MAIL BAG

NEWER LETTERS (2015 on…)

6/23/15: from Mike Bock
My most memorable KSTT moment: I had accompanied my good friend Jerry Barton on a sales call to pitch a series of spec spots. The client liked what he heard but told Jerry he had just committed to a fairly expensive schedule on WQUA as a major sponsor of a kite flying contest to be held in two weeks.
Upon returning to the station (I think it was a Wednesday) I told the fearless and opportunistic Bobby Rich about the WQUA promotion in two weeks. BR grabbed my arm and we went upstairs to the production studio and produced the “First Annual KSTT Kite Flying Contest” promo which announced it was to be held “This Saturday at Blackhawk State Park…Come see all your favorite KSTT Good Guys and win valuable prizes.

The first promo ran in less than an hour after the sales call with Jerry. Hundreds showed up and WQUA cancelled their promotion. Now that was memorable!
5/31/15: from Ray Dennis
I was thinking about some of the promotions during my era at KSTT. I remember that we did a KSTT Key Number 2.

The biggest one was a contest called “Born to Win” which was patterned after a contest named “The Last Contest,” which several stations across the nation were doing at the time. The winning was based on a person’s birthday coming up on two rotating cart tapes. We offered a number of very nice prices, and the winners could choose their prize. Mike McCartney produced and Bob Hooper voiced the recorded elements that made us sound very professional and like we were giving the whole world away.

One contest didn’t go so well. We came up with the idea of having people carve the KSTT call letters into Halloween pumpkins, display them in their front window and we were to drive around and judge them. We didn’t anticipate the size of the undertaking to cover the whole market looking for the entries. We gave a prize, but we were not able to come near to being able to see all of the KSTT pumpkins. The good news was that we got a lot of free advertising in people’s windows.

5/5/15: from Kathy Weiss
Dear Good Guys,
I was raised on KSTT; it was my salvation in many ways and music has continued to be a mainstay in my life. Glad Facebook enables us to rehash old memories! Take care!

Kathy Weiss, Greenwood Village, Colorado

5/2/15: from Jim Orr (Jeff Blake)
Dear Fellow Good Guys,
You continue to hit home runs on this web site! No wonder the popularity it has gained. It’s just chock full of interesting revelations and it’s staying fresh as well. Hats off to you! Now, a matter of concern. Where is “Lazy Frank Harkin”? Why haven’t his whereabouts been divulged? Just where in the world is Lazy Frank? Why all the secrecy. I suspect a cover up. And one more thing. Where can one find a bottle of Corn Husker’s Lotion, always a hot giveaway item at remote broadcasts?

Jim Orr (Jeff Blake) ~ Bettendorf, IA

(Editor’s Response) Jim (Jeff) ~ Thanks for the kind words. We are assigning a special task force headed by Bobby Rich to determine the whereabouts of Lazy Frank Harkin. Suspicious activity is not suspected. And, as far as Corn Husker’s Lotion is concerned, it is still available at a drug store near you. Or you can order it from Amazon right now.

4/24/15: from Carol Wilford’s brother Steve
(contains mean words – reader discretion advised)

I am responding to the post by Carol Graflund Wilford. I am her brother. She posts about winning the KSTT mystery sounds / voices contest. What she mentions and tells is mostly true. However there are extenuating circumstances that must be explained to vindicate me. Yes she won the contest, and yes we went over to the KSTT offices and picked up her bootee of a reel to reel tape recorder. What she does not mention is that the only reason that she was able to listen to all the sounds and clues was that she had been grounded and had to stay in her room all day. Yes she had been a naughty girl the cause of which I no longer remember. So staying in her room all day listening to KSTT gave her the time and insight to listen to it. Late in the “grounding day” my Mom and Carol called me into her room, there was one voice/sound she could not identify. They asked me if I knew. For some reason I knew right away. It was Will Rogers or Roy Rogers something like that. So she wrote it down and won. So that is the injustice of it all, she was being punished, she came to me her lowly brother for help, I did. She got a prize, I never got recognized, only a comment that I was jealous!

