|
I have done a lot of two week tours monitoring radio
stations. Those of us who hunt for talent search in small,
medium and large markets.
I learned this when I did my first radio tour….really a
vacation…which was during a summer break from college. My
radio professor talked me into an auto tour of the northern
Rockies, the great Northwest states, California and Arizona.
My professor’s name was William J. Noltner. I had been in
professional radio since thirteen, and I can attest to the
fact that ol’ Bill did not know much about the radio
business; however, since he was once a professional actor he
had convinced me to be in a coupe of plays while in college.
He was really good at directing us young college guys and
gals how to “play” the stage. Most important of all was that
he was just a good guy…easy to be around…and well liked by
me and all the other students.
We got in his Chevy and took off for Wyoming, and Montana.
What beautiful mountains!!! We stopped in Dubois, Wyoming,
to have some food, and ran into two beautiful women from
Dallas (as in Texas)…whose father owned the restaurant. They
were there on summer break as well (from SMU, I believe), so
we exchanged phone numbers…and the rest of their story is
for another column.
Bill and I drove up to Waterton Lake in Canada, and down the
Columbia River to Portland, Oregon. It was the first time I
had heard great personalities on the radio. A few decades
later I discovered it wasn’t just Portland with good DJ’s,
but Seattle, Spokane and the small and medium sized cities
in the Northwest were (still are) loaded with great air
talent. It was an education for this columnist/announcer…and
I stole…er…uhh…borrowed a lot of their ideas and material to
use on the air back in my home state of Texas.
Next on the trip was the drive to San Francisco. HEY, MORE
GREAT RADIO!!! I got some ideas there, too. And what a
beautiful city…compared to my Texas plains.
Next to Los Angeles. Once again some fabulous radio
personalities. I recall standing outside the KMPC…or was it
KLAC…studios at Hollywood and Vine …and watching through the
plate glass window the entire operation of the radio
station.
After a few days in LA we started our drive back to Texas.
We stopped in Yuma, Arizona to spend the night….it must have
been 110 degrees…it was HOT!!! I noticed that ol’ Bill was
really sweating…and he confessed something that he had not
told me before. He said he was an alcoholic and he wanted
some beer…A LOT OF BEER…to cool him down!! He said, “Don’t
let me have any beer. Call the local AA chapter and ask for
help. Bar me from the door. Don’t let me out of here”. I did
what he asked…called the AA and stood guard at the door.
Five minutes later the AA person arrived, and sat down with
Bill for three or four hours. I didn’t sleep much that night
waiting for Bill to rush out the door to find some beer, but
it didn’t happen.The AA guy had done a great job… I was a
happy guy when we started on the road again the next morning
headed for Texas.
Bill eventually went to teach at the University of Mexico…or
so I was told. I owe him a great deal for the acting lessons
and for my first, great listening tour. Yep, I WAS THERE!!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
|
