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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > July > 16 > Entry
Hello from Larry Monroe
Who knew that Larry Monroe came up with David Letterman? We received this post today from Larry Monroe, who’s at the center of controversy at KUT:
“Hello Folks, Larry Monroe here.
First off, thank you for all the support you have given my radio programs during my 28 years at KUT. This job has been the most interesting and rewarding of my career, which began when I was a 13 year old kid in Hartford City, Indiana. Floyd Huffman built a ten watt radio station up in the rafters of our high school gymnasium so he could broadcast basketball games to moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas who couldn’t go to them. And he taught about eight or ten of us how to be sportscasters and disc jockeys. I was one of his students, and I got my third class broadcasting license when I was 13. I have been playing records on the radio ever since. Incidentally, WHCI-FM was one of the very few high school radio stations in the 1950s. Thank you, Floyd, for starting me on my life-long career path.
After that I studied Radio, TV, English and Literature at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Dr. William Tomlinson and Dr. Robert Guinn, and later Dr. Darrell Wible, were my professors, and I value very highly the broadcasting education they provided me. David Letterman and I shared several Radio & TV classes. Dave and I studied television on the old Yankee Stadium black & white TV equipment. When Yankee Stadium converted to color TV Dr. Tomlinson bought their old master control switcher and two of their cameras and started the Ball State TV department with them. I had music programs on the student radio station, WBST-FM, and I also worked at my home town radio station, WWHC-FM. On that station I did play-by-play for basketball and football games and did weekend music programs. I also found a summer and weekend job at WTRE-FM in Greensburg, Indiana when I was a junior. After I graduated in 1967 David Letterman got that job. When I spoke with Dave several years later he told me that the WTRE-FM job had gotten passed on to other Ball State broadcasting students in the years to follow. I was on the radio in Ann Arbor and Detroit from 1969 until 1977, and I moved to Austin in 1977. One of my main goals was to put Austin music on the radio.
Since March of 1981 I have been on KUT. In those 28 years I have had the opportunity to present to the KUT listening audience many artists that I have admired for many years as well as younger artists that I came across in my research in the barrooms, night clubs and venues in Austin. The first “live concert” show I hosted on KUT was on October 8, 1981 and the guest was Lucinda Williams accompanied by Walter Hyatt and Champ Hood. About ten years later I hosted an Easter Sunday Liveset featuring Willie Nelson and his whole band, including his sister Bobbie on the Studio 1-A Steinway Grand Piano, the legendary Johnny Gimble on fiddle and Kimmie Rhodes and Ray Benson on vocals. Willie and the band played gospel songs live on the radio on Easter. The show started at 8 PM and at about 20 after 9 Willie asked me, “How long is this show?” I said, “It usually ends at 9, but you can play as long as you want to.” (I was the host of the program that followed Liveset, Texas Radio, so we weren’t encroaching on anybody else’s time…and…it was Willie Nelson.) So, he played another 20 minutes or so before wrapping it up. Carolyn Phillips referred to this program in an earlier post on this page.
Which brings me to the posts on this page. Thank you for the kind words you have posted about my programs. Those comments mean the world to me. I have always tried to do my best work for you. Back in college I learned that radio is the most intimate medium, a very personal medium. You may have many, many listeners, but they are not all in the same big room. Often it is just you and me. Or you and your sweetheart and me. At most, a small group. In my early days at KUT I would imagine that Barbara Jordan was listening and I would try to make the programs as good as I could in case she were actually listening. (Personal note: Go see the Barbara Jordan Statue on the UT campus at 24th and Whitis. It is magnificent.)
Chip Taylor’s post caught my eye, and I would like to share my memory of the day that I met the guy who wrote “Wild Thing.” First off, the time frame Chip remembers is a little off. In those days Phil Music ran from 8 PM until midnight. My recollection is that Chip called me at the station at around 9 PM or so.
“KUT.” “Hi, this is Chip Taylor.” “The Chip Taylor who wrote ‘Wild Thing?’” “Yes. My guitar player, John Platania, and I are driving into Austin from Louisiana. We’ve been listening to your program since we picked up the signal a half hour or so ago, and you are playing great music. Can we come be on your show?” “Sure, come on in.”
