WHAS Radio

Jack Fox interviews Hugh Barr, the former program director of the WHAS. Jack Fox is also joined by Jerry David Melloy and Wayne Perkey. Barr discusses his role in the radio station, focusing on his success in the coordination of coverage of the 1974 tornado, and the development of WHAS radio department, which they eventually dubbed “the cuddly giant”. He also focuses on how he helped return the WHAS to its “golden age”. They also reflect on the camaraderie that developed among the staff members at the station.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1969-1980. Mr. Bastin talks about his early days as a news writer, Paul Clark, and the Bingham standards of quality. Bastin became the News Director of WHAS Radio in 1972. Recalls coverage of Aoril 3, 1974 tornado, school desegregation, and snow storms. Discusses the transition of FM-WHAS from an all news format to the country format of WAMZ.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1964-1997. Baysinger recalls his first day of work, the Bingham family, and describes the design of studios and the duties of the job.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1959-1984 and 2000-2012. Baysinger talks of his experinces with WHAS under the Bingham's ownership and then later of Clear Channel. Describes meeting Louis Coleman Jr. and getting his assistance in providing equal opportunity employment for the station.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1976-1980. Burbank describes his experiences being an rock & roll DJ, how and why he left, as well as the people he worked with and characters used on his program "Snow Sharks."

Elsie Deutsch spends much of this interview talking about the impact of WHAS on the farming community in and around Kentucky. Elsie is joined by her son and daughter-in-law in this interview. Elsie starts the interview by discussing where she grew up, fern creek, and the impact her family had on the community. To start the discussion about radio, Elsie is asked who she listened to while working on the farm. She names some popular ‘disk jockeys’ like; Jim Walton, Randy Atcher, and Tom Brooks. Sandy, Elsie’s daughter-in-law, explains how she knew Eadie Bingham, Berry Bingham’s second wife. Finally, the family discusses the WHAS coverage of the 1974 tornado, and how it helped the community.

Joe Donovan starts the interview by talking about his first job in radio, at KLOV in Loveland, Colorado. Donovan later left KLOV and started working at KOA in 1968. Donovan then discusses how he came to be hired at WHAS by Hugh Barr in 1977. Donovan discusses his relationship with his coworkers, like Jack Fox and Larry Baysinger, and his relationship with the Bingham family. Throughout the interview; Donovan discusses his massive record collection, and his shows, Rock and Roll Revival and Cruising.

Elliott recounts his time at WHAS radio.

Skip Essick starts by discussing his first job in radio in Lima, Ohio, during the late 1960’s. Essick then discusses how he got the job of program director at the WHAS in 1989 after the position was left open by Denny Nugents departure from WHAS. Essick talks about the friends he made at the WHAS during his six year stay, like Mark Thomas, Charlie Strickand, and Bob Sheer. Essick finishes the interview by recounting his various passions at WHAS, from the engineering department to the sports department.

Neta Evans starts the the interview by explaining how she first got involved with the Courier-Journal in 1963 by working as a secretary to Bingham Jr. Evans explains that after the Courier-Journal was sold in 1963, she went to work as a personal assistant to Bingham Jr. Throughout the interview, Evans talks about her contact with the WHAS staff, specifically Milton Metz and Brench Boden. Evans spend the remainder of the interview discussing the aftermath of the death of Worth Bingham, and the large amount of contact she had with the WHAS afterwards, until its sale.

Jack Fox starts the interview by explaining how he got interested in radio, first joining WMCW in 1960. After a few years of moving around different stations, Fox joined WHAS in 1973 as an announcer. Early in the interview, Fox takes time to remember the announcers who worked when he joined, announcers such as Wayne Perkey, Milton Metz, Jerry David Malloy, and Jeff Douglas. Throughout the interview, Fox reminisces on how different the programming of WHAS was when he was employed there. In the later parts of the interview, Fox also speaks a little about the Bingham family, and the sale of the station to Clear Channel.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1990-2001. Kirkland was the youngest employee hired at the station. His career moved from being the weekend board operator to Assistant Director of Operations for WHAS. He discusses Clear Channel's merger with Jacor.

Terry Meiners sheds light about his time spent in broadcasting in this interview. Meiners first discusses how he got into broadcasting, in Lexington. Meiners then discusses his legal troubles when he transitioned to QMF from WLRS in 1983. Meiners then talks about joining up with the WHAS in 1985. Finally, Meiners recounts how the Clear Channel ownership changed the WHAS. Throughout the interview, Meiners discusses the variety of characters he created for his various skits.

