“Take It Easy” (new geo Blog for September 4/17

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Even though there is only one original member left, the Eagles who are presently touring America continue to sell out stadiums. (current Eagles line up pictured above) I believe it’s because their name and their songs are bigger than any of the players.
Back in the day when the Beatles were invading America, it took all 4 of the Beatles to be on stage at the same time for their incredible magic to happen. I would venture a guess that Paul McCartney’s current band is probably better than the Beatles, but unfortunately, it’s not the Beatles.

OK, HERE’S A FEW MORE THINGS FOR YOU TO PONDER

I wonder what Don Henley’s take is now that he doesn’t have to split it with Glenn Frey?

I think women may need to work on their social skills a little, hell, most of them can’t stand to hang with each other let alone us.

The law claims it happens all the time but how many women today do you think become pregnant accidentally?

Sexual harassment ends in the work place when it’s illegal to sleep your way to the top.

I love the fact that the critics (you know, the people who can’t sing, dance, play an instrument, or write a song) aren’t capable destroying Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift’s career no matter how hard they try. In fact, they can’t even dent them.

Few men have ever given up their careers to further their spouse’s.

Do I have this right, only white people are racist?

We can’t change our yesterday’s, but we absolutely can change our tomorrow’s.

Isn’t it strange how “never” always happens again but “always” never does?
 
Have you noticed in the R & MA cable shows, the “B” and “C” words have somehow lost their gender? 
 
Before research, every radio station sounded different. Now except for format, they all sound pretty much the same. 
 
It’s not ever gonna be alright if the chemistry ain’t right.
 
My experience is that people always do what they say they’ll never do.
 
Most men are searching for a woman who is an ice queen in public but a porn queen in bed.
 
I understand that Gays and Lesbians refer to the rest of us as “breeders.” Hmmm.
 
If I’m aware that a lot of welfare mamas live on the 1st floor of their apartment complex so the baby daddies can sneak in and out in the middle of the night, how come the welfare department doesn’t know?
 
Why does Mr. Businessman think he deserves more money from the art than the artist who created it?
 
The smallest but most important real estate you’ll ever own is the “Right Now.”
 
Why is the bill always larger than the estimate?
 
The only way to get a slow traffic light to change is to start texting.
 
I doubt very much that Hitler would agree that the supremacists who marched were Nazis.
 
When dissed, It’s hard for me not to react, but lately, I’ve learned to just mark their name down and wait.
 
Free stuff always sells well.
 
If I still had all the money I’ve spent on lawyers over the years I’d be a wealthy man. Can I get an amen on that big Jim?
 

Who are “they” and why do we care what they think?

Seeing as the cops are looking the other way when Texas homeowners shoot the looters trying to break into their homes, maybe they’d do the same if the folks burned down all the “price gougers” establishments.

Big successes come from doing the little things over and over again.

It’s pretty hard to plan for the future and also live for today, so which is it?

Boy, that preacher Joel Osteen in Houston is sure in hot water. He is accused of Locking the doors of his Mega-Church so the folks looking for shelter from Hurricane Harvey couldn’t get in. Strange how his and the folks’ pictures of the scene are so different.

USF Bulls win 31-17 over Stoney Brook.

Much more @ GeorgeJohns.com and on twitter @GeoOfTheRadio
 
 

 

 

“Dear Nathaniel” (New geo Blog for the week of Aug. 28/17)

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Dear Nathaniel,
Hey, buddy, I’m writing you to tell you about the beautiful woman I fell in love with more years ago then she wants me to remember let alone mention. In fact, I cared for her so much that I left my band “The Jury” who had the # 1 record on the charts to begin a radio career so that I could spend more time with her.
We first met at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg where I was waiting for my son Curtis to be born. Can you imagine my surprise when your Mom showed up instead? I had no plan for her because as I said, I was expecting a Son, but knowing your Mom as I do, she probably had one. 

Over the years Nathaniel, your Mom provided me with a lot of cherished memories so I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few of them with you.

