A Sea Of Red

I considered putting this in the Lynchburg Life before deciding on this forum. That's because most fo our younger posters are going to have zero interest in this topic. But since it hits close to home for me and forging ahead.

Back when I was in school in the Dark Ages (i.e. '80s) there were scant few choices for music on the radio. There was WRVL-FM if you had insomnia, WLBU-AM if you happened to live in just the right dorm and didn't have too many plugs in your wall outlets and secular radio. Obviously neither of the first two were reasonable options for students driving around town so the latter was commonplace. The left you the following choices:

• K92, Roanoke - Top 40
  Q99, Roanoke - AC/Top 40
  WLVA, Lynchburg - Oldies & Talk
  WROV, Roanoke - Rock
  WYYD, Amherst/Lynchburg - Country
  WJJS, Madison Heights - Urban
  WGOL, Lynchburg - Soft Rock
  Z100, Lynchburg - Top 40

I worked while a student at the last two over the course of my last 2+ years in town before graduating. But the vast majority of my time was on Z100 where I started off parttime on Weekend Overnights before working up to middays my last six months or so there. Z100 was the #2 station in Lynchburg at the time behind dominant 108 WYYD. But at least in Lynchburg, Z100 pulled even better numbers than K92. The latter was the top-rated FM station in the nation percentage-wise based on the entire Roanoke-Lynchburg market. But we didn't have a signal that could carry beyond the Lynchburg vicinity. The station also housed the old WWOD country station that was essentially automated during my time except for carrying L-Sox games called by Brian Barnhart.

I tell you all of this because I have a ton of memories associated with working at this station that sat over near Boonsboro at 2020 Mimosa Drive. Recently I stumbled across a website put up by a DJ named Mad Lad who did afternoons at WJJS back when I was on the air. It shows what is left of the studios that were actually the original home of WSET before they moved to their current location.















Sadly the place looks like a combination of a museum and a graveyard ... more the latter than the former.

Anybody remember listening to cheesy Debbie Gibson and hair bands on the station back in the day? And yes, I know it was outside of the Liberty Way.

WROV baby- all the way

kinda sad how stuff that was in service and *somewhat* current technology in our day looks so freakin' deporably ancient now.

BTW SLY- remember Paul "Bear" Bryan (sp)? Met him at an off campus party back in the late 80's

as I recall he got himself banned from campus- complete w/ his pic on a poster in the guardshack, I believe.

nice guy though

* will retract if corrected ^^^

His name was Paul Balmer and he sang bass for the Light team before going somewhat off the deep end when he started in secular radio. He & I worked together at Z100 until he left to do evenings on WROV.

He didn't exactly disguise his identity (and he had a very distinctive voice) and he & I were called into Dean Emerick's office after his high profile antics raised some red flags. We were both confronted about our employment at Z100 to which we both acknowledged the fact. Paul seemed intent on getting the boot as a sort of protest and I played along. I was able to finish out on the air at the station and graduate.

Paul & I both lived in County Green and that's probably where you met him.

Paul worked in radio for several more years before eventually going to work for Lynchburg PD. He did some broadcasting work for them in addition to being an officer. Last time I e-mailed him a couple of years ago he was working for Clearwater (FL) PD.

The cool aspect of the story is that he eventually got his act together and came back to LU and finished up his degree. He was always a great guy to be around and it is awesome he's living for the Lord once again.

K92 was it for my generation growing up around here. It used to be Q99 as the only choice for pop/rock...b/c what became K92 was a classical music station. When they changed format (Jan 1 77 or 78, I recall), K92 started their new year with "Listen to the Music" by the Doobie Brothers. I think they still play that song every New Year's midnight.

thats the guy. And yup- that was the neighborhood. Probably crossed paths with ya without knowing it. My now ex-wife lived there as well.

thanks for the backstory on him. "Balmer- thats it... I was way off"

I remember something about the nickname "Bear" - no idea why. Then again, much of the mid to late 80's is blurry and confusing

nice guy.

I remember Z100 Very well, and had quite a few friends who worked there. My parents live near there so I drive by that sad old building often. It is trul sad. There are still folks here who worked over there when it was tv.
I worked with Paul Balmer here at WSET too when he hosted the Hill City Blues LPD TV show for a while.
Did Dary Goins work at Z100 or was that somewhere else?

My junior year, one of the guys in the dorm called K92 and requested "Welcome To The Jungle" dedicated to "Dorm 4 -- Hell Side."

The RAs didn't like that much at all, but could never figure out who called it in.

Seems like there was a CCM station in the Burg when I was a freshman and sophomore (86-88), but I can't remember the call letters.

I remember Paul "Bomber" Berry. Always a nice guy and what a great voice though I sometimes wondered later if he had some sort of chemical imbalance cause he really went off the deep end. He threw away a scholarship and took the "please kick me out and make it as public as possible so I can become famous" route.

I'm glad he's doing well now.

WBRG was the low power AM station that played some CCM for awhile back in the '80s.

Darry Goins still works in the market doing mornings for one of the country stations in Roanoke under a different air name. Darry was one of my best friends but he never worked at Z100. He was driving up to Amherst to work at WYYD while in school. There was another guy named Tim Scott who was on the air at the start up 101.9 FM right as I was leaving Lynchburg.

Sly Fox wrote:WBRG was the low power AM station that played some CCM for awhile back in the '80s.

Darry Goins still works in the market doing mornings for one of the country stations in Roanoke under a different air name. Darry was one of my best friends but he never worked at Z100. He was driving up to Amherst to work at WYYD while in school. There was another guy named Tim Scott who was on the air at the start up 101.9 FM right as I was leaving Lynchburg.

That's right I think i've heard Darry on 94.9 Star country. I don't like country thought so it was probably only once.
Sly is it far removed enough to reveal your on air name. I appeared on a country station in eastern NC for 2 years (88-89 on and off) as Kevin Carlson.

This came up in another thread either here or the Firehouse so it is not exactly classified anymore ... I was Kraig Ransom.

Darry used a slew of different names generally associated with prohibition gangster legends.

Another of my buddies worked at WLVA. He was a very ANIMATED guy.

Sly Fox wrote:This came up in another thread either here or the Firehouse so it is not exactly classified anymore ... I was Kraig Ransom.

Darry used a slew of different names generally associated with prohibition gangster legends.

Another of my buddies worked at WLVA. He was a very ANIMATED guy.

Yes, but was he Rowdy?

Nice guess, but not the right direction. Clay, I mean, play around with the animation aspect.

Hated to see the pictures of the old WWOD. I never worked their, but was offered jobs there on several occaissions there during my career in the burg. I used to think that was the "coolest" building in the world. Every time I would go in their I used to think, "What a great building for a radio station. I haven't been in that building since Matt McCall was the big announcer there. After seeing those pictures I feel so old...I guess thats how I look now...welll, if I was a building!

I worked with Matt for a few years.

Sly,

Great pics! Brought back some good ol memories...lol. Preciate your speaking kindly of me....even defending me somewhat there...

I finally completed my M.A. at Liberty before leaving for Afghanistan. You are right...I'm at Clearwater PD still.

Hope you're doing well...I think we have since found each other on FB. Take Care


Baldspot

I take issue with the "chemical imbalance", "falling off the deep end", "throwing away a scholarship", "and wanting to become famous".

I did not go off the "deep end". I know people who have, even in my family...but I was not one of them. I have never been diagnosed with a chemical imbalance. Don't think CPD or LPD...even the Navy would have settled for that. And I did not throw away a scholarship. I had NO scholarship at the time I worked at Z100...wish I still did...but I didn't. As far as wanting to be famous...well, that kinda goes with the DJ thing...lol. Anyway...I can be found on FB. Paul Balmer in Clearwater, Florida. Just got back from Afghanistan and happy to be back home.

I'm just disappointed you didn't use the user name "The Bomber".

Glad to have you join us on here. Sorry some of the pics & links that started the thread seem to not be working these days. Suffice it to say the Mimosa location is in BAD shape.

As for the deep end comment, I was referencing your association with the Liberty Way. We all go off the deep end from time to time. Thankfully we have a God wipes our slate clean.

Paul,

I hope you remember me but if not that's cool (bruised ego). But I spend Christmas' in Clearwater now visiting in-laws. It would be great to catch up. I just hit you on Facebook too. Gotta love Flamefans man.

Great memories. I remember Paul, as well, and I'm sure he wouldn't remember me. I also remember the station and the catchy "Z one hundred" that was played for the station ID- though that might be prior to you guys radio era.

We were both there in the '87-'89 range.

Rick Dees used to do most of our drops including "Hot, throbbing, sizzling Z-100."

Clearwatercop wrote:Sly,

Great pics! Brought back some good ol memories...lol. Preciate your speaking kindly of me....even defending me somewhat there...

I finally completed my M.A. at Liberty before leaving for Afghanistan. You are right...I'm at Clearwater PD still.

Hope you're doing well...I think we have since found each other on FB. Take Care


Baldspot

I take issue with the "chemical imbalance", "falling off the deep end", "throwing away a scholarship", "and wanting to become famous".

I did not go off the "deep end". I know people who have, even in my family...but I was not one of them. I have never been diagnosed with a chemical imbalance. Don't think CPD or LPD...even the Navy would have settled for that. And I did not throw away a scholarship. I had NO scholarship at the time I worked at Z100...wish I still did...but I didn't. As far as wanting to be famous...well, that kinda goes with the DJ thing...lol. Anyway...I can be found on FB. Paul Balmer in Clearwater, Florida. Just got back from Afghanistan and happy to be back home.

Those statements were totally uncalled for. My apologies. Can't remember making them but apparently I did. My bad. Glad your doing well.

I remember listening to L-sox games on Z100...lol loved their trivia questions : )

I won like 15 pairs of tickets on year... not bad for an 8 year old, eh?