Robert Philpot

Posted on Tue, Aug. 16, 2005

Voices of Lone Star radio waves
Four personalities with Metroplex ties make inductee list
By Robert Philpot
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Here are seven words you can say on the radio: George Carlin is a 2005 TRHoF inductee. OK, so we cheated by making one of the words a number and an other an acronym for "Texas Radio Hall of Fame," which included the comedian and three other personalities with Dallas-Fort Worth connections in this year's inductees.

Former ABC correspondent/anchor Sam Donaldson, who has an El Paso background, was among the 12 inductees announced yesterday. Three new Hall of Honor members -- two with Dallas-Fort Worth links -- were also announced.

In 1959 and 1960, Carlin was a nighttime disc jockey on Fort Worth's now-defunct top 40 station KXOL. On the air and at the storied club The Cellar, Carlin (often with partner Jack Burns) honed many bits that would become staples of his comedy act. When Carlin performs in Fort Worth, he includes recollections of his KXOL days in his act.

Wes Wise, a former Dallas mayor who worked the news and sports desks at KLIF (then on 1190 AM), KRLD/1080 AM and KVIL/103.7 FM in the '60s and '70s, was also inducted into the hall. Wise has TV in his past as well: He is a former sports anchor for KDFW/Channel 4. He is a co-author of When the News Went Live: Dallas 1963, a first-person account of President Kennedy's assassination.

Other Dallas-Fort Worth inductees include Ken Knox and Hugh Lampman, both of whom are deceased. Knox, also known as Ken McClure, had gigs on KLIF, KBOX/1480 AM, KMEZ and KCNC in the '60s. Lampman, who started in Dallas-Fort Worth radio in the '50s, was the host of Music 'til Dawn on KRLD in the '50s and early '60s. According to Mike Shannon's History of Dallas-Fort Worth Radio and Television Web site, Lampman also founded KBOX-FM and, with Ron Chapman, developed the light top-40 format at KVIL.

Hall of Honor "instatees" from the Metroplex are Bob Bruton and Bill Enis. Bruton was KXOL's first overnight DJ and was later a program director for the station. Enis was program director for Fort Worth's KFJZ who co-wrote the country song Shame on You with Lawton Williams.

Other inductees include Austin's Ann Arnold, executive director of the Texas Association of Broadcasters; Vesta Brandt, general manager of KLVI-Beaumont and Al Caldwell, of the same station; Caroline Devine, market manager for Cox Radio in Houston; Milo Hamilton, longtime play-by-play announcer for the Houston Astros; Vern Kennedy, who gave Walter Cronkite his start in journalism; and Steve Lundy, a longtime personality in Houston and Tyler. Aside from Bruton and Enis, the only 2005 Hall of Honor instatee is Bill Bradford, the longtime owner-manager of KSST in Sulphur Springs.

The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 5 at the Dallas-Addison Marriott Quorum near the Galleria. The event is open to the public. Individual tickets are $59; a table for 10 is $650. Tickets are available at www.texasradiohalloffame.com.

Hall of Fame honorees

Ann Arnold

Bill Bradford

Vesta Brandt

Bob Bruton

Al Caldwell

George Carlin

Caroline Devine

Sam Donaldson

Bill Enis

Milo Hamilton

Vern Kennedy

Ken Knox

Hugh Lampman

Steve Lundy

Wes Wise

Robert Philpot, (817) 390-7872 rphilpot@star-telegram.com