Former radio columnist for the Seattle Times (1964-1989).
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R.C. Bannon Leaves Radio For Music Stardom, KUUU Music Variety, & Whatever Happened To The Greater FM Broadcasters Association?
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I have to agree, Gary Bryan had it going on. Particularly enjoyed the KNBQ years.
Boy oh boy, does THIS bring back memories! I had just been “terminated” for trying to organize collective bargaining and Union wages/benefits on the AM/FM radio side of KXLY Spokane “Radio 92” under program director Johnny Holiday and General Manager Wayne McNulty. I was doing mid-days on the AM radio side, but also doing the Television side on KXLY Channel 4 CBS with the Dialing For Dollars afternoon movie matinee – with Union wages – as well as weekend TV news and weather. Ron Bair was the Television News Director, who later became Mayor of Spokane. Anyway, I was terminated on a Friday, sometime in 1971 – and the very next Monday I was meeting up with Sharon Dean and Bill Weaver at KUUU AM-1590 Seattle. What a rush. No air check … Weaver insisted I take the board for an hour LIVE and do my thing during the mid-day. And so it was, I was hired on the spot for the 7 to Midnight slot. RC Bannon (Dan Shipley) followed me on the all-nighter, before blasting off to Nashville and marrying Louise Mandrell. During my tenure at KUUU, I took Bill Rice flying one day – and that spawned him to get his Private Pilot’s certificate and go on to get an instrument rating and a flight instructor rating. I’ve lost track of Bill, but last I knew he was still flying a Cessna 177 Cardinal and enjoying every minute. While I left broadcast from the morning show with Chet Rogers at 97.3 KBSG – “THE BEST OLDIES” under Viacom in April 1989 – I’m still an active pilot, having flown commercially as a co-pilot First Officer with Mesa Air/United Express during the 1990’s out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and presently own/operate a late model twin-engine Cessna Pressurized 337 Skymaster, and I’m still active on the radio of the Amateur/HAM kind. I certainly miss playing the hits, but Seattle radio has lost its way. First Media and KUBE-93 with Gary Bryan and the rest of that crew during the 1980’s was probably THEE pace-setter for Seattle radio. Miss that place dearly.