Western Union Clock

“Well, the massive Western Union Clock on the bunker wall says that time’s up for this week but remember you can check me out at Jay Lawrence Radio Host on Facebook, drop me a line or make a request.

So, join us again next time. I’ll still be here in the bunker getting some more shows together FROM STATESIDE here on the UK 1940s Radio Station. Until Next Time, I’m Jay Lawrence … thanks for listening.”

I had just completed the 241st episode of FROM STATESIDE. On each program I refer to the Western Union Clock on the bunker wall of my Underground Broadcast Studio Bunker and it finally came to me that I need to clarify the reason I used that reference. 

It all started when I was given a tour of the WMBD radio studios in Peoria, Illinois when I was incredibly young. In each studio there was a Western Union Clock on the wall. 

Listening to the radio had always been a staple in my home growing up. There was the afternoon children’s programs like The Green Hornet and Spiderman to listen to when I got home from school, but the serious listening started at the supper table on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This was the time for the LONE RANGER. It was a half hour program that came on right at supper time and my sister and I would argue over who would sit closest to the radio to hear all the action. 

There were other programs listened to during the week in what we call prime time hours now, but the most important and most listened to program happened on Sunday evening. It was the Jack Benny Program. Jack Benny always had a cast of characters like Mel Banc (famous for Bugs Bunny voice), vocalist Dennis Day, Bandleader Phil Harris the announcer was Don Wilson but one of the funniest characters was Eddie ROCHESTER Anderson. Jack Benny allowed his cast to have some of the funniest lines and biggest laughs. And it seemed like they were always going to practice the radio show for the next program … it was great theater of the mind. 

And several times you would hear Jack Benny say, “The clock on the wall says we’re a little late so goon night.”  The show was running long. They were doing the broadcast live. And the clock on the wall was a Western Union Clock. 

So, it was only right for me to think about being on the radio. I wanted to be in one of those studios. I wanted to be on the air. But an amazing thing is that you must be able to read. And I find it hard to read sometimes and I even have a habit of putting words into scripts that aren’t even there. 

Consequently, I found a way to get into the broadcast business by understudying a TV Director at the radio and TV station that I had toured twelve years earlier. When I say I understudied, I skipped my English102 Class at Bradley University and studied and absorbed all I could in television production at the TV Station. 

I studied and I learned, and I was promoted to a TV Director directing live news casts. My eye was always on the Western Union Clock on the wall as we had to join CBS for THE EVENING NEWS with Walter Cronkite on time.

Jump ahead to 2013, I am semi-retired and wanting to do more production. The internet was giving us a great outlet for creativity, and I heard this station from England called the UK 1940s radio station and I wanted to do a program for that station. I threw together a fifteen-minute pilot demo and shipped it off. They liked it and here I have just completed 241 hours of programming. As I complete each program, I have my eye on the massive Western Union Clock on the bunker wall to be sure I am on time. 

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Day Two: Birmingham to Tulsa

We are on a pilgrimage to move my youngest son from Eustis, Florida to Golden Colorado.  We spent all day on Saturday packing the twenty-foot U-Haul truck and we hit the road on Sunday.  My son and I would be driving the truck and his wife, and her father would be following us in another car.

The U-Haul truck was also pulling one of my son’s cars and we were dragging along at a pace of 8.5 miles per gallon of gas.  And as we were the Alabama boarder, we detected that we needed gas and we spotted a LOVES gas station and pulled of the interstate and proceed to find that all the gas pumps nasals were covered, and they didn’t have any gas at that station.  So, we had to get back on the road and luckily the next exit had a gas station and gas. 

Since my son and I had decided that we would switch drivers where we got gas, it was my turn at piloting the U-Haul heading towards Birmingham.  I got the truck up to a good cruising speed of seventy miles an hour and turned to my son and asked him where the cruise control switch was on the steering wheel.  He commonly said, “it’s under your right foot.”

We completed our first day’s journey to Birmingham, Alabama and called it a night.