Cordially, Steve

4/23/15: from Carol Wilford
My ‘claim to fame’ was that I was one of the winners of the 1964 contest you mentioned in Chapter 8, where you had to identify mystery sounds. My prize was a reel to reel tape recorder! At 14 years old that was like winning the lottery. Hearing my name on the radio and seeing my big brother’s jealousy was priceless. He still hasn’t gotten over it.

Carol

(ed: Carol is a former Miss Moline, and former weekend weather girl on Channel 8, she also appeared on a KSTT billboard advertisement)

Carole3/19/15: From Spike O’Dell
Hi all!
I LOVE this web page! I tip my headphones to you for putting it together so well.
I don’t have to tell my fellow alumni how special that old building along the river was. All you had to do was simply walk through the door and you could feel the magic.
I have so many great memories and visual images of my time there. The friendships made there have stood the test of time. I wouldn’t trade one minute of it all. For those of us who were lucky enough to put the KSTT call letters on our resume, there were probably 50 others for each one of us that WANTED to work there. It was that kind of station. Truly, “Someplace Special.”
We “Good Guys” are a blessed bunch!

Spike O’Dell
Nashville, TN

Sent from Spike’s Exceptionally Smart Phone

3/13/15: From Charlie

Hi Bill,
We have indeed seen an increase in traffic for the Chickenman series. You’ve explained it. I can look at real-time “who is listening to what” stats and Chickenman is quite active.Thanks for the link to us – who better to come to our site than good guys from radio?

Cheers, Charlie at RadioEchoes.com

3/12/15: From Gary Tate

Hello,
I was an engineer at a remote with Bobby Rich.The basketball squad photo was great to see I played in one of the games and wore Jim Watt’s jersey. Also,I drove miss Teenage America around in the Indy 500 pace car Camero.I think her name was Stephanie Crane.thank you for bringing backall the memories.I also played softball with Bobby Rich when he was at KHJ in LA.I went on to become a movie soundman at Columbia and Universal studios.am now retired and living in Germany.

Always, Jerry Tate

3/2/15: From Gary Hummel

Bill, All KSTT alumni owe a huge debt of gratitude to you and Dave Coopman for all you are doing to preserve and advance the radio station’s legacy. It would be awesome if visitors to the website could “click” and hear old KSTT jingles or brief air checks of the great talent that graced the 1170 airwaves over the years. Not being terribly tech savvy, I don’t know the difficulties or challenges involved, but it’s a thought.

Thanks again, Gary

1/23/15: From Mark Mathew

Your KSTT web site brings back lots of memories.Nice job! Jim Orr – didn’t he do the news as Jeff Blake? [ed. yes] I thought he was outstanding. [ed. yes] I was a radio and tv sportscaster for most of my career. Broadcast for ABC-TV, ESPN, Big 8, Big 12 (’81-’91), and the Kansas City Royals (’78-’81) networks and several others. I retired from broadcasting in 2001, and we own a youth baseball tournament corporation that has had events in 38 states.

Thank you, Mark

1/22/15: From Phil Roberts, Walcott, IA

“This wonderful website takes me back many years. I loved KSTT and it’s one of the main reasons I went into radio.” ~ Phil

1/21/15: From KSTT Alum, Johnny Thompson, Fayetteville, NC
Fifty years later, memories of my few months at KSTT remain vivid. It was a remarkable learning experience for a 23 year old jock. A few years later, I turned to news reporting and station management and am now in semi-retirement in Fayetteville, N.C. I recall that one of Bill’s liners was “Channel 1170 pays one to five dollars for news tips phoned in and broadcast. I remember “Gridiron” very well: A trail blazing Friday night broadcast covering all local high school football games. I anchored the show from the studio on Riverside Drive while other staffers went into the field to call in the touchdowns as they occurred…remarkable live radio. I’d love to hear how it was that one of our engineers back in the day came up with a four stack cart machine that could be programmed and fired manually or in sequence. It was a unique piece of equipment at that point in time.

My Best, Johnny (Jeff) Thompson

1/20/15: From KSTT Alum, Jerry Reid, Bettendorf, IA

Great to be in tune once again. Love the website and I see and hear the talent is as good as ever…probably even better. I’m listening to Bobby’s station as I write this. We spend about four months a year on Siesta Key and normally see Jim and Karen Orr during that time. I’d love to hear from others if you are down this way.

