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Post by John Quincy on May 10, 2009 2:47:36 GMT -5
Al Risen (Albert H. Risen, Jr.) has passed away. According to the online edition of the Daytona Beach News-Journal, he died in New Smyrna, Florida on April 18, 2009 at the age of 65.
Al was a DJ in Louisville and Lexington radio in the late '60s and early-to-mid '70s. He did stints at WAKY, WKLO, WINN, WKRX (now WVEZ) WXVW, and WLAP.
Former WAKY DJ and Production Director Mike Griffin remembers, "When Lee Gray worked the night shift at WKLO (68-69) Al Risen followed him. Al also did the first 'underground' show that I recall during one of the hours of the shift."
Tim Tyler, who worked at WAKY with Al, says "Al Risen was truly one of the nice guys!"
Al Risen left Louisville in the mid-70s to work at WKDA in Nashville, and later WSM, where he syndicated a country music show.
According to Jerry Kieffer, Al worked at country-formatted WELE in Ormond Beach, Florida in the '80s -- and spent the past 10 years or so working for the Post Office in Edgewater, Florida (which is just south of New Smyrna Beach).
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Post by 1240WINN on May 10, 2009 11:46:09 GMT -5
It was apparent from the one WKLO aircheck that survived, as well of my memories of him on WINN, that Al Risen just liked music--there were no boundaries. You heard country on WKLO, and on WINN Al was one of the first to embrace "outlaw" country.
One other note is that Al hosted the syndicated "Nashville Record Review" in the early 1980s.
It is unfortunate that no one was able to establish contact with Al before he passed away. He could have probably told us a lot about Louisville radio.
May he rest in peace. My condolences to his family.
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Post by John Quincy on May 11, 2009 17:21:42 GMT -5
Former WINN Program Director and DJ Moon Mullins wrote us upon hearing of Al Risen's death:
I was saddened to hear of Al’s passing. He was a tremendous talent and an on-air ringer for Lee Gray. He was my music director at WINN and had a great ear for hits, many of which he uncovered. I spoke with him in the early 90’s. At that time he was in Florida and seemed pretty happy with the smaller town lifestyle.
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Post by bruiser on May 14, 2009 18:57:17 GMT -5
RIP Al Risen.
Did he also work under the name of Jack Holiday?
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Post by bpflederer on May 15, 2009 18:38:27 GMT -5
Bruiser, No, as far as I can remember , Al Risen was always Al Risen WKLO & WAKY. I do not believe Jack Holiday worked at the Mighty 790.
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Post by bruiser on May 15, 2009 19:18:56 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain a Jack Holiday worked on air at the mighty 790 back in '67. He wrote and recorded a tune, "Doncha Wish You Could", that made the local charts. For some reason I keep thinking he and Al are one and the same.
Calling Leonard Yates.
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Post by bpflederer on May 16, 2009 8:27:43 GMT -5
Bruiser, I stand to be corrected. You are correct. Apparently I had a senior moment. I remember him now. Ole Rudy sometimes forgets.
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Post by TimTolbert on May 16, 2009 11:23:17 GMT -5
Hey, I met Jack Holiday at WAKY in the mid 60s at the Kentucky Home Life Building. I also watched Al Risen on the air at WKLO. They ARE one and the same! Al Risen also produced "Brother's Pride" records.
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Post by TimTolbert on May 16, 2009 11:39:40 GMT -5
"Jack Holiday" DID work at WAKY. See WAKY Photos Page 3.
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Post by TimTolbert on May 16, 2009 14:48:48 GMT -5
Byron Crawford on the WAKY Djs and Newspeople Page confirms that Jack Holiday is indeed Al Risen: "At one time or another during my three year stint at WAKY during the mid to late '60s, I think I did news through the window opposite Rusty Reynolds, Jim Brand, Bill Crisp, Tim Tyler, Weird Beard, John Locke, Johnny Dark, Al Risen ('Jack Holiday'), Farrell Smith, Jim Fletcher, Tom Dooley, Ken Douglas, Steve Baron, Dude Walker, Mike Smith, Mark Clark, George Williams, Buddy Kaye, Gary Burbank and Johnny Randolph -- to name most, but not in that order, of course.
I rest my case. Tim Tolbert
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Post by mikegriffin on Aug 31, 2009 1:41:44 GMT -5
Al Risen, after his WKLO days also floated around a little - showing up briefly on WKRX (now WVEZ) and WXVW (1450 I have no idea what the call is today).
I met Al at WKRX and he went through some challenges after WKLO.
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Post by bruiser on Sept 3, 2009 19:58:08 GMT -5
Al had a pretty good singing voice. If I ever hook my dubbing equipment back up, I'll make an MP3 of "Doncha Wish You Could" and send it to anyone who wants it. I'm not sure, but it sounds like Soul Inc. provides the backing instrumental.
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