Day two started off okay.  We knew that was going to be the longest leg of the trip and we had to go north to get to Interstate 40 by going to Memphis, Tennessee.  We were on Interstate 22 and US 78 heading north and as we got closer to Memphis, we started seeing big warning signs that said the Interstate 40 Bridge was out of service and we would have to find an alternative route.

As we got into the southeastern side of Memphis Interstate 22 suddenly just became US 78.  The road became very rough and riding in the U-Haul was like riding on a wooden roller coaster.  On our right side was one of the largest train/truck loading depots I had ever seen.  It was the Intermodal Cartage Depot of Memphis with very large cranes unloading shipping containers from railroad cars onto hundreds of semitrailers waiting to hauled out onto the rough highway.  

Being the first time I had ever been in Memphis, Tennessee I had to Google our location and to see where Elvis’s Graceland was.  I was evenly miles out of our way and the way road and traffic was, there was now way this 20’ U-Haul and car pulling trailer were going eleven miles out of way.  Sorry Elvis, next time.

The road that was supposed to be an interstate road kept getting rougher and rougher.  We kept moving north looking for the alternative route to cross the Mississippi River.  At last, we understood that we were going to have to get on Interstate 55 to cross the river and then go north to intersect with Interstate 40 West.

Understandably old Interstate 55 was very congested with all kinds of trucks and cars that were wanting to be on Interstate 40 as well as just heading west on Interstate 55.  The traffic was congested that we were moving at a snail’s pace. So, my son Josh hopped onto a Google map and found back roads to get us up to and onto the old Interstate 55 bridge.

As I was questioning what he was going to do, we exited at Exit Seven, meaning we were seven miles to the bridge. But we were on old side roads that paralleled the interstate.   This was an old industrial area. made a U-turn because that was the wrong road and then crossed some railroad tracks.  The last turn was up a road that had a sign that read NO TRUCKS.  That didn’t stop Josh.  As we climbed the hill, I noticed picnic tables and park benches.  I thought this was not going to be good.  As we turned a corner there was the National Metal Museum. We didn’t have time to explores the museum, but we did see it.

Two more turns and we were at the very old Exit Number One on Interstate 55 at the very foot of the bridge.  There wa

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This actually happened. 
Saturday night June 12th was the most anticipated event that happens here at Trilogy when the Cascades of Groveland Entertainment and Arts Group Presents the SUMMER SIZZLER in Cooperation with Trilogy Musicians Initiative Concert at the Trilogy Event Center.

I had heard that this was supposed to be an excited and ticketed event, I purchased two tickets.  Assuming as naive as I am that I would be able to convince that someone to at least share the concert with me.  Well, that didn’t happen as from an earlier story, there was no communication.  

Since I had two seats, I wanted to get to the Event Center early enough to get a parking space and to be able to find my seats.  I was escorted to my seats I-17 and I-18.  Finding my seats, I was able to get up and chat with Brenda Lee, Bunny, Jeff, Beverly, Tolman and Marcia.  After I got an adult beverage, I stopped by the tech booth, and I got a lesson in the lighting system since I had said I would love to learn it.  

I got back to my seat I-18 … and I-17 was not filled, it had been reserved for that someone.  Then I looked to my right and Linda and Frank were seated next to me.  And the amazing thing is that Linda and Frank sat next to me at the 50s Sox Hop a couple of weeks ago.  We got reacquainted chatting and three minutes before the concert was supposed to start there seemed to be a confused usher asking about our seat assignment because there were four ladies looking at our seats.  

The usher asked to see our tickets and she discovered that what we thought was row I was supposed to be in row L.   So, Linda, Frank and I were escorted three rows back as they were dimming the house lights to start the concert.   Linda and Frank were on the isle, and I moved into seat L-18 and L-17 was empty   Finally, being seated as Ken was introducing the program, I looked to my left and my jaw dropped wide open.  SHE was seated right next to me one seat over in Seat L-16.  

She blurted out in surprise, “Larry King?”

I think I said. “Hello.”

