FROM THE CRATES Like a boss

Like a Boss

from the crates

Kelly McCoy is a veteran Atlanta broadcaster who writes about the days popular music only came on vinyl records, which often were stored in crates.

I recently attended the funeral of my dear friend Dr. Hugh Harris West. A retired microbiology college professor, or “professuh,” as he would say in his suthun drawl. He could very easily been the most brilliant man I’ve ever known.

Eloquent, sharp, smart, witty, charming, and naughty all combined. His command of the English language intrigued this radio guy because we like to enunciate and pronounce things clearly and correctly.

What’s a radio guy doing hanging out with a college professor? I have, or have had, friends on all levels of the game. Multimillionaires, dirt poor folks, people who live in anything from mansions to mobile homes. Some were highly educated; some, I’ve wondered if they finished the third grade.

People are people. I love them for who they are, not what they have or had, or what they do or have done. I even had a friend named Kelly McCoy who was Air Boss on the U.S.S. Nimitz.

In previous columns, I’ve mentioned how great it is to tell the wonderful story of friends who are still alive. I’m a senior citizen writing a column for senior citizens to hopefully enjoy. The death of Dr. West triggered me to tell you about another living senior friend who was legendary in the world of radio. If you lived in L.A., Boston, New York, or Atlanta, you may recognize the name Gary Mack, the on-air name for Gary McDowell. His final stop in the business was his smallest market: Atlanta.

In the 60s, AM radio was king. We heard the hits and the fast-talking Cisc jockeys through a speaker maybe the size of a silver dollar. Disc jockeys used terms like “groovy,” the 45-rpm records were “stacks of wax,” and other clever clichés rolled from the faceless voice coming out of the speaker. Radio humor: All radio guys claim to have a face for radio and a voice for newspaper.

Top 40 radio was our main source for music in those days, and the Los Angeles market had Boss Radio KHJ and the Boss Jocks. “Boss” was to mean something hip and new and first-class exciting radio. Two legendary pioneers in radio programming, Bill Drake and Gene Chenault, came up with the package. Gary McDowell became Bill Drake’s right arm and was involved from West Coast to East Coast in the top markets.

Being on the ground floor of what would be a radio station that people still talk about today was his sweetest gig. He was mid-day Boss Jock on 93 KHJ in Los Angeles. Let me assure you this was big-time radio with big-time talent and something special.

Gary Mack meets Rolling Stones

Being with the original surfer dudes, making appearances all over the area and hanging out with recording and TV stars was a way of life. Imagine partying at Nancy Sinatra’s house. You run into Tom Jones. One night Adam West shows up wearing his Batman costume!

Some of Gary’s biggest fans and friends were Sonny and Cher. KHJ “broke” their record, “I Got You Babe,” and was major part of their early career. Gary once started a fan club for them and to be a member you had to send him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich through the mail. Sonny and Cher sent a sandwich along with a transistor radio playing KHJ. The post office wasn’t happy. There were 6,000 sandwiches sent!

Why a PB&J? These were the sandwiches he fed the “live orchestra” in his control room. It was all imaginary of course. Radio was theater of the mind.

Gary was big pals with The Monkees. A huge contest he once organized was called Last Train to Clarksville, after the Monkees’ first hit. It allowed winners to take a train trip from L.A. to San Diego while the Monkees performed. Gary Mack did reports from the tracks from a two-way radio.

Gary was on KHJ’s TV show with more star guests: Glen Campbell, the Fifth Dimension, the Rolling Stones, James Brown. The list of his adventures is endless.

Boss Jocks had to travel in style. Gary had a powder blue 1964 Mustang and Cadillac Coup de Ville.

In our little Atlanta is where we heard him on WLTA, the station that used the Tara Theme music at the top of the hour. His on-air stint ended there.

We were office mates at Cox Radio in the old White Columns building. I worked for B98.5-WSB FM. He worked for 750 WSB and was director of sports affiliates that, at various times, broadcast the Braves, the University of Georgia Bulldogs, Hawks or Falcons, and syndicated shows such as Neil Boortz’ and Clark Howard’s shows.

I had no idea he was radio royalty until he brought in an old scrapbook. Holy God of Radio, this man did it right when radio ruled! I’ve only scratched the surface of Gary Mack stories.

He’s still a dear friend, and as sharp and funny as ever. Gary and his wife Sue live in a warm climate in a very nice community he calls Wrinkle Wranch. A great man I am blessed to know him.

Definitely a hero to this old radio dude…like a Boss.

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