, thanks to Rick Hall and Henry Ford, the salesman.
The FM was WWOD-FM and played beautiful music from a reel to reel deck at the speed of 3 3/4 ips. The deck was in the main studio and the AM jock had to change reels at the bottom of each hour. Since the FM wasn't making any real money, Rick decided it was time for change. Lynchburg as we all know was and still is in the bible belt. In 1974, I do not believe there were any religious radio stations in the area. That was soon going to change. Rick wanted to create a, as he called it 'toe tapping gospel music radio station'. It was to be called The Gospel Truth. The only problem was, we had no staff, and most important, NO music. Rick was walking me out to the parking lot after a long day of spinning the hits and recording commercials. With his arm around me he said 'Jay, I want you to head up this format change to gospel.' I said I know nothing about gospel...I'm Catholic! He said he wouldn't hold that against me. I asked when he wanted the change...he said, next Monday. It was now Tuesday.
The next day, I worried while on the air as to how I was going to pull this off. Then, almost as if God was listening, the secretary came into the studio and said I had a phone call. I usually did not take calls on the air, but asked, what the caller wanted. She said, apparently a job. I took the call. The guy on the other end was asking if we had any temporary openings on the air. He was a 'dj' from far away, passing though, when his car broke down. He had little cash for the needed repairs but a lot of ambition. I said we may have something on our FM, but it is playing gospel music (remember, we still had NO music!). At that moment, the heavens parted, trumpets blew and this guy announced, HE was a gospel radio announcer...in fact, with him in the broken down car was an entire collection of gospel 45's and LP's, his personal collection, on his way to his next job. Wow...he got the job on the spot. Somehow, I got to him, we loaded all the music into my car and proceeded to WWOD. I'm not sure if this guy slept at the station or what, but we had talent, music and now a format in place. Our morning guy recorded several liners and ID's, we moved some equipment around in the beautiful music studio, and bingo, it was a gospel music radio station.
Later, I believe we hired a local minister with a very funny personality, who used to be a jock..he did mornings. A few long form paid gospel preaching tapes were played every other hour with the toe taping stuff in between. Rick was happy and I was 'saved' probably both with my job and religiously! And hey, I'm Catholic!"
Doug Neatrour (a/k/a Jay Douglas)
From: Kervinie Alexander [mailto:kervinie@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 5:58 PM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: WWOD Radio Station Comments
Hello Rick,
I received your website information from Mad Lad in Lynchburg, VA. Mad Lad and I graduated from High School together and have remained friends. I worked at WWOD Radio station from 1971 to 1974. There were three station managers there during my time. The last one was Wayne Campbell who was a great station manager and loved people and could relate to people very positive. I remember all of the D. J.'s that worked there during my three years there. My name was Kervinie Davis. I sat back in the office with Barbara Rexrode typing the AM program logs, then later moved out front to be the receptionist secretary. I am african american. The other two staff persons was Susan Cabell and Camille Scott. Camille worked in the back FM control room. I remember the salesman, Henry Ford such a nice man and Barbara Rexrode the bookkeeper and office manager. I really enjoyed working at the radio station and grew to appreciate and was fond of country music. It makes me sad to see the building trashed and torn apart inside because this was a beautiful building inside, very spacious and the paneling was beautiful. We all were like one big happy family.
Well, I left the station in 1974 to get married and then moved out of town to the Northern Virginia area. My husband and I settled back in Lynchburg because our families are here. I have two grown sons and one grandchild, 19 months old. I was 23 years old when the picture was taken there. I am on the end to the far right sitting on the sofa and Susan is on the far left. Wayne Campbell and the staff gave me a wonderful wedding shower on my last day of work. I believe Jay and I left the same time. I can go on and on with fond memories, but I just want to give my comments and reminisce a little. Rick, I thank you and Mad Lad for sharing these comments and photos of the past with us. It took me down memory lane and allowed me to have that moment in time once again. Take Care! Let me know if you remember me. I would like to hear back from the past employees once they read this.