The concert started and I sat nervously thinking that perhaps God had arranged this. At intermission I slide over to the seat L-17 next to her and we both agreed that the music wasn’t exactly our cup of tea.  

Then I suggested that I would like to get together and talk, and she again said, “why, just seemed that we did that before, and it didn’t end well.”  (paraphrased)

I did say, I hope she was doing ok and quivered, “if you would talk sometime, I would like that.”

So, I got up and left the concert.  I had to get home to record this story for my Writers Group.   

I am hoping this is the end of the that story and beginning of a new Trilogy love story. 

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Creative Writing:
IT WAS THURSDAY. Thursday morning was the day I went to a writing class at the community center.  After class I walked a couple of blocks to the café on Main Street where everyone went for lunch.  Yes, I had my usual table with my back to the wall.  Heather was my server, and she knew what I was going to order. The chop salad was waiting for me. But this was not going to be just another Thursday.

As I was pondering what I had heard in class and trying to put some story ideas together, my eyes kept wandering halfway across the room.  Seated at the table was one of the more provocative women I had seen in a long time.  I of course could not take my eyes off this beauty.  This sweet rose of a woman.  

One, she was a blonde. Her hair was short but not too short.  Two, she wore her makeup in such a subtle manner you didn’t even notice. Her lips had a red glow.  But third as my eyes traced her long legs, it was the high heels.  You just don’t see those kinds of shoe around here.  What would a blonde with those legs be doing here in this mountain resort town?

Well, I did try to concentrate on class.  In the class the presenter had flashed a picture in front of us and said, ‘write about what you see in the picture.’  I had the picture in my head, but the blonde kept my interest.  

Suddenly my attention was jolted and what flashed in front of me were those legs and those high heels.  Standing before me was the blonde from across the room.  She asked me my name and I said it with such a shy voice I could hardly hear me.  So, she asked me again.  I could hardly get it out.  But I said my name.

She proceeded to hand me some folded papers and said, “Great. You’ve been served.”  And she walked out of my life.

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What is your happiest memory.  See if you can top this one. 

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Dress up and Go Dancing ... that was the tag line for the commercials.  It was 1963 and I was just out of high school.  Always the entrepreneur, I thought it would be a good idea to create a Teen-A-Go-Go for the youth in my home town.  Enjoy
 
Besides putting my record player out the window and blasting the neighbors I also got into trouble with some other neighbors a little later.  

 I had graduated from high school and was working as a paint shop helper at Caterpillar Tractor Company in East Peoria, Illinois.  I heard the cry that going around that there was no place for the “young people” of Chillicothe to go and have some good clean fun.

After traveling all the way to Peoria and seeing Chubby Checker at the Peppermint Lounge … a youth orientated dance club created by a member of the LaHood family.  And I saw such great acts as The Four Seasons and Jerry Lee Lewis.  I thought it was time that Chillicothe and the youth deserved a place like the one in Peoria.

After attending a Chillicothe City Council meeting and giving my big speech that Chillicothe needed a place for the youth.  Serendipity stepped in.  A man named Dean Riggins attended that meeting and afterward we talked on the sidewalk outside of City Hall.  I can remember that conversation like it was yesterday. He said, ‘he had a building that just might fit our purpose.’ 

Dean Riggins was a building contractor with unique visions.  He had constructed a motel and boat dock harbor on the shore of the Illinois River. His sales and repair building wasn’t being used and he thought it would really fit our purpose. The building had two sections.  The front room which was to be the show room for boats had a polished floor for dancing and the second room would be great for snack bar with tables that we purchased from the LaHood establishments in Peoria.

Dean helped us construct a stage that would fit into one corner.  In an old Country Club called Shore Acers, there was an old bar that really wasn’t being used and we transported it to the second room, and we were set.

