It’s Todd & Timmy’s First Birthday!
A year ago, I sat in on the morning show with Todd E. Lyons Esq., filling in. I've done it in the past and I've known Todd for close to 20 years. That morning turned into a couple of days. Which turned into a couple of weeks, then months and now a year of very early mornings, waking up before the butt crack of dawn, lots of rock music and lots of laughter! Thank you!
I started in radio & KATS back in September 1999. Did every on-air shift there was in some form or capacity. When I left radio and "retired" (so I thought) it was the day after B.B. King had died, and the final song I played as an employee of the station was "The Thrill is Gone." Seemed fitting in a way. But radio has always been a big part of my life and in many ways, a family business with many of my relatives partaking in the play of airwaves. I made sure I didn't burn any bridges, and it was fun hopping on from time to time to promote some comedy show I was doing or to just hang with people that I've come to love. So when I was asked to become part of the morning show ... I turned it down.
I already had a full-time job that I loved. Was finally over the depression of leaving radio. Yes, there were times after I left that I was very very down and out. All and all, I felt my life was already full enough. Long story short, Todd and a great man named Jim Trapp (who is no longer with us today) talked me back into the biz.
It's been a rough year of adjusting, relationships woes, health issues, but it has been a fun year, too. For all the listeners who have told me how great it was/is for me to be back, thank you. I am truly humbled. Thank you, Yakima (and fellow co-workers) for putting up with me and welcoming me back. Don't know how long my radio ride is going to last, but I will say, I'm gonna enjoy it while it does.
I'm also very thankful for someone like Todd to help lead the way. For the first couple of months, Todd would go to the bathroom and comment "I'm going to go make a new morning show partner." Something he has said for years. It was his joke because of all the different partners he's had in the past. Whether he realizes it or not, he hasn't said it in about six months. Thank you Todd!
To partially quote Walt Whitman: "O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells" ... I don't think he meant an alarm clock when he wrote that.