“Loving and being loved” is one of the true balances in life!  It is great to be back on KOOL after several weeks in Italy and the Mediterranean.  Mary is of Sicilian ancestory, so  it was even more special to visit that beautiful culture and place of so much history.  It also helps to reaffirm how fortunate we all are to live and love in the United States of America. 

 Around here at KOOL, we are right in the heart of the many outdoor festivals and events throughout the valley.  One of my favorites will be the retrun of the KOOL Classic Car Show on Saturday, October 25th at 75th Avenue and the Loop 101 (same place as last year at the Community Church of Joy).  If you have a Classic Car, Hot Rod, Street Rod or other special car…click over to the KOOL home page and get registered..it’s only $15.00!  There will be over 52 classes with more than 160 awards…KOOL!

Now…”back to the music!”

Lee

Once upon a time, long, long ago (actually early June of 1967), I had just been promoted at WTOD Radio in Toledo, Ohio from an unpaid to a PAID employee and DJ making a whoppin’ $ 2.50 per hour.  Now that may seem like a tiny amount, and it was, but that was OK because gasoline was only 27 cents per gallon!  This reads more like a fairy tale than true life, but let’s move on.  My very first day I was assigned to perform a remote broadcast from a large department store for a ‘teen idol’ autograph party.  Since that meant 90% screaming teenage girls, I was thrilled to accept the assignment.  The featured recording artists included; Sam of Sam The Sham & The Pharrohs (Wooly Bully & Lil’ Red Ridin’ Hood), Tommy James and The Shondells (I Think We’re Alone Now & Mony Mony), Keith (Ain’t Gonna Lie and 98.6) and Billy Joe Royal (Cherry Hill Park & Down In The Boondocks). 

Well, I was excited to be out of high school and into the REAL world, so I jumped into the radio station van (yes they had vans in those days) and took off down a side road.  I had not gone 300 yards before I was caught speeding!  I tried to “con” my way out of it, but this cop was a “tuff old bird” in a tough town.  He gave me a lecture and a ticket!  Obviously he was not a fan of top 40 music (but I bet his daughter was!! LOL!!).  I pulled out slow and when he was out of sight I put the pedal to the metal !!! 

When I finally arrived at the department store in downtown Toledo, there was no place to park and I was given no parking credentials…..so, I parked right in front and unloaded the broadcast equipment assuming that  a media vehicle  would be no problem…you know, just like in the movies or on TV!   Well, I set up the broadcast and this place was jammed with a ba-zillion yelling and screaming girls (we called them “chicks” in those days, and the British called them “birds”).  I could not use the telphone to talk with the guys back at the radio station (cell phones were still reserved for comic strip cartoons) .   I could only hear out of a small transister radio (do they still make those?),  and wait for my cue.  When we went “live” on the air, the girls really screamed as the guys were introduced on a small stage. 

When it was all over, I packed up and left for the van and (you guessed it) there was a parking ticket on the windshield.  At $ 2.50 per hour wages minus the cost of two “tickets” my net gain for the day was zero and I was in the hole for about $75.00.  I remember driving home thinking that broadcasting was not really as glamorous or profitable as I had always been lead to believe!   

Fast forward to today, the girls still scream, but they have tatoos,  the money is now up to $6.50 per hour and I always obey the traffic laws.  Life is GREAT!

                                                           TWF Lee Bortel

Maria leads the ”Macarena”