Season 1, Episode 30

 

Dan Gregory

How an LA legend was "born"

Fresh out of broadcast school in Missouri, the young man was hired on his first interview with Radio Station KVMA in Magnolia, Arkansas. Not only was he hired, he was told he was going on the air! With just minutes before opening the mic, Bill Bigley and Bill Merrell asked, "Is that the name you are going to use on air?"

What was wrong with his name? He had used it all his life up until now. But suddenly, it was time to choose a "radio name". His Spanish teacher in high school had told him there was no Spanish equivalent for his first name, so she said she would call him by a similar name. His middle name rolled readily off the tongue, so it would be fine for a last name.

He cleared his throat, opened the mic switch and spoke, "Hi, I'm Dan Gregory." And so the legend began!

His given name isn't really that difficult to pronounce, though the surname is Swiss. And he doesn't really make a secret of it. But after 45 years on the air in Magnolia as Dan Gregory, he will let the cat out of the bag and publicly reveal his given name in today's episode.

I had the privilege of working with Dan during my radio days back in the late 1970s. My mentor was Ken Sibley and he and I had a morning newscast for several years that helped me overcome my natural fear of speaking in public. I also learned which buttons NOT to push during that time. 

Local radio has changed tremendously in the intervening years. Where once folks tuned in daily to hear the local news, weather forecast, school menus, hog futures, list of current hospital patients and even birthdays, now most of that information (except hospitalizations!) is available elsewhere. Meaning on the Internet! 

As the song goes, "Video killed the radio star"; so internet for the most part has killed the local radio program. Most people today have never heard of Mary K, Gladys Martin Oglesby or Margie Wagnon. Who among us is old enough to remember the commercial that began with a laugh track, then concluded with Bill Bigley intoning: "I'm not kidding! I said, 'Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway!'" That commercial ran just like that for so many years that when we switch over to the AM frequency, you can almost hear it coming over the airwaves!

Dan was the on-air voice of KVMA/KFMV for many years, serving as host of the online swap shop known as "The Friendly Show". But he really found his niche when he began sports broadcasting. The station carried one little league game each afternoon and Dan cut his teeth learning to call the sport.

But he moved on up to the big time in high school and college sports, becoming "the voice" of Panther and Mulerider sporting events. He was inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for meritorious service. Recently he was recognized at one of the SAU home games for his 40 years of broadcast experience with the Muleriders.

We had a great time reminiscing and I think some of the fun spilled over into this program. As with most "behind the scene" interviews, the best stories can't be told. But there are plenty here to keep you going. And if you listen long enough, Dan will reveal the name he was given at birth. Take a listen!