Living on Tulsa Time
If you happen to peruse my bio page on SkipShow.com, you will see under my job history, the call letters for KVOO.
Here’s a brief history lesson. Back in the 20’s, there were very few radio stations signed on in America. Most are still on the air and they are usually easy to find by their call letter designation. Older radio stations only had 3 call letters as opposed to the current 4. WSM, WGN, WSL, etc.
Out west, there were legendary call letters of a station that blanketed the Country. KVOO (the “Voice of Oklahoma”). Based in Tulsa, arguably THE oil capitol of the world, KVOO was THE center of Country music for much of the Western United States. The legendary Bob Wills used the studios of KVOO as his home base for his radio program in the height of his career.
In it’s illustrious history, KVOO has seen the legends of Country music wander it’s hallways. Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings, Kenny and Dolly, Garth, Reba, Carrie the list is endless. Truly, the path to Nashville goes straight through Route 66 and the studios of KVOO.
On September 6th, 1983, I found myself sitting in the hallowed halls of this legendary radio station, not certain what the hell to expect. I had been in radio for a grand total of 4 months and the most amazing thing I had accomplished in that time was being able to mow the lawn during my board shift on Sunday mornings.
I was there looking for a job. Any job. My brother’s friend and neighbor, Barry Bryant was a newscaster at KVOO and he called in a minor favor and got me an interview with the program director, a man named Billy Parker.
I tried so hard to look like I was comfortable in the lobby, I can still smell the carpeting and walls of that long long hallway. I can’t remember the receptionists name, but she was a lovely lady who obviously knew I was a bundle of nerves. In the eternity that was 5 minutes of waiting, she smiled politely and said “It’s okay, he won’t bite you.”
She led me down the hallway to a small, unremarkable office. I don’t expect any of you to remember this but, the room smelled of old vinyl. Long before CD’s and MP3’s, we were forced to use these barbaric things called ‘records’ for our music. In front of the desk, were rows and rows of shelves, each one stacked to the ceiling and each one stuffed with literally thousands of 45’s. Behind the desk, looking down at some sort of paperwork was a living legend. Billy Parker.
“C’mon in Buddy and have a seat.” He was a classy man, his hair silver-gray and his shirt pressed and tucked into his pressed jeans. His boots were so shiny they glowed. “Uh-oh…what am I doing here?”
He was polite, friendly and it was obvious that this was a man who had seen and done amazing things. There were pictures all over his wall of names I knew but faces I had never seen. Each one signed “To Billy.” It was awe inspiring.
The conversation was light, we talked about music, families and simple things. My eye kept wandering over his shoulder to a photograph of him, a few years younger, standing on the stage of the John Wayne Theater at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park California, holding a trophy after winning the Disc Jockey of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music. I remembered the day my brother Scott and I were at Knott’s Berry Farm. It happened to be the same night as the ACM’s. I saw Haggard, Willie, Conway and Cash. It was amazing. Next to the photograph was the trophy. “Got to get me one of those one of these days.” I thought.
During that conversation, we never talked about the job, the duties or anything like an interview. I was so completely at ease when he asked me a final question: “How old are you son?”
“I’m 22. Today.”
“Today’s your birthday?”
“Yes sir.”
“Well, I can’t NOT hire you on your birthday! Come back Friday.”
And that’s how my career in Country radio changed forever.
The first night I was on the air, a round disheveled gentleman by the name of Bob LaFiette was assigned to show me the ropes. I would be pulling 3 8-hour shifts on weekends and I would be responsible for “the Big Switch.”
Every night, KVOO would ‘power up,’ taking their daytime signal that covered a good size of Tulsa and jacking it up to a full 50,000 watts of pure broadcast flamethrower. KVOO’s signal was legendary. I will never forget the verbiage: “From the Rockies to the Ozarks and points beyond, you are listening to 50,000 watt KVOO Tulsa. It’s nine o’clock.”
