All of us gathered to see each other and celebrate WIDB’s 50 years. There were mixed feelings. We were enthusiastic to be back and to be with each other again! We were disappointed and disheartened to personally observe the depleted state of Carbondale, SIU and its students, and the effect on WIDB. We were heartened by the dedication of the WIDB historical marker at the site of Wright I.
Here are some photos showing the enthusiastic part:
Whirlwind of activities and encounters, as usual. Photo by John Bernstein.Jeffrey (Thomas) Esposito hoisting the old station sign at its new location: Misunderstudio in Murphysboro, where the WIDB albums currently reside.Vic Lentini (right) presents reunion committee award to Gary at dinner Giant City Lodge.
Many of us remembered how uplifting and encouraging WIDB was at an important time in our lives and how it helped us professionally and personally. Many of us repeated the oft-uttered mantra that we learned more at WIDB than anything SIU had to offer, and WIDB also better prepared us for life after Carbondale.
Such an uplifting and encouraging experience for students seems to be needed more than ever today, yet few, if any of today’s participants place this as a priority. Even worse, SIU is fraudulently touting WIDB’s continued existence on SIU’s website (updated 12-22), presumably to market itself to naive applicants, despite SIU closing WIDB in 2020…
Friends, I had some memorable experiences in my WIDB days, triumphs and tragedies alike. The day Slaga handed over the keys to the Program Directorship embodies the former, while the night John Lennon was killed is over-qualified for the latter.
But it’s the silly things I remember best. They just seemed to be in the air at WIDB, ready to ignite at a moment’s notice. Some return in a flash as indelible images (“JOEY RAMONE ATE THIS BREAD!!!”) and some inspire a more substantial reminiscence. Below is one of a handful of my favorite silly WIDB episodes. Fair warning: I don’t swear to recalling events exactly as they happened, etc, disclaimer, fog of war, blah-blah, woof-woof…
Dr. Kerry Peace (center) with Uncle Briggs (left) and Don D’Augistino
Change was always in the air at the station, and in the Spring of 1980 it was time for school administrators to pick a new General Manager to replace our beloved graduating GM, Al “Big Guy” Linton. Al approached me one day and asked me to throw my hat in the ring for GM. Two other station members had already stated their intention to apply and he feared that one of them, someone whose judgment he questioned, was going to get the job. I wouldn’t hear of it, though. I was “all about the music, man,” and couldn’t be bothered to give up my cherished Program Directorship. Al tried some more, but I wasn’t budging and that was the end of it, or so I thought.
Al “Big Guy” Linton
A few weeks later I was at my desk in Wright One when Al walked in. He put his backpack down and calmly asked me if I’d care to step out into the hallway with him. And why not? We were pals, chums and comrades in arms, were we not?
As soon as we got into the hallway though, he put his big hands around my throat and began throttling me up against the wall, all the while asking me if I knew who had been awarded the general manager’s position for the coming school year. I did not (and in fact hadn’t given it a moment’s thought since he asked me to apply), but quickly gathered that it had gone to he whom Al did not want it to go to.
Al Linton (right) and Brian Colin. Giant City, 2005.
Just as I began to think Al was not just joking, but seriously choking, he loosened his grip, gave me a playful slap on the face and walked away. That’s how much that silly Big Guy loved WIDB.
It started as “The South will Rise Again”, featuring Southern Rock and simulcast live from the strip bar known as Gatsby’s in the Spring of 1978, That quickly evolved into a rambunctious and outrageous music, entertainment and giveaway show and radio program that seemed to take on a life of its own when it morphed into a live remote every Friday night….
The penultimate moment at the weekly WIDB show at Gatsby’s April 19, 1980, starring Mark Slaga (left) and WIDB General Manager Al Linton (right), performing “Schticks of One and Half a Dozen of the Other.” Allan Sherman, Al on stage, and the crowd sang along.
At the epicenter of all the crazy intensity was Mark Slaga. In this promo, Slaga, the host of the show, is interviewed by Ed Knych about the “what goes on” at Gatsby’s, complete with sound bites.
Slaga was young, energetic and gave his all each and every week. It took almost until the next week to recover.
Winding down after performing, 2;30 am, Slaga is thinking about his choice of parties.
Tom (center) at 1990 Reunion, with Don Graf (left in photo) and Kathy Cave (right).
Among the greatest production directors ever at WIDB, Tom was a freshman in 1974 when, encouraged by then Production Director Gary Goldblatt, Tom made his first production: a promo for “Underground:”
Succeeding Gary as Production Director from 1974-76, Tom rose to the occasion when advertising on WIDB began in January, 1975. Spot production increased tenfold. During the first years of sales, many others at WIDB produced commercials, and a friendly competitive rivalry developed, but everyone knew Tom was unequaled. In fact, Luke Banks, one of those “other” producers when Tom was there, produced this tribute to Tom Sheldon:
After WIDB, Tom spent some time working at KGMO, Cape Girardeau, and many years working at WMYX, Mt. Vernon. No longer with us, Tom’s great production live on.
As the culmination of a months-long, uphill effort to seek and secure approval from the office of the SIU Chancellor Austin Lane, a historical marker commemorating the start of WIDB was finally approved and installed at the site of Wright I in September.
Congratulations and thanks to Bruce Whiteside, an original WIDB member, for his tireless efforts that resulted in the creation of the marker and his self-funding of the design and production of the marker now further supported by contributions from many of you.
(From left) Bruce Whiteside, WIDB marker designed and funder, SIU Chancellor Chief of Staff Matt Baughman, WIDB Founder Jerry Chabrian, at the Wright I site in June.
A small group of former WIDB staff, headed by WIDB founder Jerry Chabrian met with the Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, Matthew Baughman, this past June in Carbondale for a site tour and location selection.
Jerry, Bruce, Matthew Baughman and SIU Physical Plant staff and others trudged to the site of Wright I and everyone agreed on an appropriate location. That official approval culminated in the recent installation of the historical marker that has been attested to by a former staffer who by chance recently visited the site.
The official unveiling will be next June 24, 25, 26, 2022 during the WIDB 50th Anniversary Reunion celebration.