With our #1 record
still on the charts
My baby girl Candis
grabbed hold of my heart

Time to grow up
and be a man
But I still kinda miss
being a kid in a Rock&Roll band

I fondly remember her first Christmas, the presents around the tree looked similar to how they look at your place at Christmas time. They almost covered the entire living room floor, and I can still see her sitting in the middle of it all just looking around while licking the Smartie I was feeding her whenever your Ra Ra wasn’t looking. 
It almost took all day to open up her gifts and the one I remember the most was the green race car her “little” Grandpa had given her.  What made this car special was that it had peddles so you could drive it around which proved a bit awkward for your Mom seeing as she was only three months old at the time. 
Your mother it turned out could sing before she could talk so she loved the Christmas tree the most at Christmas time. All the ornaments that were hanging on the tree just looked like microphones waiting for her to sing into them.
When she started school in Indiana, she was an average student until she met her 5th-grade teacher Mr. Koke who turned her into an A student which continued all the way through school and into College.
As I may have told you, I spent most of my life trying to be somebody, and it was while attending all the ceremonies where they presented her with a bunch of scholastic awards that I discovered I was finally somebody. I was Candis Johns’ Dad.

As smart as your Mom was and is, like you, she was no nerd. In fact, when she was your age, she was doing gymnastics and ended up finishing 3rd in State, and was a cheerleader for the Carmel Pups also. 
Nathaniel, your Mom, is one of those rare individuals referred to as an “A” type which only 23% of the population is. Your Mom wasn’t shy about anything, and because my career demanded it, we moved quite often. Every time we moved into a new neighborhood, she would immediately go door to door to ask if they had any children living there that she could play with.

Her “showbiz” career I believe began in the second grade at a school function where because she was one of the smallest in the class, she got to wear the Donald Duck costume. I believe that her only job was to pass out pamphlets or something, but once that duck costume went on, she was on. She shocked all the teachers and students by doing cartwheels down the aisles and shaking everybody’s hand as she danced around.

Your Mom Nathaniel was so outgoing that even though we didn’t move from Indianapolis to Coronado where she started Highschool until late November, she still won “freshman of the year.” (pictured above with uncle Curtis and your great-grandparents Sandy and Betty Johns) The following year she was the “junior of the year” and the lead in the school’s big musical production of “South Pacific.” (see newspaper picture below)

During her Junior year, she took speech and debate and managed to qualify for state with a piece that she created as she approached the stage and in fact, won the whole tournament with it. (see picture above)
Even though your grandparents weren’t very excited about, she finished high school in France. (I’d made a deal with her that if she got straight, A’s in her upcoming exams she could go) When she returned home to graduate with her class, (see picture below), Buppa purchased a surprise “welcome home” billboard for a week at the entrance to the Coronado bridge. Unfortunately, it stayed up for several months and turned into somewhat of an embarrassment. because whenever she was introduced to someone, they’d say, “Are you the chick on the billboard?”

Your Mom began her college career at NYU in New York where she studied drama.(your grandparents were not excited about her living in New York) Discovering that she could learn acting anywhere, she switched to academics, made the Deans List, and then transferred to UCLA. Going back to New York for a visit; she popped in to see her old drama professor at NYU, who wanted to see if she still had her chops, so he had her read for him. After doing so, he told her that she was wasting her time going to college because she was as ready as anyone was to audition for Broadway plays. He offered to call me and explain the situation, but your Mom thankfully told him that there was no need for that because I was already her biggest fan. Whew!

While studying at UCLA, she was also writing songs and singing with at places like the Whiskey and the Roxy where Buppa got to see her perform quite often. (singing at the Roxy above) At that time singing was her whole life but she like your grandfather also loved to run, so we decided to run the LA Marathon together. (see picture of us running a 10 k below) Running that Marathon with your Mom was the hardest but greatest thing I’ve ever done. Most of the time we trained apart although we did do an excellent run together along the Mediterranean in the South of France when I took her there for her 21st birthday.

After graduating Magna Cum Laude from UCLA, (I’m thinkin’ Suma for you) she began working as the assistant to a record company president named Charlie Minor which eventually led to her becoming the Licensing Director for WEA. (Warner Bros. Electra and Asylum Records) At the same time, she was also recording an album with her band The Tortured Poets. Unfortunately, by now she was too smart to sign the onesided contract, so the album was never released. However. Buppa still has it, so I get to enjoy it over and over again.