Jerry

1/20/15: The First Letter (in this decade) from a True Fan

Dear Good Guys,

I discovered your website KSTTGOODGUYS.com and it brought back so many great memories. I used to listen to Brad Scott whenever he was on and I darning my husband’s socks. He was so clever. Whatever happened to him? I head he became a famous doctor or tv host or something. Anyway, I also liked the other disk jockeys like Brian Christy but he wasn’t there very long. Bobby D. Rich was also a good one. Well, keep putting fun things on the website and I will look at it whenever I can, except in the spring when I am busy planting our tobacco.

Arnelle Driftonson
Silvis,Illinois
(check back often – more to come)

REALLY OLD LETTERS (Dog eared, but too cool to toss…)

2/11/06: This poured in from: Rich Birley – a man with time on his hands

Hello, I really enjoyed reading the letters on your site from KSTT alumni. I have a question that might be answered by former KSTT employees. Ernie Mimms was the host of Captain Ernie’s Showboat on WOC TV 6, Davenport Iowa from 1965 thru 1964. One of his favorite memories was that he raced a go-kart replica of the Showboat versus a KSTT go-kart on an episode of the show. Sadly, a tape apparently does not exist of this episode. Would any of the alumni recall this race and does a picture exist of it as well? Thank you – Rich captainerniesshowboat@yahoo.com
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12/11/05 From: Mark Moskowitz, Reunion Committee Chairman

I’d like to let the alumni know that the tribute CD is nearing completion, thanks to the folks who contributed some great material: Jim Orr, Ray Dennis, Bob Moore, Jerry Reid, Bill Vancil, Jim O’Hara and a non-alumnus, Mike Imig of Moline, a faithful KSTT listener since the Gordon Vann and JA days. Thanks to modern technology I have been able to make Morry Alter’s voice sound like….Ruth’s, but more virile. I was also able to edit out 2,320 honks from Bobby’s bicycle horn. But then I decided to put them all back in again, which is why this CD is taking so long. I’d like to thank Jim Orr for sending me a video of a kangaroo sodomizing Hugh Jackman’s father…I will always treasure it. All of you: if you have any airchecks you’d like immortalized in the tribute CD, please send them ASAP. Happy Holidays!

Mark Moskowitz (Brad Scott)
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10/4/05 From: Steve Bridges, KSTT 1969-72

I just wanted to say that my wife and I totally enjoyed ourselves. I really do not not believe in living in the past…so I’m extremely thankful that KSTT and the bonds and relationships continue to this day. Bobby…and the rest whom i have had the privilege to know…and listen and learn from…thank you. And thank you for a wonderful night.

Steve Bridges
1630 KCJJ
Iowa City
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9/3/05 From: Ray Dennis, KSTT PD 1972-74

The KSTT reunion weekend turned out to be more than I could have
possibly dreamed. My wife and I totally enjoyed it.

Even though many of the stories came from other than my era, I could
relate to all of them and feel part of something much bigger than all of
us that will live in our hearts and the hearts of the citizens of the
Quad Cities for a long time.

While driving back to the Lodge from the Saturday night banquet, I
realized that I should have mentioned my special moment at KSTT. A
moment that illustrated the hold KSTT had on the hearts of the community.

In 73, we helped sponsor a walk for one of the big charities and the
route took in Davenport, Bettendorf, across the river, Moline, Rock
Island and back to Davenport. During part of the walk, we had a
continuous ring around the cities. We had asked everyone to bring a
radio and at one point, we had everyone sing Three Dog Night’s “Joy to
the World.” What a moment, with people all around that route singing
together with Bob Hooper leading the singing on KSTT.

Ray Dennis
Des Moines, IA

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9/2/05 From: Dave Douglas, KSTT 1973-78

While listening to Bobby Rich talk about being single, I was reading Bill Vancil’s book and commenting on what fine dancers the Orrs were…. Whew! Does that earn me admission to the letter posting? At any rate, thanks to all who obviously worked so hard on putting together their reunion. Although I got the enviable task of speaking just prior to the bathroom break and therefore kept it short, I had a few more thoughts afterward.

