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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 233 Today's Peep Pays Tribute to a Sacramento Radio Icon "The Wonder Rabbit" Martin Ashley, Fellow Iconic DJ and Good Friend Tony Cox Joins Us to talk "Boss" Radio and Blows Us Away with his Musical Knowledge
What happens when two radio veterans with decades of broadcasting experience sit down to share their stories? Magic, nostalgia, and authentic friendship pour through the microphone as Pat Walsh welcomes his longtime friend and radio legend Tony Cox to the Pat's Peeps podcast.
Their conversation unlocks a time capsule from the golden era of radio broadcasting in the early 1970s, when stations like KROY in Sacramento and KFRC in San Francisco weren't just playing music—they were cultural institutions shaping the identity of their communities. Tony reveals the fascinating behind-the-scenes process of how radio stations received advance copies of new music before the public, including the unforgettable moment when station staff first heard Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and immediately recognized its groundbreaking potential despite its unprecedented length for AM radio.
The pair trade stories about their Hollywood adventures, including a surreal backstage encounter with Dick Van Dyke at the Disney Entertainment Center that feels straight out of a movie. Their genuine excitement in recounting these memories demonstrates how their professional journeys through broadcasting led to extraordinary experiences most only dream about.
The conversation takes a poignant turn when Tony shares news of Martin "The Wonder Rabbit" Ashley's recent passing. Their heartfelt tribute to this beloved radio personality and legendary recording engineer highlights the deep bonds formed in the broadcasting community, reminding us of radio's profound impact on both listeners and those who created the magic.
From the structure of "Boss Radio" programming to vintage audio clips of commercials for $95 suits, this episode captures an era when radio was the dominant medium connecting communities. The episode concludes with a remarkable moment when Tony instantly recognizes an obscure record from Pat's collection, demonstrating the encyclopedic musical knowledge these professionals developed throughout their careers.
Whether you're a radio enthusiast, music lover, or simply appreciate authentic conversation between friends, this episode offers a rare glimpse into an influential period of broadcasting history through the eyes of those who lived it. Subscribe now to hear more conversations that blend nostalgia, industry insights, and genuine human connection.
well, here we are once again, friends. Hello, how are you? It is the Pat's Peeps podcast, today being a Wednesday, the 26th day of March 2025. And as I look out my studio windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California, it's another lovely day. The sun's still out. It's supposed to be a little cloudy. It's a little cloudier today, but it's still lovely. A little light breeze Got all the doors and the windows wide open. Just a gorgeous day. And I'm just so thankful as always I tell you this that we are, that you're part of our ever-growing podcast audience here with Pat's Peeps 233 podcasts, my friend 233. So a couple of things to get to. Oh, that's Tony in the background. Tony just joined my show, so Tony's going to be with us in a second, so I'm just setting everything up, tony. How are you there, buddy?
Speaker 2:You know I'm great, but my air conditioning is confused. One day it's on cool, the next day it's on heat. We went from 88 yesterday. We're going to be 63 degrees here for a high in three days.
Speaker 1:That is perfect, so I'll introduce Tony momentarily. Just to let you know, I'm also the host of the Pat Wall Show. You can always hear it on KPK Radio in Sacramento and on your free iHeart app, just like this very Pat's Peeps podcast. You can hear my peeps, my daily peeps, on all your streaming platforms. Of course, tonight on my show, the great come on. Now, kurt Schilling is going to be on the Pat Wall show, as we do our baseball prediction show.
Speaker 1:Hall of Famer. Kurt Schilling, the great pitcher, one of the greatest pitchers of all time. I put him in the very top, top part of my upper echelon of my list and that's saying something. There's a lot of great pitchers that I've seen during my time. Also, we are one week away today, one week away from going to the Italian Riviera with conservative tours. Very much looking forward to that. Tomorrow night I have the super secret location a's uh party, as the a's are opening monday night in sacramento against the chicago cubs, who already took a two-game beat down in tokyo against my beloved dodgers, thank you, oh gosh I love seeing that over and over.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. The rest of the league will start monday and the dodgers already have a two-game lead, so anyhow. But we're going to be celebrating the a's who, of course, unfortunately are no longer in Oakland. They're going to be in Sacramento for three years before they move to Vegas and we want to keep a team here Monday. We will be out there broadcasting live from the stadium during opening night against the Cubs. That's just awesome to say that I finished my taxes yesterday. I feel like there's a thousand pound load off of my shoulders right now. I just it is dreadful doing taxes. I don't deal well with it and, like I said before, I don't mind paying them trying to do my part. But it's dreadful for me to do anything with paperwork. Tony Cox, who I'm going to introduce? Anything with paperwork, whether it's mail, filling out forms. Having to do all that. I hate it. Dmv, I need an assistant to just do that stuff for me.