Portion of WWOD staff in the Fall of 1974 during Jay Douglas' (a/k/a Doug Neatrour) going away "party" in the station lobby. Front row left to right: Unknown WWOD-FM announcer (Gospel); Henry Ford (real name) Salesman; Jay Douglas, Program Director; Barb Rexrode - she went on to mange a country station in Lynchburg in 1997-98), bookkeeper; Kervinie Davis, receptionist. Second Row Left to right: Jim Allen, Engineer and evening announcer; Roy Morris, General Manager (Replaced Rick Hall, who left to become GM of KXEL, Waterloo IW); Jack Daniels, morning announcer; Bell Bender, Program Director (replaced Jay Douglas who followed Rich Hall to KEXL; Dave Kay (Kreuger), afternoon announcer; and unknown WWOD-FM monring announcer and minister of a local church.
Sent October 5th, 2007 From Past Program Director
Rick: Appreciate your phone call, out of the blue. You finally caught up with me. In the summer of 2006, while on vacation in, of all places Central Virginia (we lived in Lebanon, PA at the time), I took the family to see the remains of the WWOD building. I almost cried when I saw the boarded up, towerless site. As the WWOD PD in the early 70's, it was the first radio station where I was allowed to try my ideas...having been in the business for but a few years at that point.
That great bass effect, thanks to that old tube transmitter and the natural "echo" from the giant studio along with a great jingle package contributed to a good sound. OD radio was but a watering hole for some, but we had a a dedicated bunch of young talent that made it all click. Years ago, I made the transistion to sales and eventually management, but jocking is always in the blood. Radio today, as everyone knows is too perfect, too idealess, too sterile. It's too bad...the youth of today is missing a lot from the radio of yesterday.
Douglas Neatrour Former Programg Director, WWOD
And another one from Douglas:
Rick: Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I was able to spend a little time reviewing your site, especially for WWOD. I have yet to hook up speakers to my new computer at work. Might bring in some headphones to listen to the air checks.
You have to wonder what exactly happened at OD at the end. I am sure that if you called down to the Bahakle office in N.C., someone might know. If I had to guess, I would say, the place went bankrupt and all had to vacate quickly, taking just the records and the financial information. The equipment could (but naturally didn't) have been sold or auctioned off at a sheriffs sale. But this is just a guess.
I will make some notes and tell some stories via another reply e-mail to you, shortly. I can share stories about the fire(s) in the hut behind the building, our live broadcast on election night, when the 18 year old vote was a realization, the times the late Jerry Falwell would actually deliver the tape of his weekly religious program, and more.
Just give me a little time...I have my hands full here at AM 1280 THE BLEND and retooling the sales department.
Regards,
Doug...
From a Past DJ
From: rmb@pro-market.biz [mailto:rmb@pro-market.biz] Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 8:21 PM To: Rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: Memories from a former Jock at WWOD
Rick,
My name is Bob Barney. I jocked at WWOD when it was a country format in 1976, and for a few years thereafter, Wayne Campbell was then General Manager. I worked with Wayne when he was Program Director at WBRG "Top gun in Lynchburg". I have hours of reel to reel airchecks of myself, but unfortunately no reel to reel recorder. Everything I do now is digital. I stumbled upon your website and the memories came flooding back. When I was jocking at the station, mostly afternoon drive, I emceed many country music stars' concerts in and around the central Virginia area including concerts by: George Jones, Ronnie Milsap, Dave and Sugar, Barbie Benton, Johnny Rodriguez, Bill Anderson and a few more. I enjoyed those wonderful days at the station, however, I almost got fired once.