For the first time, it really sunk in as to how long a “reign” this mighty station enjoyed in the Quad-Cities area. I had never met Lou or Bob Moore before and had met Bobby just one time before, but seeing them and all the others really made me realize that this thing didn’t cover just a short span of time. In fact, it covered probably two to two and a half generations!

There was the “Good Guys” crowd before my time, and then there was the group whose time I shared when I was there (1973-78), many of whom showed up, but also including jocks like Bob Carson, Dr. Don, Jeff Pigeon, Scott Carpenter, Scott Evans, Scott Bennett, Scott Towels,,,,,,and, of course, newspeople like Chuck Underwood and Wayne Larrivee. Maybe we were the “Someplace Special” generation, that followed the “Good Guys,” which, of course, in no way lessens our group’s “goodness.!” Someone else can name those that followed.

Nevertheless, KSTT-ers have at least one or two more parties in them I’m sure. Mark, Bill, Jim, Max, and the others, thanks again, and let’s do it again!

Tom Hosmanek
(aka Dave Douglas)
Davenport, Iowa

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9/1/05 From: Dan Potter, KSTT News 1982-1984

Just wanted to thank each of you for the opportunity to hang-out with men and women who were my radio heroes.

What I wanted to say Saturday night….and what actually came out of my tired (drove 2000 miles roundtrip in 4-days to attend the reunion), scotch-adled and uncharacteristically meek mouth…were two different things. I did mean it when I said this was one of the most intimidating audiences I could imagine. To the kid that still lives inside of me, you guys were, and are still, the last generation of true radio stars. Hearing each of your stories at the reunion made me feel like I was once again a 12-year-old paperboy listening to you on the Radio Shack transitor strapped to the handle bars of my bike.

For the record, I’m 43 years old, a father of two and a 24 year veteran of some of the best radio news departments anywhere. I’m the news anchor and co-host of the morning show on NewsTalk 820 WBAP, the ABC/Disney O&O in Dallas-Ft. Worth. I was news director for 13 years and have won national awards ranging from the RTNDA Edward R. Murrow for major market newscast to the Dupont Columbia Silver Baton.

Here’s what I wish I had said Saturday night:

First of all….Bobby Rich…you are a fantastic emcee! But, my name is Dan Potter. Not Don. Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first, nor even the 1001st, person to call me Don. And, we all know eyesight and memory loss are the first….errr, second and third….most common ailments associated with long term exposure to RF.

Seriously, you are probably the air personality I listened to most on KSTT. And (as a junior at Moline High, I remember listening to every minute of your 1979 reunion guest shot on 1170. Thanks for the great memories!

Bill Adams. Thanks for firing me. You justifiably sacked me for the kind of boneheaded thing that only a green kid in his first full-time radio gig would be dumb enough to do and, though it obviously hurt at the time, it taught me a lesson and gave me a boot from the safe nest of my hometown. In short, it allowed my career to take off. You were a great GM who always remembered his newsroom roots and always backed us on the air. I wish I worked for more GMs like you.

To Morry Alter and Bob Moore and all of the KSTT news alums, I want you to know how alive your legacy still was in 1982, 83 and 84, the years I worked as a reporter and anchor. The groundwork and style were still there. In fact, Morry, we still used half-sheets of paper to type our stories on. Though, I think it was more to conserve words than paper. I wish Mark Minnick and Dan Kennedy had been there Saturday so I could tell them again how much they taught me. It was Mark who gifted me with a life-long appreciation for how ambient sound can paint mental pictures. To this day, it’s what I love most about radio news. Thanks Mark. I may have been the only KSTT reporter who didn’t eventually become news director, but the station absolutely laid the groundwork for that to happen later. For that, I will always owe a debt of gratitude to the newsroom in the old goat barn.

To Jim O’Hara…thank you for continuing the spirit of creativity and always being willing to take risks for good ideas like “Starflight” and “KSTT Friday Night Football” and other really ahead-of-their-time shows.