The Sugar Shack in Chillicothe was born.  A place the youth of the area could go to and as our advertising phrase said, ‘Dress Up and Go Dancing.’  We booked bands on Friday and Saturday evening. The first band was a local group called the Rockin’ Ramrods.  Feature groups came from St Louis, The Jules Blattner Group, and the biggest night was when The Rivera's appeared when there one-hit-wonder California Sun was #4 in the nation.

The Sugar Shack was a hit.  Except for my neighbors.

It seemed Mr. Crossman and Dr. Green and three other neighbors didn’t like all the noise and traffic that we created each weekend.  So, after a year and half, they took us to court and had us closed down.  

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Of course, it was a cold Friday night; it was November in Chillicothe. The town where we knew almost everybody in town. 

I and a couple of friends were walking … heading north on Sixth Street. The street was silent. The town was silent. This was a night we were supposed to be dancing at the Sugar Shack. The music was supposed to be blaring … I was to be rejoicing and celebrating our youthful age.

 Since graduating from high school the past May, I had landed a great job at Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois and I was working the third shift … the overnight shift. However, on this cold Friday night, Caterpillar had shut down for the weekend. That was really an anomaly. 

But earlier that day, I had been sleeping in my upstairs bedroom when I heard a strange voice call out to me. It was my eighty-seven-year-old Grandmother. She had lived with our family for several years as she and my grandfather had grown older and weren’t able to keep their house. She was always a great encouragement to me. Relaying those great stories how she had lived from the ‘horse and buggy’ to seeing rockets heading for the moon.

 “Lawrence,” she cried out. “I think you need to turn the TV on,’ she said. Now this was strange. Why would she be trying to wake me at 1:30 in the early afternoon? Didn’t she know I needed my sleep to work the overnight shift? 

 “Lawrence, the President has been shot!”  That got my attention. Even back then I was a News Junkie. I clamored out of bed and turned to my trusted news source CBS NEWS. It was 1:35 PM Central Time and Walter Cronkite took off his black horn-rimmed glasses and delivered that cold chilling News FLASH to the world. “From Dallas, Texas … the Flash … it’s apparently official President Kennedy died at One PM Standard Central Time.” 

 That Eerie and Bitter Cold November Friday night of 1963 still lingers with me as we walked north on Sixth Street in Chillicothe.

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A poem I wrote for my wife in 2017

We're heading east with sadness …  the vacation was over 

My wife was by my side but the mountains where in my rearview mirror, but the mountains were in my rearview mirror.
 My mind thinks of the times we had together

What were they like pondering a hiking trail or seeing deer in the meadow at Sunset? 

but the mountains were in my rearview mirror 

the mountains were in my rearview mirror 

It was the Traverse it felt like home with my wife by my side 

But heading east brough sadness because the mountains were in my rearview mirror 

She wanted to call Bozeman home, she hated to head east 

that meant the snowiest Peaks and the grandson were left behind
 and the mountains were in my rearview mirror 

Now that seat is empty now

The Traverse is gone how will it be looking at the snowiest pikes

To see the mountains in my rearview mirror 

Because the mountains are still in my rearview mirror

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We were able to get so great talent for KBHL 95.3 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Scott Campbell came to little ol' Lincoln, Nebraska from a radio station in San Diego, California.  Hear how the station transitioned from The Sound of the New Life to NEW LIFE 95 KBHL.

Scot Campbell became KBHL’s Program Director, he spent a lot of time communicating with the listeners.  He heard them say they listened for entertainment and information even though they may be alone or in their car or at home they're only a click away from Christian Fellowship. 

As the station merged towards a more professional sound Larry King and Scott Campbell dreamed up a promotion to end of the branding of the station from The Sound of the New Life.  This was a way to introduce the new jingle package and brand the station as New Life 95.  Jerry Logan made this announcement, “Monday October 31st, 1977, in Lincoln 95.3 KBHL will no longer be The Sound of the New Life. But at 6 p.m. the staff and management of 95.3 KBHL invite you to listen at 6 p.m. tonight as ninety-five point three KBHL says farewell.  

