The Shotgun Tom Kelly Collection
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Shotgun Tom Kelly, who succeeded The Real Don Steele in afternoon drive at KRTH-101 in Los Angeles for 22 years, has been one of San Diego's best known radio personalities and worked at KGB, KOGO, KFMB, KBZS and KCBQ.
His career spans over 40 years and included stints at KACY Oxnard, KAFY Bakersfield, KYOS in Merced and KFRC, San Francisco. "I love playin' oldies on the radio!" said Shotgun, in his first words on KRTH, September 18, 1997. Shotgun has been honored for his work in radio as Billboard Magazine's major market Air Personality of the Year. Shotgun is also the recipient of two Emmy Awards as the host of two children's television shows, "Words-A-Poppin" and "Kids Club". "This will be the last radio job of my career!" said Shotgun when he was hired at Oldies Radio K-EARTH 101. "Once you work at a station like K-EARTH 101, you don't need to go anywhere else". Shotgun also does voiceover work for clients nationwide at Shotgun Tom Productions. In the Summer of 2010, Shotgun organized the dedication of a permanent monument to KCBQ at the station's former transmitter site. On April 30, 2013, Stevie Wonder, KRTH PD Jhani Kaye and hundreds of fans and friends gathered in Hollywood, at the corner of LaBrea and Hollywood Boulevard, to honor Shotgun Tom Kelly with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. In the category of radio, it was the 2,946th star on the Walk of Fame. Here's a special page with exhibits all about this exciting event. We are delighted and honored to feature selections from Shotgun Tom Kelly's Collection here. Visit Shotgun on the web at http://www.shotguntomkelly.com. |
radio in the country”. This Salute to San Diego Radio was aired on KCBQ-FM in July, 1993.
File it under “Fun”. Shotgun Tom Kelly offered this 1974 sample of KCBQ, San Diego.
Bobby McAllister, later to be better known as Shotgun Tom Kelly, interviews the late Wolfman Jack , in 1970 at KACY in Oxnard, prior to a local nightclub appearance. (Oxnard is a coastal community north of Los Angeles.)
“I love playin’ oldies on the radio!” said Shotgun, in his first words on KRTH, September 18, 1997. Shotgun has been honored for his work in radio as Billboard Magazine’s major market Air Personality of the Year.
It is SO GOOD to hear some current day straight-ahead fun oldies radio by a Top 40 veteran like Shotgun Tom Kelly! This short ‘check includes a great “Friday” production montage and oozes energy.
The Spirit is ALIVE in L.A!
Fred Lewis (June 19, 1929 – September 8, 2007) was a veteran broadcaster who worked for a number of radio and TV stations throughout his career. Born in Chicago, Mr. Lewis attended Roosevelt College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech arts, followed by a master’s degree in speech communication from Marquette University. He worked as a newscaster and sportscaster in Chicago, Milwaukee, Palm Beach Florida, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Texarkana, Texas, before moving to San Diego in 1961. He was a newsman at KGB during the “Boss Radio” era, and team announcer for the San Diego Gulls hockey team in the 1960s and the San Diego Rockets NBA team in the early 1970s.
Mr. Lewis had a powerful, authoritative news delivery, which became more casual for his TV appearances in later years. Beginning in 1994, he conducted interviews with prominent San Diegans on his weekly cable television show, “The Heart of San Diego”. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2002, but his TV show continued to air until August 17, 2007, when at the age of 78, he became too ill to work.
In November 2006, Fred Lewis recorded an interview with Shotgun Tom Kelly. The program was one of 653 interviews in the series, and was broadcast in December, 2006. In this interview, Lewis asks Tom about his beginnings in radio and highlights of his ongoing career. He also shows rare pictures from Shotgun Tom’s personal collection, and a short video clip of Shotgun Tom on KRTH in Los Angeles. The video and audo quality of this exhibit is excellent, and best enjoyed via broadband.
[Description by Uncle Ricky for contributor Shotgun Tom Kelly.]
Allen Denton. the host of KUSI-TV’s San Diego People, welcomed Shotgun Tom Kelly on May 26, 2013, about a month after Shotgun Tom Kelly was honored with his Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Included, clips of the ceremony featuring Stevie Wonder, clips of Shotgun on KRTH, and a classic clip of Shotgun hosting the KUSI Kids Club.
[Description by Uncle Ricky for contributor Shotgun Tom Kelly.]
This video was provided by the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and includes almost all of the presentation of the Star honoring Shotgun Tom Kelly on April 30, 2013.
It begins with Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President LeRon Gubler introducing the honoree.
KRTH Program Director Jhani Kaye and Stevie Wonder are featured before Shotgun takes the podium.
After unveiling the Star, the last 9 minutes of this video shows Shotgun, friends and family posing for a bevy of photographers.
(FRONT, L-R:) David Green, Shotgun, LeRon Gubler.
(BACK, L-R:) Stevie Wonder, Jhani Kaye
[Description by Uncle Ricky for contributor Shotgun Tom Kelly.]
John Rabe of KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, prepared this Off-Ramp report about Shotgun Tom Kelly and his Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Several of Shotgun’s cousins and a few friends are featured. Portions of remarks by Jhani Kaye and Stevie Wonder are included.
How come we like to hear these songs over and over? And who is Shotgun Jim Kelly? He’s a good old dude, man!
Prior to the unveiling of his Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, Shotgun Tom Kelly gave away replicas of his famous ranger hat, and official Star Pins commemorating the event on KRTH-FM.
This short clip, produced by Tony Pepper, features station jingles and promos with Charlie Van Dyke, and a winner.