From Dave Randall
"(I) was at WQAM under Jim Dunlap who named me Paxton Quigley in 1969. Did 7-12mid. I relieved
Rick Shaw the weekend he got canned. My first big bubble burst by radio. I was PD at
WMFJ(-AM
1450) twice. I went there to do nights in '66 from my hometown and first radio station,
WMOC in Chattanooga. Was hired by George Barber (who last I heard works for the NAB).
"Honest John" Feree was the MD. A host of others came and went rapidly. We were in the basement of the Daytona Plaza Hotel
on the beach then. I also hired Gordy McNeill who lives in
Lantana now. He was a hippie surfer kid who knew the album cuts. The program was called
STARDATE. Corky Dee was the night guy, then another kid named Long John Wade (because he was from Philly and this was his idol). When I got to
WMFJ in
'66, Bruce Bower was the night guy and General Manager,
Dick Y. Clark was the morning guy. I also worked at
WDAT(-AM
1590) in '69. I was PD when they were in the Holly Hill Country Club. GMs name was
Bill Hunter. I was terminated for putting a peace symbol on our beach billboard at the Ocean Pier."
We were a very progressive top forty. A quarter LP cuts. I programmed against WMFJ (where I had worked off and on since 1966) and against
Gerry Peterson
(Gerry Cagle) who I ended up going to Denver with in '70 to KTLK. Gerry has
just left WFUN to go to WMFJ. Coincidentally, I had exited WQAM (as Paxton Quigley) to return to Daytona Beach shortly before Gerry came. I worked with Corkey Dee
at WMFJ later went to WQAM after I left...Great guy who went to Embry-Riddle and had a commercial pilot's license. I went to
WAPE in 1971. I was working for Ted Turner, who bought
WGOW in our home town, Chattanooga. That is where I headed after my last days in Daytona.
Jack McCoy called me from WAPE in Jacksonville... then suddenly left. Then
Jay Thomas called a week later and said "Jack's gone but I want you to come anyway". I worked with Jay as his MD in Jax and Charlotte. He went to Charlotte, to
WAYS and I followed for eight months and returned to WAPE until Bill Burkett was fired and John Long came in. I worked for
WAPE for almost five years. During that time, the super staff was there - Larry Dixon,
Jay Thomas, Teddy
Bear Richards, David London, Sean Conrad, Tom Murphy, Greaseman, Scott Manning. Bill Burkett was the PD after Jay and the (one of the best I have ever worked for.)
John Long was hired in 76 and deconstructed a great spirit. I went to KUPD in Phoenix to work for Scotty Brink as his MD" Then to
KROY in Sacramento with Steve Rivers. A short stint in Nashville in the last days on
WMAK (as a pop giant). Then to Mercury and Arista as Promo Mgr in Nashville promotions before coming to Tampa to work for Bob McNeill at
Q105 in 78. I was solo mornings for two years before Scott Shannon came from off-air PD at
WPGC in DC and we developed a morning show concept called The Q-Zoo. Scott left in 84. I stayed and added new partner
Terry McKeever, then Tampa radio legend, Jack Harris for a short while
before the Power Pig arrived with a fresh, aggressive sound. I was mornings at
Q105 for 13 years and still have the record for the highest morning drive ARB numbers in Tampa Bay ratings history.
John Lander departed the first (authorized and company
owned) Q-ZOO after ten years in Houston.
I took his place at KKBQ until Gannett pulled the plug on the format eight months later. I left radio for a year and lived in the mountains of Tennessee. Then joined partners
Fred Winston and Chuck Buell in a
Chicago venture called Air Support. That business went
out of business two years later and I returned to Tampa Bay to do mornings at Infinity's
country leader, WQYK. Next stop, mornings at Entercom's U-92. I put together a team comprised of co-host Stella Riches
(a Home Shopping Network host) and Bob Marsicano as board op and producer. I left two years later shortly before Infinity bought the station. I went into beach residential real estate before Lee Abrams hired me to develop programming and
assist in launching America's first satellite radio service, XM, in Washington D.C.. After four years I left XM to return to Tampa. Forthcoming adventure to be announced.
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