Jim Hanemaayer did middays on New Life 95.  He was just out of college and Larry King gave him his first job. Scott Campbell was there to help develop his radio career. He enjoyed the fact that he was a part of a new and very exciting way the contemporary Christian music scene. He said, “It was in a time of explosive growth and change and we did a lot of things with artist interviews and features and community loved the music.”

Scott Campbell added a lot KBHL.  Scott ended his broadcast career when he went home to Bend Oregon. He passed away from a sudden heart attack. He was a terrific radio Pioneer in the format that is in many major markets today call THE FISH. 

The dream that started in 1973 for me (Larry King) came to an end in 1979 due to financial pressures.  I had to sell KBHL. I must confess I was very disappointed. 

Jim said, “Larry King was a man of vision as a Pioneer probably in a financial sense a little bit before it's time for the format because now across the country there are these FISH formats as they are called.  They do the same thing in a very big financial way that Larry King tried to do from a Ministry perspective back so many years ago, but Larry was a true Pioneer and contemporary Christian music I don't think would be where it is today if it weren't for guys like Larry King Scott Campbell. I really enjoyed being a part of New Life 95.” 

Larry King said, “I've accepted ted the responsibility for having to sell the station but it's as Jim said the vision lives on, so I'd like to close with this from one of the most requested songs written by Andrae Crouch on KBHL. ‘I've had many tears and Sorrows had questions for tomorrow there have been times I didn't know right from wrong but in every situation. Gave a blessed consolation that my Trials come to only make me strong through it all through it all I know that I am kept by His love.”

Be sure to listen to the entire podcast to hear the voices and know that you are Kept by His Love.

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The call letter had real meaning.  KBHL stood for Kept By His Love.
This is part 2 of a three part series.  

Finally on March 6th, 1975, at 6 p.m. in the middle of an ice storm KBHL goes on the air and Mike Wagner does the Sign-On, “This is KBHL FM stereo in Lincoln Nebraska, we now wish you God's blessings and begin broadcasting with inspirational music for your enjoyment.” 

March 6th at 6 p.m. you heard the Sound of the New Life KBHL Lincoln 95.3 and then we heard from listeners. We heard from the body God's people responding during the first hour of broadcasting. There were over fifty phone calls by midnight Mike Dwork and Tom Smith shared six hours of Contemporary Christian Music at the Sound of the New Life with Lincoln. The calls kept coming. 

The on-air-talent rivaled anyone in town with Bob Kellogg, Larry King, Rodger Roach, Lauren Lippincott, Tom Smith, Glenn Dean, Kay Linley, and J. Michael Dwork. 

Ways the station gamed grassroots listeners was with the distribution of bumper stickers. You could see them and all kinds of cars all over Lincoln and Omaha. To celebrate Easter, Miller and Payne sponsored the classical presentation of Handel's Messiah. The radio station promotion was done by a classical actor from Omaha Rudyard Norton. 

On May 15th, 1975, at 8 p.m. at the O'Donnell Music Hall on the Nebraska Wesleyan campus the Sound of the New Life concert number one. It was The Second Chapter of Acts and Barry McGuire. 

KBHL was committed to Ministry and the New Life Singers were formed. A radio promoting for the Nurse of the Week and Teacher Feature for more details at participating sponsors with production by Jerry Logan one of Nebraska's best producers. 

Bob Kellogg was KBHL’s first news director launching the news department for station gave him an opportunity to do two things that I have wanted to do since graduating from college a few years earlier. He wanted to be ab broadcast journalism but there is a lot more to it than that being a brand-new baby Christian for the first time I felt like I was a part of something bigger than myself I felt like I was a member of the Christian believer. Bob was exposed to wonderful learning opportunities through the teaching programs on the station. 

Great interviews from the musical artists from Kathy (you know her as Kathy Lee Gifford) & Meshi, Andre Crouch, and Evie said, “I just got to say this, this radio station is my kind of radio station and wow they play good music.”

Then Scott Campbell joined the staff …

End of Part 2 of the story of KBHL 95.3 FM, Lincoln, Nebraska. 

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