Lastly…to Spike O’Dell…I hear you make a pretty good mustard. (Spike’s Bite ‘cher Butt Mustard, right? Have you driven Boetje’s out of business yet?) Oh, and your radio shows have been pretty OK too. So OK that I’d venture to say that anyone who worked, not only at KSTT, but anywhere in the QCs during your tenure at 1170 and KIIK, was influenced by you. You’re inherent energy and ease and your ability to relate to the audience have been phenomenal from the very start. I know you’ll be embarassed to hear it, but please realize that you really have touched and taught a generation of people in this business. If you had turned around in that snow storm and gone home……well, I’m glad you didn’t.

Elda Ewoldt, John Cloghessy, Gynny O’Hara…it was great to see you and it was great to meet the rest of you. I wish more KSTT ex’s from my time had been there…I’m sure they would have echoed the sentiments expressed here.

Again, thanks for allowing me to hang-out with you and thanks for taking the time to read this.

Dan Potter
NewsTalk 820 WBAP
ABC/Disney
Dallas
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9/2/05 From: Bob Moore, KSTT News Director, 1960-1964

Dear Dan Potter, What a wonderful and touching open message you have sent to the alumni regarding the KSTT reunion. The gathering certainly was Radio Deja Vu – All Over Again ! And, I am honored to have been strapped to the handle bars of your bicycle as you went about your newspaper route at the age 12.

I suspect we all share your warm feelings of returning to those thrilling days of yesteryear when AM radio was in its heyday, during those decades when folks were listening to rock and roll music and hard-hitting news reports on their locally owned and operated special radio station staffed by real people. You would actually get home town weather reports that occasionally included impending tornado warnings. Community service was more than lip service, and you could even talk about “corn nuts” or “Big Red money balls” on the radio without fear of having your FCC license challenged by the ACLU broadcast police.

This was also an era where boys could be boys and girls could be girls — and viva la difference! Unisex restrooms were nonexistent and there was no concept of the Girlie-Boy Scouts of America. I’d bet we would be hard-pressed nowadays to witness a local coliseum packed with hundreds of teen agers rocking away to a radio station sponsored dance party under the leadership of awe inspiring Go Go Girls decked out in mini skirts and boots that were made for walkin’. Posting a picture of some local high school girl on a radio station newsletter with the caption “Cutie of the Week” would be totally out of the question.

But yes indeed, nostalgia IS what it used to be. “Big Red” is not dead, and radio station KSTT does continue to exist — in the hearts and minds of the talented, dedicated and wonderful people who used to work there — at a time long ago, in a land far away.

Bob Moore
Vandalia, MO
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9/2/05 From: Dr. Mark Moskowitz (Brad Scott) – Reunion Chair

Dear Bag,

Serving on the KSTT Reunion Committee brought me almost as much satisfaction as learning certain gastrointestinal procedures in medical school. Almost. The greatest satisfaction came from donning a dog suit in Northpark Mall, thereby nearly winding up in a cell with Bobby Rich and Clark Anthony. Sitting next to Bob Moore was a sobering experience.

Seeing the KSTT alumni again was an experience I’m still processing. What an amazing group of people it took to build a station that is now silent but very, very much alive.

There are already calls for another reunion. I think as long as Kaye is willing to consider the orange trick, I will be there. God bless you all!!

Mark J. Moskowitz, M.D.
_____________________________________________________________
8/29/05 From: Three from Ruth, KSTT, The Epstein Years

Dear Jeff (even tho I know it’s really Jim!),
What a weekend! Thank you so very much for all your work to get it together and make it such a success. Your opening event Barbecue was a perfect beginning, and you and Karen were such gracious hosts. She is a lovely person – I enjoyed meeting her so much. All went way beyond my expectations. That KSTT was so significant an experience to all of you would have certainly gratified Fred enormously, as it did me. Thanks for the nostalgia trip and for the memories.
Ruth

Dear Dave,
It’s almost impossible to say thank you to someone who has more than anyone else kept alive the spirit and essence of KSTT during the years Fred and I owned the station. Those were indeed the Golden Years, and to know that they were as memorable to so many of the talented people who worked there as they were to us is so very gratifying. Fred would have been proud to know how happily those years are remembered by others and to know that they made a significant difference in people’s lives. To you and your committee, I want to express my gratitude for all your hard work to bring about the exciting and unforgettable Reunion weekend. Thanks for the memories.
Ruth