I loved saying that. On one wall of the radio station was a map of the United States. It was gigantic, literally 20×20 feet. All over the map, coast to coast, were little red pins. Each pin represented a different place someone was listening to KVOO. In my short time there, I placed hundreds, probably thousands of pins on that map.
I had a regular poker game in Gallup, New Mexico that listened to my show on Sundays. I got a call from places like London and Australia from people who were just as astounded as me to hear me. It was an amazing experience.
But being young and eager I was always looking for the next opportunity. That opportunity came some 18 months after I arrived at KVOO when I was asked to take over an afternoon show at a tiny station in the middle of nowhere, Arizona.
Telling Mr. Parker I was leaving was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. He asked me a few questions, sat quietly for a moment and said; “You’ve got to do what’s best for your family. You”re going to do great. I’m sure I’ll see you down the road.” He shook my hand and I left.
What came after that was an unbelievable career that has taken me from coast to coast. From Los Angeles and San Diego, Phoenix and St. Louis, Columbus and Tampa. I have been honored by my industry and while it wasn’t the Academy of Country Music, I have pictures of me standing on the stage of the Grand Old Opry, holding a trophy. Three of them to be exact. It’s been a helluva run. And it’s not over yet.
A few months ago, I found myself wandering the halls of KVOO once again. Things had changed to say the least. The legendary station and call letters had long since moved to the FM. The building that wasn’t quite finished when I left originally was well-worn and settled and the faces of those who work there were foreign to me. Except one.
I sat in program director Luke Jensen’s office when he said, “Before you leave, Billy wanted to see you.”
“Oh my gawd…Billy’s in the building?” I knew he had long given up his daily duties running the station but being always the showman, he continued to do a program on KVOO’s sister station.
Honestly, my eyes welled when I saw him. Sure he was almost 30 years older but there’s something about that Oklahoma living, I swear he had barely aged. His eyes were still clear and steely, his smile broad and his voice booming. I was a kid again. It was amazing.
Why do I share all of this with you? Because very soon, I will be back where I started. I have accepted the position of morning show host at KVOO. Now that my bicycle ride through the hills of Virginia to honor those law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, I’m going back to Tulsa.
I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful the staff of this radio station are. They have gone out of their way to accommodate me and they have been very kind. It’s more than evident that they, along with me, see and understand the poetry of my coming ‘full-circle’ and coming back to Tulsa.
I cannot express enough my sorrow about leaving Tampa. This has been my home for a dozen years and there are people, places and things I will miss forever. While I won’t immediately be disappearing forever (my wife and girls will be holding down the fort in Lutz while I’m gone), I anxiously look forward to the next chapter in what’s been a very exciting (and fortunate) career.
It will be a change, that’s for sure. For the first time in over a decade, I will be without my sidemen, Braden and Lester. The economy being the way it is, hiring a full show is improbable, if not impossible. And that saddens me a great deal. They are my brothers and I feel a bit lost without them. And I have come to depend on Melissa, I just hope I can make her proud! I will be joining a lovely lady whom I have known since one of her first radio jobs in Bartow, Miss Sunny Leigh. She is a wonderful warm person, a mom and an active member of both the Country music and Tulsa community.
If I took the time here to mention everyone and everything that has touched me and my family over the past decade plus, I would no doubt break down. I’ve had several over the past few weeks. So suffice it to say that I love you all and miss you already.
But hey, you are not rid of me! You can listen everyday to the Skip Mahaffey Morning Show featuring Sunny Leigh on the web on www.KVOO.com in a few weeks. You can also stay in touch through FaceBook and SkipShow.com!
Don’t forget, my email address is still Skip@Skipshow.com. For years, we’ve shared personal triumphs, tragedies, births, weddings and everything else imaginable and I don’t want to lose that. Please make sure you let me know you’re still there!
And if you ever find yourself headed west on Route 66, give me a call…I’ll have coffee waiting for you.
Be Brilliant!
S-
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