Insider

Selling Memories

Mel Myers helps his radio listeners lighten their loads on morning commutes.

Mel Myers (far left) is seen here in the late ‘80s with Sam Kinison (middle), who made a surprise appearance at Tulsa’s Jokers Comedy Club during the local Young Comedians Night. Photo courtesy Mel Myers Ask the veteran Tulsa broadcaster Mel Myers what he’s doing in his recently acquired gig as the morning man for radio station KBEZ (92.9 FM), aka e Drive, and he’s likely to tell you that he’s selling memories.

“On the surface, that sounds kind of cold and mercenary – the selling part,” he says. “But what I’m delivering, I hope, is good memories of people’s lives, while at the same time living in the present.”

And the reason he can do both of those things, he believes, is because the classic hit songs that make up his playlists have “stayed relevant.”

“When I play Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song,’ I might be bringing back memories for people who were seniors in high school when Led Zeppelin III came out [in 1970]. But at the same time, I’m bringing back memories for anyone who saw and enjoyed the [2017] or: Ragnarok movie.

“My grandson Cash, who’s ten, was wanting me to show him some things on guitar, and one of the songs he wanted to learn was ‘Immigrant Song.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re ten years old, dude. What’s your point of reference for this song?’ And it was or: Ragnarok.” is, Myers points out, is hardly an isolated case.

“I was at a movie a few weeks ago, and a bunch of songs on our 92.9 playlist were in the trailers for upcoming movies. ere was one movie where they played a huge chunk of ‘Sweet Dreams’ by the Eurythmics. No voiceovers or anything, just the song accompanying the scenes.

“ is music is still viable,” he concludes. “ ere are still successful radio stations all over the country playing it, and a lot of it is because it’s still being licensed for commercials and movies. So that’s kind of facilitated what I hope I’m doing, connecting with people in the morning.”

Myers has been connecting with Tulsa-area radio listeners for nearly 45 years now, his rich and resonant baritone one of the familiar voices on the soundtracks of our lives. He moved to northeastern Oklahoma in June of ’77, following a stint as a morning jock and program director in Fort Smith, Ark.

Phil Stone, later to serve a legendary stretch with partner Brent Douglas at Tulsa’s KMOD (97.5 FM), was his afternoon man in Arkansas; Myers got his rst local attention with that same station, serving as KMOD’s midday deejay as well as its production director. During this time, he and fellow broadcaster Dave Michaels, aka Wavy Davy, would become familiar voices on radio spots for rock acts coming to town, especially those appearing at the Cain’s Ballroom, putting him on the ground oor at an exciting time for live music.

“I met the Police backstage when they were traveling in a van,” he recalls. “And KMOD sold tickets [to their Cain’s show] for 97 cents. ey gave out police whistles as promotional material; I’ve still got one somewhere. And Pat Benatar – she’s the reason my right ear rings worse than my left, because I got up there to take a look at her and stood, stupidly, right next to the P.A. Both my ears ring – the right ear’s worse. anks, Pat.”

What are facts about the 529 College Savings Plans

that I should know?Myers stayed with KMOD for a half- about the advertisers. But Gri n realizes, 1. The tax benefi ts are signifi cant: 529 plans are similar in strucdozen years, moving to KELI, the AM/FM more than some do, is that your ultimate ture to Roth IRAs. You make contributions using after-tax dollars. station then known as 14K and 92K. He did customer is the listener.” 2. Contribution limits are high: 529 plans have the advantage of a short stretch of morning work there, but at’s something Myers understands as being able to set aside much larger sums. There are no annual contribution limits, but your state will limit aggregate funds. it wasn’t until he moved to KMYZ (104.5 well – even as he deals with the myriad of 3. Contributions can come from a variety of people: Virtually FM), aka Z104.5, in the late ’80s that he changes that have come along in radio in anyone can make contributions for the benefi t of a selected individual. 4. There are a myriad of “qualifi ed education expenses.” For college costs, this includes tuition and fees, books and other settled into the position. “Z104.5 was probably where I made my the decade-plus he’s been away from the morning microphone. learning materials, including laptop computers. 5. Leftover money name here in town as a morning guy,” he “You know,” he says, “the biggest change can be used in other ways: If there is money left in a 529 that is unused by the student, the benefi ciary can be changed to another says. “ e best years of it was when we is actually in the control room. It used to qualifying family member. had the ‘Banana and Mel in the Morning’ be such a hyperactive job. In the Banana program in the early ’90s.” and Mel days, he and I would be in there,

