ReelRadio-Default-01

Rick Dees, Tom Shannon, CKLW 1976, Part One (0:20:35)

The Gary Tinnes CKLW Collection
… just as nervous as a nudist climbin’ a barb-wire fence …
[Description by Gary Tinnes] Rick Dees (and his Cast of Idiots) joins Tom Shannon, Byron MacGregor and Jo Jo Shutty on CKLW in 1976. This aircheck was made after Dees left WMPS and just a few days before he returned to WHBQ in Memphis. Part 1 of this two-part aircheck was recorded between 7:00 am and 8:00 am, and features: Rick Dees voices: Elvis, Dog Man Dees, CB Sissy, and Billy Graham Byron MacGregor and Jo Jo Shutty Rick talks about the beginning of his radio career. Premier of Bad Shark Page 602 (in the Sears catalog) and the National Wet-Off Shannon talks with Dees about the disco era, his real name, conflict of interest at WMPS, and “Barely White”.

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This site is now operated by the North Carolina Broadcast History Museum. 

We want to thank the board of ReelRadio, Inc. for their stewardship since the passing of the founder Richard Irwin in 2018.  It has not been easy and they have maintained the exhibits for future generations to enjoy.

I met Richard Irwin, aka Uncle Ricky, when we were freshmen at East Carolina University.  We both had worked at local stations in our hometowns.  No one was more passionate about radio, especially Top 40 radio, than my friend Richard. 

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Richard Irwin’s hope was that his site would live on long after his passing. He said, “I hope REELRADIO will survive as my contribution to the ‘radio business’. The business is allowed to forget me, but the business should never forget the great era of radio that we celebrate here”.

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Board of NCBHP
North Carolina Broadcast History Project