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1962
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2004
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1962
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2004
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I came to WROV in early 1962 by way of a stint on the air at two Roanoke radio stations, WRIS and prior to that WHYE. At WRIS I had the pleasure of working with another old ROVER, Gary E. Cooper. Earlier, I "cut my broadcasting teeth" under the tutelage of still an earlier WROV "pioneer" Jim Gearhart. Jim left the Roanoke market to become the morning man at KQV in Pittsburg, so the production and broadcasting techniques I learned from him came with solid credentials! So when the opportunity presented itself, I was ready.
Following the 9:00-12:00 slot with Ron Sunshine, the "Jack Shields All-Night Affair" assisted the cab drivers, hospital workers, and miscellaneous night characters to stay awake from midnight until 6:00AM. Well, it was supposed to end at 6:00 AM. Fred Frelantz was due in at 6:00, but it was usually anywhere from 6:00 until 6:45 and then only after a cab had been dispatched to bang on his apartment door to wake him up, before he would drift in, half asleep. The magic of Fred was that when the mike switch cracked open, his comic genius was already light years ahead of his body. He truly was brilliant and my life was enhanced greatly by my association with him.
During my tenure at WROV, I worked with (among others I'm sure I've overlooked) Jerry Joynes, Glen C. Lewis, Jack Fisher, Don Hudson, Dave Rhinehart, Ron Sunshine, Fred Frelantz, Al Berteau, H. Gale Henley, Dick Brown, Don Pugh, Mopey Williams, Stan James, Jan Wilkins, Jim Reese and a host of others. We rocked the valley with The Supremes and "Baby Love", Del Shannon and "Runaway", Major Lance and "Monkey Time", and the Four Tops and "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch". I was there for the "WROV Diamond Hunt", "Chicken Man" and was on the board while Fred did his infamous "Wake-a-Thon". It was on my shift when Fred uttered the words, "pissed off" and we had to file 75 lbs of paper work with the FCC. During those times, its good that there were no Super Bowl half-time shows!
I left the world of broadcasting in 1965, joining the employ of Double Envelope Company of Roanoke where I enjoyed a 36-year career in sales, marketing, and management. I am retired, living in Greensboro, NC where my lovely wife of 43 years and I delight in our two daughters and our three grandchildren.
From the "Cobweb Corner", Jack