Favorite WAKY DJ

[John Quincy]

Survey time: Who was your favorite WAKY DJ...and why?

[Travis]

The late Carl Burton Markert (aka The Weird Beard) whose very personality matched the call letters of WAKY. To me, he was WAKY's icon and his target audience were the kids. Weird was with WAKY from 1966 to 1971 and we lost him due to complications brought on by muscular sclerosis in November of 1995. He was only 50 years of age. There is much I can say about him, but I'll need to compose my thoughts. More later.

Several months later I received an inquiry from 1240WINN (as he is known on this board) and the following thoughts came to mind:

The late Burt "Weird Beard" Markert was my favorite. His target audience was the teens and I was one of them. Tim Tyler came before Weird and had been quite successful with teens, himself. He had a different approach, as did Coyote Calhoun, but during my teens it was the Weird Beard that captured my attention. There just wasn't anybody like him on radio.

In listening to Weird's airchecks it's surprising to me just how silly he was on the air. He could even be a bit bazaar in what he said at times and may have been one of the few that could actually get away with making those silly noises (with his voice) on the music at the end, and sometimes even at the beginning, of a song. If that's what it took for kids to relate, then he certainly had it down pat. Silly nonsense and just having fun.

Some jocks, such as Gary Burbank and Skinny Bobby Harper, did a lot of prep before a show, but the Weird Beard just got behind the mic and let whatever came to mind fly. There were plenty of mistakes, but Weird just worked them right into the show. Teens, such as myself at the time, could certainly identify with not being perfect and making mistakes and the Weird Beard was our hero.

Here's an example of Weird's sense of humor:

"I got a letter. It said, "Hey Weird." And I said, "What?" Because I always answer my mail." ---- Weird Beard, 1971

Another example can be heard at the very beginning of his last show on WAKY (November, 1971). Weird may have been known to run a bit late for the start of his show. I really don't know, but Dude Walker is an avid reader of this message board and may be able to explain. At the very beginning of his last show, Weird calls out to Johnny Randolph that, for once, he's actually on time. The joke appears to be that he has finally arrived on time for his show, but after 6 years it's the very last one. He then gives it another twist by saying, "Well... almost" which would indicate that he's not even on time for this one. Whether he was actually late, or not, that was Weird Beard's sense of humor.

Even off the air he could say things that would leave me speechless. He once remarked to me that his father had served in World War II. I said, "Really?... So did mine." And Weird said, "Yeah, but I don't think your father was on the same side as mine."

Considering that Weird's real last name was Markert, that comment has had my head spinning ever since. You never knew what to expect from Burt "Weird Beard" Markert. He is sorely missed.

Thanks to Weird's niece, Debbie Kerns, and Mike Griffin, this site has airchecks which showcase Weird's career from his very first radio job in Corydon, Indiana, to his last in Rochester, New York. It's like a mini-anthology of his entire radio career. No other jock is showcased in this way on the site (as far as airchecks go).

By the way, I seldom refer to Weird by his real name. As a teen growing up with WAKY during the early '70s he was, and will always be, the Weird Beard to me. I spent a great deal of time with him following his return to Louisville (from Rochester) and always addressed him as Weird even then. He understood and even appeared to enjoy it. MS took a terrible toll on him during that time and there is much I will never write about on this board.

A big THANKS to 1240WINN (as he is known on this board) for sending a private inquiry which led to my finally updating this post.

"I love you, Louisville. Time for me to go." ---- Weird Beard, final show of 1971

[Fred Furd]

Without a doubt, my favorite is Bill Bailey. I always made a point to listen to him, even if I had something else to do. Coming in second would be Gary Burbank.

[bruiser]

Some of my favorites were: Jack Sanders, Bill Bailey, Bobby Harper, and Gary Burbank.

[John Quincy]

What? No votes for Rudy Ratfink?

[Max]

Hands down, for me, it has to be Bill Bailey. Why? He made me laugh and kept me company the days I was sick in bed, and when you're a kid with allergies, that was ALOT! And when I went to school, I took my little green Zenith AM transistor radio. Clearly holding down second was Coyote Calhoun, who served as my company while I did my homework!!

[Mike Griffin]

Bill Bailey, I grew up listening to him on WKLO. He left for WLS and I went to college at Purdue. WLS had a strong signal in West Lafayette, IN. He came back to Louisville, I dropped out of college (though not for that reason) came home and listened to him on WAKY. He was just good.

Next comes Mason Dixon. Something about that name on a Louisville, Ky radio station and talk shows dealing with Astrology and occult stuff, cool.

[Recordhead]

Bailey - Even though he NEVER played "Popcorn" by Hot Butter when I called to request it. Almost daily.

[TRAVELINDAVE2]

I'll will agree Bill Bailey was one of the best ,but Jack Petrey had a good radio voice. I wonder what ever happened to him?

[Wacky for WAKY]

Jack has a video production company in Lexington, KY.

[GilHerbigJr]

Johnny Randolph would have to be my favorite as for as Waky jocks go.

[WillNich]

Gotta be the Duke. All of WAKY's DJ's were at the top, but there's no one to compare with the Duke of Louisville, Bill Bailey. Fondest memory: Bill used to play "Duke of Earl" on the radio in the morning. At our home, you listened to WAKY before school, or nothing, so my dad had to listen along. After awhile, my dad got so sick of hearing "Duke of Earl" that I thought he was going to throw the radio out the window! One of this favorite expressions was "Golly! You call that music?" I think my dad secretly liked Bill Bailey, but he sure didn't like the "Duke of Earl"!

[MadJokerofPRP]

That's easy for me...Coyote. Sunday nights with graphitti were the best. His intros to songs were outrageous.

[buster]

This was an easy for me-----I was in charge of Waggener's homecoming activities in the early 70's----Wierd Beard agreed to come and ride in the homecoming parade ---all the kids were wild---I stilll have pictures of him riding in a convertible around the football field.

[Bruce Buren]

Jack Sanders. I never knew what happended to him & am sorry to hear he died quite young. He had a great sense of humor, much like Terry Meiners today on WHAS. I used to listen to "Jumping Jack" when I got home from school. And i really dug his theme song, "Scorpion"

[durangomom]

Did one of the DJ's have a son that drowned? I think the son's name was Scotty, but I can't remember the DJ.

[bruiser]

durangomom said:

Did one of the DJ's have a son that drowned? I think the son's name was Scotty, but I can't remember the DJ.

Weird Beard's son drowned.

[sc]

Yeah at the Crescent Hill Res. . Terrible time for the Beard.

Hey I'm still trying to find someone that remembers WAKYs gig at the Bardstown Road Showcase Cinema where they gave a free showing of "True grit" and handed out 45s of Glen Campbells "Where's the playgroung suzie" if anyone remembers (or was there), please respond at "Do you remember 2"

Thanks
Scarr2

[sc]

Correction

"Does anyone remember 2"

[Young Daniel King]

admin said:

What? No votes for Rudy Ratfink?

John: In the early 60s..before Rudy on WAKY was "SAM SEEBERG"..yeah..just like the jukebox.