Memories of Bob Seger, Jack Gale, and Big WAYS Radio in Charlotte

I’m kind of like Bob Seger… just give me that ole time rock and roll; the kind of music that just soothes the soul.

Radio and music have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom played her transistor radio kept atop the refrigerator for the best reception when I was little.

AM radio was really big back in the 60s and I was introduced to 61 Big WAYS and the Jack Gale morning show as a small tyke. 

At 610 on the dial, the Charlotte-based radio station boasted a powerful 5,000-watt signal that spread into 36 counties in North and South Carolina. At the end of 1964, the station had been bought by Stan Kaplan, known in Boston as a top-notch salesperson and world's greatest promoter at WMEX.

In April 1965, Kaplan called Gale, who had worked alongside him in Boston, wanting him to come to Charlotte to program the newly purchased station, and be the morning man.

According to Gale's book, “Same Time…Same Station,” Jack accepted Kaplan's offer and submitted his 30-day notice at WMEX. 

Gale received a rude awakening whenever coming to Charlotte. He says, “WAYS was the most dilapidated station I’d ever seen. It was like a German pill box on the outskirts of the city. The control room was full of cobwebs, with an old Gates board and worn-out turntables.”

He goes on to talk about open cans of tuna on the console, and a bevy of cats owned by the station's engineer running around. In other words, he had his work cut out for him!

Kaplan gave Gale full reign to hire his own staff. After the first year with Gale on-the-air, Kaplan was offered $4 million for his half a million-dollar investment. The station consistently had contests and gave away lots of money.

Big WAYS became a household word. After the first year, new studios were constructed. Gale and his staff worked in trailers while the new facility was being built.

He shared that whenever someone would come in and close the door, the entire trailer shook causing the needle to scoot across the record. Ah, the joys of live radio! Well worth the headaches though, the new studio was a real showplace.

C. Michael Blackwell shared the morning stint with Gale as WAYS newsman. He worked with Gale for about three years, and then was called into the ministry as a Baptist preacher.

Mom said Jack would play the sound effect of a crash, and would claim it was C. Michael arriving for work. 

Blackwell was still among staff members though as WAYS began renting the Charlotte Coliseum each June for the Big WAYS Birthday Ball or ‘BWB.’ My mom got our family of four tickets to the first BWB in 1966.

I have no recollection of the show; however, according to the souvenir program she still has, we were entertained by the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Four Seasons, Lou Christie, Bobby Goldsboro, and others.

This particular program is autographed by Jack Gale, C. Michael and all the jocks that were on air at the time. We also went to BWB Number 2 in 1967 with such greats as Percy Sledge, Spanky and Our Gang, The Royal Guardsman and The Five Americans taking the stage.

Taylorsville’s own, Harry Deal and the Galaxies were at both BWB events. Gale had recorded The Galaxies doing “Salty Dog” and had sold it to Atlantic Records.

Gale's book said each annual birthday ball was promoted starting in March, and all of them sold out in two weeks. The station reserved a few hundred tickets to give away as prizes as the show grew closer.

Besides the 16-thousand attendees the Coliseum held, a few thousand others gathered outside trying to gain entry. 

Jack Gale and crew produced the number-one rated show in the Charlotte radio market in 1966. My mom was a loyal listener as Gale played the newest rock/pop 45s.

Of course, WAYS was first in the region playing the British invasion tunes from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. She still tells me whenever she heard The Stones' song “Satisfaction,” it was the best music she had ever heard.

I think she visited Perry Thomas' Record Shop in Morganton on frequent occasions in search of records she heard on Gale's morning show. 

Aside from the music, Gale was a one-man show; entertaining his listeners with more than 20 different voices and alter egos.

On the website airplaychannel.com, it talks about AM radio in the 60’s being … “a time when the AM airwaves were filled with quirky personalities and belly laughs… not just angry telephone callers venting their political differences.”

Gale managed to shake the cobwebs from WAYS taking it to the top spot in the market with good clean fun. 

Once out of the radio business after working at dozens of stations all over the country, Gale said “I don’t listen to the radio much anymore. I think what’s happened to radio today is sad. I had a golden rule. No mention of alcohol, sex, or religion.”

His last year at WAYS in 1970, Gale was named Billboard magazine’s first-ever ‘Disc Jockey of the Year'. 

During his retirement from radio, Jack's voice remained on the airwaves with commercials he continued to produce and voiceovers. He remained active with such projects up until his death on Jan. 23, 2018. Jack was 92 years old.

Since the radio bug bit me before I graduated high school, mom had often talked about the great Jack Gale. Some years ago, I googled him to find that he had a website.

I emailed him and told him about mom being a fan all those years ago, and that I also worked in radio. He kindly emailed me back and sent mom an autographed copy of his book. 

In his book, Jack remarks “Radio was where I belonged, I could feel it.” Indeed, it was exactly where he belonged. I can’t begin to imagine the lives he touched with his gifts of humor and music.

Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…” Gale was a light in the darkness at the touch of the radio dial.

Until we read again…

Lisa Propst is a local columnist for The Paper. She may be reached at propstl@bellsouth.net.