Speaker 2:I like paper airplanes, though I can make those all day long. Now paper airplanes.
Speaker 1:I wish I could take all this mail that I have that I'm always fearful it's going to be a bill and just make paper airplanes. You know that would be awesome, hey, I want to introduce. So all of this is going on and I also have a record here, tony, at the end of each one of my podcasts, and this is particularly interesting for me to tell you, matter of fact, we're going to talk a little radio, tony Cox. In my opinion, how lucky am I that when I listen, my favorite station growing up as a kid in Sacramento is K-R-O-Y and I used to listen to it daily before I flipped to FM, but I'd still listen to K-R-O-Y and one of my favorite DJs on there, and I had several, you know Tony Cox on KROI. Then I grow up and I'm now a man and what happens? I become best friends with this man, tony Cox, and now we've called each other best friends for many years. So I want to talk a little radio with Tony. I have a song at the end, tony, I pull a record off.
Speaker 2:You've seen my record collection my 45s collection, part of it. No one will ever see the whole thing, right.
Speaker 1:So I pulled one off of the shelf today, and today it's one that usually it's something I know. This one, I don't know the song unless I listen to it and I go, oh yeah, that's right, but I want to ask you maybe a couple of questions about that, and then I have other things that I would like to ask you about
Speaker 1:but but let's start with kroy. Now kroy, like I say, back in the day, tony, uh, you would hear tony cox and some of these greats on on kroy and in being in sacramento. My memory, tony, is that you either listen if people kids are my age you listen to KRY, or, which is a Sacramento station, or you listen to KFRC, which was a San Francisco station with Dr Don Rose, or perhaps you might listen to KNDE, which is another Sacramento station that for a brief time was a pretty big player in the top 40 business. You remember those days, tony.
Speaker 2:I worked at two of those three Croy and KFRC Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Tell us about that.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, when I was a young child, I would listen to the radio and I wanted to be the guy on the radio only because I dig the people, and when you're on the radio you get to talk to a lot of people. So it was a dream job for me to get a license. When I was 13 years old, I got a broadcast license and I got a gig right away at a small radio station and worked my way up all across the country as a disc jockey. Back in the day, pat, when we were people's companion, the only game in town the Internet hadn't been invented you were lucky if you had eight tracks or cassettes in your car. Most people everywhere listened to the radio.
Speaker 2:And when you're on the radio, you know this. When you answer a request line, you talk it. You don't know who is going to be calling you. You have a finger that punches up the world and no two people have the same vibe of your show, and that turned me on. I love radio. I'm sure your listeners have you next to them. If they're driving, you're a companion. You're sitting in the passenger seat as they're driving by themselves, but you provide companionship, and that was the magic of radio and why I got into it. And, yeah, I love it. And KROI when I was a young boy I would come down to Sacramento. My parents would drop me off when they went shopping at the mall and I would sit in front of the window at KROI, which had a window out for the street, and I would watch the distraction and I just I couldn't believe it. It was magic. It was like watching how things work.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And, uh, and, and the guy sitting in there, all the jocks, they look so darn happy and I go wow, I want a job like that If I can go to work and look that happy that I've seen you in the studio. You, when you walk into your studio every night to do your radio show and your podcast show, now I know I can see you smiling. How many times have I called you in the morning and go hey, man, you're having a good day. I can see you smiling.
Speaker 1:That's right, that's true, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 1:I used to say and not just to join in, not to lose your place there, to keep your thought. But that's the same way I felt when I was a kid and I'd watch wkrp in cincinnati.
Speaker 2:I thought are you telling me that I can go?
Speaker 1:to a building and these people are this creative and they got rock posters on the wall and I could go dig on this and play rock music. This is what I'll. It's either baseball or I'm doing that one of the two well you.
Speaker 2:you've kind of done both. I've seen you hit the ball out of the Rivercat Stadium one time. Thank you, oh, that was awesome.
Speaker 3:You took that pitch.
Speaker 2:Boom, I go. Man Geez, he's around in seconds. Thank you, we've been through a lot. We have man. You know it's weird From the greatest Hollywood parties to you coming by one day when I was sick and my backyard was overgrown with weeds and you go give me your lawnmower and you were out there mowing my lawn when it was 110 degrees, that's right.
Speaker 1:That's what friends are for. Tony told me this story and this kind of plays into when I'm thinking about WKRP and when I'm then when Tony's talking about seeing these people having fun, and this was something he said, yeah, I, I need to gravitate towards that. Um, uh, yeah, so, um, so, tony, I told me that they used to, and I'm so envious of this. God would have loved to have been a part of this. He did Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, but he said I can remember this. Tony says you know, we used to have these meetings on Tuesday morning and this would be management or product or perhaps music directors or program directors whatever they were called back then and someone would put a new record on and they would all listen together and try to determine whether or not this song might be a hit and whether it was, uh, something that they might want to play. Is that? Do I have that correct?
Speaker 2:you have it exactly correct. Let me put a little background to it. Back in the day, before mp3s and you had to have the record in your hand to play it on the radio. So all the record ducks we called them those were the guys that worked for Atlantic ABC London all the record labels. They would ship each radio station a box of their new releases before they were ever even pressed to the public, and we as radio stations would get these records and every Tuesday we would receive these in the mail. It was Record Duck Tuesday when we got all the new releases that we could listen to and we only played 30 songs on the radio. Back then it was Boss Radio. We only had room for 30 hit songs, but the record companies were constantly trying to push their music. 90% of the records they sent us every Tuesday ended up in our own collection and we used them for Frisbees. They were of no value. There was a lot of junk.
Speaker 1:There was a lot of junk put out back then I'm glad they didn't throw them all out and use them for Frisbees because I think a lot of this junk I still own, honestly.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm saying you know, one of them was led zeppelin and it wasn't junk. But we received one day, on tuesday, before stairway to heaven had ever been heard by anyone in the world, atlantic records did test pressings 45s with the full version of stairway to heaven, seven minutes 47 seconds, and we were all there that day for record day and the pd goes hey, we got a new zeppelin release and we're going okay, cool man. Uh, would they just come out with a whole lot of love. You know, we were expecting something and they put the record on and all us jocks are sitting in the studio. They drop the needle and we hear this car open light and ding, ding, ding, ding, ding and we're going that's Led Zeppelin. We thought no, something's wrong, that doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin. Seven minutes later the song ended and everybody's jaw was on the floor going put that on the radio right now. And it turned out to be the biggest hit of Led Zeppelin and the longest song ever played on AM radio.
Speaker 1:Is that the longest song ever played on AM radio?
Speaker 2:At the time it was yes, Because the Doors had long versions and they were edited down, but Stairway to Heaven was played in its entirety.
Speaker 1:Was this the one where? So you're sitting there and they put this on and you're just like instantly, we're going.
Speaker 2:that can't be Led Zeppelin. We're going wait. We knew it was a hit, but we go wait a minute. Is that really Led Zeppelin?
Speaker 1:But did you think, geez, I don't know, this doesn't have the oomph as those other ones. This is kind of slow, kind of.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we were going, wow, is this going to be a ballad all the way through? And then, by the end, the rocket lifted off. Oops, I stepped on the intro.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, you're going to have a chance to redeem yourself.
Speaker 2:Okay, here's the rocket taking off, right here yeah, kfrc, san Francisco, k-r-o-y, with Led Zeppelin on the radio. Rock and roll, baby Woo-hoo, listen to that guitar. Mmm, uh-huh, yeah, oh, don't stop now. Crank it up here comes, barry Powell, here's one.
Speaker 1:This is one that I have to thank that you that when they cause. This is right about the same time we're talking with Tony Cox, formerly of KRY, KFRC and many other stations, quite frankly, All across the country.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, so right about the same time. Matter of fact, it could have been the same year, to my estimation, to my way of thinking, probably the same year, and I believe that stairway was in 71, I think 71. Yeah, which I think this is about the same time that this particular song came out. Now, I can just imagine this is one that I'm imagining. You got all those people in that room, tony and you're guys, are like is this going to be a hit? And as soon as they drop the needle on this record to me, if I'm sitting in that room and I'm in that decision-making group, I'm within literally five seconds. I'm in that decision making group, I'm in, within within literally five seconds. I'm like, yep, okay, that's a hit. Well, you can pull that up now because that's a hit. But don't pull it up. I'm gonna go up and slap you this one right here. Give me your thoughts on this one.
Speaker 2:And if you guys tested this one, oh, it's all right now, baby, we're all free in america. Here you go, crank it up, turn it on and play that guitar hey, tony, you mentioned boss radio.
Speaker 1:I know what boss radio is. It's essentially a technique. For those who don't understand or have never heard of Boss Radio, tell us what Boss Radio is.
Speaker 2:Well, boss Radio at the time was created by a couple of guys named Drake Chenault, and they worked in Los Angeles. They were radio programmers and they owned KHJ RKO Radio. And one day, after a day at work, they had a regular format music, nothing spectacular. They were both sitting in a bar drinking and they noticed that people were walking to the jukebox and they were putting quarters in and out of all the hundreds of songs on the jukebox they noticed only a few being played that people were playing for. So they go.
Speaker 2:Hey, let's do that with our format. Let's take 30 songs and play them over and over and over, and every week we'll replace one or two and it's called number one with a bullet. We will have a countdown. You see, please, I'm American Top 40. That's all boss radio. Now, you see, please, I'm American Top 40. That's all boss radio. And so Drake Chenault became famous for being able to play a format that pleased most people in anything they were doing, and you never knew what the song would be. It could be country, it could be rock, it could be punk, it could be a ballad.
Speaker 1:Oh sure, I can remember clearly. You would hear when we get behind closed doors, charlie. Hey, have you seen the most beautiful, beautiful girl in the world?
Speaker 2:Followed by all right now by three pieces by a man I don't know, or play that funky music, by the way, wild Cherry.
Speaker 1:And there was a technique to the vocals. Right, there was a technique to the intro. You got to go right up, you got to talk right up, you got to talk the intro up.
Speaker 2:Oh yes, it was all strategic. The format was so well planned. The jock's kind of is a top 40 boss radio jock. You either loved it or you hated it. I loved it. I loved the formatics. I knew that the next song I played is going to be better than the one I was playing right now. And I believed it Because it was.
Speaker 1:Let's stick to 1971 with Tony Cox and Pat's Peeps 233. Here's the 1971. Tony, I'm going to ask you to do your boss radio lead-in Now, don't? You've got to hit the post. All right, you're an expert at this. 1971, tony, here we go. He has no idea what I'm about to play. No clue, it's just going to be a hit song from 1971. Here we go, because then I'm going to jump back into 1971. There's a reason I'm doing this.
Speaker 2:Here we go, tony. Whatever you got, here we go. Hey baby, it's time to get hot on the Pats Peeps podcast, because, oh my goodness, this is a long intro.
Speaker 1:No, I did the short intro. Oh okay, all right, a long intro. No, I did the short intro. Oh okay, all right. 72 degrees right now, all right, pat's peeps 233. I'm with Tony Cox, don't forget it. Midnight tonight Tony's going to be live, he's signing autographs, he's got his new autobiography. I'm Tony, don't call me Camper Cox, green-eyed lady. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. Hey, pat, you're hired man. You got morning drive.
Speaker 1:That's because I learned from you guys. I learned from you guys. Tony wanted to hire me one time, remember that.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh God, the only reason I didn't. I didn't have the budget. Dang budget, yeah, I didn't have the budget, dang budget, yeah, I didn't have the money to hire you. When you came in that office first day, we met folks. Pat, I was programming an all-sports station.
Speaker 2:Pat had walked into my office, I was interviewing morning people and he walks in. He's got this air check and it's not that you weren't unknown, but of all the people applying for the job that I had no budget for, you were probably the most surprising one to walk into my office. I just felt like I should interview you that day and when you walked in, it was a very casual thing. I listened to your air check. You made me smile. I go you're perfect, this is what we want. And then, you know, the general manager steps up and goes ah, you know, we need a seat. I'm a little proud. Listen to proud Wolf, listen to what he does. He's passionate, he's. You know this is before you were the sports guy, by the way.
Speaker 2:So unfortunately, uh, we, uh, I, we didn't, we didn't work together at that time and you went on to become who you are today, because it was a surprise to me, but in the interim. We became friends and when you walked out that day, I go, I'm going to follow that dude's career. You know, before Facebook you can just click follow and find out what Pat Walsh is doing every day, like I can now, thank God. So back then I had a curiosity. When you left it wasn't just a typical interview I saw something magic, come in and walk out, even though we didn't get to work together I had to hire nothing personal or people listening I ended up hiring the dog. Do you remember him? Of course I do. Yeah, anyway, so you know. So Ben is now and now is here today. So, hey, this is cool man. Thank you for having me on the that's Pete podcast.
Speaker 1:Oh my pleasure.
Speaker 2:I remember you and I went to lunch together about five years ago with our friend Leslie I think it was, and you mentioned something about hey, I could cite you for a podcast, and this is like when podcasts weren't even everybody's got one today, but back then nobody had them. Yeah, I want to do this, pat's Peeps. You know where I connect people with people, because you know I got some really cool friends and I got clients. Why answer that? Because you know those who have never heard your radio show. You endorse associates, sponsors, but you're very sincere about it. You don't just go through the message, you're advertising. You're like your cruise, you're leaving next week for Ireland.
Speaker 1:Right, italy, I'm sorry, I get my countries, I get my i-countries mixed up. We just got back from.
Speaker 2:Ireland? Yeah, I don't know, and you're Irish, you know, a couple of weeks ago, anyway. So you're going to Ireland and your cruise people we've had discussions offline and you tell me how wonderful this company is, that you work with.
Speaker 1:I don't go on any cruises now, but I don't do that. I you work with. I don't go on any cruises now.
Speaker 2:But I don't do that. I don't mean cruises, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't say cruise. Uh, your your vacations and um and uh, yeah, so I just yeah, it's just unbelievable.
Speaker 1:Thank you, tony. And uh, you know what I um? It's only because of people like you, people who I respect and gave me a chance and who I listened to and respected and gave me a chance, and who I listened to and respected, and those are the people that I sort of modeled myself after I took things that influenced me.
Speaker 2:And I remember the night that we walked in to the Disney entertainment center in hollywood about 15 years ago and we see this little, this little man, walking in front of the stage in sweats, and as we get closer we realize it's dick van dyke. Yes, what a wonderful night that was yeah, well, here's how I remember.
Speaker 1:We remember it slightly different okay here's how I remember it you and I actually walked into the disney center. We were a little bit early and we didn't know where to go really, and we kind of went into the room where there was.
Speaker 1:They're going to have the orchestra and, and dick van dyke and connie stevens and all these, wink martindale and richard sherman and uh, connie stevens and ed asner, ed asner, and from Lost in Space, june Lockhart, june Lockhart, all these people are going to be there. We look down this one, we look kind of through this door. We don't know where any one thing is and we end up going through this door and it's a long hallway and it's just like I always imagined it as a kid, where all the stars would be in dressing rooms and they actually had stars on each door. And it's just like I always imagined it as a kid, where all the stars would be in dressing rooms and they actually had stars on each door. And it would say like Connie Stevens, wink Martin, pat Boone was there, and we're like what the heck? And then we hear from behind us coming down a hallway this chitty, chitty, bang, bang or something, or something from Mary Poppins. We're like what is going?
Speaker 2:on. Yes, but, pat, before that we walk into the empty the theater yeah, but let me finish that. But let me finish that.
Speaker 1:We're going down this hallway and all of a sudden, from behind us, in the distance, we hear this, like some kind of Mary Poppins I can't remember, but it's. And they come, and all of a sudden they turn a corner right behind us and it's Dick Van Dyke and the Van as in Van Dyke, the Fantastics, these, this singing group, and they're singing and dancing and they just go right past you and I down the hallway and we're like what just happened there?
Speaker 2:were we in the middle of Chitty Chitty Bang.
Speaker 1:Bang and Mary Poppins just now. That was freaking. Dick Van Van Dyke, that was a trip, but you say we saw him earlier, is that?
Speaker 2:what you're saying. Well, we did when we got to the Disney center. We first of all, it's not easy to get parking, so we found it and here's the Disney center weird building. There's no left right up down. It was hard to find. Nobody knew what was going on. It was a private party hosted by the London or the Los Angeles lawyers symphony orchestra and so it was a whole performance that night. And we got there for the pre-party banquet and media. But we were the only media people there. Everybody else was stars you, me and bird from judge Judy were one of the few civilian guests to be there. Everybody else was like hey, I've seen you in all my life. Everybody, from Link Martindale to June Lockhart to Ed Asner who sat there and talked to us, and you and Dick and I, dick Van Dyke I have that video somewhere of where we talk for about 20 minutes about radio.
Speaker 1:I wish I could see that again. I will find that that was. His main love was radio. He loved radio.
Speaker 2:And you and I had so much in common with him because he told us about how he got in. He was going to go to the military and went into the armed forces radio network and realized he can make a buck doing radio, and then he was just really a cool dude. And then remember, remember, when, uh, when, the uh internet, uh, what was that? Uh streaming. The woman came up and goes we're ready for your live streaming interview, mr Van Dyke. And they were going to go live with the cameras right next to where we were standing. So he turned there and he called his manager woman over to floss his teeth. Do you remember that? Because we just had lunch.
Speaker 1:Can you imagine that being your job?
Speaker 3:You've got to hear the official Tooth.
Speaker 1:Flosser. Yeah, what do you do for a living? Well, I'm Dick Van Dyke's Tooth Flosser, dick Van Dyke's.