Dear Mark,
A simple “thankyou” will hardly suffice to cover my appreciation for all your hard work to bring about the KSTT Reunion. It was quite a nostalgia trip for me, but even more, to see and be a part of the Golden Years of what has been such a significant experience in the lives of so many talented people. I want you to come out and see me the next time you’re in LA and wear your dog suit. It was very gratifying to me, and I know it would have been enormously more so to Fred. He would have taken such pride in all the reminiscences and all the future successes. I thank you for these unique memories.
Ruth
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09/05/05 From: Kay Slavens, KSTT Traffic Director 1968-70

Dear KSTT Alums,
I am happy to report that Clark just brought me home from detox and I have “worked through” my small breast issues with extensive counseling but I’m not sure that we’re going to be able to survive the trauma of knowing that we’ll never be able to dance like Karen & Jim.

I’m pretty sure that I got married again over the weekend ~ I believe I married Bill Vancil and Bob Moore and that Bobby Rich performed the ceremonies ~ Clark doesn’t mind as long as you will share in the shopping expenses.
We are still cherishing the wonderful weekend with all of our hometown radio friends. As others have said, “I also wanted to say… “In my growing up at KSTT I vividly remember Morey phoning in his reports from the Democratic Convention in Chicago and Jim flying thru the back door and
stopping by my desk to say that Martin Luther King had been shot ~ historical moments in time during my stop at KSTT. I also remember learning to swear like a sailor because of always being sold out and having Dan & Jerry tell me that there no such thing as being sold out! I was such a
charming young woman!

Jim, Karen, Mark, Dave and all ~ many, many thanks for all of your gracious efforts in bringing back our youth for a short period of time ~ we laughed ’til we cried and it was just as hard saying goodbye this time as it was the last. Warm hugs to all,

Betty Kathryn Slavens Buckles Slavens Burlingame, aka,
Kaye Burlingame
San Diego, CA
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8/26/05 From: Ken Draper, KSTT PD, 1958-62

Dave, I’m sorry I will miss this Good Guy soiree, but it was simply unavoidable. Actually I hate reunions, but this IS one party I wanted to crash. I publish political newsletters, regional newspapers and arts magazines. (It’s all communications, folks.) We’re launching a new regional paper this weekend and I couldn’t escape. You received this today because I actually waited until the last minute to decide. I will let Bob Moore and Ruth represent my segment of the KSTT saga. I have nothing but fond memories of those years with Fred Epstein, Ruth, Bob Moore, Mark Stevens, Ed Hider, Gordon Van, George Stevenson and the other incredibly talented and creative people who helped start the evolution turned revolution.

As some one of you noted earlier, it was, over all of its many wonderful years, a truly magical experience. I was always impressed by the quality of talent that KSTT attracted. The talent level always exceeded the size of the market. As this gathering demonstrates. Ask Bob to tell you about Big Red on the water, Big Red in the air and Big Red Unit 7 … because we believe listeners would think we had a ton of mobile units. Only Fred could work out a deal like that. Ask Ruth about the earliest days when there was only one studio. No recording studio. We had to produce and tape spots, promos, intros, contests during “down” time and forward them to the transmitter so we could begin to add production values to the sound of the station. KSTT was a career starter and a fun run. Please remember me to those who make the party, thank those of you who put this thing together and… save me some pix for the scrapbook.

Ken Draper
Los Angeles, CA

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09/05/05 From: Clark Anthony, KSTT Air Personality, 1963-69

When Steven Colbert’ moves to his own program this fall on Comedy Central, I nominate Bob Moore to take over as “Chief Correspondent” on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.

Clark Anthony

Madison, WI and Marana, AZ_____________________________________________________________
09/05/05 From: Bill Vancil, KSTT Program Director, 1963-1968
The 60s! What a marvelous time to be in radio and what a great time to be at “Someplace Special”! When I look back on my 40+ years in broadcasting, I treasure the time at KSTT as the most fun, the most open to creativity, the most meaningful years of all. It will never be that way again. But, then it won’t really ever go away. Legendary radio stations never die, they just fade…in and out of our hearts.

