WHO IS MIKE
SHANNON
AND WHAT
THE %&*!# DOES HE KNOW
ABOUT DFW
RADIO AND TV?
WHO IS MIKE
SHANNON
AND WHAT
THE %&*!# DOES HE KNOW
ABOUT DFW
RADIO AND TV?
Let's just say I probably missed my calling...I should have stayed in school longer and pursued that degree in Radio/TV/Film! I'm just a guy who probably listened to the radio a little too much in my life, expecially in the 1960s and 70s. I was very lucky to be at the receiving (or receiver) end of the last great era in broadcasting...courtesy of Gordon McLendon and KLIF/KNUS. Maybe things have changed for the worse over the last few years, but there should always be a repository or a place to learn about the history and see that, yes, things were once very different than today! I hope this site accomplishes that, and gives some long-overdue recognition to those who made radio great in North Texas.
Occasionally,
I get recognition for this website and for my little contribution to a
big industry...I've been referenced to or interviewed for The Mark Davis
Show, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, the Dallas
Observer, Radio Daily News, Radio-Info.com, The Vince Rowe Radio Showe,
The Lake Highlands Advocate Magazine, KFXR-1190, The Garland News, Jim
Rose Remembers, the Internet Movie Database, Wikipedia, The Richard Hunter
Show, The Jack E. Jett Show, Claude Hall Online, the Dallas Historical
Society and The Russ Martin Show; and provided historical information or
recorded material for KLUV-FM (Hubcap Carter tribute,) WBAP-AM, KMNY-AM
(JFK assassination recordings,) WFAA-TV (for "News 8 Daybreak,") CNN (JFK
assassination videotapes,) Apatow Productions (news anchor research for
"Anchorman" movie,) KDFW-TV (for "CT 25: Clarice Tinsley's 25th Anniversary")
XM Satellite Radio (KFJZ airchecks, jingles and bits for "60s on 6" tribute,)
Fybush.com, WakeAtlanta.com, 440.com, DallasDigest.com, Wikipedia.com,
RadioDigest.com and Gerard Productions (JFK assassination information.)
This website was noted in the "Handbook of Texas Music." In 2012,
I was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame's Hall of Honor.
.
Fortunately,
this website has put me in contact with many radio and TV notables: Russ
Bloxom, Steve Eberhart, John Puff, Ray Whitworth, Chris Huff and the late
Larry Shannon have been instrumental in the continuing success of the site
and in expanding my knowledge of the medium, and I've made countless "email
friends" over the years. A big "thank you" goes out to each one of
them for their friendship and contributions to the site, and another big
"thanks" to you, the radio enthusiast, for checking out my site!
.
.
.
.
(L) with
Patrick Duffy at the "Dallas" 30th anniversary party in 2008; (LC) with
Sheree J Wilson of "Dallas" and "Walker Texas Ranger;"
(RC) with
legendary KLIF-1190 jock Michael O'Shea in 2008; (R) Hey Romo, time to
do some laundry!
.
.
(L) with
former WFAA-TV news anchor Debbie Denmon; (C) with KXAS-TV meteorologist
David Finfrock; (R) with Paul Camfield, son of "Icky Twerp" (Bill Camfield)
.
.
(L) with
late North Texas radio legend Sam Pate in 2009; (C) getting attacked by
WFAA-TV anchors
Jeff Brady
and Macie Jepson! (R) with WBAP traffic guy Alan Barnes, 2009
.
.
(L) Mary
Ellen Keyser; Nancy Johnson of KZEW, Q-102 and KDGE; our cardboard friends
Larry and Tom, and me, 2009;
(C) Denise
Welch/"Necie Marie" of Platinum 96.7 and WFAA-TV traffic, me, and Debbie
Douglas/Alcocer of KOAI, KZPS etc, 2009;
(R) A KNTU
reunion! Ray Whitworth, Paula Walker, Andy Waldrop and me, 2008
.
.
.
(L) "Book
'em Dano!"--it's the late James MacArthur of "Hawaii Five-O," 2007;
(C) with
actor Ben Murphy, 2007; (R) with the lovely Rene Syler of CBS News, 2019
.
