Category Archives: Blake on Radio

by Blake Lindsay

* This story appears in the book San Antonio Radio Memories.

I decided to keep Program Director, Billy Thorman, completely in the dark about my sight impairment until we actually had the opportunity to meet.

Billy and I had a very positive introduction.  I firmly shook his hand as if there was nothing especially unique about me.  I readily observed that he dealt with this unexpected surprise quite well.  I sensed he was taken aback, but he honestly didn’t show it.  I would come to learn that he was a man who followed through on his word, as opposed to giving good lip service and making empty promises.  This is what truly made Billy Thorman special.

Doing my best to communicate confidence to Billy, I blurted out, “So…Do I begin this week or next?”  Yes, I was a bit presumptuous, but I had no doubt that I could perform well.  Billy’s reaction was upbeat and slightly inquisitive.  He asked me what special needs I required, in order to function on the air.  His questioning inspired me.  It also gave me hope that he was not opposed to hiring a blind disc jockey.  Later, Billy told me that he liked my positive and slightly over-confident approach.

A few days later, I started working for KTFM.  The opportunity at KTFM provided me with my first full-time employment as a commercial disc jockey.  KTFM was ranked as number one in the San Antonio market area with one hundred thousand watts of power.  I spent the next four years at KTFM, part of the Waterman Broadcasting Company.  Some of the best memories I have are from my very first air shift in San Antonio.

Billy went the extra mile by providing me with a show producer.  Each hour, the producer would read the upcoming song titles and commercial out cues onto a blank cassette tape, this enabled me to otherwise work independently.  Additionally, my assistant helped by completing required paperwork, such as program logs.  I operated the broadcast equipment myself.  These extraordinary individuals helped me to enjoy my job even more.  Through our combined efforts, we never missed a beat.

I was happy when I learned that Mr. “Boss Man” Billy was quite impressed. He had never worked with a blind person.  I am eternally grateful to him for taking a gamble on me, a gamble that ultimately made both of us winners.

Today, Billy resides in Fort Worth, Texas, about 40 miles from where I live.  He is the production director for KFWR 95.9 “The Ranch.”  I am happy to report that we have remained close friends to this day.

Eventually, I moved across the hall from KTFM to sister station KTSA.  Powerful KTSA AM-550 was popular as it covered 93 counties in Texas.  For two years, I worked as an on-air personality playing requests, dedications, and oldies from seven to midnight.  The KTSA signal covered so much territory, that it made my job extra exciting.  I was able to talk to people all over Texas and even Mexico.

My younger brothers, Bryce and Brock, lived in Dallas Texas.  They used to listen to me until it was time for them to go to sleep at night.  They found it quite amazing that even though I lived 260 miles away, we could still be connected through the medium of radio, which brought my voice into their bedroom each evening.

Each week KTSA had a special breakfast broadcast.  When I met listeners at these broadcasts, I always got a kick out of them saying that I didn’t sound blind.  I would laugh it off.  But…I used to think to myself, “How is a blind person supposed to sound?”

One year, for a few days during Christmas Break, my family drove down to visit me in San Antonio.  Bryce was 12 at the time and Brock was nearly 9.  I invited Bryce to KTSA for a Friday morning breakfast broadcast.  On this particular Friday our breakfast broadcast guest was Mean Joe Green.  Bryce got to shake his hand and received an autograph.  I think he thought that big brother Blake was pretty cool.

I ended up spending eight years in San Antonio Radio.  I had an awesome time working at:  KTFM, KTSA, KSAQ and KITY.

Copyright 2009 by Blake Lindsay and SanAntonioRadioMemories.com—All Rights Reserved.

by Blake Lindsay

* This story appears in the book San Antonio Radio Memories.

It took me several years to break into the fifth largest market in America…Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.  In December 1991, I officially entered this massive market, which was absolutely the most exciting part of my radio profession.  I launched my ten-year broadcast career in Dallas-Fort Worth with KODZ, Oldies 94.9.

Mr. Phil Hall was the gracious individual that hired me. He had listened to my prior work that I had captured for keepsakes and for demos I knew I would need on cassette tapes at some point, which featured my voice on the Austin and San Antonio airwaves.  Phil had previously worked with a blind person and was comfortable with my blindness.  He did not doubt my abilities.  Upon being hired, I was introduced to a radio legend, Mister Wolfman Jack.

Little did I know I was about to have the privilege of not only working with this radio legend, but he was about to become a good friend.  What an absolute highlight in my broadcasting career.  I became familiar with Wolfman Jack at the early age of nine, and now he was in my presence.  How truly amazing!

Wolfman’s show followed my show every Saturday at seven PM.  He generally arrived at least an hour before his shift to get prepared and to play his usual tricks on me.  I think he was a bit fascinated at how a blind person could function so well.

Wolf had never worked with a blind individual before, and he got a kick out of switching my Braille labels all around the radio console.  I would go along with his trickery and act confused, but fortunately I knew my way around the radio board well enough that he did not cause me to make any embarrassing mistakes.

One afternoon, I decided it was about time I played a trick on the Wolfman.  The long version of the 1972 hit “Nights in White Satin” was playing.  I purposefully turned the monitors down really low.  I engaged the Wolf into a conversation, asking him about his week and he began talking, paying no attention to the fact that a song was playing on the air.  Like two old friends sitting around a kitchen table we enjoyed a nice conversation without a care in the world.  But I was anxiously waiting for the part of the song when the mysterious deep voice booms out the lyrics “breathe deep.”  As Wolf sat across from me on a tall stool, I could hardly wait for the shocker and was determined to keep a strait face.

A split second before the big, booming voice was ready to blast those words I had been anticipating, I cranked those nice JBL speakers, roughly three feet above Wolf’s head to their maximum volume.

Finally, those words “breathe deep” bellowed like a freight train driving through the studio from the state-of-the-art sound system.  Just as I had hoped, Wolf jumped right out of his seat completely in a state of shock.  I learned some choice words I had never heard before.

“Wolf, you don’t mind if I get you back every once in awhile now, do you?” I asked in a chuckling voice.

I was thankful he did not have a heart attack because I would have never gotten over that one.  We laughed and we laughed until my stomach felt like I had completed a vigorous one hundred crunches.  This was typical of our every Saturday, having fun and laughing until our bellies could not take it any longer.

Outside of the radio studio I spent a little time with Wolfman.  I accompanied him, once, on a fishing trip to Lake Grapevine.  We did not catch too many fish, but we had a great time.  I wish I had been able to record all the stories Wolf shared with me about his exhilarating radio career.  What a true treasure trove.

I think of Wolf often.  Of course I wish he were still with us, but what great memories I will always enjoy.  I know for certain, that we touched each others lives in a very positive way.

Editors Note:  This excerpt commemorates the passing of Wolfman Jack (January 21, 1938 – July 1, 1995), who was heard all over South Texas (and the world) in the 60s on XERF, and weekends on KONO in the 70s.

A note from Lonnie Napier, Wolfman Jack’s personal assistant and producer for more than 30 years: ” It’s completely true.  Wolf was blown away not only by this guy’s talent, but by the way he used to have his sister type his content on a braile typewriter.  One of the most moving times of my life was watching how Wolf bonded with Blake during our fishing trip.  Blake is a very special soul.”

Copyright 2008 by Blake Lindsay, Lonnie Napier & SanAntonioRadioMemories.com – All Rights Reserved