Bill Vancil
Madison, WI (and Marana, AZ)
_____________________________________________________________

6/16/10: From: Don Hazen – a man with memory disorder
I just want all you “Good Guys” to know that you played a huge part in my youth/teen years! For some odd reason God has granted me (almost) total recall back to those years! It seems like it was just yesterday that my Mom was calling Mark Stevens at the station to scream at him for “cutting off” the song “Mission Bell” by Donnie Brooks! This would have been in the early 60s…I was born in 1949, so I would have only been 11. I used to come home from school and hit the radio dial on my General Electric table model and

I only had to change the volume knob, because the channel STAYED on KSTT!
I remember Lou Guttenberger, he had a great sense of humor and a distinct voice. I also remember that darned,intruding sound that came in to segway into the news at precisely 55: minutes after the hour. For years I thought that was how “Walk Don’t Run” by the Ventures actually ended!

On weekends I had to be home by midnight,if I had a date(which wasn’t very often!), and you guys played “This Boy”by the Beatles, as your signature signoff song.I turned off the radio then because there was no other station I wanted to listen to. In the quad cities(Quint-cities??) there was only a twangy country station,a station that played elevator music and you guys.The neat thing was that KSTT played ALL the Pop Music!!! Country,rock and roll,standards and instrumentals…As listeners we were automatically enrolled in Music Appreciation 101 without even knowing it! We heard every genre and learned to appreciate them! I used to pick up the TOP 30 survey whenever/wherever I could find it. What I really liked about KSTT was that no matter who the DJ was,Bobby Rich, Clark Anthony,Gordon Van,etc., you
all made it seem like there was party going on and we were invited!!

Even though we had to sit through countless commercials…it was always worth it,because we knew that the new Beatle song was right around the corner!!And once in awhile you’d play 3 SONGS IN A ROW! WOW! My whole youth was a soundtrack of 50s and 60s songs..I remember where I was and what I was doing every time I hear those old songs…and it didn’t matter if I was in my 55 Ford or my souped up 65′ Chevy Impala..you guys were there…coming right out of my cheesy echo chamber radio!!

I love thinking about those days and KSTT…my radio played through years of happy times,puppy loves,homework,and cruisin’ the one-ways downtown. I was thrilled to find this site,accidentally,as it were, and know that there’s still a lot of you out there that remember KSTT and thanks….. for all the years of companionship.

Sincerely,
Don Hazen
Class of 67

6 thoughts on “MAIL BAG

  1. I am a native Davenporter and grew up on KSTT in the 60’s. I seem to remember a DJ that went by the initials JA. Am I imagining things or am I right. I think he played on the Good Guys basketball team.

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    • His name was Jim Austin. He did a late afternoon show during the very esrly’60s. He also,worked in sales. He was not a member of the basketball team.

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  2. Growing up in Davenport, I listened to KSTT through all of my “formative” years. Okay, so I’m a bit demented but that is besides the point.
    I remember a DJ who’s “real” name was Jason Vanripper? (sp) My first wife turned me onto him.
    Anyone else remember him?
    We almost named our first son after him but ended up naming him Steven…..

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  3. What a great site indeed…curiosity drove me to look up whatever happened to KSTT? Having lived in the QC from 1963- 1974 ( summers till ’78 – college), I like others above had a connection to the station. My Mom dated Pete Hronek in ’65. I’ll never forget his powder blue / white topped convertible Mustang! Brand new……..I used to ask him if I could go out and sit in his car to ” pretend” drive it. He was a really cool guy, a real Man’s Man and a good B Ball player on the Good Guys B Ball Team. I recall going to a couple of the games.

    Secondly, I was trying to remember a DJ’s name who work Sunday nights in 76-77 or thereabouts. His real name was Lou but I believe he went by Ralph as his radio name. We struck up a friendship through a couple of other friends of mine, the Mosenfelder’s who owned the Men’s Clothing Store in downtown Rock Island.

    I’m an ex Alleman grad, My sister was Alleman Class of ’69 and she’d take me out with her girlfriends when she got her license to drive the one ways in the Summer month’s. We definitely had a Green Money Ball on the “62 Pontiac Tempest…..When I still hear “Grazin in the Grass” or “Crystal Blue Persuasion” I can’t help think of those summer evening crossing the Arsenal Bridge to drive by the Station and look into the glass window!

    Thanks for the many memories………..

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