.
(L) with
ABC News' Charlie Gibson; (C) with George Stephanopoulos, 2008; (R) with
the late Clarence Bruyere of WFAA and with wife Margaret Brown Bruyere
of KWBC-AM;
in the background is Jo Interrante (aka Darcy Kane) of KNUS
.
(L) with
Burton Gilliam, "Blazing Saddles" star and Pace Picante Sauce spokesman
("New York City???"), 2006;
(R) with
the late Ben Laurie and with Jay Weaver, both longtime DFW radio personalities,
in 2006
.
(L) with
the late Charlie Payne, author, station owner, former KIXL jock and later
Gordon McLendon's right-hand man, 2006;
(R) with
the late Ben Laurie and with Suzie Humphreys, DFW radio legends and former
personalities at KVIL, in 2006
.
(L) with
my cohorts at WBAP traffic, Laura Houston and Monty Cook, in 2006, (R)
with WBAP morning show host Hal Jay in 2006
.
(L) with
the late "Odd Couple" and "Quincy" star Jack Klugman in 2005, (R) with
former KXAS-TV sports director Scott Murray in 2005
.
.
.
(L) with
Chuck Norris in 2004, (C) with Cowboys great Mel Renfro in 2004, (R) with
WBAP/KXAS-TV legend Bobbie Wygant in 2011
.
(L) with
the late DFW news anchor Chip Moody in 1982; (R) with Chip's wife Vikki
and daughter Tiffin in 2009
.
.
.
(L) with
the late Larry Hagman in 2001, (C) with the late Dick Clark in 1999, (R)
with the late longtime DFW newsman Dick Wheeler in 2011
..
.
(L) with
actor Bo Hopkins in 2003; (C) with Channel 5 anchor Russ Bloxom in 2001;
(R) with Ross Perot in 2006
3
.
(L) with
the Channel 4 weather team...Evan Andrews, Ron Jackson and Dan Henry in
2003;
(R) with
radio legend Jimmy Rabbit in 2002
.
.
(L) with
radio legend Ron Chapman in 2002, (C) with "Face the Nation"'s Bob Schieffer
in 2002,
(R) with
radio personality Katie Pruett in 2002
.
.
(L) with
our late family friend and wrestling legend General Skandar Akbar in 2001
(Akbar is cousin to longtime OKC radio great Dale Wehba,)
(C) with
the late country star and friend "England Dan" Seals in 1992, (R) with
actor David Selby ("Dark Shadows") in 2000
.
(L) with
the late actor and former KXOL announcer Norm Alden, 2001; (R) with actor
Tom Wilson, 2006
(Alden and
Wilson, of course, played Lou the diner owner and Biff the bully on "Back
to the Future!")
.
(L) with
Erik "Ponch" Estrada in 2005; (R) hanging out with the real "CHiPs," 2000
.
(L) with
the late Dallas Cowboys' assistant coach Joe Avezzano, 2003, (R) with Bret
Michael and Tempie Lindsey, 2003
(little
did Bret and I know that we'd both be out of jobs there soon thereafter!)
.
(L) with
Mike Love of The Beach Boys, 2003; (R) with actor and game show host Jim
MacKrell, 2006
.
(L) with
Cowboys great Drew Pearson, 2003; (C) with Danica "Winnie" McKellar; (R)
with Peter Yarrow of "Peter Paul and Mary"
.
(L) with
the late Eddie Barker and the late Murphy Martin in 2003, (R) with Bob
Davis, the late Bob Huffaker, Wes Wise and the late Alex Burton, 2003
.
(L) with
the late singer and "Touched By an Angel" star Della Reese in 2005, (R)
with Craig Allen (KLUV sportscaster) on a remote, 2003
.
.
(L) with
1984 Olympics gymnast champ Mary Lou Retton in 2006; (C) me on the WFAA-Channel
8 news set, 2003;
(R) with
Mike Selden, son of late Texas radio legend Michael Selden, 2006