Speaker 2:Keith All right, before he goes on close-up.
Speaker 1:Anyway, let's move ahead because I want to get to a couple of things. Tony and I got some interesting things I'm doing today, so I'm limited a little bit here. But let's go back to 1971. Let's go back to K-R-O-Y. So in 1971, one of the guys that I listened to a lot, and if anyone listened to K-R-Y first, I'd like to know what the difference to you in a very brief nutshell, if you can, and maybe there is no difference what was the difference for you to work at KFRC versus KROY?
Speaker 2:No difference, it was just being San Francisco or Sacramento. We were the center of what I did, and when I say we, it was magic man. What came out of the antenna was magic. Kfrc was like wow. I listened to KFRC as a kid and I knew I was in San Francisco. When I listened to AROI as a kid, I grew up in a small town I was in Sacramento. When I listened to KHJ in LA, I was in LA. That's the only difference between KFRC.
Speaker 2:Okay, so same kind of vibe though yeah, yeah, I also work with kya and uh, chicago and other great institutional stations.
Speaker 1:It's a magic by the way, yesterday or the day before now, I'm really off topic. I just said I needed to get on moving on with this.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, you get. To 1971.
Speaker 1:By the way, I just thought of this two days ago. On my podcast, I'm telling a story. You'll'll appreciate this, I think. I think I'm not sure if you will. I'm watering my lawn. I decided I've got a little time and I need to do some things here. Okay, so I start to go. I'm going to go clean some, do some stuff on my property. So I'm I start by watering my lawn for a moment. So I just put some grass in and I'm trying to get it to grow by spring.
Speaker 1:No one comes and visits my house. You know where I live. I live up in the hills. I live tucked away. I don't tell anyone where I live. It's my secret little location in the forest. And all of a sudden, here comes this motorcycle, rides right up to my gate, to my walkway. I'm like what the hell is this? And these guys got someone's got a helmet on this pal walsh. Pal walsh like uh, who are you? Is pal walsh? And I have was listening to the radio, a radio show behind me, eddie trunk and he's like is that pat walsh on the radio? Now I'm thinking who are you? Coming up to my house and asking this pal walsh, literally, I was about ready to start spraying this guy and then just gonna go figure. If you don't tell me who you are, we're going to have an issue because you're at my door and you're not identifying who you are and I can't see your face.
Speaker 1:So the person gets off the bike, pulls off their helmet and their sunglasses and it's someone I haven't seen. If I were guessing, maybe 17 years, maybe maybe.
Speaker 2:Oh, I can't. John Beale, you're very close. You're very close Now.
Speaker 1:I can't even think You're just think Thank you, you are very close. I don't want to bore everyone with our guessing game, can you?
Speaker 2:tell me what kind of motorcycle it was.
Speaker 1:It was kind of a dirt hybrid, dirt street bike. Who else do you know from that era? Oh, john Franklin, john Franklin.
Speaker 2:Amen, oh, my God. Whoa mind blow. Hey, buddy, thanks, man Whoa. I'm going to give him a call.
Speaker 1:I haven't talked to him in a while. He came up and he was so nice. He comes up and he goes. I thought you were Tony and it didn't like me or something I'm like. As soon as I realized it was, I gave him the big hug I go.
Speaker 2:Did it look like I don't like you Anyhow we were in a band he was the bass player and the only band I've ever played in, and it was a blues band.
Speaker 1:Yes, and then you laughed and then.
Speaker 2:I sang and he was the most passionate and he sang Wow, Pat, he was fabric of life, man.
Speaker 1:So he comes up to tell me he wants to know, he wants me to know, that he and John Winter, who was a guitar player, that they sat and found all this material from that era, 2004 to 2007, 2008,. And he said my God, god, we found this stuff with you singing. And I have to tell you, pat, we were blown away at your passion and all this, so it was a very nice thing.
Speaker 1:And he said nice things about you and I'd appreciate if you give him a call and tell him that we said nice things about him today on this podcast. Would you do that?
Speaker 2:yes out of. Yeah, no doubt you don't know how important that means to me. Yes, he, I totally appreciate this, pat. Honestly, buddy if I apologize to your podcast listeners because this is so deep between you and me and friends and music, yeah, your passion for music, pat, goes beyond what most people even understand. When we, when we went to the, uh, to the thing in the camp, the Camp Zappa, man, man, those four days were phenomenal really. They were Strawberry Music Festival. No, no, no, no, no, no. 1971. Yes, 1240.
Speaker 1:Caroline. Oh, we have to talk about today. No, no, no, no, no, no. 1971. Yes, 1240. Caroline, we have to talk about today the fact that one of the guys we listened to, one of the greats, was Martin Ashley, known as the Wonder Rabbit, and Tony. We have news today. Tell us the news about Martin.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess that's why I'm on your show today. I contacted you this morning when I found out that Martin Ashley, that's why I'm on your show today. I contacted you this morning when I found out that Martin Ashley, who was one of my, he was to me. I guess I was to you back in the day when you were listening to me on the radio. I would listen to Martin Ashley, the wonder rabbit eat a banana. He was amazing. On KRY he was a jock. I used to watch through the window and I never could believe that I would work with him and he would become a friend.
Speaker 2:What you were saying about me earlier put Martin's name in there instead of mine and it's identical Patrick. Today I found out he passed away from cancer. No one knew he was ill, so if people would be able to enjoy his creative. He was a wonderful disc jockey and he quit jockeying one day. He quit becoming the wonder rabbit. He became martin ashley the engineer. His ears, his production. He kept me. He kept every radio station. He maintained the transmitters, the recordings, everything you you called Martin and he made you sound better.
Speaker 1:There he is right here.
Speaker 3:Music power from KROY KROY Kraloma, gilrush time 10-10, which is a total of 20. With the Wonder Rabbits broadcasting to the whole world this morning, I like the way you smile with me. The Poppy family in Eagle Grove, but never in the Wonder Rabbit hut right. We all love Wonder Rabbit KROI. Kroi KROI 10, 13, and 74 degrees. So many people were calling KROI that we finally decided to install a telephone so you can call 443-KROI on KROI area weather Mostly fair all the way through Saturday it's 74. Jeez, I remember that Doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-doot.
Speaker 2:Oh, I remember that. Yeah, I remember the zip, kroi zip. Music power time, oh God.
Speaker 3:Hi, I'm Ellen Peck and I wrote the book how to Get a Teenage. There's that little.
Speaker 1:I remember all of this so weird. And this was a good year for music 71. Oh, it was Good year for music. Oh, that's a great one.
Speaker 3:What you see is what you get in Dramatics 10, 20, and 74 degrees. Be when you'll play. Was that on a cart? Was?
Speaker 2:that a cart? Yes, it was a sounder cart. It was always in one of the decks and you just hit the button and it would go. That's so awesome. I don't know where you found that and you can trust and that is gold. Gold Rush is almost here.
Speaker 3:Gibson Ranch is the place for fun. Gibson Ranch Be sure you pick up your Gibson Ranch. September 11th September 11th September 11th September 11th September 11th Probably fine, september 11th. What was that date? Again? All right, here's something that I know you'll want to include in your Labor Day weekend plans. It's Bruce Atkins' pre-Labor Day specials with important savings for men and women. Today through Sunday, you'll save over $38 on men's regularly priced $95 suits. That's right, yes, yes, yes $95 suits Tony yeah. And you save half the price.
Speaker 2:Half the price half off, you're talking 40-some bucks there.
Speaker 2:right there I have to add one thing Martin Ashley went from wonder rabbit I mean from DJ to the most incredible studio engineer and producer. He worked with Steel Breeze. He recorded his bourgeois tag. He worked with Charlie Peacock. Martin Ashley started Heavenly Recording Studios from an old 7-Eleven store and he went on to record all these people, man, everybody who was anybody in Sacramento recorded with Martin Ashley's studio. It turned into Swing Street Studios which produced. Anyway, you'll buy a new fall suit for only Wing Street Studios which produced just anyway, you'll buy a new fall suit for only $56.90 at Roos Atkins.
Speaker 1:Roos Atkins.
Speaker 3:Women's fashion dresses regularly $28 to $46.
Speaker 1:I used to go into the Roos Atkins at Southgate Shopping Center. They were giving away a mini bike and I wanted the mini bike so bad, I was like 10. I'd walk into Roos atkins every day and fill out like 10 forms and I remember the men working there in their suits. They'd look at me and be over there snickering about what kid wants that mini bike?
Speaker 3:I never want reduced to one third and one half. Now come save it. Ruse, atkins and their pre-labor day specials, your holiday of savings here's good news for everyone who was asked how to get extra copies of the complete Power on K-R-O-Y, 10-25 K-R-O-Y and 74 degrees with a wonder rabbit on a Friday in Joan Baez. Oh man, oh wow.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, nobody had ever heard that song. Oh man, so uh, so I uh. His name is Jingle Eat a Banana. Have you been able to find his Eat a Banana Jingle? He used to play it when he opened his show. It was a whole. He had a studio and he had women come in and go. He was the wonder rabbit and for some reason his slogan was eat a banana. It was like Woody Woodpecker. Imagine that song eat a banana, eat a banana. It's was like Woody Woodpecker. Imagine that song Eat a banana, eat a banana. It's the Wonder, wonder Rabbit show Eat a banana, eat a banana. It's the music that you know and it went into this whole thing and it was his little jingle.