I was working the afternoon shift and it was 6:45 pm,. I got on the mic and said, " You know, a lot of people don't realize how exhausting being a Disc Jockey can be. I've been sitting here for so long that my derriere is fast asleep. The reason I know its fast asleep is because just a few minutes ago I heard it snore." Well, Wayne just happen to be coming back to the station at that time and heard by broadcast in his car. He came storming into the broadcast booth and told me that he was an inch away from firing me. He said that "contrary to popular belief, this is a family station and that people may not appreciate a "fart" joke at supper time."
Can you believe how things have changed and what is being said on the radio today. Anyway, thanks for the website and so much thanks for the memories. It was wonderful to reminisce.
Success to be yours,
Bob Barney ProMarket Resources Principal Consultant Marketing - Advertising - Promotions Public Relations - Creative Services Media Relations - Graphic Design rmb@pro-market.biz
From a Past DJ - Formely Worked for Bilboard Magazine
-----Original Message----- From: CTaylor Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 10:24 AM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: wwod
wow, that's utterly amazing. were you raised in lynchburg?i worked there part-time as a weekender and vacation fill-in starting wheni was 16 in 1979. the GM was wayne.... something. the PD was robin cokerand the MD was a woman... can't remember her name. i went on the air as leetaylor, my middle name. worked a good number of overnights during thesummer and had a blast doing it. WKZZ was the FM, automated onreel-to-reel. i had to change tapes every so often from the AM studio,which looked down into the empty FM studio.i worked there summers during college until about 1982 or 1983... by thenthe FM country station had come around and WWOD (your place in thecountry!!) was quickly losing ground.the building still stands, but it's trashed... pretty sad.tell me more about your time there.
One of many emails sent commenting on the WWOD page and photos was sent by a former WWOD announcer who now works as a news reporter at a Sacramento, Calliforna TV station:
Shared with permission of Jonathan Munn
From: Mumm, Jonathan [mailto:JMUMM@NEWS10.NET] Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 6:06 PM To: rickburnett@dc.rr.com Subject: WWOD
Dear Rick:
All I can say is WOW. Thanks so much for sending that link to me and letting me get a glimpse at those photos. Not only did I work at WWOD (on vactations from college in the late 60's and early 70's)), but I actually grew up down the street on Indian Hill Road. My brother Fred also worked at WWOD while he was in high school, but he worked for the FM side (at the time easy listening) and since his name was "Fred Mumm", he called himself "Mr. FM" on the air.
I can't imagine the place in such disrepair and all that equipment just abandoned there. When I worked there, there was the big main control room that looked down on three production studios through glass windows. When I was a kid, a live game show was broadcast from one of those production studios on Wednesday nights. When I was teenager, the big disc jockey in town was Marlin Myers (sp?) who called himself "The Big M." This was before WLLL went on the air and the only rock you could listen to was Marlin's show at night called "Night Train." Occasionally, I would pay him a visit (kind of like Richard Dreyfuss and Wolfman Jack in AMERICAN GRAFFITTI).
Thanks for the memories.
