Growing up, I loved the way they kept me entertained. Those voices down the road, close by and in places far away. First as a child, and even as a teenager, I couldn't wait to go to bed at night because my trusty transistor radio was always there to keep me company and keep me entertained until I drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. Guys like Tony Perry, Mike Beverly, Lynn Wright, Coyote McCloud, Carl Mayfield, and Phil Williams close to home to the big names in even bigger cities far away like Coyote Calhoun, John "Records" Landecker, and Larry Lujack were some of my best early childhood friends. As I got older.....I wanted to be like them.
Eventually, I became one of them. 1982 was the year I joined the radio fraternity. After a few years doing the "radio thing" in too many places to list here, I ended up in California. That's where I discovered a whole new treasure trove of talented men and women who reinvigorated my love for the crazy business I has chosen as a career years earlier. People like Dr. Don Rose, Bobby Ocean, Sylvia Chacon, Charlie Van Dyke, Robert W. Morgan, The Real Don Steele, Shotgun Tom Kelly, Jeff and Jer, Rich Brother Robbin, Dave Rickards, Shelly Dunn, and Charlie Tuna.
As a child and as an adult in the radio biz, these men and women were some of the truest entertainers, motivators, and professional role models one could hope for. Today some of these folks are still practicing the craft they love.....entertaining. Some are enjoying the "retired life," and sadly some have passed on. Today, we lost another one of the "Great Ones" in Charlie Tuna as he passes on at the age of 71.
Charlie was the consummate professional on the air and off. Entertaining us during the day and at night and on the weekends using his time, talent, and energy to help raise awareness and funds for causes that were important to him on both the local and national level. He touched many lives over the course of his career. He truly was one of the "Great Ones" and will be dearly missed by all who knew him and fans who didn't.
Thanks for the memories Charlie! You've had a great life and career, now it's times to take a break for a bit.
Last Friday, California broadcasting icon Pete Wilson went into Stanford Medical Center for what supposed to be a routine hip replacement procedure. Acording to reports, all was going well until Pete went into cardiac arrest. He, sadly, never recovered.
Today, a stunned Bay Area asks why and how something like this could happen to a man, who by all accounts, was a picture of perfect health except for his recent hip injury. That is a question that will be answered in time I'm sure. But for now Pete Wilson is being remembered as a man who loved his family. He loved California and he loved to debate. Yes, Pete Wilson loved to debate. Not from the left and not from the right. Instead, Pete would engage listeners, viewers, and those around him from a position he commonly referred to as common sense. That, in and of itself, made Pete a much welcomed breath of fresh air in a decidedly and overwhelmingly liberal California. Part of that may be due to the fact that he was born and raised in the Midwestern United States. Throughout his career, he carried himself with style, professionalism, and a personality that made him a perfect fit here in California. All the while never losing the values and common sense instilled in him as child growing up in the Midwest.
In San Francisco, Pete worked for ABC owned and operated KGO AM 810 and ABC7 KGO-TV. On the KGO radio side Pete did a mid afternoon talk show. Each day at the shows conclusion he would go downstairs,put on his TV news anchor hat, and prepare for his 6pm newscast on ABC7.
For those of us who listened or watched on a regular basis......it's almost like losing a good friend or a member of your extended family. All we can do is offer our prayers and condolences to Pete's family and friends.
If you would like to read what Pete's TV colleagues are saying......click here.
From the Radio side......lots of audio remembrances and Pete's last monologue from the beginning of this past Wednesday's show(which, sadly, would turn out to be his last).
Okay! I'm still alive and still here and yes still writing.......
The job I started in January is going well. I just didn't realize how much work there would be to do when I started it several months ago. It has been an experience to say the least. It's the same work I did before, but as with any job change there are some differences. The whole vibe in the building is like night and day from my previous gig. That is slowly changing though and that IS a good thing. For me personally, I love a challenge and this new job has provided me with just that. At my previous job, I had everything so dialed in that I could almost phone it in everyday. Now it's like going back to square one and starting over. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what it is. And yes, I consider that a good thing. It forces me to pay closer attention and not to take things for granted as much as I did before. In the end though, it's all good. Busy....but good.
Speaking of my old job, I received a message from a friend Friday. This fellow was a co-worker at my old job who got fired for an accumulation of transgressions spanning almost two years. He is several years younger than I am and still has a lot to learn about the business. I always saw huge talent and potential in him, even when others didn't. Unfortunately, at the time, he didn't see the potential either. He was always make poor choices in his personal and professional life that others at the station had no tolerance or sympathy for. Those choices eventually cost the young lad his job. Now it seems though he is finally getting his priorities straight. After spending a few months unemployed here in California, he made the trek back home to the Midwest. He spent some time re-examining his life and career. He got a job at a small radio station near his home for a while and then this past Friday, I got a message from him with some good news! He's been hired by a station in the Denver market. Yes the young lad is about to hit the big time! I always saw that potential in him, even when he (and others) didn't. I just hope he keeps things on an even keel and keeps his priorities straight. And friend....... if you happen to read this......Just know that "I will personally come to Denver and kick your ass if you let this one slip through your fingers!"
Well, for everybody else, I guess that's about all for tonight. Now that things are starting to settle down a bit at work, I should have more time for writing. God knows, with everything going on in the world, there's a ton of stuff to write about.
