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One of the most used pieces of equipment at a radio station back then, was a hand held device called a "bulk eraser". It's job was to erase an entire reel of tape in a matter of seconds. Another one of WTMA's DJ's was a guy named "Johnny Day". Johnny was as big as a bear and had a heart twice that size. He was always there to give his 110% everyday. One Monday morning, Doctor Barnhart came by to pick up his recording of the previous Sunday, and Johnny was there to meet him. "Here's your tape Doctor Barnhart, and I've already erased it for you". Doctor Barnhart couldn't speak. It wasn't because he was thankful. You see, he had been saving all of his recordings for many years now. But Johnny didn't know this. This was the first time that I had seen a Pastor come "that" close to losing it. Eventually he composed himself and took the "erased" tape back, mumbling something under his breath. My last "Unforgettable Event" at WTMA, was at the "Patio Drive-In Restaurant".

Time just drifted by. I introduced songs, did a few commercials and read a few requests. I started feeling really relaxed. Maybe too relaxed. A great song was playing, "Just One Look" by Doris Troy. I was soaking it all in and started to lean back in the chair, unaware of the wet areas that the feet of the chair were resting on. Back I tilted. Back. Back. A little more. THEN - I violently came up against the laws of physics and my feet went flying up in the air, hitting the table. Tossing it and all the equipment up in the air. Until the chair landed flat on the steel floor deck. Now, as I looked straight up to the ceiling, I could see where all the water on the floor had been coming from. Then all of a sudden I felt something in my back. A sudden rush of - PAIN. And before I could think about it, I heard myself say, "SON-OF-A-BITCH"! I suddenly realized that I've got to get up and put everything back together. So - I get up. Replace the chair. Put the table back up. Pick up the mixer and radio and just hear a hum or some static. "I'll re-dial it to the right station in a few seconds. Where's the microphone? Oh, here it is."I pick it up and put it next to the radio and hear the familiar LOUD SQUEALING sound of - FEED BACK. The squeal tells me that the radio is still set to WTMA and that the microphone is working and I'M ON THE AIR. But did anyone hear me scream? Quickly, my brain goes into over-drive and I come up with the following. "Ok, we're gonna send out that last song to a couple of guys that I haven't seen for quite a while. I was looking at the cars in the parking area and all of a sudden, there they were, and I just yelled out their names. So guys, if you're still listening, I'm sending this next song to you - SONNY and MITCH. Here's Leslie Gore and It's My Party"...... The DJ at the station got the cue, ran with it, and started the song. Eventually the song ended and once again to cover myself, I again dedicated the next song to SONNY and MITCH. For the next few moments, I expected to see red lights flashing (police cars used red lights back then), then see a dozen police cars come flying in, ordering people to back out and leave, watching spot lights cover the booth area, dozens of police officers with guns drawn and all directed at the booth I was in.

Deputy
Doug
Randal

"there's a first time for everything..."

WTMA Control Room 1963

WTMA Production Room 1963

Johnny Day

Circular Congregational Church

Back in 1963 one of the many places in Charleston that you might find a car filled with teenagers at any time was at one of the many drive-in restaurants. One of which was the "Patio Drive-In Restaurant". It's claim to fame was that periodically, a DJ would broadcast from it's plexiglass booth, high above the parking area. There sat the DJ, talking on the air and selling whatever the "Patio" people wanted to sell that night. A DJ named Doug Randall was scheduled to be there on one particular saturday evening. The set-up was as follows. All that the DJ needed to bring was a radio to listen to, plus a few other pieces of sound equipment. The DJ would have an hourly list of the music that would be played at the radio station and between songs give out other information on the air. I had been working weekends for about 3 months and had just started working full time, when most of the schools were about to start up again. That last week of Summer would be really hectic for most drive-in restaurants, because every kid with "wheels" would be there. Doug had many years of experience in this and was about to "do me a favor". "How would you like to do the patio this weekend" he asked? He explained to me what I needed to know and said I'd even make $50. Now in 1963, you could just about make a down payment on a car with that. I was talked into it. I got the equipment from WTMA's engineer Harold Kramer and shown how to use it. I was ready. I had to be on the air by 6pm. I got there a little early - 4pm. Hooked everything up, plugged it in, tested it, and called the station. "I'm all connected up and ready to go." Everything was AOK. The booth was about 7 by 7 by 7. In it, was a folding cardboard table and a standard folding metal chair. The booth seemed to be well built, in spite of the bad weather that it had to endure for so many years. The flooring was a large piece of rusty steel decking. I walked up and down the steel stairs many times, to talk with the manager and the waitresses about what their specials were that night. The hours rolled by, I was ready, I was really jazzed up. Sitting on the folding chair, high up in the air, in the booth that was all lit-up. The radio was just loud enough so that I could hear what was going on, but far enough away from the microphone as to not give me any "feed-back" (that's the high pitched squeal you get when a microphone is too close to a speaker).

Faces from the past

You see, back in 1963, if you were to say, what I had said, ON THE AIR, that would probably be a Capital Offense.) I was waiting for someone with a bullhorn to say. "Alright....You up there......Come out..... with your hands.....Over..... Your mouth!".........But no police cars arrived. Nothing happened. Nobody said anything to me about it. So the worse part was not what happened, but what I thought might happen, plus thinking about it for the next hour. Monday at the station, Doug saids," you did a good job Saturday night". And while walking away he muttered...... "I used to know a couple guys named Sonny and Mitch too".

Me in '63

Bob Mitchell in '63

Around the corner of the radio station was the Circular Congregational Church. At that time, the Pastor was Doctor Christian Barnhart. Sometime during the week, he would sit in his office, microphone in hand, and record on a reel of tape, his fifteen minute sermon. Then after it's completion, he would walk the tape from his office to the radio station to the waiting hands of our receptionist. She would eventually place it with the Sunday Programming Schedule. My FIRST day was ON a Sunday. So that it might move more smoothly, the boss was there to give me any help if needed. While I was in the control room, the boss was in and about the production room. He could see me. I could see him. The time slowly approached when I had to announce the good Doctor Barnhart. I turned on the mic and read the announcement for the program, "At this time, WTMA presents Doctor Christian Barnhart of the Circular Congressional Church"............ Then started the tape. I actually said "Congressional" instead of "Congregational". The mistake I made wasn't even heard by my own ears. It didn't register yet. The boss slowly walked in, "What's the name of that Church again?" I looked at the card and looked at the Boss, "The..................Circular.................... Congregational Church?" .................. With a small smile on his face, he said, "that's what I thought you said... Needless to say, I've never made THAT mistake again. But it wasn't just a single mis-pronunciation that I've remembered for over forty years, but the simply fact, that no one's perfect and at that point in my life, I had a longggggg way to go. But the Circular Congressional, huh, Congregational Church Pastor, had still, another DJ situation to deal with.

click photo to hear

click photo to hear

click photo to hear

While attending High School in 1963, I had the good fortune to come in contact with"WTMA Tiger Radio DJ" - Bob Mitchell and eventually he asked if I'd like to visit the radio station. After about two weeks, I began a weekend job during the last few months of High School. The listening audience knew me as "Tiger Radio Good Guy" - Jim Diamond. After high school graduation, the part-time job became full-time.