John Hancock, Robert Murphy, Larry Sprinkle WBT Charlotte NC 2007 (0:55:59)

… I think we all know what deregulation has done to the industry …
[Description by Uncle Ricky] It was September 27, 2007 when John Hancock hosted this program with Robert Murphy and Larry Sprinkle on his nighttime radio program at 50KW WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time of this broadcast, Robert Murphy had been out of work for “nearly two years” and Larry Sprinkle was a weatherman on a Charlotte TV station. Robert Murphy In The Morning had six successful years following the dominance of Jack Gale and Jay Thomas on BIG WAYS/610 and WROQ-FM. He had another eleven years in Chicago at WKQX/Q101 in Chicago. There are excerpts from Murphy’s BIG WAYS era, including Mr. Codgers and Pass The Loot, and a lot of first-person recollections of working for station owner Stan Kaplan. As of the publication of this exhibit on October 13, 2013, John Hancock has returned to WBT, and Robert Murphy spent six months at WILV-FM in Chicago in 2011 and 2012. People who can somehow still make a living in radio are moving around all the time, so we welcome comments on the updated whereabouts of these talented performers.

Welcome to the new ReelRadio!

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. 

Our goals with this site are to preserve the exhibits and make them available free of charge for people to enjoy.  Over time, we hope to add some airchecks to the site.  This will not happen immediately.  Time and resources will determine the future of new exhibits. 

Many thanks to the web folks at the Beasley Media Group for countless hours of work.  Again thanks to the board members of ReelRadio, Inc. for their faith in us. 

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”.

We remember Richard and we thank him. If you enjoy this new site, we would appreciate a contribution. We hope you enjoy the new ReelRadio!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum