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On Memorial Day Weekend of 2005, many former
DJs and newsmen from WTMA's "Music Radio" days of the '50s, '60s and '70s
got together for a reunion in Charleston. Al Kamhi, WTMA's News
Director in the mid-1970s, and his wife Pat
graciously underwrote a dinner for all participants and
their significant others
at the Market Pavilion Hotel on Saturday night,
which was the center point of the event.
Between noon and 2 p.m. on that Saturday, there
was a two-hour special
reunion talk show. Originating from the "new" WTMA
studios and hosted by WCSC-TV anchor (and WTMA alum) Bill Sharpe, the
reunion participants had a great time talking about the
"good old days." In case you missed you, you can download it
below. The files are in MP3 format.
Plus -- taking a cue from WABC in New
York -- a special WTMA retrospective, "WTMA Rewound,"
aired on Memorial Day between 6:00
a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and 3:00 pm. and 6:00 p.m.,
complete with actual
airchecks from WTMA's music radio days.
| Steve Bell
writes on May 30, 2005: "Thanks for all your efforts in
organizing the WTMA Reunion. It came off perfectly. Bill Sharpe was
the perfect selection as the interviewer, and the lunch was a great
touch. Of course, Saturday night’s dinner was wonderful, and the
sock hop was an incredibly appropriate event to schedule in
conjunction with the reunion. It was so much fun to see all of my
erstwhile co-workers and to meet some of those who preceded me. I
sincerely hope that this is not the last WTMA Reunion. I also extend
to you my thanks for all the work you have done on the WTMA Memories
Web page."
Richard "Dick" Andert (John Smith 1966-67) writes on June 6,
2005: "I can't fully express what a fantastic time Mary and I
had over Memorial Day 2005 when we visited Charleston for the WTMA
DJ Reunion! I've been bragging to everyone here in Los Angeles
about your beautiful city and the great folks who came together for
this event. The reunion broadcast was perfectly executed and all the
guys who showed up for this were funny, insightful and just good to
visit with. Our thanks to Al Kamhi for the excellent dinner and fun
sock hop! I'll see you at the next one!!"
Gery London
writes on June 8, 2005: "Dear John: After nearly a year of
planning it finally happened: the 2005 WTMA Reunion. I'm sure I
speak for all that attended it was a wonderful and unforgettable
experience. Your efforts with WTMAMemories.com and WTMADance.com
are applauded by all. Your love for WTMA truly shines like a
beacon on a dark night in Charleston's harbor. We thank you from
the bottom of our hearts. The reunion talk show was a lot of fun,
dinner was excellent, the dance was great and the rewound show was
spectacular. Job well done! I hope it doesn't take another 65
years for all of us to get together again. Maybe we can all
converge at Al and Pat's place unannounced this fall. Wouldn't
that be a hoot! I'm sure he and Pat would be just as gracious as
they were for our reunion. I can't put into words what it means
working with you on the Reunion. You are truly one of the last
Original Personalities of today's generation. I wish we could turn
back time and do it all over again with the guys that attended.
Talk about a really great station! Heck, it makes me want to get
back into the business. Please keep the love and passion for
preserving radio history. If there is anything I can ever do for
you or your preservation efforts please call. Again, thank you for
a great weekend." |
We also did something special
for our community. On Sunday night we put on an
old-fashioned WTMA sock-hop at the Omar Shrine Temple at Patriot's Point
in Mt. Pleasant,
with all money
from the low admission price going to
Camp Happy Days and Special
Times. See photos here.
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Bill
Edwards, John Smith and Terry Allen |
John
Burwell |
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Gery
London |
Jack
Wilson |
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John
Burwell, Brother Dave, Steve Bell, Al Kamhi, Gery London;
With camera: John Smith |
John
Burwell, Brother Dave, Steve Bell, Al Kamhi, Bill Sharpe
With cameras: Bill Edwards and John Smith |
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Bill
Sharpe |
Steve
Bell, Al Kamhi, Gery London, John Burwell |
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Gery
London, Bill Sharpe |
John
Burwell, Brother Dave, Steve Bell |
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John
Burwell, Jack Wilson, Terry Allen |
John
Quincy |
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Jim
Diamond, Buddie Charles, Bill Sharpe |
Mike
West, Jim Diamond |
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Buddie Charles, Jim Diamond, Bill Sharpe, Mike West |
Bill
Sharpe |
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Bill
Edwards, John Smith |
John
Smith, Terry Allen |
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Kirk
Varner, Jim Diamond, Steve Bell, Al Kamhi |
John
Burwell, Jack Wilson, Terry Allen |
WTMA Then
& Now Photos |
