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E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 37
JOHN FAVALORO:
I remember going with my brothers to JC's in the begining of Vets
and the Rockery Inn. Then watching on Sunday from the soda fountain at the
KB on Harrison Avenue the two old ladies from the haunted house on Milne.
They would go up and down collecting newspapers.
BOB:
I hear those two old ladies still roam Milne Blvd. when the moon is full
...
HOWIE MOORE:
Bob: Is that Ed Ripley on the Pontchartrain Beach promo...I knew Ed and
his bro-in-law, "Bob Robin" back then...(ran away from home...or
should I say stole the family car and drove away from home). After a stint
working (illegally) on the "Banks of the Deep, Dark and Dirty"
- a 250 watt pipsqueak - WRHC in Jacksonville, finally found myself in "The
City That CARE Forgot." I introduced myself to Ed at the station and
thus began a 20 year friendship. I was caught stupidly drivin' around N.O.
in my Ontario licensed '59 Meteor and given a "Voluntary Departure
Order" to get outta town and be at the Detroit/Windsor US Immigration
office within 5 days...I did.
Ed really got me interested in production, and loved the way he searched
out "sounds" to cut through all the noise for news openings. Got
pretty proficient on an Editall block. I had suggested a couple of promo
ideas for him and wonder if either of them made to air: "From the WTIX
newsroom...that's all the news, 'TIL SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS!" And since
I was a listener of WLS - clear-channel 50K watt giant-that boomed into
Toronto when the "skip" was right, suggested changing one of their
promos to suit TIX the Tiger. (89...That's Easy to Remember!). I doubt that
ever made it....I have days and days of listening at my desk ahead of me.
Bless this internet thing! ( I'm in my 60's now and am currently editing
my autobiography...if it even makes it to galleys, I'll send you a copy.
TIX, Todd Storz, Bob Robin and a N.O. Parish Jail figure prominently in
it).
BOB:
Yep, that's Ed Ripley on the TIX Night at the Beach promos on that earlier
page of this site. He was also the voice on "The Ballad Of The TIX
Tigers" there as well. I'll tell Bob Robin you said hi.
HARRY NELSON, Ft. Myers, FL:
Hi Bob. My name is Harry Nelson, originally from Hattiesburg, Mississippi,
now living in Ft. Myers, Florida. I grew up in the late 50's and 60's listening
to WNOE mostly because it's 50,000 watt signal reached South Mississippi
in the daytime with no problem. I also listened to WTIX quite frequently
on trips to New Orleans. It became my favorite of the two stations when
it increased power to 10,000 watts daytime in the late 60's and then, it
too came into Hattiesburg....gangbusters. There were so many great New Orleans
DJ's that got me hooked on top 40 radio. I developed my own style, out of
listening to the great Bob Walker, Bobby Reno, Skip Broussard, C.C. Courtney,
Greg Mason, Don McGregor, Ken Elliot, Dan Diamond, Frank Jolley, and my
favorite , the incredible Jim Stewart. I noticed that you were looking for
him. Sure hope you find...one of the great air talents of all time.
New Orleans was my first taste of big city radio, and till this day,
I never worked in one of my favorite cities. I did however get a good start
in Hattiesburg at WXXX-Triple X 1310, and went on to WRBC, Jackson Mississippi
and in 1973 was hired at WRKO Boston ..direct from Jackson. I was scared
****less the first time I opened that mike at The Big 68!! Ended up working
there for 8 years, afternoon drive and then Program Director. After that,
it was KFRC, San Francisco, and WAPP, New York. My career has included Programming
and consulting so many great stations, but New Orleans radio ...is still
my dream...just the way it was at TIX and NOE. Both stations reflected their
city so well. It was such a very special space and time. You have a wonderful
site Bob. Keep it going strong. Thanks so much for enriching to my life
and career.
BOB:
My pleasure!