The next thing your Mom decides to do is become an Ironman. (see picture above) Are you sh**ing me! 
I’ll never forget the night before the competition which was being held at Camp Pendleton enjoying a carbo-loading dinner with your Mom. (your Dad couldn’t be there because he had been bitten by a rattlesnake while running trails back in LA) The company Commander at some point got up on stage and said to the thousand or so entrants, “We Marines are supposed to be the toughest people on earth, but I don’t have a single Marine here today who can do what you’re going to do tomorrow.” I think your Mom missed the part about the event being called the Ironman, not the Ironwoman.
At WEA, she was a rising star and well on her way to becoming an executive where all of a sudden out she walked away from it all. She married your Dad and the next thing I know, you show up, and she becomes “Supermom.” 
Huh?

Love, Buppa.

​https://georgejohns.com/the-blog/let-me-candis-johns-4/#.XFhurRmE0_0.gmail

 

“What I Say” (new geo Blog for the week of Aug 21/17)

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When I was an aspiring young musician, the three great entertainers I was heavily influenced by were Elvis, The Beatles, and Ray Charles. Of the three Ray was the one referred to as “The Genius.” However, when his record company told him that he was crazy for wanting to cut an album of Country and Western songs, Ray paid for the recording session himself.
This is where Ray’s genius came into play, he knew that in order for the album to have a chance at being successful, it would have to be smack dab in the middle between R & B and Pop. The easiest way to do that he figured, was to use white musicians and singers with him on the session.
The album titled, “Ray Charles Sings Country and Western” went onto become Ray’s biggest-selling album of all time. Unfortunately, when they made the movie of his life, the always politically correct Hollywood crowd dissed Ray’s genius by incorrectly showing just black folks playing on that magical groundbreaking session.

JUST A FEW MORE THINGS BEFORE I GO
The more special the people who you hang out with, the more special you become.
 
It’s easy to say something but a lot harder not to.
 
Talent usually comes from the dark side and unfortunately, sometimes the dark side wins.
 
Have you ever noticed that the radio promotions that were created in the conference room sound stupid at lunch?
 
White people ain’t the only racists.
 
I wonder if the first Elvis imitator is still alive?
 
I screwed up so many times that all I’ve got left is what I should have done. Wanna do it?
 
Justice is blind; she can’t tell the good girls from the bad, so you better wrap that rascal.
 
What’s more important, changing the world, or preventing the world from changing you?
 
History is creatively written by those who write the history books.
 
What if white supremacists marched and nobody came to watch?
 
To turn a no into a yes, first, it has to pass through maybe.
 
The word yes doesn’t need an explanation but no always does.
 
Removing the box eliminates the reason to think outside of it.
 
If you give up, you’ll never know just how close you were to success.
 
Just because it’s not PC doesn’t mean it’s not true.
 
Before you can successfully coach someone you need their permission to do so.
 
The geniuses who changed the world were first referred to as nut cases.
 
Is there any female more attractive than a recently divorced woman.
 
Everybody understands the media’s obsession with the 25-54 demo until they turn 55.
 
Other than irritating us, what you think and what you know has little to do with each other.
 
The only way to make huge amounts of money is by dedicating your life to the making of it.
 
Businessmen are just like sharks; they only fear bigger sharks.
 
It’s pretty obvious that smart phones scared off all the UFOs.
 
Everything but greatness can be done cheaper.
 
There is nothing more important to a human being than his name.
 

No matter how obsessed society gets about technology, it’s always gonna be about the artist.

Sad about Jerry Lewis dying. I heard that the reason Dean and him broke up was back in the day all the straight men got 60% of the split. Jerry was pissed about it, and because he wouldn’t let it go, they went their separate ways.

Much more @ GeorgeJohns.com and on twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Feel free to share and comment.
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

“Some Other Guy” (new geo Blog for week of Aug 14/17

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I was trading messages (rants) yesterday with my old friend the legendary Jim Harper whom I’d worked with at WNIC in Detroit (I kept the coffee cups full). Jim (pictured above) told me that he felt sorry for the young broadcasters who don’t know who Johnny Carson is. He went on to say that unless you study the masters, you’re relegated to make the same miserable salary you’re paid today, or even worse, get fired.
I agree with Jim, because for as long as I’ve been in radio I know of only two concepts that work on morning radio and they were created almost 100 years ago. Unfortunately, the much more music morning show ain’t one of them, but it is the easiest one to sell to management though. I’m not sure what Jim’s favorite is because he’s done them both, but mine is the one Jack Benny invented and Johnny Carson along with Jerry Seinfeld and others copied as did Ron Chapman at KVIL in Dallas. The other one was created by Laurel and Hardy and was used by many including Abbott and Costello, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Rowen and Martin, the Smothers Brothers, John Madden, and on radio by Jeff & Jer in San Diego.

