~ part one ~

 

JR Reid III


It was a snowy cold day in Buffalo that I entered this world. As a matter of fact, December 22, 1944 - Zero degrees...the coldest recorded temp for that day...and I came two months earlier than expected. I spent my first two months in the hospital struggling for life. Preemies back then weren’t given a lot of hope...but I fooled them. My Dad didn’t see me until I was two...he was in the BIG ONE - W.W.II. So there I was having to take care of my Mom and being spoiled by both sets of grandparents. My early years were spent in the Queen city, but at age eight my parents finally bought their first home in the Town of Tonawanda. It looked like the rest of the thousand post war houses being built, but this one was ours. I grew up there. In fact, I used to camp in the fields and forests where the Boulevard Mall is now located. Just down the street, about where the Swiss Chalet now stands, radio station WXRA resided. I was about eleven when I began visiting, hanging around the station, making a pest of myself I’m sure, but watching and learning...and falling in love with broadcasting. That’s what I wanted to do.


The station, then at 1080AM, changed it’s call letters to WINE. This is when I started to become more involved. I formed the “WINE Jr’s” and did record hops at area high schools under the auspices of the station. People like Jim Fagen, the original Roger (Okincella) Christian, who later moved to the West coast and wrote tons of hits for the Beach Boys, Greyt Scott (Charlie Griggs), and Hernando (Phil Todaro-Shan Todd record fame with Tommy Shannon) all worked there and that became part of my real learning experience. My first paid job (under the table of course) was sweeping floors, answering phones...general gopher work...and I was 14! But I was learning!

Then they decided to move the studios to Cayuga Drive in Williamsville. Which meant that I would have to ride my bike or hitch hike the 10 miles out there. So I did. Next they hired a salesman, Roger Baker, and a personality named George “Hound Dog” Lorenz. Every Saturday I would go visit the Hound...answer phones...get coffee...watch and learn. I remember one day I was answering phones, the Hound was on the air, and there came a knock at the door. I opened it to see Frankie Lymon asking to see the Hound Dog. He is just one of numerous stars that stopped by to see the “granddaddy of rock and roll”.

Gordon McLendon bought 1080 in 1961. The station changed call letters and format. WYSL was on the air. I was hired to do the weekend news headlines, weather and push the buttons. I vividly remember my very first night alone. It was a Sunday night and we signed off at midnight. All I had to do was get everything to roll for sign on the next morning. I couldn't get it to shut down! I kept hearing “Good Morning” then the National Anthem playing. Plus I had school the next day! Finally about 2 a.m., I figured it all out and was able to lock the doors and leave.

During that time, I did volunteer work for Channel 17 TV. Those were the days where you could run cameras and do other hands on work, similar to what is performed by volunteers at Public Access outlets today. I learned so much, but also found out that radio was my true love, not TV.

I also devoted much time to the University of Buffalo FM station, WBFO, where I produced numerous shows ranging from big bands to rock to show tunes and classical. In fact, they actually wanted to name ME program director, but the faculty advised against it seeing as I was not a student there and was still in high school.

Upon graduating from Kenmore East in June of 1962, I went to work as the morning DJ on WNIA. The station gave me the name of Tommy Thomas to use. They assigned names to the program slots so it wasn’t quite as noticeable when they changed personnel. I think I may have been Tommy Thomas #9 or there abouts! Things went very well for me and one day in the fall of 1963 the boss called me in at noon after my air shift. He told me they wanted me to take over the popular night time Melody Corner program. I would be the new Mike Melody. It seems the old Mr. Melody had come into work a little under the weather once too often the previous evening! I said, “Great...when will I start?”, and the reply was, “Tonight at 6:30”. Tommy Thomas to Mike Melody in the same day.

The rating came for that night and we were a solid #2! Not bad for a 250 watt station against Joey Reynolds with #1 on the 50,000 watt giant WKBW or Tommy Shannon with #3 at 5,000 watt WGR. We were very competitive toward each other on the air, but we were and still are the best of friends off the air. Tommy and Joey would sign off at midnight, while I signed off at 12:30. So many times the three of us would meet at WNIA and go from there to party hardy, raise hell and have a good time.