Bill Elder's Career Page (FM99)

	AUDIO

I know. The picture above looks like I got an air hose stuck up my nose, doesn't it?

Pete Stone is probably Valdosta's biggest enthusiast. He may be mayor by now. When I was in high school, Pete was working part time at WNEX while getting a law degree at Mercer. He kept telling me about this incredible Top 40 station that was owned by an Ex-Atlanta Disc Jockey and his family. WVLD was a great sounding radio station. This is right before FM started making it's way as a mass format frequency. So...off I went. Not as much to go to Valdosta State College, but to work at WVLD. College was not a total washout. I did become friends with a kid in my class that was Bill Drake's nephew.

Also I was fortunate enough to meet many friends that still keep in touch with today. Bob Harrison and Wayne Hagan are still in the business. Great jocks and good people. We roomed together in Bob's apartment.

We pretty well made him old before his time. Paul Stone (who would later begin the Georgia News Network in Atlanta) was our next door neighbor. Bill Tullis (who does the voice on "This is CNN Headline News") was running the college station. Great talents all...and folks who had an amazing influence on a college kid who just wanted to learn.

So, I know you may ask, why on earth after being in radio since I was fifteen would I change my name to Don Stevens when I go to Valdosta? Simple. I didn't. Explanation: Jim Jennings who was the program director got a new set of Pams Jingles every year. He had the singers make some jock "sing" jingles of fake names. Whenever someone would leave and a new person was hired, they'd get the next fake name. I'm lucky Eula May Blickenstein wasn't the next on the list. [grin]