JERRY LENFANT, Waveland:
Hi Bob, My name is Jerry Lenfant. I really enjoyed your stories, especially
how many times Lenfants was mentioned. My grandfather and his 3 brothers
owned it and my father managed it for many years. I definitely have many
memories there. As for bands, the Basement Wall from Baton Rouge was one
of my favorites. F&M patio was a great place for frat dances as well
as Laborers Union Hall on Tchoupitoulas. I lived on Warrington drive as
a kid and remember the poor man's amusement ride, sliding down the levee
on a cardboard box. Walking to the PITT theater on Saturday. Back then the
movies played non-stop. You might come in in the middle of the movie and
have to stay until it played again to see the beginning. My girlfriend loved
in Gentilly woods and we had moved to Constance. I could ride the bus from
her house to mine for 25 cents. How about a plain nectar soda at K&B's
on Canal Blvd. I live in Waveland now and remember the trips over here every
weekend. How we made it alive is a wonder. Thanks for the memories.
BOB:
Thank you and your family, Jerry, for bringing us Lenfant's. If that parking
lot could only talk... Now please go have a boiled shrimp platter for me
at Lil' Ray's on Hwy. 90.
BEAVER STEVENS, New Orleans
Hey Bob. I'm Bob DelGiorno Jr., a.k.a."Beaver Stevens." I was
at 13Q (WQUE-AM) in the early 80's (83-85 to be exact). Walton and Johnson
were simulcasted in the morning, Chris Bryan was midays, Ted Kelly was on
in the afternoon, Bumper Morgan was on in the early evening, TK Terry Knight
was on late night and I was on overnights. Later I moved up to Terry Knights
spot and eventually afternoons. I look back on those days now and know that
those were the greatest radio days in my life. They will never be the same.
By the way, Ted Kelly is in Baton Rouge, Bumper Morgan is in Cape Cod, Chris
Bryan is in New Orleans and so are Terry Knight and myself. Long live 13
Q.
BOB:
13 Q was definitely a fun AM music station and is fondly remembered today.
Those indeed were the greatest days in radio, and lifelong friendships were
made with dedicated radio co-workers...we were all blessed to have been
a part of them.
LEON CARPENTER:
I was raised in a small town in East Texas called Tatum and it is so far
from any big cities that the only R&R station we could get on the car
radio was WNOE AM. I dont remember how much power (wattage) they ran but
for us to receive them in Tatum it must have been considerable. we would
drive all over the country late at nite listening to the latest rock and
roll tunes and doing what teens did back when there wasnt a lot to do really.
:)
To us it was a really great station and it helped relieve the boredom
and kept us entertained thru the high school years. We tried listening to
a few other stations that would come in on the late nite but none would
or could compare to WNOE NEW ORLEANS!
Thanks to all the dj's and station personnel for being there during
the "fabulous fifties."
BOB:
I'm sure they appreciate that you shared the good times with them. I believe
WNOE was a 50,000 watt'er and they always were a "fun" station.
Don Henley of the Eagles used to listen to WNOE in East Texas as well as
a teen. Who would believe that 1060 AM is now a ... religious station.
LEO "YAYA" O'NEIL, Crosby, TX:
We had some very different games we played during the 50's in New Orleans.
I tell all about them on my website, "YaYa City".
http://home.flash.net/~texas1/nogames.htm
BTW ... Papa Jac Assunto was my band director at Redemptorist High
in the Irish Channel. He left in 1956 to go play with his sons in Las Vegas.
He taught me a lot about the trombone. Enough for me to have earned a good
living as a pro for the last 47 years. I even played in Dr. John's band
for a while.
Can you ask for some pictures or recordings of Paul Gayton. When I
saw the picture of Gordon Natal's Lounge it reminded me of him. I think
he had the best band that ever played there. I went to Natal's after my
senior prom. 1957. OH. Earl Palmer was his drummer!!
BOB:
Those games are classics! Don't forget "Kick The Can." Imagine
one suggesting to his young son today that they go outside together and
have some fun playing Wire Ball!
