| Russ' Radio History - Stations |
| Russell A. Parsley March 1992 |
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| Russ began his radio career in 1987, while still in the U.S. Air Force, with WKZQ 101.7 FM in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As Russ explains it, "One day I was filling out a work order in the Weapons Load Shop at the 355th Falcons Squadron at Myrtle Beach AFB when the phone rang. Since everyone else was on the Flight Line loading, I answered it and on the other end was a woman asking me (could've been anyone) if I had ever considered Radio Broadcasting as a career. I said, 'well yes, since you mention it. Why?' then she went on to make a pitch for a Distant Learning Broadcast School...that's when I stopped her and told her she was on a US Government Line and that any kind of solicitation was not authorized. She apologized and said, 'well thank you for your time.' I stopped her and asked her to call me at my home to continue the conversation. She agreed." After Russ' shift ended, he raced home and waited for 'The Phone Call'. The phone rang. It was the School. They talked for over an hour. After Russ realized that the school's requirements, both financial and time, were going to be very demanding on top of his already demanding military career, he decided the school was not the direction he would be able to go. That night he couldn't sleep at all. Tossing and turning about a dream he once has as an 18 year old (he was 23) to become a Radio Broadcaster, a DJ. The next day, he called a local radio station and spoke with one of the DJ's, Rockin' Rick Hudson. He ran the entire broadcast school scenario by him and told him the pros and the cons. |
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| Rick advised him to find a hole-in-the-wall radio station that would accept him into the fold to work side-by-side of the DJs to get a hands-on experience. realizing that the nearest hole-in-the-wall station was about 30 - 45 miles away, this was not an option. Russ, determined as ever, called Rick back and asked how he could work at WKZQ. Rick told Russ to contact the Program Director, Johnny D. He did. Well, he tried for 2 weeks and finally got a response. Johnny D told Russ to come in on his shift on Saturday from 10am - 2pm. Russ did. When he arrived, Johnny D led him into the control room where there were 45 RPM & 33 RPM records in cubby files on the wall and Commercial Carts in racks. Russ was in total awe. Johnny and Russ talked for hours while Russ observed Johnny's on-air performance. At 1:45pm, Russ was surprised at how fast time went by and said he had to go. Johnny held out his hand and said, "Russ, I look forward to working with you. Come back midweek and we'll talk about what you can do for us around the station." Needless to say, Russ was in seventh heaven. Russ started by filing new music, taking out the trash and vaccuming the Jocks Lounge. In trade, Johnny D allowed Russ to use the production room to work on his voice presentation and submit a tape weekly to him for evaluation. About 3 months later, while Russ was practicing in the production room, Johnny poked his head in and asked Russ, "what'cha doin' Friday night?" Russ replied, "I'll be at home with Lynette and Ryan, why?" Johnny asked, "Sure you wouldn't rather be here...on the air?" By now Russ was in shock and didn't know what to say or how to respond. But then he said, "No, I better not, I'm not ready." To which Jonny replied, "you're as ready as you're going to be...if you don't show up on Friday night, don't bother coming back." Well, as you probably guessed, Russ did show up for his very first night on the air, and he did a pretty good job of it. Russ went on to become a permanent member of the Weekend On-Air Staff and promotions team and performed a number of remotes with Johnny's guidance, trust and blessing. One day, as it was growing apparent that Russ would soon be reassigned or leaving the Air Force altogether, he was in speaking with Johnny and asked, "Johnny, why is it that you ever gave me a shot and the time of day when it came to improving my skills? I mean, I'm just an Air Force guy with a dream and have really nothing to offer you in return." Johnny replied, "You have a drive and a desire that not many have and one day I may come to you looking for a job and I wouldn't want to be the one that didn't give you your shot." The rest, as they say, is History. Russ soon left Myrtle Beach and the Air Force in 1990 to return to California. Johnny D went on to become an Atlantic Records Rep, Rockin' Rick Hudson moved to Southern California to take advantage of the Real Estate boom taking place. A few other members of the staff that were influential to Russ over the 3 years he was with WKZQ, were people like Bob Scarbourough, who now owns his own Video Production company, and Banana Jack Murphy who went to Washington DC for a political gig of some kind but eventually returned to WKZQ. A. Daniel Hoffman, went on to Florida Keys radio and then on to radio in Texas. Bill Hennecy, a Legend in Sports Broadcasting in the Racing World and was the GM of WKZQ at the time Russ was there, went on to other areas of his life as well. On his return to California, Russ managed the Truckee Hotel with Lynnette and found that he missed radio very much. So he eventually went to various stations in Reno, Nevada to attempt to get on as a weekend air talent. However, by the time he had developed a number of contacts in the Reno area, he and Lynnette decided managing the Truckee Hotel was not meeting their individual goals in life, so they moved to Fresno where the majority of both of their families had located to from the Bay Area. Just after Russ' 27th birthday, he was hired by Fresno's Classic Rock Station - 95.7 The Fox. It wasn't that simple though. Apparently, Russ, through an earlier introduction to Al Grosby by Ernie Hergenroeder, Russ' Father-in-law, he was able to obtain the names and numbers of 3 or 4 program Directors in the area. The 2nd one he called on was The Fox. Mark Thomas, the station Program Director, told Russ he would need an Air Check. Russ' entire world at the time was packed up in boxes, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force, which included his Air Check tapes. He told Mark that if he needed an Air Check, then he would call Al Grosby to use the KNAX production studio to cut an air check. As soon as Mark heard this, he told Russ to come to the Fox Studio's and cut an air check instead. He did, and once reviewed by Mark, was hired for overnight's. |
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| Contact Information Russell A. Parsley P.O. Box 27211, Fresno, CA 93729 559.281.5491 email: russ@russparsley.com |