When I left CFTR in Toronto to become the National PD of Fairbanks Broadcasting based in Indianapolis, one of my first projects was to launch a brand new format on KVIL in Dallas.
Being that Dallas was the jingle capital of the world, my boss, Jim Hilliard, ordered up some very expensive jingles out of LA, which Hugh Heller created. Not only did they sound great, but they also sounded nothing like the jingles on the other radio stations, which made us sound different.
Hugh used the Ron Hicklin singers and the Wrecking Crew and they just popped out of the radio. (hear them at the bottom of the page)
The local radio stations claimed that just like everything else we did, they were too long, so they wrote us off.
We lucked out because they’re ignoring us allowed us to do anything we wanted with no blowback so they were completely unaware of the Tsunami that was on the way.
The rest, as they say, is history. However, my thinking about those great jingles reminded me of an interesting side story.
I recently found out that a record producer from Texas named Snuff Garrett also used Ron Hickland on some of his projects
Snuff, who was a former Dee-Jay in Texas, had moved to LA to start producing records, and one of the first acts he discovered was a band called The Playboys.
However, when he found out that their drummer was Jerry Lewis’ kid, he decided to take advantage of the situation.
The first thing he did was renamed the group Gary Lewis and the Playboys, but when Gary tried to explain that he couldn’t sing, Snuff said, “Don’t worry about it, I can fix that.”
How Snuff fixed it was by bringing in Ron Hicklin to sing all the songs and then have Gary sing along with him repeatedly until Ron was completely covered up. This technique gave birth to a million-seller called “This Diamond Ring.”
Great leaders are born that way, they’re not created.
Any son who grew up having to call his father sir is probably pretty fucked up and capable of doing some serious damage.
One of the ways to get noticed when you’re on the radio is by doing an exaggerated emotional break about something unusual you saw while driving to work.
I wonder how long foreign aid would last if we got to vote on it?
We’re all gifted, but unfortunately, not all gifts pay the same.
I wonder if this is how it goes in real life? In the movies, the cops are always waving their guns around and shouting, “C’mon out, we just wanna talk.” Who the hell believes that?
What’s the one thing that the leaders of every country have in common? They all become rich.
Bob Christy’s father told him, “Don’t treat the hired help like the hired help.” Mine said to me, “Stay away from the bad girls.” Looking back, I really think Bobby had the easier task.
When somebody picks up a gun, sooner or later, someone gets the bullet.
When you become an actor in Hollywood, one of the first things you learn is, don’t fuck with the lighting man.
It’s all your choices, not luck that chooses your destiny.
If Washington becomes a State it should be named the Great State Of Welfare. Washington is already taken.
Why are women filled with energy after sex whereas men would just like to go to sleep?
Radio and Pro Football have one thing in common if you load up with future Hall of Famers you’ll become successful.
COMMENTS
Geo: Doug, when my Mother heard me on the phone turning down the GM’s job at a brand new bowling alley because, as I said to them, “I’m a radio guy now” (15 bucks a week), she cried. When my Dad got home, and she told him, he said, “Betty, it’s the only work I’ve ever seen him do that he actually likes; let’s see how he does.” Thanks, Dad.
And I guess if you look at my resume page at www.billgardnerontheradio.com, in reality, I think I’m more qualified to be the gypsy! Stay well, brutha and thanks again for making me laugh. (Damn, Gyspys!)
Geo: And thank you, Bill, for always being there when I needed you.
The best preparation I had to become a GM of a radio station was kicking around some small and mid markets. Lesson # 1) Recognize my own talent or lack of…and # 2) as a GM or SM remember what it was like to have a salesperson slip in the control room door and ask me to cut a spot when I got off the air at 7 or at midnight…Moral of the story Respect the Air Talent…not because they are all stars but they are people who have wives and kids or even friends waiting at the local watering hole…Jocks are people and deserve the respect that any hard working individual should receive,….
Gary Lewis was right he couldn’t sing. I went to the Regent Casino with some friends, not to see Gary, but to see the brand new Casino concert hall. Gary just happened to be there that night. I spent most of the night looking at his bass player. He was standing a way back in the background so I doubt that hardly anyone knew he was there. What fascinated me was the way he played that bass. His fingers looked like they were just floating up and down the fret board. Great player.