Description by contributor John Hendricks:
Michael Oatman was the co-founder and CEO of the Great Empire Broadcasting chain, but was better known in Wichita as ‘Ol Mike the “homespun philosopher” newspaper columnist and morning show host for 35 years at the “Radio Ranch”, KFDI. Listen as he tries to contact the contest van (busy covering a fender-bender accident for “Pony Express News”), reads a poem, predicts the stardom of new artist Ronnie Milsap, and sings his own “Peter Pan Ice Cream” jingle. ‘Ol Mike was elected to the Country DJ Hall of Fame in 1992, retired in 1999, and passed away in 2003.
Check out the approach to this show. When was the last time anyone heard the phrase ‘from the radio ranch’? I think it was KVOO Tulsa a few years ago before they dumped country music.
What more can be said about this… Big (Ol’) Mike has a real ‘down home’ feel to his show. Certainly not streamlined like today’s morning radio shows. Here’s a lesson for students of radio history in how to (or not to depending on how you feel about it) do radio without consultants, safe lists and a nutty focus group to tell the DJ to stop rambling! It’s Airchexx University at it’s best!
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Ol’ Mike was a legend, and it’s unfortunate that we will likely never hear a personality–or a station–that connects with the audience like Ol’ Mike & KFDI did. Corporate radio take note: you don’t have to sound generic to be successful.
i worked with shelly davis in wichita at kfdi… just wondering where and what shelly is doing now.. terry burford
Terry, been thinking a lot about those days in the 80’s with you and Ralph and Vornauf, et al. Saw H. Roger in Lincoln, NE earlier this week. Hope you’re well. Where is Magnolia, AR? I run part of the Financial Services business for a Little Rock-based company now, Acxiom Corporation…
steve good to hear from you… im on the air at http://www.kzhe.com and magnolia arkansas is 150 south of little rock… take care terry burford
KFDI was a legendary radio station that I grew up with via my dad’s passion for country music. Nobody anywhere did country as well as the “Radio Ranch” complete of course, with “Pony Express News”. KFDI Weather Vane weather forecasts, and the kicker, pardon the pun, a classic radio contests called the “Boot Full of Loot” and “Tel-a-Book-a-Look-a”. KFDI was incredibly zeroed in on the blue collar market and “owned” the town for years in the ratings and revenue generation. The entire staff was composed of a wide variety of “characters” ranging from ‘Ol Mike in the morning, to “Willy Wheelchair” a physically challenged individual (who probably would have resented the previous phase), other local broadcast legends such as “Buddy Nichols” who was as genuinely “folksy” as it gets. By the way I remember you too Terry Burford, howdy. I always secretly wanted to work with you guys
My hat is off to KFDI for the great legacy and all the great memories you gave the listeners of Wichita. It was one of the “Great Ones”
I dated Terry’s son Terry. I was trying to get in contact with either Terry or Joy Burford. Please send me an email at the email address above.
Donna G.
sorry for being for taking so long to reply— just found this the other day.. terry jr is married for the 2nd time and has 2 kids in st. jo mo. and one 7 mt old here . terry is a nurse and works at the homer la hospital… and i am still on the air. at kzhe.com…. you can go there and click on my name and some of my radio shows are available for you to hear… take care terry sr
For those of you that like this aircheck, click on the Seattle page and listen to Buck Ritchie at KAYO. Im struck by the similar approach to the country format. This is good radio. The secret to good radio is, find your audience and run with it.
KDFI, and KAYO, didnt talk at their listeners, they talked to them, and the connection was apparent. The one common thread every popular radio personality creates, is the affection the listeners have for them. Big city folk may not understand why people listened, but those in Wichita, and Seattle, knew that top 40 wasnt the only game in town.
Great stuff.
Terry my brother dave did weather there at KFDI and news , remeber well when ol mike hired me to play santa claus at don hatten chevy. ol mike was everything good in country music and a good person should be
Believe it or not, I had this 45 in storage while I was serving overseas with the military. I retired and work in Korea as a contractor, but I kept remembering the title of the song as “The Bear With the Chartreuse Hair”. I finally asked my Mom and brother to send me my 45’s because I really wanted to find out who did that song and see if there was an album. It arrived today, and I see that it was done by Ol’ Mike and Terry Burford. The flip side is “These are the Times We’re Livin’ in”. After some work on the Internet, I found this site, and I now remember how I got this record. It was a present to my from my grandmother back in the early 1970’s when I was in my early teens.
I guess this doesn’t have much to do with airchecks, but it does with a lot of fond memories.