The Pat Patterson Collection

Pat Patterson  The Very Formal Pat Patterson

Pat and David Thompson, N.C. State Basketball, 1974
Pat and David Thompson, N.C. State Basketball, 1974

Quarterback Pat
Pat Patterson as Quarterback for the 1974 NC State Freshmen team

Willie Mosconi and Pat
Billiards champ Willie Mosconi with Pat Patterson, 1977

KIX Kagers
The KIX Kagers, 1972. Pat Patterson, lower left, Rick Dees, lower right

 Pat Patterson is remembered as the very funny morning host and very successful Program Director at Top-40 Legend WKIX in Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1969 to 1974.

Pat's long career began when he worked his way through school at a local AM station and graduated from Kansas State in 1958. His early experience included brief stops at WGR/Buffalo, WPTR/Albany, WPRO & WICE/Providence, and WCOP/Boston. Following WKIX, Pat left Raleigh twice - once for WHDH/Boston and again for KULF/Houston, just in time to have the station "sold out from under him - the fifth time that happened", according to Patterson.

He also worked at at WQDR-FM/Raleigh from 1977 to 1982, and returned to WKIX for their Cool Gold revival from 1988 to 1990. Patterson hosted a talk show from 1990-1997 on WDNC/Raleigh and most recently has worked there and at sister station WCHL/Chapel Hill, in Sales.

Pat earned four Billboard awards during his time in Raleigh for Best Morning Personality in a Medium Market and Best A.M. Personality in a Major Market. He released two rock 'n' roll singles (which did nothing) and while in Raleigh, he recorded three comedy albums, most of them featuring bits from his show. "At least I got my money back," says Pat.

Pat in Hot Air Balloon
Pat (see arrow) narrowly avoids air disaster

Pat's Publicity Stunts during the WKIX years included four hot air balloon rides, with the last one ending in a crash landing. "But I did get my champagne!" Pat says. "I also wrestled Victor the Bear, a dumb idea that lasted 30 seconds. I quarterbacked the N.C. State Freshman team and later the Alumni Teams as 'Celebrity QB'. Four plays each game and I damn nearly got killed."

"The biggest fun thing at 'KIX was organizing and coaching the KIX Kagers basketball team. We played 35-40 high school faculties a year and raised over $80,000. I averaged 25 points a game and never played in high school!"

Pat Patterson passed away in January, 2017.

The Repository thanks Pat Patterson for sharing!

Pat Patterson: Off the Top of His Head, 1973 (0:14:18)

… Is this a good time to rattle the sabre of sobriety and moral rectitude? …
These are selections from Pat Patterson’s first comedy album: Off The Top Of His Head. Featured: Sales Tips for Salesmen, Fundermotz Airlines School, Hard-Hitting Editorial, Two Flags Over Fuquay, Sports Forum of the Air, Fundermotz Hotel: Boom-Boom Room, Uncle Pat Teenage Advice, Billy Jack Overmire. George Williams, National Program Director for Southern Broadcasting in 1973, is quoted on the back of the album: “How many disc jockeys have you heard on radio that you would consider bright, funny, and original day after day? After fifteen years in the business and 100,000 miles of travel a year, I could probably name five, one of the best you’ll hear on this album. After hearing it, I’m sure you’ll agree with all of Eastern North Carolina that Pat Patterson is unique in a radio world filled with predictable success.”

Pat Patterson, WKIX Raleigh 1973 (0:15:21)

… singin’ about all that vivacious and scurrilous material he learned in higher education …
Pat Patterson accepts a Billboard Award from Don Imus Pat Patterson’s dry wit and orginal comedy highlight this 1973 aircheck from WKIX. Pat’s bits were always delivered straight, and unless you listened carefully, it was sometimes difficult to tell whether he was kidding, or not! And his deliberate, seemingly annoyed pauses when something supposedly goes wrong are pure Patterson, too. Fortunately, there was never any confusion regarding Johnny Dollar (here reading from The Taming of the Shrew), (we hope!) but we wouldn’t be surprised if a few less-studious students at N.C. State sometimes used Uncle Zeb’s Miracle Liniment, even without a specific recommendation from Dr. Patterson.
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Pat Patterson, WKIX Raleigh 1989 (0:10:12)

… Friends, if you can’t afford good apartment living, you’ll end up at the Pitts …

Sixteen years after the 1973 show archived here, Pat Patterson drives the morning on Cool Gold WKIX, and he’s as sharp as ever with bits tuned to the times.

This aircheck is composited from recordings in February, 1989.

Pat Patterson: Have You Heard This Man? 1975 (0:15:03)

… Boozda has been tested on some of the toughest, ruggedest mountain roads in the Carolina back woods, and has yet to be stopped by a local sheriff …

Here are three selections from Pat Patterson’s second Long-Playing Album, Have You Heard This Man, published by Fundermotz Records, in 1975, or thereabouts. Native Tarheels will quickly key in on the insider Carolina humor.

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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!

Board of NCBHP
North Carolina Broadcast History Project