-Jonathan Mumm
KXTV
And then there are the Ghost Stories (Better to read chain from the bottom up)
From: Mumm, Jonathan [mailto:JMUMM@NEWS10.NET] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 4:48 PM To: Rick Burnett- Subject: RE: Gravesite at WWODI think my brother did work late. I'll have to ask him. I signed on in the early morning over Christmas vacation one year, but I can't remember any ghostly experiences -- other than the weird sounds coming out of the speakers when I played a religious tape that had been sent tails out!JonathanFrom: Rick Burnett- [mailto:Rick1031@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 4:39 PM To: Mumm, Jonathan Subject: RE: Gravesite at WWODDid either of you work early or late the station? If so, any ghost stories? Usually when I tell that story, I never hear again from the person. At least you respondedRick
From: Mumm, Jonathan [mailto:JMUMM@NEWS10.NET] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 4:22 PM To: Rick Burnett- Subject: RE: Gravesite at WWODRick --Thanks for the story -- I can't wait to share that with my brother!-JonathanFrom: Rick Burnett- [mailto:Rick1031@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 4:18 PM To: Mumm, Jonathan Subject: RE: Gravesite at WWODJonathan,I have shared with some people that when I went to the station at 4:30 AM to warm up the transmitter before signing on at 5 AM, I left the door to the control room open. I would sometime hear footsteps in the hallway, getting closer and closer and then seem to stop very close to the entrance door to the control room. I thought I would sh__ my pants. I did not and I could not find anyone.I always thought there I would hear that someone died in the station or we were on top of a graveyard. It seems that I now find out we were! Maybe it was my imagination; but I was stilled scared and I dreaded opening up the station.Hope you have no ghosts in Sacramento; I do not have any in Palm Springs. Still too hot here. Rick Burnett
From: Mumm, Jonathan [mailto:JMUMM@NEWS10.NET] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 2:54 PM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: Gravesite at WWODHi, Rick -- Looking again at your site, I saw the additional pictures from Phil (who I remember quite well from the old days!) and the one of the gravestone. As I mentioned in my earlier e-mail, I grew up just down the street from the station on Indian Hill Road (we moved in just before Bedford Hills School was built) and my friends and I used to spend a lot of time in the woods behind the station and behind the school. On one of our outings, we came upon an old abandoned graveyard dating back to the Civil War. Many of the graves were sunken in. When I told my Dad about it, he suggested I let the station know since it seemed to be on station property. I did, but nobody seemed interested. As I remember I was in the fourth grade at the time and that Halloween night my friend Dennis Delaney and I made our way to the graveyard to see if we'd see any ghosts. We didn't, of course, but we still managed to scare ourselves half to death!-JonathanNOTE: Sometime after thisemail chain I discussed my story with Douglas Neatrour, former Program Director who hired me. He shared with me that a few years before he started at WWOD, an engineer killed himself in the basement of the station. He also was told by the night DJ that work for Douglas, that while working alone at the station on night, he felt someone touch him in the shoulder. When he turned arround, no one was there. He was upset.
Thanks, Rick! Sure, we'll add it next time I update it (LONG overdue, but I'm waiting until my next trip home to Rke because there's a big box of old WROV stuff from Rhona Levine [Burt's daughter] that I'm going to borrow, scan, and likely be adding a ton of).
Didn't Bahakle own WRIS in Roanoke at one time? Seems like...
The 2007 WWOD photos make me want to either cry or throw up (or both). WROV looked much the same before they leveled the building a few years ago...
Well, take care and thanks for writing and sharing the WWOD site. Nice job!
Pat Garrett
(who, with a little help from Phil and the others, does the WROV site...)
From: Rick Burnett [mailto:rickburnett@dc.rr.com] Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 3:35 PM To: memories@wrovhistory.com Subject: Possible Link For Your Site
Please consider a link to what is left of a great Lynchburg station, WWOD.
I have tried to preserve what is left on the following web site:
There are airchecks from 1973 and old photos. Also some recent photos taken in 2007 of what is left of the studio and equipment (sad). The station no longer exist.
Dick Bartley, a syndicated radio show, got his start at WWOD in 1969. The page has traffic count that puts it in the top 10 pages on this site that was primarily meant to preserve Minneapolis St. Paul radio history.
Let me know
Rick Burnett
Email from Another Past Program Director
-----Original Message-----
From: Robin
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 3:09 PM
To: rick1031@hotmail.com
Subject: WWOD pics and airchecks
Rick,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Robin Coker. I was a WWOD listener growing up in the late 60's. WLLL was the top 40 station as you know but at night WWOD played great rock and soul music with programs such as Night Train and Metro with Al Ford, Brian Scheludeburg (sp) etc.
Though I wasn't really a listener to country, I had a summer job for several years in the early 70's and the guys
kept the radio on WWOD, so I remember you from those days. I broke in at WWOD AM-FM in 1979 and returned later as PD. I presided over the sad demise of the stations in 1991. Lad forwarded the pics and the link to your site and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the pics and listening to the airchecks.
On a side note, the signs posted on the transmitters were my handiwork. In the waning days of WWOD things got
so bad that we were forced to hire several people who were, to use the current term, mentally challenged. I actually had to post the signs saying "this is the transmitter" and "these are cart machines" or they would forget. No kidding. It is amusing in retrospect but was quite sad then.
Anyway, I thank you so much for making these things available. They brought back many memories. Some of the jingles in your airchecks were still kicking around when I came along in 1979 such as that grand Mutual News intro.
Anyway thanks again.
By the way, I would love to have any other WWOD audio if you have anything else.
Sincerely
Robin
From: Ronald Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2007 5:04 PM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: WWOD
Hello Rick. Just looked at the WWOD Lynchburg,VA web site. Some nice photos there! I don't know if you know this or not, but the station had been broken into about 10 years agon and vandalized. I live close to the station, near the Bedford Hills elementary school.
I have heard rumors to the effect that they're going to tear the station down and put apartment buildings. As far as I know there are still many pieces of equipment in there that a friend of mine would love to have. I'm sure you don't know who owns the building, but do you by any chance know what the address was on Mimosa Drive?
Ron
From: Phil Beckman Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 5:05 PM To: Rick Subject: Re: Sad But Great Photos
James was vague about plans, but there didn't seem to be any possibility that the building was coming down soon.
The zoning for the area has changed and he would not be able to use the building commercially beyond another broadcast facility, I guess. He is keeping the power on, which seems to be very important for that building's future.
Phil
From: Scott Nelson Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 6:14 PM To: Rick Burnett Subject: Re: WWOD/Douglas Neatrour
Hi Rick;
I believe it was in the 73/74 time frame. Let's see, there was Dave Kaye, Jack Daniels, Billy Something (I can't remember his last name, but what a great voice; he was our morning man while I was there. I believe he went on to Chicago). There was also Lynn Nash, Jay Douglas and of course me, Scott Nelson.
I sure do miss WWOD. Lynchburg was a beautiful area. And the facility was nice too; all that woodwork and the huge control room. I remember the big rocker, Triple L, as well as our competition, WBRG. 2020 Mimosa Drive will always have a special place in my heart.
I have several stories I'd love to share with you. Right now is a busy time for me as I run for Township Trustee just outside of Columbus, Ohio. I'll be sure to get back to you with those stories as well as informing Doug of the information here. I don't have his contact information right here with me, but as soon as I do, I'll send it to you.
Thanks for the memories!
Scott Nelson
Hi Rick!
Love the hear the stories! I use to buy equipment from John Hall, a broadcast supplier in Charlottesville, VA
who told me more about the station's history. He says it was always a contender in Lynchburg and the region - and some times by default! Now here is a good one ----- did you every hear this??? - There was an
Episode of the Waltons- the radio was on in the background and the station ID was WWOD!
Enjoy talking with you!
Mark
Rick -
New photos of WWOD are really haunting! I've put a link on the WV broadcast website -- a bit of cool
interest!
Call me sometimes -
Mark
KSEY
From: noisydavis Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 2:08 PM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: WBRG/WWOD Station website
Oh wow! Okay. So let me introduce myself. I'm Susan Davis....youngest daughter of former dj Bob Davis. Someone sent him the link to your website and he sent it on to me along with the air check of him. It was cool to here what he sounded like back in the day! He is the one that got me into radio and I've worked along side him for the last 10 years until recently. I don't know if he'll write, but I thought I would give you a heads up on him. He is currently one of the Clear Channel Casper program directors. He does work for KKTL 1400 AM and KTWO 1030 AM, in Casper Wyoming.
