12 replies to this topic

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

I've been remiss in getting around to these. Each deserves a post unto itself but since I've taken so long to get around to it I may as well combine them.

Mark "Mark E. Baby" Stevens
http://www.legacy.co...y&pid=146007971

The S-T was late in getting to this themselves. He rode along home with me almost every schoolday afternoon from fourth grade till I finally made my escape from FWISD.

Bill Fairley
http://www.star-tele...r-telegram.html

I'm sure I'm not nearly the only one here who loved his "Tales of Old West Side" columns that later expanded to cover Fort Worth history in general. In fact, I would cut them out and I still have them around here somewhere.I always wished the S-T would publish them as a book as they did Jerry Flemmons's "Texas Siftings".

[Dismuke]

Bill Fairley
http://www.star-tele...r-telegram.html

I'm sure I'm not nearly the only one here who loved his "Tales of Old West Side" columns that later expanded to cover Fort Worth history in general. In fact, I would cut them out and I still have them around here somewhere.I always wished the S-T would publish them as a book as they did Jerry Flemmons's "Texas Siftings".

It is sad he passed away. I used to enjoy his writing. I've never subscribed to the Star-Telegram but the paper used to have a REALLY excellent website for awhile called the Virtual Texan and it featured Fairley's writing which is how I became familiar with it. All of a sudden, the Virtual Texan website just disappeared. For awhile, you could access it via search engine results leading to an ip address hosting a (probably unauthorized) mirror someone set up that duplicated quite a bit of its content. Then, that, too, disappeared.

I can understand why the Star-Telegram might have chosen not to continue to devote resources updating the site. But web storage costs next to nothing - and so does bandwidth for a site like that in the grand scheme of things. Much of the content on the site was timeless. I never figured why they just didn't archive the site and leave it up. It would still generate traffic as a result of google searches and people's links - traffic that would certainly count as impressions on ads.

[stevee]

I have fond memories of Mark E. Baby. I got to see Led Zeppelin at TCCC in 1970 and he introduced the band. There was a big KFJZ banner hanging on the wall behind the stage. I remember when he announced that there was no opening act, only Led Zeppelin the audience roared with applause. John Bonham used the green metallic Ludwig drum kit and they opened the show with (Immigrant Song). During the 60's KFJZ was #1 to me and mine, with KLIF #2. Mark Stevens was a big part of their success.

[Saginaw]

Wow. I was a BIG listener and fan of KFJZ back in the Seventies, and Mark "Mark E. Baby" Stevens was one of the djs that I so closely associated the station with. I may have even called him once or twice back in the day for a request, and I believe he was able to fill it.

By the way, in doing some web mining, I found the following article. Seems like Mr. Stevens was in his 70s when he passed away:

Mark Stevens, circa 1967

Godspeed, Mr. Stevens, and thank you very, very much for the cool music, good times, and memories.

[Mark S]

I too was saddened to hear of his passing. Given that I too am named Mark Stevens, I've been jokingly called "Marky Baby" most of my life. Even in my Bruce Shulkey Elementary days, the other kids always thought I was his son! Neat guy, and a wonderful entertainer.

[Doohickie]

Never heard of either one of them.

[Birdland in Handley]

KFJZ seemed way cooler and less stuffy than KLIF. (KLIF bleeped out the word "whores" in Simon and Garfunkle's The Boxer.)stevee--I was at that Zep concert, too! "Aaaaaaaaa Aaa!" Mark E. Baby emceed so many 60's 70's pop concerts. And I went to bunches in the late 60's-early 70's as a schoolkid--can you believe how low the ticket prices were then--$3.50 to $6.00 to see Jimi Hendrix or Joe Cocker.

[cincyvid]

Yes, Mark was one of the best. I started working in radio in the old KFJZ/KTVT building. Our receptionist would love to take tour groups through the facility right before Mark came on. They would see Dave Tucker finish up his shift, go back to see the TSN newsroom, and then she would bring them back arond to watch Mark. His pace was frantic and everyone would be bug-eyed after they watched for a minute or so.

[Saginaw]

Yes, Mark was one of the best. I started working in radio in the old KFJZ/KTVT building. Our receptionist would love to take tour groups through the facility right before Mark came on. They would see Dave Tucker finish up his shift, go back to see the TSN newsroom, and then she would bring them back arond to watch Mark. His pace was frantic and everyone would be bug-eyed after they watched for a minute or so.

I definitely remember that building, cincyvid. It was a low, flat sandstone brick structure along the eastbound access road of I-30 (commonly called "the West Freeway"). It's great to hear from someone who worked in local radio.


--Saginaw

[stevee]

KFJZ seemed way cooler and less stuffy than KLIF. (KLIF bleeped out the word "whores" in Simon and Garfunkle's The Boxer.)stevee--I was at that Zep concert, too! "Aaaaaaaaa Aaa!" Mark E. Baby emceed so many 60's 70's pop concerts. And I went to bunches in the late 60's-early 70's as a schoolkid--can you believe how low the ticket prices were then--$3.50 to $6.00 to see Jimi Hendrix or Joe Cocker.

Hi Birdland, pretty cool that we we're at the same show. I was 14 in 1970 and that was the first concert I had attended until that point. I became a major fan of Led Zeppelin after that show and saw them a couple of more times in the 70's at TCCC, once in '73 (the same tour as The Song Remains The Same film) and after (Physical Graffiti) was released in '75. Both of those shows we're incredible, too bad they didn't record the one in '75 because if I remember correctly they opened that tour in Ft. Worth and they sounded fresh and played great. I still remember they opened the show with (In My Time Of Dying) and Showco flooded the stage with white and yellow lights that looked like you might imagine heaven or an extra-terrestrial landing, I was blown away. I saw The James Gang in '72 at Will Rogers Auditorium the same tour as the record (The James Gang Live In Concert), that was a great show too and it sounded just like that album. On the way home that night we we're listening to KFJZ and a jock ( I don't remember who it was) said that someone had called him and requested that he play a song that he liked and he played Jimi Hendrix (Red House) which was the first time I had heard the song and was probably the only time KFJZ ever played it. It's still one of my favorite Hendrix tunes. I listened mainly to KFJZ till about '72 and then became aware of FM and The Zoo (KZEW) in high school. Besides Mark Stevens, KFJZ also had Larry Shannon who was one of my favorite radio personalities as well.

[Birdland in Handley]

Larry Shannon was good about playing requests for silly Jr. Hi girls! I remember him well.

[cincyvid]

Larry Shannon was good about playing requests for silly Jr. Hi girls! I remember him well.

ROFL! Larry brought Dairy Queen banana splits into the FM control room, and while I was trying to run a beautiful music show, He took over one of the other turntables and - over the cue speakers - played Chicago "Make Me Smile" for the first time.
He runs a radio news website, and is instrumental in the Texas Radio Hall Of Fame.

[stevee]

Larry Shannon was good about playing requests for silly Jr. Hi girls! I remember him well.

ROFL! Larry brought Dairy Queen banana splits into the FM control room, and while I was trying to run a beautiful music show, He took over one of the other turntables and - over the cue speakers - played Chicago "Make Me Smile" for the first time.
He runs a radio news website, and is instrumental in the Texas Radio Hall Of Fame.

Cool y'all nice to meet people who remember those days.