America lost part of itself over the weekend

I’m still in somewhat shock, and sadness as I get ready to produce another HazzardAyre Show for this afternoon. As one of broadcastings and America’s Icons passed away this past weekend at age 82. Somehow I can’t imagine the always a teen rocker icon being 82. Needless to say, Casey Kassm passed away, and with it took some of us at least in spirit with him.

The first time I subbed for a friend on a Sunday afternoon at the then KMTW FM(now KLIX FM ) 96.5 Twin Falls to run AT40 I was first surprised that AT40 was recorded. After all, the many years prior starting in 1970, when I’d tune to KCPX AM 1320 SLC Utah to hear the original, AT40, I thought it was a live show. In fact AT40 was a big box full of 3 long playing vinyl lp’s with the station breaks already marked in and a written program clock. The original first AT40 took nearly 12 hours to record, many thought it was a cheap shot on radio to take up from American Bandstand. But many of us believed in what Casey was doing.

I was lucky to have met albeit for a cheese Danish and a soda at a NAB convention, in 1973, I had been invited to go with a radio friend who got me in the business from KCPX and so there was the guy who made radio really rattle.

Much of the trends, and modes of pop 40 music came from AT40, and even Ryan Seacrest has to admit, even he does not do the show as Casey did it.

Originally, AT40 was produced by a syndicator in Hollywood, called Watermark, which got bought in the early 80’s. Under Watermark, there was several shows based on the AT40 American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley and the Robert W Morgan Special of the week. Then Watermark tried to do a radio drama called Alien Worlds. Over time only AT40 survived the conglomerate take over. By the mid 80’s an outfit called WestWood One bought Watermark as well as much of NBC radio’s programs including Dr. Ruth’s Sexually Speaking, NBC’s TalkNet, amongst others. In the mid 1990’s an outfit which was a creation of Clear Channel, came to power as the Premier Radio Network, which took such programs as Coast to Coast AM and yes even AT40.

The first number one single of AT40 was a song then called Three Dog Night called Mama Told me not to come.

Casey wouldn’t have anything to do with Premier and tried a short lived run with a thing called the Top 20 Countdown.

Casey said it best on the last show he ever did, Success doesn’t come in a vacuum, your only as good as the people you work with, and the people you work for, Casey and a few of the rest of us , have been lucky to have worked for the best and with the very best, Casey was one of the best.

I’ll lead out of this on this remembrance of Casey, HazzardAyre by no means at least yet could be the icon or nor could I be the icon Casey and/or AT40 was. But as he did, it took three people, working together for a common goal, and believing in that goal. Casey believed in AT40, the RodeKnytes believes in HazzardAyre.

I know the angels in Heaven are being rocked by Casey and the Heavenly top 40.

Ryan Seacrest will be doing a special tribute to AT40 and Casey this weekend, we here at HazzardAyre will try to get it and rebroadcast it on our stream, on www.livestream.com/hazzardayre .

TTYL Casey, I know your among the icons.

As Casey put it many times, keep your feet on the ground but keep reaching for the stars.

Quote of the Day:
I’ll note you in my book of memory.
--William Shakespeare

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