We’re headed to America
to start a whole new life
But the move
wasn’t very popular
with Lana, my Wife.
Crossing the border
was a terrifying thing
Hey, but
there’s no turning back,
so this move
can’t be no fling.
was a terrifying thing
Hey, but
there’s no turning back,
so this move
can’t be no fling.
Years ago, when Jim Hilliard tried to hire me at WFIL in Philadelphia, my name was at the bottom of a very long list.
By the time my name rose to the top, Jim was running a radio group out of Indianapolis called Fairbanks Broadcasting, and I was the Station Manager of CFTR in Toronto.
By the time my name rose to the top, Jim was running a radio group out of Indianapolis called Fairbanks Broadcasting, and I was the Station Manager of CFTR in Toronto.
Fairbanks owned WIBC/WNAP in Indianapolis, WVBF/WKOX in Boston, and was in the middle of purchasing KVIL in Dallas.
When my name came to the top of the list, it was almost perfect timing because Jim realized he could no longer do it all, so he hired me to be his National Program Director.
When my name came to the top of the list, it was almost perfect timing because Jim realized he could no longer do it all, so he hired me to be his National Program Director.
Things were going well in Toronto, but I couldn’t help but remember how much fun I had working for Jim at CKY because all I did was implement his stuff.
Now, not only did I have to come up with ideas, but I also had to implement most of them too.
Now, not only did I have to come up with ideas, but I also had to implement most of them too.
CFTR was not only taking good care of me; they were also taking care of my wife, Lana.
Whenever the ratings came out, Ted Rogers would send Lana flowers and a note that read, “Thank you for sharing your husband with us.”
Whenever the ratings came out, Ted Rogers would send Lana flowers and a note that read, “Thank you for sharing your husband with us.”
Not only were things going well in Toronto, but we’d also just built a beautiful house on Lake Simcoe, and Lana couldn’t understand why I would want to leave all of it behind.
Truth be known, I was tired of being the guy.
Truth be known, I was tired of being the guy.
So even though everybody was pissed at me, I turned in my brand new Pontiac Grand Prix and jumped back into my beat-up old Thunderbird and headed south to a whole new life.
I became Americanized my first weekend when Jim took me car shopping at the Cadillac store.
I became Americanized my first weekend when Jim took me car shopping at the Cadillac store.
Jim was thinking of maybe buying a new Caddy, but the guy driving out of the dealership in a red Eldorado didn’t look like Jim; he looked an awful lot like me.
My justification for the purchase was my T- Bird didn’t have an FM radio, and Fairbanks had an FM radio station.(The “Eldo” is pictured on top.)
My justification for the purchase was my T- Bird didn’t have an FM radio, and Fairbanks had an FM radio station.(The “Eldo” is pictured on top.)
Unfortunately, I knew Lana wouldn’t buy that as an explanation, but I had three weeks to come up with something before I drove back to Toronto.
Three weeks later, there I was, listening to WNAP-FM in my brand-new “Eldo” as I headed back to Toronto.
Three weeks later, there I was, listening to WNAP-FM in my brand-new “Eldo” as I headed back to Toronto.
Lana and the kids had stayed behind to sell our house, and I was very excited about seeing them again, but I had one small problem, I hadn’t come up with a reason why I bought the car yet.
So when I pulled up the driveway in Toronto hours later, I went with the first thing that popped into my head when Lana asked, “Whose car is this,” I said, “Your’s honey, happy Mother’s Day. I never got to drive the Caddy again.
So when I pulled up the driveway in Toronto hours later, I went with the first thing that popped into my head when Lana asked, “Whose car is this,” I said, “Your’s honey, happy Mother’s Day. I never got to drive the Caddy again.
When I first arrived in Indy, Jim told me that he wanted to monitor WIBC and WNAP for a couple of days and then also check out WVBF in Boston on the listen line.
Then we would meet at the end of the week and discuss what I heard.
Then we would meet at the end of the week and discuss what I heard.
While listening to all the stations, I’d jotted down what I liked and didn’t like so I was all ready for my first meeting.
I was also very excited to hear what Jim wanted to be implemented, and I remember thinking, “Man, this is going to be just like the old days”
I was also very excited to hear what Jim wanted to be implemented, and I remember thinking, “Man, this is going to be just like the old days”
At the meeting, when Jim asked me what I heard, I told him that I thought WNAP’s music was too hip for the room where as WIBC’s music was a little too unhip.
WVBF on the other hand, sounded like NAP, except I liked the music more because it was more familar. However, I said, “The talent on all the stations is outstanding.”
Jim said he agreed with my assessment and then asked what station I would like to fix first.
When I told him that he should choose because I was ready to implement whatever he wanted done, he said, “Johns, if I knew what to do, I wouldn’t have hired you.”
When I told him that he should choose because I was ready to implement whatever he wanted done, he said, “Johns, if I knew what to do, I wouldn’t have hired you.”
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