My radio career debuts as a weekend part-timer at WRDN Radio

                                             

After about two months of attending Brown Institute in Minneapolis I thought I was ready to “be on the radio.” 

Russ Kent ran the station back in the mid-1970s. Russ was part of the ‘Breakfast Bunch” each morning at the Durand Café. My Dad was also a member of the group.

My Dad called me one night in early 1974, up at my Dupont Avenue apartment just off West Lake Street in Minneapolis.  He said, “Tommy, WRDN wants to know if you’re interested in working weekends at the station?”  I almost dropped the phone, I was so excited. In my best radio voice I retorted, “you bet!”

Actually my “radio voice,” just four months into broadcast school was only slightly better than Elmer Fudd’s voice!

I drove down to Durand the following day and met with Jeff Peterson who was a stalwart at the station at that time.

The “board” in the WRDN studio was identical to one of the “boards” I worked on at Brown. I remember thinking confidently, “this is going to be a breeze!”

Jeff said he wanted me to read a couple of commercials and some UPI news off the teletype. No problem!  Jeff hands me the copy. I open my microphone, and nothing comes out of my mouth! I had “stage fright” and dang near passed out.

I still wonder to this day what Jeff thought about Mr. Big Shot radio school guy choking big time in his first bid to work at a radio station.

The WRDN studio at the time was located above Gil Weiss Insurance overlooking the Chippewa River adjacent to the Hwy 10 bridge.

The three things that I remember walking down the steps following my forgettable audition was how embarrassed I was, what my Dad was going to think, and if my teachers and classmates found out, would I be laughed out of school.

Actually, Jeff did his best to reassure me that many other rookie announcers get stage fright in similar situations. I was actually offered the weekend announcing position the following day  Whew!!!

At the time, WRDN was largely automated through the syndicated "Great American Country" which was voiced by the legendary Bob Kingsley.

I still chuckle over Bob Kingsley on tape with his big voice going into a break immediately followed with my wimpy voice reading some news.  At the time I remember thinking, Rob Sherwood, Machine Gun Kelly (huge radio stars at the time in the Twin Cities) look out, I’m coming!

My radio career was underway.