Both with and without Banana (Brad and if a song was playing, we might be I am ready to start using dermal fi llers. How do I decide which one is right for me? Farnsworth), Myers spent a good long time on the air with Z104.5. And his tenure as answering the phone, or doing a birthdaywakeup call that we’d need to edit a little a morning-drive jock there prepared him before we aired it. Or I might be editing The fi rst place to start when deciding which dermal fi ller is best well for his current gig, which came along something else that’d be going on the air in for you is with a complimentary consultation with one of our medical professionals. There are many different types of dermal when his longtime friend and fellow air 45 minutes. fi llers and different manufacturers to choose from. It is common personality Dave Michaels contacted him “Back in those days, you had to trigger to use a hyaluronic acid (HA) based dermal fi ller when being injected for the fi rst time. The most common HA fi ller on the market today are those in the Juvederm family, made by Allergan. from 92.9, where Michaels was program director. He told Myers that their morning every song and every commercial. You had to listen to the end of each commercial If you are ready to start researching dermal fi llers for your fi rst man had just quit and asked if he wanted so you could start the next one, and it retime, check out our new online quiz to fi nd the best fi t for you at baweightspa.com. Make sure to check it out soon, as this quiz is available for a short time only. For more information and to the job. Myers, who’d been doing a lot of radioquired a ton of attention. It was a juggling act. All morning long, you were keeping schedule your consultation, call us today at 918-872-9999. production work as well those plates spinning as ll-in gigs on various on those sticks. It was stations – among other things – had a one-word answer: no. “But what I’m bam, bam, bam, nonstop activity from the moment you hit the door to the

“He asked me if I’d just ll in, then, and I said, delivering, moment you walked out – and even beyond, some-

‘Well, I don’t even want to do that, but I’ll do it for a I hope, times, if the phones were still ringing. It required atlittle while, since you need me and you’re my buddy.’ is good tention. It required focus. It was like you were riding

At the time he called, I hadn’t done mornings for memories a wild horse, just trying to keep up. maybe over ten years. “But once I got in there – I don’t want to downof people’s lives, while “Now,” he adds, “so much of the job is computerized that it’s a little play how excruciatingly hard it is to get up in the at the same laxer in the room.” He’s quick to say, morning, but I will say I’d done it enough that time living in however, that “laxer” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I knew how to do it. e awful part is the early the present.” “ e goodness of that is it lets me plan my next hours, but I realized the break and make sure I ownership, the manage- communicate what I hope ment, was doing it more the old way than to communicate,” he explains. “Doing the anybody else in town. It was a di erent program itself is easy, because I’ve done atmosphere, and the di erence is that the it for so long it just kind of goes. But the people who own the station live here. In preparation, to me, is the most important

Fort Smith, I’d experienced that, but the part. I try to gure out how I might relate whole time I’d worked here [in Tulsa], until the songs I have that morning to the audi-

I started with Gri n [Communications, ence, and I try to stay on top of fun things 92.9’s owner], I’d worked only for compa- to do. nies that were owned out-of-state. “So I hope I’m connecting with people in

“Radio in general is just a bunch of the morning. I hope I’m taking them back chains, really, ownership chains, and ev- and making them feel good and maybe erybody wants to make money. But Gri n, lightening their load a little bit – and help-

I nd, cares about the people. Everybody ing them think about happy times.” cares about the money, everybody cares JOHN WOOLEY

THE PROFESSIONALS

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

What are facts about the 529 College Savings Plans that I should know?

1. The tax benefi ts are signifi cant: 529 plans are similar in structure to Roth IRAs. You make contributions using after-tax dollars. 2. Contribution limits are high: 529 plans have the DAVID KARIMIAN advantage of being able to set aside CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® much larger sums. There are no annual contribution limits, but your state will limit aggregate funds. 3. Contributions can come from a variety of people: Virtually anyone can make contributions for the benefi t of a selected individual. 4. There are a myriad of “qualifi ed education expenses.” For college costs, this includes tuition and fees, books and other learning materials, including laptop computers. 5. Leftover money can be used in other ways: If there is money left in a 529 that is unused by the student, the benefi ciary can be changed to another qualifying family member.

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® Prime Wealth Management A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 7712 S. Yale Ave. Suite 240 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2009 • David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

I am ready to start using dermal fi llers. How do I decide which one is right for me?

The fi rst place to start when deciding which dermal fi ller is best for you is with a complimentary consultation with one of our medical professionals. There are many different MELODY HAWKINS types of dermal fi llers and different manufacturers to choose from. It is common to use a hyaluronic acid (HA) based dermal fi ller when being injected for the fi rst time. The most common HA fi ller on the market today are those in the Juvederm family, made by Allergan. If you are ready to start researching dermal fi llers for your fi rst time, check out our new online quiz to fi nd the best fi t for you at baweightspa.com. Make sure to check it out soon, as this quiz is available for a short time only. For more information and to schedule your consultation, call us today at 918-872-9999.

Melody Hawkins, Chief Financial O icer BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 510 N. Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com