BEN LATIMER, Geneva, AL:
Hi, Bob - Great web site. I'll be glad when you post some old air checks.
I grew up listening to 'TIX in the early 60's here in south Alabama and
on the beach at Panama City. I started in radio when I was 16 and stayed
with it until the mid 80's, mostly part-time on several stations in my area.
WTIX was a big influence on all us young DJ's then, we all wanted to sound
like the "Mighty 690." The DJ's, reverb and fabulous PAMS jingles
really made 'TIX the best station on the air. The DJ's that I remember listening
to then were Ed Ripley, Dan Diamond, Gene Phillips,Ted Green and Skip Wilkerson.
Then a few years later, I listened to you, Robert Mitchell, Judge John Reid,
Don McGregor and of course, Charlie Ray ("WTIX..first in New Orleans
with 20-20 News")! I visited the old Paris Road site in early 1966
and the "new" site on Corondelet St. in '69, both times receiving
a very warm Crescent City welcome, I was impressed to say the least! WTIX
was certainly an inspiration to a lot of radio folks back when radio was
fun to listen to (thanks to the guys listed above) and even more fun to
be a part of. Unfortunately, as you pointed out, those days are long gone.
Long live 'TIX !
BOB:
WTIX was apparently such an influential part of the lives of those whe grew
up in New Orleans back then. Those days on our side of the mike were surely
the best ever! I still dream about the fun days at 332 Carondelet St. almost
nightly.
ISADORA GALJOUR:
Hi Bob! I just came across your site and although I have been away from
home for a long time, I am very nostalgic about New Orleans. My mother is
Sally Odair, of the Odair Sisters of WWL radio's "Dawnbusters"
program long ago. She is still alive, and only a few years ago sang a song
for me, one beautiful voice. As you know Marge Odair is still kickin'. Dottie
passed away many years ago. I grew up in Mid-City, and if I were a writer,
could put Tennessee Williams to shame with my own real life characters,
who still fill my memories up both hilariously and tragically. Quite another
world to grow up in that mystic, sexy city. No other place like it in the
world.
BOB:
How true...makes one appreciate the song "Do You Know What It Means
To Miss New Orleans." Still a wonderful city, in which the Odair Sisters
have a prominent place in its history!
STEVE MARTIN:
Saw some very kind and thoughtful comments about my father, Dick Martin
a.k.a. Moonglow with Martin on WWL radio in the 50's and early 60's. My
father left WWL in 1962 for CBS affiliate, KMBC radio in Kansas City, but
returned to Baton Rouge in 1965. He re-created his radio show, Moonglow
with Martin, on public radio before retiring in 1988. He passed away in
1990. Thanks to all of his fans for keeping his memory alive.
BOB:
Thanks to you for writing, and thanks to your dad for entertaining and influencing
numerous people, and leaving us with even more warm memories of New Orleans
radio!
SCOTT ANDERSON:
You can add "Seafood City, Very Pretty....1926 North Broad!!"
to your web page!
BOB:
Of course...how could we ever overlook a unique New Orleans character like
Al Scramuzza...purveyor of delicious seafood and creator of the short-lived
dance craze "The Crawfish" that Al demonstrated on his TV commercials!
RON PLATT:
You need to put something about the night C.C. Courtney came to the window
for us!
BOB:
That was a New Orleans tradition from 1964-1966...to go in front of the
WNOE Building at 529 Bienville Street in the Quarter, and throw a rock or
something to tap on the second floor studio window to get the attention
of C.C. Courtney, Lou Kirby, or anyone else who was on the air at the time.
Then they would open the window and talk with you from up above between
record intros.
I remember when C.C. made it known he was leaving WNOE in, I think,
1966, I passed on Bienville Street with a friend that evening, and there
was a woman just hypnotically looking up at the (closed) famous WNOE studio
window and crying her eyes out during his last broadcast.