Jerry Melloy starts the interview by explaining how he got interested in radio, before pivoting over to his joining of the WHAS in 1966 as a staff announcer after he was hired by George Walsh, and Sam Gifford. Melloy spends much of the interview discussing the various different people he worked with, people such as Van Vance, Harold DeArmond, and Jim Walton. Later on in the interview, Melloy discusses the Jeff Douglas’ tragic suicide, and its effects on the station. In the final part of the interview, Melloy recounts how the WHAS gained its own identity, separate from the T.V. station, remembering fondly how many called it the, ‘Sleeping Giant.’

Milton Metz starts the interview by discussing the early days of the WHAS, which he joined in 1946. Metz then talks about the early philosophy of the WHAS and the Bingham family, which was focused on enriching the community, instead of profit. Metz also talks about the early members of the WHAS, including Tom Brookes, George Walsh, and Pete Disney. Metz spends much of the interview recounting the programs that he used to be involved in, including ones like ‘Kentucky Calls America’, ‘Ask the Mayor’, and ‘Omelet.’

Denny Nugent talks about his time spent in the WHAS in this interview. Denny Nugent discusses how he became a program director at the WHAS in 1983. Nugent also reminisces on the many coworkers that worked with him in the station. People such as Wayne Perky, Hugh Barr, Bill Cody, Mike Crusham, and Van Vance. Finally, Nugent discusses how he helped develop the station with his technical skills and ability to utilize his personal and their skills.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky.

John Polk worked with the WHAS starting in 1976. John Polk first starts by discussing his employment at radio stations like WBKY, WASTM, WIDC, NAP, before starting his employment at HAS. John discusses how he first started in the WHAS, subbing for people like Wayne Perky, Jack Fox, and Barney Arnold. John Polk discusses the creativity and successes of the WHAS, like their reporting of the 1974 tornado, or their many popular characters and skits.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1973-2013 (present), the longest tenured employee at WHAS.

Brian Rublein talks about his stints in the WHAS, from 1970-1974, and from 1980-2001. He talks about how he got his job at the WHAS in night time news, when he was hired by Bob Morse. Rublein talks about his time spent as news director, when the radio departments at WHAS were split from the T.V. departments. Rublein also speaks a little about his time spent in WAVE. Finally, Rublein talks about his relationship with the Bingham family as he reinvented the way that commercial radio did stories.

Ken Schulz started working at WHAS in 1978, and retired in 2008. Schulz initially discusses his difficulties in getting a job in his chosen specialization, meteorology. Schulz moves on to his hiring by WHAS, and his interactions with Glen Bastin and Fred Osler during the hiring process. Later on in the interview, Schulz recollects about his time spent with Wayne Perkey on Perkey’s show. In the final part of the interview, Schulz shares about his chance encounter with Barry Bingham Jr.

At the start of the interview, Ed Shadburne talks about his experience in radio before joining WHAS in 1970. Shadburne discusses how he helped with the finances of WHAS, using his prior experience to decide which shows needed to be axed. Show’s like; T-Bar-V, and Hayloft Hoedown. Throughout the interview, Shadburne recounts the various people he met in WHAS, people like; Hugh Barr, Brench Bowden, and Van Vance.

Ray Shelton starts the interview explaining how he got interested in radio, and how he had originally become a lawyer, before transitioning to HAS television broadcasting in 1950. Shelton goes into detail about the hiring process for the WHAS television, and why Paul Clark picked him to be the first announcer for the WHAS. Shelton goes into detail about what it took to pioneer television broadcasting, explaining how one of his shows, According to the Law, went on to win a silver gavel in New York.

Recounts memories of working at WHAS-Radio in Louisville, Ky. from 1966-1999. Solomon discusses his career in sales, starting the FM-WHAS classical station, going on sales calls with Barry Bingham, Jr. and the transition from the Bingham ownership to Clear Channel.

This interview starts with Charlie Strickland recalling the date that he joined WHAS (1972), and how much of his time at WHAS he spent as Chief Engineer. After a quick introduction, Strickland recounts how he got interested in radio and engineering. Strickland points to his father as one of the major reasons for his engineering passion. Later on in the interview, Strickland speaks about the purchase of WHAS by Clear Channel, and specifically speaks about the thoughts and worries of those working for WHAS at the time. Strickland also spoke a little about people who he had worked with throughout his employment at WHAS, people like Larry Baysinger, Wayne Philips, and Harry Sondheim.

Van Vance joined WHAS in 1957, working for forty-two years, he retired in 1999. Vance first explains how he got hired by WHAS as an announcer by people like Sam Gifford, Paul Clark, and George Walsh. Vance also describes what it was like to work with announcers like Jim Walton, Sam Algood, Ray Shelton, Bill Britain, Milton Metz. Later on in the interview, Vance recollects on the way that Hugh Barr modernized the WHAS. Finally, Van Vance speaks a little about those who he respected in the station, Wayne Perkey in particular.