Once you come to understand how these concepts work you won’t have to be nice to management anymore; they’ll be nice to you. But then again that only leads to more tax problems.

SOME MORE RANTS
 
The only way you make money in radio is by making management afraid that you’re gonna leave. Hey don’t look now but from where I’m standing, they don’t even look nervous. 
 
I’ve always been comfortable being the “other guy.” Being “the guy” in a relationship is expensive, and you’re always wondering about the “other guy.”
 
Sometimes giving reminders instead of instructions may be the way to go.
 
How much land did Israel have in 1948 compared to today?
 
Are any of the folks who do hard drugs non-smokers?
 
Occasionally men grow weary of begging and need to be begged.
 
Transgender and Transsexual are not the same.
 
Why do the radio executives today make more money than those who came before them? Is it harder to lose money?
 
Is it better not to know what you’ll never have?
 
You’re always pretty good at what you like doing.
 
Success is located at the very end of a long and winding road.
 
The most expensive women in the world in order are as follows:
(1) Your Wife
(2) Your Mistress
(3) Your Daughter
(4) Your Girlfriend
(5) Your Mom
(6) Your Sister
(7) An Acquaintance
 
I remember a time when some people thought they were hip because they didn’t dig The Beatles.
 
One of the smartest things Ted Rogers ever did in Canada was to buy CHLO in St. Thomas and then give it back to them. Albeit with a different frequency.
 
Young and old alike will listen to a young deejay, but only the old will listen to someone who doesn’t sound young.
 
Is it just me or did Dick Chaney always look evil?
 
I understand why Mr. Businessman wants the government to send millions of dollars to other countries, what I don’t understand is why they think we do?
 
I wonder how much money businesses are losing while saving money not having enough staff to serve their customers?
 
Knowing what you should do and your doing it, is light years apart.
 

Somewhere between the Republicans and the Democrats lies the truth.

The most exhilarating thing that you can do is accomplish a task that previously looked impossible.

Guys are a hell of a lot more fun to hang with than women, just ask the girls.

It’s true that the folks listen to the radio, they don’t watch it, but if you don’t get them to look at it once in a while, find a new trade.

Unless you’ve got skin in the game, your opinion doesn’t count.

The only break that means anything on the radio is the one you’ve got coming up.

Wow, bad boy, Jay Cutler signed by the Dolphins. I hope they told him that they were paying him ten mill for his arm, not his mouth.

I’ve always been a student of radio but it ain’t been teaching me nuthin’ lately

Much More @ GeorgeJohns.com and on Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio

 

 

Chapter LV (Magic Moments) 2/19/23 (55)

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I’ve had a wonderful life
but it’s flown by much too fast
So I’m writing these rhymes
hoping just to make it last

The writing of these memoirs has made me realize that my life has been pretty magical. However, it sure didn’t start that way.
Growing up in Transcona, the best you could hope for was a decent job or maybe an apprenticeship at the CNR Shops.

Other than wanting to be a big deal, I had no idea what I wanted to do, so while I was figuring it out, I attended some sheet metal classes at the Manitoba Institute of Technology.
Growing bored, shortly after seeing Elvis and Buddy Holly on TV, I bought a guitar and started a band.

Even though I never enjoyed going to the trade school, I must admit that having MIT on my resume looks pretty impressive.
Boredom may have been the incentive to buy a guitar, but as I look back now, that’s when the magic began.

Speaking of magic, can you imagine how magical it was to hear the words after Hal Ross of London Records listened to Until You, “Hell, I’ll release that!”
Or how about while we were on our way to a gig, we heard Jimmy Darin say on the radio, “Here’s a CKY exclusive, Until You Do, by The Jury.”(Pictured on top)

Oh, and then there was the time while visiting Mark Parr at CKY-FM my whole life changed again.
For whatever reason, Mark showed me how to run a radio board, and I instantly got the radio bug.
(Mark shown below) 63503_10151827117384307_192927957_n Or how about when I walked into the main studio at CKY and overheard George Dawes say, “Thanks but no thanks,” before hanging up the phone
When I asked him about it, he said, “Oh, it was a job offer from Saskatoon for the Program Director’s job, but I’m not interested.
When I said that I’d sure be interested, the next thing I knew, I was the new Program Director of CKOM in Saskatoon. (George Dawes is shown below) What kind of magic did Jim Hilliard hear that caused him to pull over and call me from a phone booth to say, “Johns, we’ve got a shot.”
Before I knew it, Billboards went up all over Dallas, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I think it would be easier to win the lottery than get the call I got from my best friend from Transcona, Jim Quail, saying, “Georgie boy, I had no idea you were such a big deal in the States.”

