I came back from WVAM in Altoona to do mornings at WKYG in 1972. After six weeks on the air with the format change to modern country, we took an ARBITRON since Parkersburg was a non-rated market in those days. Don't let that fool you! Parkersburg has sixteen radio stations in a town of about fifty thousand people and everybody was good and is good! It's the bloodiest market in the world as far as I know.
Under the program directing of John Potts, we scored a 52% in mornings and had fifty shares across the board 24-7! That resulted in me being selected that year as one of thirty-six morning hosts to go into the hall of fame at the Mister Deejay Hall of Fame in Opreyland Park in Nashville.
The next year, the Cumberland River flooded the park and the Hall of Fame was washed away and never rebuilt. So much for fame! They sell film and trinkets in that building now...but I did get to share the honor as it happened as I broadcast from the Deejay Booth at Opreyland and got to share the honor with my hometown listeners. That meant a lot more to me than my name engraved on a wall in Nashville.
Sometimes it happens in the most unexpected ways and most unexpected times...some middle aged woman will walk up to me after hearing my voice and say "You're Ralph..." and I will turn and say..."Do I know you?" and before I can react she will just hug me...and then tell me the story...of how my career on the radio affected her...when she was having such a hard time in life...I was there...on the radio...in the mornings...helping her hang on to another day...
My God...I never knew...how deeply personal...radio personalities are...to people...this has happened to me countless times through the years...and they always make me cry...what a priviledged path I have walked...how blessed I've been to have spent a part of my life in the Sun...how deeply thankful...that no matter what "hall of fame" of no consequence I might be or not be in...I live in someone's heart...who only knew me through the magic of radio...
That simply moves me to tears with the profoundness of it...I am so...honored...in so many ways...and now after I've hung up the earphones for the very last time, and reflect upon forty years on air and in management...in radio and television...I am so very humbled...thankful...saddened...appreciative...and just moved to tears...
From my very heart and soul...thank you...all who have listened to my voice...know that I've loved you too...
