Dingle's Radio Life.....

In The Beginning..

It started in 1982, when I met one Bacon Gonesa. Bacon was the brand new P.A. announcer for High Springs Little League, and I was a player. Bacon also did High School dances on the side, working a lot with IWAD 920 AM in Spartan Hill.

I was just annoying enough to where Bacon let me announce games here and there and also tag along on some of the dances.

In 1984, Bacon landed a job at  KRAP 1120 AM. And me, being a pest, badgered him into letting me sit in with him while he was on the air. I instantly fell in love with radio. I knew all along how radio sounded, but this was all so different!! So Amazing!! I was hooked. This was my dream, to sit alone in a room and talk issues. The studios themselves where just OK... But KRAP was moving to brand new state of the art studios. And they were incredible. In fact, I can easily say, that I have never seen nicer studios to this day.. Eventually, Program Director Bill Balona let me run the Sunday Morning Public Affairs shows, which meant driving to our sister station in Bonnieville. That was a trip, because on Sunday Nights, I ran the Dr. Tumbs Whiteman show. The best part was having all these white talk hosts in the room with me, just listening in awe...embarassed, but fascinated. I, myself, thought it was very funny.

In August of 1985, Bacon left to work nights at  CRAP (C1400) AM..and like a lemming.. I was there too. I must admit, I owe my entire radio career to Pud..poor guy. It turns out that when Bacon left KRAP, I stayed there..but not for long. A new PD took over KRAP and decided that paying me $4.00 an hour was just too much, so I was "laid off". Bacon heard about my plight and set me up at C1400. I started doing Public Affairs, but after awhile, since this was the boonies, they let me have a crack ON THE AIR!!! My first show was a disaster. Imagine some 36-year-old putting on his best, deepest, talk show voice......oh brother. Finally, I started sounding like a racetrack annnouncer (trust me, I have the tapes..) This Man Needed Help!!! I eventually ended up doing nights (Hey, Wasn't that PUD'S SHIFT??) Bacon left C100 in early '86, and after the new night guy made his way to WUSS San DeMigo, I got nights....and that's where I've been ever since!.