I had just gotten Chip’s new album and I knew the backstory. Chip had left music for many years and had been a high stakes gambler. When his mother had gotten ill he would visit her and play his guitar and sing to her. That led him back into music and songwriting and now he had a new album and was on the road with Van Morrison’s long-time great guitar player, John Platania. A half hour or so later Chip and John showed up at the station and we did an impromptu radio show together. That is my recollection of the day I met Chip Taylor. I suppose if you average our two stories together the truth lies somewhere in between.
Again, thank you for the support and the kind words.
Larry Monroe 7/16/9
Comments
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By TJ
July 16, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this
what was the point of this? like his show, he goes on and on about something that we’ve heard before in a way that’s coma inducing. Hey Larry care to give any insight into why your hours were cut back?
By John in Austin
July 16, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this
TJ, Larry’s a beloved DJ in this town and this piece was a nice way for him to say thanks for the support. He would be a fool to answer your questions in a public forum like this and thus anger the blockheads who have made the programming changes at KUT.
Speaking of those blockheads, this piece and the recent one from our new, out-of-town DJ demonstrate exactly why this program change is such a a bad idea. Larry’s here and has a connection to the local scene. Our DJ from CA is not, plain and simple.
If listeners wanted to listen to non-local stations, they could do that via the internet or satellite.
Sigh…
By Curtis W. Rendon
July 16, 2009 5:08 PM | Link to this
Yeah, I’m missing Larry and Paul.
By Community Radio Fan
July 16, 2009 8:05 PM | Link to this
TJ, ask yourself if would you would repeat your classless statement to Larry in person? Or even on the phone? If so, you have the number to KUT.
I for one really enjoyed hearing the history and what it took to become a successful DJ.
By Sam
July 16, 2009 8:46 PM | Link to this
TJ, another anonymous internet tough guy wimp.
By Rusty Shackleford
July 17, 2009 1:31 AM | Link to this
We miss you already Larry…. we all have no doubt that you and Paul Ray got a raw deal from the station that would have gone under years ago had it not been for you two. Keep doing what you do best on ‘Blue Monday’ and us listeners will do our part and let KUT know that the donations are gonna stop rolling in until they give y’all back your air-time hours.
And if KUT ever touches ‘Blue Monday’ or ‘Twine Time’, I hope they know that a full-fledged revolution will commence immediately, if not sooner.
By Todd Jagger
July 17, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this
[Not to be confused with “TJ” above, thanks…]
I’ve told Larry before than, in my opinion, he Paul Ray and Joe Gracey are, as DJs, as responsible as anyone for much of what’s good about Austin music. His knowledge, taste and expertise are second to none. KUT management was foolish once to cut the Texas Music show, and even more foolish now to scale back his marvelous free-form shows.
I’ve also told Larry that whatever talent I might possess as a DJ on KRTS Marfa Public Radio is in large measure owed to emulating his skill in the booth. I still listen online as much as I can.
Thanks Larry. Dig yer heels in.
By Allen Cunningham
July 20, 2009 5:11 PM | Link to this
Mike;
You guys missed the best show in town last friday night. Willis Alan Ramsey and the opening act The Trishas packed Threadgill’s south. It was SRO and Willis received two standing ovations from a great crowd. Kevin Welch and Hayes Carll (after his Antone’s set) were in the crowd among other notables.
By Jodie G G
July 20, 2009 5:40 PM | Link to this
Larry- You’re knowledge of music and delivery of poetic sets is worth idolizing. If you want to fight, we’ll be there. If you want to podcast Phil solo, we can make that a business that works for you. Big, big fan,
By Bob Zink and Family
July 21, 2009 12:03 AM | Link to this
The last thing the Austin music scene needed was to reduce the programing of my two favorite DJ’s Paul Ray and Larry Monroe. Their shows to me ARE KUT and the main reason for listening and supporting Kut. Thank you both for the enjoyment of providing such an insight into your wonderfull taste of music you’ve shared over the years.