Speaker 1:If I come across that, I'll play that on my show tonight, because I'm going to talk about him on my radio show, I'm sure.
Speaker 2:Dave Williams has it or Jeff March. Maybe Jeff March has it or maybe Bud Kress. Rest in peace.
Speaker 1:Wonder Rabbit Martin Ashley Amen.
Speaker 1:Tony this is the record I pulled off my shelf today. Now I don't know. Now, maybe if I play it, I might know it. To my way of thinking, this is maybe not a hit. I don't know, because it's on White Whale and it seems like I remember White Whale for some reason. I don't remember that they had a lot of hits, but this is a promotion copy. They used to send these. As you know, being a DJ Tony, they used to send these 45s in these sort of generic greenish weird sleeves.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that paper was cool, I wish I had 100. Actually you have those. You have your records in those it's called record volope, it's what they're called.
Speaker 1:Yes and they breathe.
Speaker 2:They don't eat the plastic. They're inert. That's right.
Speaker 1:This one was made in November of 62, by the way. So this song is on White Whale Records. It's a light blue label. I'll tell you a song. I'll tell you about the band, because there's really not a lot here on this particular song. I'll give you a little description, let's see if you know who it is, and if you do, I'll be so amazed, honestly, oh gosh. And then I'll play the song. So this was a late 60s American sunshine pop band from Austin, Texas. They started out as the Roustabouts and this was in Beaumont, about 90 miles east of Houston. Later they were the Sandpipers, before renaming themselves this name in 1967. Settled in Houston, the original members of the band John Canesaw on drums, Bruce Tinch on the bass, Cooper Hawthorne on the lead.
Speaker 1:Huh, no way Steppenwolf, no way Larry Lawson vocals and keyboards David Dunham on vocals and horns and then Randy Shaw on vocals and horns. Their first hit was a cover of the 13th floor elevator splash, one which was on cinema records. Um, let's see anything else I can give you here they, uh, they reached, let's see, uh, they reached number 177 on the billboard hot 200 with a 1970 single sparkle and shine reach number 100 no, nothing really.
Speaker 2:Uh, the names, uh, dunlap and all the other names. I think I know them, but so this one.
Speaker 1:This record is so rare.
Speaker 2:I think that it's me ask did I play it on my radio show? I doubt it Okay, go ahead If.
Speaker 1:I don't know it and you don't know it, then this is not a hit and it's very rare. So this is a song. It's called Sugar on Sunday. Oh the click, oh my God.
Speaker 2:Tony. Hey, no, bro, brother, you know who he's talking to. Oh, kfic Sugar on Sunday, better than nothing on Monday.
Speaker 1:That's impressive.
Speaker 2:Oh, no man, I knew nothing about all. You just told me, and that's a click with a Q.
Speaker 1:Tony, I am extremely, extremely impressed that you just said that.
Speaker 2:I didn't have to think a minute. Oh, I didn't have to think a minute, bro. That's in my DNA Dude.
Speaker 1:I swear dude.
Speaker 2:That's why we're friends, Pat. That's why we are friends.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, tony, I am extremely impressed.
Speaker 2:Okay, my God, tony, I am extremely impressed.
Speaker 1:Okay let's listen, let's listen.
Speaker 2:All right, all right, everybody get ready now.
Speaker 1:What is this? Uh-huh? You made my day, brother, you just made mine. I am flown away. I am so impressed. I've never even heard this song and I have a deep knowledge of music.
Speaker 2:But I have to Okay, I have to put a disclaimer in. Real quick, go ahead. You and I had this rehearsed. No, I'm kidding, no.
Speaker 3:I just wanted to know we did not.
Speaker 2:I know, patrick Love you man. I'm going to let you get on with your show. Thank you for making my day. God bless Martin Ashley the Wonder Apple. That's right Eat a banana.
Speaker 1:Thank you, brother.
Speaker 2:I'll be listening to your show tonight, bro.
Speaker 1:On a transistor radio. Nonetheless, you got it bitch. Thank you, brother.
Speaker 2:On Sunday, leaving on.
Speaker 1:Monday. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 3:Pat's Peeps number 233.
Speaker 1:See you on the radio Woo.
