| Les Allen, and how it all began...... | |||
October 03, 1998 Looking back on the "Goodtimer" days is sort of like a trip down memory lane. Of course, you know what they say the memory is one of the first things to go, so these memories could be a little fuzzy. I use to say during this time (1960-80) that I wished I could have lived in the "heydays" of radio. But, now I’m not so sure, perhaps these were the heydays of radio. Generally, by that statement I meant, when everything was live, even the music. "Now from the bilious green ballroom, just off of the main veranda of hotel Desoto, W___ brings you the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra……" I started in radio at WGML, in Hinesville, during the summer of 1958. Eventually went to WBYG, as many of my associates did, and finally to WSGA in 1967. During the time I was with "BYG Radio" one of my fondest memories had to do with Al Jennings. Al did the morning show and also was the stations sports guy. He would always end his morning show with the line "remember, you're not completely dressed until your wearing a smile." And his sports show would end with "remember, you don’t have to play a sport to be a sport." Well, one morning I was listening to the radio as I drove down Victory Drive. Al ended his morning show with "remember you don’t have", at this moment he realized he had the wrong ending. What he said was totally out of character for Al, and included one of the "seven dirty words" you can’t say. Al said, "Remember you don’t have……(pause)…..to listen to us, but we sure as hell appreciate it." There was almost one less palm tree on Victory Drive. WSGA was signing off at midnight in those days. We ran "block" programming. Don McNeil’s Breakfast Club mornings, Paul Harvey midday’s, "Pop" music, meaning "Top 40" was only on from 3 to 6 in the afternoon and after 8 O’clock at night. From 6 to 8 in the evening it was either dinner music or a show called "Talk Back". Talk Back was perhaps the first talk show in Savannah. Certainly the first that I recall. I followed Chuck Rawlinson as host of "Talk Back" a live call-in show. We were truly ahead of our time. By 1968 we convinced the management to scrap the block programming and go "Top 40" 24 hours a day. I volunteered to be the "original" overnight disc jockey, I must have been crazy. So I went on, as the DJ of the all night show. In six months, I had enough of that and moved to mid days. I remember the late Don Jones, General Manager, of WSGA, saying the only way we could go 24 hours was if at least half of it was sold on six month contracts. He wanted to make sure, we made enough to "pay the light bill". The staff programmed the station.
Sure, we had a program director, but it was a group effort. I recall when Jerry Rogers was brought in as music director and to do 2 to 6. Donny had worked with Jerry in Lynchburg, VA, and gave him a call. Jerry came to town in his Mustang convertible with his pet cat, and what I thought was long hair then. His entire life, stored in a car with room left over. At least he had a car, which in those days not everyone could afford. That reminds me of the summer we gave away a pair of Vespa motor scooters. The "Goodtimers" were all over the county for three months on those bikes. In order to win, you had to guess the combined mileage, that the "Goodtimer" staff had put on the pair of bikes and in the event of a tie, you had to guess the total weight of the two bikes with the entire air staff on board. They were won on the mileage alone, within ten miles. I could never have done that! Then there was the time Chuck Rawlinson was doing the "Cash Call" promotion. Where the jock placed a call, LIVE on the air, and the person had to be able to tell you the amount in the jackpot. The numbers and names were chosen at random from the local telephone directory. Chuck placed the call and the phone was answered by the maid. Chuck asked to speak with Mr. Or Mrs Whoever, then there was a long pause, Chuck repeated the question. To which the maid said, "Mr. Whoever, died several months ago, and Mrs. Whoever is shopping." Chuck regained his composure and offered to let the maid play the game, to which she said "I’ve never heard of WSGA or your contest." Chuck started a record and nothing was ever mentioned on the air again, shortly after that the promotion was abruptly ended. It was truly "fun" being a "goodtimer" and if I could have afforded it, I would have paid them to let me work there. It’s a good thing Don Jones didn’t know that! Les |
 Danny Coleman The Allnight Danny Peter
Garrett
Les Allen, From Billboard Magazine October 28th 1968: WSGA, 1000 watt Coastal Broadcasting operation in Savannah GA, has
just changed to a hot 100 format and is slating several records back to back in a "Mini-Spin"
once per hour to "give more music than any other Savannah station." |
Les at WBYG... 