But, thanks for putting up that air check! It was neat to listen to him. He really hasn't changed much over the years. Still sounds the same, although the twang he had isn't quite as noticable after spending the better part of 20 years in Wyoming! *haha*
Susan Davis
-----Original Message----- From: Alan McCall Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 2:38 PM To: rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: RE: WWOD
Hi Rick,
I spole with my friend today and he said that he didn't know Jay..but he did
know Cy Bahakel personally. He was also very familiar with WWOD. And with KXEL. He
spent most of his time with Bahakel at WDOD, launching their first Sunday night gospel
program there.
I had a chance to listen to the airchecks today..man, I would have been
listening if I had been in the area. I thought you sounded darn good myself..
I was in radio from 1979 to 2004 in Tallahassee..after being replaced by a
satellite receiver I decided not to pursue local radio anymore..it's just not the same. There's no personality in it. I can "hear the personality" of WWOD.
My internet version of WJJD (the country station in Chicago during that same
era) has a lot of old country giant jingles and IDs..
The pix saddened me, also. I have a Spotmaster similar to one I saw in one
of the pix..the thing still works!
From one radio guy to another..nice to "meet" you!
Alan
___________________________________
My stations:
WJJD The Big Country Giant:
http://www.live365.com/stations/alanmccall
MUSICBOX 1610
http://www.musicbox1610.com
Blog:
http://www.radioboyalan.blogspot.com
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>From: "Rick" <rick1031@hotmail.com>
>To: "'Alan McCall'" <alanmccal@hotmail.com>
>Subject: RE: WWOD
>Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:35:42 -0700
>
>Alan,
>
>Appreciate your email and the mention on your blog.Although I was at the
>station a short time, it still pains me to see the current state of the
>building and know the station is no more.
>
>Did your friend ever have any interation with Jay Douglas (Netrier) the PD
>of the Lynchburg station at the time who later when to work at one of their
>Iowa stations, KXEL in Waterloo?I have been trying to find Jay, with no
>luck.
>
>Rick Burnett
>Palm Springs, CA 92264
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Alan McCall [mailto:alanmccal@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:47 PM
>To: Rick1031@hotmail.com
>Subject: WWOD
>
>
>Hi Rick,
>
>I stumbled onto your site today and saw those pictures of WWOD..truly sad.
>
>A radio colleague of mine, Erwin O'Conner, worked for Bahakel Broadcasting
>in Chattanooga
>at WDOD. He said "a dirty control room would cause the manager grief later
>on." Erwin
>worked for them for years until moving to Florida, where he purchased an AM
>station.
>
>I mentioned WWOD on my blog today, so you may get a few more visitors to
>your site.
>
>While growing up I always loved these kinds of stations. You can tell from
>the pics that WWOD
>radio was once a class act.
>
>Kindest regards,
>
>Alan McCall
>Delta Star Radio of Florida
The airchecks on this not for profit web site were recorded off the air. The recordings on this site provide historical examples of Twin Cities radio and are intended for purposes of archival preservation and for research. Additionally, the recordings can be used by vision impaired visitors to get an audio perspective of radio history. These recordings are not intended to by used by others for commercial purposes.
Some of the airchecks are off reel to reel tapes that were recorded off the air by the web site creator. In May 2006 the recordings started to be converted to MP3 and shared here. In addition to this web site creator's recorded aircheck collection, there are also many airchecks that were recorded and submitted by friends and acquaintances, or contributed by other collectors. Sources are cited, if known. The contributed recordings from friends and contributors of both airchecks and other material are greatly appreciated. Without their help, the site would have many less pages of radio history. The recordings of the contributors to this web site who recorded them off the air may show up on other sites. This site does not charge any fees to listen to the posted recordings. The purpose of this site is to provide radio history and intended for purposes of archival preservation and research.
Windows Media Player works well to play these MP3 files, and depending on your internet settings, will start streaming the file once the link is clicked, Some files are large and may take time to open. Should you have any aircheck of Twin Cities radio stations, let me know and I may be able to include them at this site. Contact me at Rick(at)HotMail.com --- NOTE Replace "(at)" with @ when typing email address
