In this week’s issue… Radio loses one of its best – New morning show in Montreal – Beach beached in NJ – Bear growls in Binghamton
By SCOTT FYBUSH
Every once in a while, there’s someone in this crazy business of ours who transcends the personal conflicts and petty nonsense that too often characterizes the broadcasting business – someone who’s universally recognized as being “one of the good ones.”
Whether you knew him as “Willie B. Goode,” “Cliff Trucker Kenyon,” “Mike Rivers” or “Gnarly Charlie,” Alton Irwin was that guy, and his death last week leaves a void in the hearts of radio people from his native southern New England all the way to south Florida.
Irwin’s radio career started in the early 1970s in CONNECTICUT, where he worked early on at WNLC in New London, WCCC in Hartford and most notably at WAVZ and the start of WKCI in New Haven. His energy transferred across multiple formats, whether it was country (“Kenyon”) or top-40 (“Smokin Willie B. Goode”), and it quickly propelled him to bigger markets, including WPJB in RHODE ISLAND, WHTT in Boston, and by the early 1980s at WPLJ/WWPR and WHTZ (Z100) in NEW YORK City. (photo: Jerry Kristafer via Facebook)
It didn’t matter whether he was working nights or weekends or just as a fill-in – once you met him, you were a friend for life, especially once he’d moved south to the Miami market, where he worked at WKIS, WFLC (Coast 97) and WMXJ and taught at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Always active on social media, he was constantly reminiscing on his earlier radio days and sharing good wishes with fans – right up until Saturday, when his daughter Alannah posted news of his death.
No memorial plans have been announced yet, but Alannah Irwin says her father wanted no funeral, just a “celebration of life” to be held at a later date. In the meantime, she says, “Take the time to listen to some of his favorite bands/artists. He loved the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and pretty much anything from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Listen to it ‘cranked up to 11′.’
Behold, the 2025 calendar!
We chose the 100,000-watt transmitter of the Voice Of America in Marathon, right in the heart of the Florida Keys. This picture has everything we like in our covers — blue skies, greenery, water, and of course, towers! The history behind this site is a draw, too.
Other months feature some of our favorite images from years past, including some Canadian stations and several stations celebrating their centennials (can you guess? you don’t have to if you buy the calendar!).
We will ship daily through Christmas Eve. Place your order now for immediate shipping!
This will be the 24th edition of the world-famous Tower Site Calendar, and your support will determine whether it will be the final edition.
It’s been a complicated few years here, and as we finish up production of the new edition, we’re considering the future of this staple of radio walls everywhere as we evaluate our workload going forward.
The proceeds from the calendar help sustain the reporting that we do on the broadcast industry here at Fybush Media, so your purchases matter a lot to us here – and if that matters to you, now’s the time to show that support with an order of the new Tower Site Calendar. (And we have the new Broadcast Historian’s Calendar for 2025 ready to ship, too. Why not order both?)
Visit the Fybush Media Store and place your order now for the next calendar, get a great discount on previous calendars, and check out our selection of books and videos, too!
In this week’s issue… WBUR backs off local talk - EMF's expansion in NY, nationally - Rochester broadcasters honored - Russell finds new PA radio home - Remembering Bruce Stevens - The new calendar's here!
In this week’s issue… Remembering WNY's Palvino, Harris - Will King sell Bangor stations? - Kay moves earlier - New signal on LI - Cumulus cuts hit PA, New England - Frizzell sells in NH
In this week’s issue… Saluting a small-town radio vet - Bell moves CP24 - Scott heads west - Burlington gets Air 1, "Experimental Radio" - Family Life heads down I-86
In this week’s issue… NY TV anchor, radio historian both retiring - XPN PD to retire - More Cumulus cuts - Rogers sells FMs as Corus makes big talent cuts By SCOTT FYBUSH Jump to: ME - NH - VT - MA...
