Johnny Randolph Returns To WAKY

[John Quincy]

Legendary 790 WAKY PD and DJ Johnny Randolph has joined the new WAKY 103.5. Today is his first day. He's doing PM drive. It is my understanding that he will be a jock only; AM driver Les Cook will remain WAKY 103.5's Program Director.

Anybody hear hiis first show?

[bruiser]

I listened to his show for some time yesterday. It's not the same as his real WAKY days.

[Max]

On the way home today, I snuck a peak just as he was doing a break...didn't sound like his voice was at the same level as the music and jingles, which probably means it's voice tracked. Unless he moved up here, he probably does it from down Danville way and e-mails or ftp's it up here, similar to Gary Burbank doing the Cincy PM drive from Florida (of course he could commute, but I doubt it). Of course, it was just less than a minute, so it's probably not a fair shake.

[mikegriffin]

My favorite Randolph airchecks were from his time at WKLO when he sounded so young and inexperienced but so energetic.

I'll say this again, get some hot young women calling the request lines -- that will put JR and everyone else at the new WAKY into top form.

...Everyone one of them knew that as time went by they'd get a little bit older and a little bit slower... Number nine, number nine number nine, number nine... --The Beatles Revolution #9

[Travis]

Most of us do not sound as we did 35 or 40 years ago, and I took note of the changes in Randolph's voice when I first heard John Quincy's "WAKY Remembered" in 2003. Still, he is the man, the legend and the guy who took away my key to WAKY's back door in 1972 (Uh, just nevermind).

Big "R" probably just needs a station engineer to fight with at the new WAKY. Give him time and he will have the audio compression cranked to at least 30 db and everything, and everyone will sound hot once again. However, if he's doing his show via voice tracking from Danville, this probably won't happen. Then again... he may have already acquired keys to the transmitter and may be tweaking even as I type.

Mike Griffin's suggestions should be considered as well and it wouldn't hurt if WRKA were to acquire the WKLO call letters and start the old radio rivalry all over again. Both stations would probably make national headlines if that were to happen. Can you even imagine this happening after all these years?

Still, it's good to hear that Johnny Randolph is once again doing an afternoon show on WAKY. He had wanted the original WAKY to go FM during the mid to late 1970s and it's only fitting that he be a part of it after all these years. Of course, I would prefer to hear him doing his show LIVE, but whether he's at the WAKY studios or in Danville, I'm sure he will remind us all that "no matter where you go- there you are."

Go Big "R"!! Woo-Hoo!!

And now, do we have any wrestlers on this board? (Uh, just nevermind)

[bruiser]

He needs to do some more ring announcing.

Don't worry Johnny, the Sheik passed away.

[GilHerbigJr]

I just want to say a Big AMEN to what Travis said!!!
And that would be the smart thing for RKA to do...Some mighty big shoes to fill, though!

[Max]

I agree wholeheartedly with both Gil and Travis...it is doable, folks! There are still a handful of KLO jocks still in the area. Now if they were willing, that would be another thing. Gary (Major) is pretty involved with WJIE, especially the shortwave side, we would have to get Jackson (Smith) to lay down the drill for a few , but there are a handful of 'em who I would think would lend a hand, even if it's just liners and voice tracks, to make that work.

Yes, I would say WASE's staff laid down the gauntlet and have announced all out war with this move. I'm not sure WKLO wouldn't just win this one, though...

[John Quincy]

Well, you'd have to get the exisiting WKLO call letters away from the station in Indiana, but if the price is right (like they evidently were for the WAKY calls) it could be done.

I doubt that will happen anytime soon though, as WRKA is still doing decent in the ratings and they have a lot of positive equity in the 'RKA calls. It wouldn't benefit them to get new calls as much as it benefited WASE to get the WAKY calls.

Still, it might be nice for WRKA to test the waters with a "WKLO Wayback Weekend" since it's unlikely they'll be doing any WAKY tribute weekends in the near future. :-)

[mmcwill]

For the uninformed ... what's the story behind the wrestler?

Mike

[bruiser]

When JR was at WAKY, he was also the ring announcer for the Tuesday night matches at Louisville Gardens. One night, he didn't give the Sheik a proper introduction, and the Sheik manhandled JR and ran him out of the building.

[dudewalker1]

If anyone deserves to be on a station with the call letters WAKY, it's Johnny Randolph. I wish him well. He is one of my favorite people in the whole world and working for him was a shear delight. You go Johhny. Best of luck. Wish I could hear you here in Memphis.
Dude Walker

[Scott Cason]

Don't be silly Travis, you don't need to go to the transmitter to adjust the Optimod anymore. Processors have ethernet interfaces these days, you can adjust them over the network!

[Travis]

Johnny Randolph's photo now appears with a brief bio on WAKY1035's website (under WAKY Warriors). The spelling of his name needs to be corrected, but I'm certain that Les Cook will see this message and just flat out take care of business.

I recently heard a recording of Randolph's first show on the new WAKY (don't ask) and as the show progressed, and Johnny became more & more comfortable in his new position, he began to sound very much as he had on the original WAKY some 35 years ago. It was rather uncanny.

Go Big "R"

"Here's Neil SadaKEE on WAKEE! Dare I say, By-CracKEE?"
—- Johnny Randolph

[lcook]

Hey Trav, You heard it! That is an exact quote from the aircheck. And I gotta tell ya, it is uncanny to hear him on the air with those jx and music from back in the day. I find myself rivited to the radio just to hear what he's gonna say next, just like it was 1969 again! He just keeps getting better all the time, here's one...commin' outta the Beatles "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" he makes a crack about "sometimes you've got to love your hide away!" Brilliant stuff just like back in the day. Hope you get back up here one of these days so you can hear more.

[bpflederer]

Les, for those of us from the Mighty 790 days, who do not live in the metro area or even near Big Lou, how about streaming the audio? I believe this was mentioned on the WAKY 103.5 site. Any updates?

[Travis]

Actually, Johnny Randolph said, "Do I dare say By-Crackee" rather than "Dare I say By-Crackee."

As I get older, my memory is beginning to slip. And since I live at my job and do the majority of my posts from work (which is why the timestamps are so late) I'm very distracted.

I may be in the Louisville area in August. If so, I will be paying a visit to the new WAKY 103.5. Tell Johnny I'll actually check in with the receptionist, rather than use a key to enter a back door. ;D

[Max]

I noticed their website listed him at one time as Johnny Randolf. Now they don't list him as anybody ...or maybe that's because we all know who JR is anyway .

[bruiser]

I heard one of their jocks says we have plenty of WAKY oldies and Johnny Randolph too. I thought that was funny.

[Travis]

I remember seeing the "Randolf" spelling as well and just assumed that the webmaster was probably 19 to 25 years of age and had never heard of John Randolph Aspenleiter.

If so, it's a good thing he/she didn't have to spell that.