When I asked him what the hell he was talking about, he said he was up late doing a little paperwork and, while doing so, was listening to a talk show on an American radio station.
Suddenly, he heard a caller say, “I’m calling you from Winnipeg, which is probably a city you’ve never heard of.”

Jim then said he immediately turned the radio up and heard, “Of course, I’ve heard of Winnipeg; it’s where Neil Young, The Guess Who, and Bachman Turner Overdrive are from.
“Oh, and here’s something you may not know”, she added, “Winnipeg’s also where one of America’s biggest radio consultants, George Johns, is from.”
That, Jim said, was when I fell off my chair and scared the hell out of my wife who was asleep in their bedroom.” (The host turned out to be Rollye James, pictured above. Jim and his wife Di are pictured below) Then there was the time when my oldest daughter, Candis was going to College at NYU in New York and we had dinner with Rick Moranis. (Rick pictured below)
At dinner, Rick graciously told Candis, “Your Dad was the one responsible for launching my show biz career.”

“When I was going to medical school in Toronto,” he went on to say, “I also did some part-time board op work at CFTR.
However, when your Dad put me on the air for an overnighter one weekend, I instantly knew that I was born to be in showbiz so I quit medical school.”Oh, and then there was the magical evening while dining with my CPA, Cindy Adair, when she asked if I knew who Delilah was because she loved her show.
When I told her that I did and then asked if she would like to meet her, she said, “How is that possible?”

Knowing that Delilah was in town making a personal appearance at the Woman’s Fair in Jupiter, I responded to Cindy with, “I can make it happen.”
Upon our arrival at the Woman’s Fair, we spotted Delilah signing autographs in the corridor.

As we made our way up the side of a very long line, I could tell that Cindy still had doubts about whether or not I knew her.
However, when I shouted, “Hey There, Delilah,” and with a massive grin on her face, Delilah got up and made her way over to us and gave me a big hug, I think Cindy’s doubts may have disappeared.

I introduced Cindy to Delilah by saying, “Delilah, this is my tax accountant Cindy Adair; she keeps me out of jail.”
Delilah responded, “If George goes to jail, Cindy, I doubt it will be for financial reasons.”

When the crowd began chanting, “Back of the line, back of the line,” Delilah turned to them and said, “Hush, if it wasn’t for this man, I’d never be syndicated.” (Me and Delilah pictured below at her ranch/farm in Washington State) A few more “Magic Moments;”
Opening for Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash.
Being recruited by Randy Bachman for the Guess Who.
Becoming a Program Director for the first time at CKOM in Saskatoon.
Adopting my son Curtis in Ottawa.
Getting my first rating book at CFTR in Toronto proving that adults also liked the hits.
Moving to America.
Launching the first AC station in America on KVIL in Dallas.
Seeing Hawaii for the first time.
Getting a 19.3 share on WIBC in Indianapolis.
Buying my first Mercedes.
Falling in love six times.
Moving to California
Becoming #1 in San Antonio, which jump-started my consulting career.
Celebrating my 40th birthday at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Going to the Grammys and all the after-Grammy parties with my daughter Candis.
Being on stage for the first time with Shayne and the Devines and for the last time twenty years later with The Jury at a Winnipeg band reunion concert.Running the LA Maraton with Candis.
Running a PR. 38:20 10K when I turned 50.
Buying K103 in Portland, which remained #1 for over 30 years.
Riding on the Orient Express.
Driving a Rolls Royce convertible.
Inducting Ron Chapman into the Radio Hall of Fame on National TV.
Appearing in an Emmy-winning documentary about Rock Radio in Indianapolis.

I’ve experienced many magical moments, but none compare to the magic I felt when I held my daughters moments after they were born. (Candis and Cami are pictured below with me at the birthday party they threw for me in San Diego)