> > Robert, was the song released in 1976 or 1977?
> >
> > Sometime during that period, I played "Saturday Night" on
> > 930 WKY in Oklahoma City.
> >
> > One aside, many people around the nation think the old
> 1520
> > KOMA was the kingfish in OKC.
> >
> > Simply not so.
> >
> > A Denver FM jock once told a friend of mine at WKY, "The
> > only way KOMA would EVER beat WKY was if WKY signed off."
> >
> > Danny Williams had nearly 90 plus shares in his prime in
> > morning drive at WKY.
> >
> > Even on Saturday nights in the mid 1970s, as FM was
> becoming
> > the new music medium, WKY ruled the roost.
> >
> > In April/May 1975, among teens, WKY had a 24.4 share. My
> > closest top 40 competitor on FM was KOFM ... with a 2.4
> > share.
>
> Its a shame about WKY - it just switched to a Mexican format
> a couple of weeks ago after floundering with talk for
> several years. After Williams left in 1981 (for a local
> daytime TV show, then to KEBC and then KOMA) the station was
> never the same.
>
> As for "Saturday Night" - the group had already released
> several singles on Bell Records in the USA 1973-4 with
> little success. "Saturday Night" was already released as an
> album track in the UK. But when Clive Davis took over Bell
> and renamed it Arista he chose it as the group's first
> single on the new label in 1975...
Billy is so knowledgeable about Texas and Oklahoma radio.
Ironically, 930 WKY is headed down almost exactly the same path as the old 930 KHJ in LA. Both 5,000 watts -- legendary stations.
Danny Williams continues to be to Oklahoma City radio what Ron Chapman was to Dallas radio.
Ron had a great career obviously.
However, Chapman never approached the longevity nor the success in both radio and television that Danny has had.
And, few people know how successful Danny has been.
Danny began in 1947 introducing big bands at the Skirvin Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City.
He was WKY's first program director when it converted to top 40 in 1955.
Some of the people that have worked with and for Danny: Fred Hendrickson, who is the night personality on KOMA-FM and a teen personality and idol on WKY beginning at age 16 on WKY in 1968.
Ronnie Kaye, the best air personality in the nation on KOMA-FM. Drive to Oklahoma City and listen to a master starting at noon. Billy will agree.
Others: Jimmy O'Neill, ABC's "Shindig", KRLA, KFWB and many other LA stations; Kevin Metheny (WNBC, KFRC); Howard Clark (KFRC); Steve Goddard (WFAA, KCBQ); Scotty Brink (WLS, WCFL, KJR, etc.); Chuck Dunaway (KLIF, WABC, etc.); Ernest Istook, a news anchor at WKY and now a congressman and running for Oklahoma governor; and many others.
He was 3-D Danny on television in the 1950s. Sylvester Weaver wanted the program aired on the NBC television network but as I understand it, Weaver (the father of Signorney Weaver) was dismissed as head of NBC before the deal could be done.
He hosted "Dannysday" at noon for years. Mary Hart got her start there as one of his co-hosts.
Seven decades on television and radio.
He still does a morning show despite numerous physical problems on KOMA-FM which I believe is the premier oldies station in the country.
Check his website:
http://www.dddynamo.com/www.komaradio.comDanny and Hal Mayfield were the best program directors I ever worked for. As I stated once, both gave me complete freedom.
Danny gave me a start, and Hal gave me a second chance.
Hal is one of my best friends. He is like a father to me although he looks less than 60 years old. I believe Hal started in radio the same year as Danny.
Hal can tell you stories about live television that are unbelievable. Once a camera boom crashed through a windshield of a car he was sitting in while doing a live spot. I would love to see a kinescope of that.
And, John McCarty, who manages TrafficPulse in Dallas, is one of the nicest, kindest men I ever worked for. A great manager and an even better friend.
For years, I searched for a job in radio. John Wolf, who does an incredible job as morning AND afternoon traffic anchor on KRLD, has always encouraged me ... and helped me.
Sorry to ramble ...
Just a rambling man ... a traveling man who's made a lot of stops ...
Tony
______________
Tony Lyndell Williams
