There were no gringos in the room last night at the KXOL 1360 Reunion at Fort Worth's Dos Gringos Mexican restaurant. Everyone was an amigo! 

KXOL ex, John P. Lewis, brought the reunion celebrants together.  They gathered in jackets, jeans, dresses and pants suits in the second floor banquet room, this group of radio legends. Many of their own careers lasted longer than the thirty-eight year life (1947-1985) of 1360 KXOL. George Carlin couldn't attend but sent a warm videotape greeting and remembrance that was a highlight of the evening (more on his videotape later).

KXOL ex, Norman Alden, came from California. He was the first announcer.  His was the first voice ever heard on KXOL when it went on the air in 1947.  He was "EPOD."  Yes, that's "DOPE" spelled backwards.  KXOL 1360 was the springboard that made it possible for him to go to Hollywood where he became an actor. You know Norm from the characters he played on TV's "Leave it to Beaver," "The Untouchables," "Perry Mason," "Hogan's Heroes," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Gunsmoke," "Mannix," "Baretta," "The Streets of San Francisco," "Cannon," "Kojak," "Adam-12," "Starsky and Hutch," "Dukes of Hazard," "Charlie's Angels," "Matt Houston," "Hill Street Blues," "Crazy Like a Fox" and "Murder She Wrote." His Paschal High School classmate, Dan Jenkins, wrote the book, "Semi-Tough" -- and Norm had a role in it as Coach Alvin Parks when it was made into a movie. Fort Worth and Hollywood are small worlds indeed for former Paschal Panthers. Norm's doing mostly voice work now on cartoons. He's become a hero to a new generation of kids as "Aquaman" on Super Friends.

During the evening, one at a time, the photo slides flicked on the wall. Each photo flashing a KXOL survey, a promotion shot or the younger face of someone -- a little older now -- in the room.

The name tags framed a name, brought memories and smiles. More like billboards than badges, they read like Texas radio history with the names Jack (Murray) Aldridge, Michael James Lucas, Tom Wayne, Mac Curtis, Buddy Brown, Ed Wallace, Bill Hix, Bob Allen, Roy Eaton, Breck Harris, Bob Richmond, Don Day, John Fletcher, Beth Auldridge, Doug Helton, Bob Bruton, Bud Kennedy, Jim Tucker, Misty Fincher, Larry Glenn, Morgan Choat, Larry Shannon and Russ Bloxom.

Jack (Murray) Aldridge talked about his replacing a little known DJ at KOMA in Oklahoma City.  A fellow named Charlie Tuna who was on his way to Los Angeles.

No doubt, many of the KXOL exes will be nominated for induction into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame at next year's first annual awards banquet - www.texasradiohalloffame.com

September 11th has changed the way we travel and many of the KXOL exes couldn't make the trip to Texas for the reunion.

Rod Roddy is resting in Hollywood after surgery, getting ready to begin another TV season with his classic "Come on down" lines for "The Price is Right."

KXOL ex, Bob Schieffer, was unable to attend. He was readying another edition of CBS "Face the Nation," and had his hands full with breaking news in Washington.

Josh Holstead (Rowdy Yates of KILT FM 100), the son of the late Texas newsman, Joe Holstead, wasn't there.  But, he bought the first and final rounds.  There were warm buzzes and "thank yous" for Josh felt and heard throughout the room last night.  When you said, "Bud," you thought of Josh and Joe.

Among the other exes and names you know who couldn't make the trip were Chuck Dunaway, Kent Burkhart, Randy Hames, Casey Jones and Duckie, Dave Ambrose, Brad Wilson, Bill Mack, Dave Jarrott, Dave Dumas, Jim Davis, Jody Dean, Jim Rose, Ken (Hubcap) Carter, Larry Morrell, Marcos Rodriguez, Doug Adams, Rocky Davis, Bob Norman, Skeeter Gordon, Rusty Reynolds and Mike Kelley.

Some KXOL exes have fallen along the way and weren't in the room last night. But, they were in the thoughts of those who remembered well the names and fames of Earle Fletcher, Russ Lamb, Joe Holstead, Elston Brooks, Jim Lowe, Mike Selden, Charlie Pro, Paul Cannon, Buddy Crouse, Gene (Ash)Craft, Bruce Neal and Lou Staples.

George Carlin and Jack Burns tuned up their comedy act at the all night Cellar Club in Fort Worth while working at KXOL in 1959.  Carlin may have dreamed up those famous "seven words that you can't say on the radio" while sitting in the KXOL studio one evening.  George Carlin couldn't come to the party.  He was in Las Vegas, but he sent a video tape of his memories of working the 7 to midnight shift at 1360. 

Carlin and Burns left KXOL and Fort Worth at midnight after the last shift, driving George's Dodge Dart through the west Texas darkness, listening to Marty Robbins' "El Paso" as they headed down Highway 80 to Los Angeles and greater fame ... No doubt, he remembered station manager Earle Fletcher's warning that a lot of Fort Worth radio boys left for LA but they came back to Fort Worth.  Within the year, Carlin and Burns were on the Jack Paar Show, making a nationwide audience laugh.  Jack Burns split with Carlin and became the Burns of "Burns and Schreiber." Carlin soloed on.

It was remarkable to watch and listen to George Carlin's videotaped message and remembrances about his 9 months at KXOL.  The skyline of Fort Worth's changed a lot in the 42 years since he did his show on Lancaster Avenue.  Dos Gringos Mexican restaurant used to be the Town Pump when he was jocking around the corner at the KXOL Lancaster Avenue studios.  His 7-midnight show carried the "Homework" nickname because he knew that kids were listening while they did theirs.  He recalled all the things that most regular radio folks remember but that you wouldn't expect a world class personality to; The names of the local schools that still stand (Monnig's Middle School, Arlington Heights High, Stripling Middle School), Farrington Field and his apartment on Dorothy Lane that he shared with Jack Burns.  It was there that they watched the Jack Paar Show and tightened the lines on their comedy routines while sitting in their underwear in front of the black and white TV screen.  They talked about and dreamed of Hollywood and fame while they practiced and played at KXOL and the Cellar.  

While Carlin is better known for his characters, Hal Sleet and Biff Burns, the room last night guffawed and giggled mostly over his Earle Fletcher impersonations.  Mrs. Fletcher was at the reunion and couldn't resist a big smile.

George Carlin -- A world-class act who has never forgotten his radio roots and is big enough to remember the little things about the small places where he's been ... LS