Sunday, July 28, 2013

Kidd Kraddick, RIP


I did not grow up around here and he wasn't syndicated in any place I've lived in my adult life, at least not while I lived there.  So he wasn't a part of my radio DNA over the years. 

But it's clear from the reaction of the Ticket guys, this morning's Shake Joint, and commenters that he meant a lot to a lot of Confessors. 

A thread for you.

39 comments:

  1. Yep, it's rare for anyone to stay in the same position in radio for so long, so the ticket guys had that in common with Kidd. Also, they both employed Gribble for a time. They respected him, as they should, as any tough competitors would.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think Georgio also faced off against Kidd in the DFW media golf tournament back in the day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So is RW going to take credit for predicting this?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I moved to Dallas in 1986. Being a huge fan of Doo-wop and oldie's, after dicovering K-luv, I was pretty much hooked on Hubcap and the gang, so I never really knew much of Kidd. He was certainly a huge Dallas icon and seemed like a great guy. Like everyone else, I was shocked at his passing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I listened to Kidd back in his early KEGL days when he used to do night remotes and then got a morning show. As much as a P1 as I am to The Ticket, my wife is a big of a P1 to Kidd Kraddick's morning show. A lot of women and wives are mourning his loss this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yeah, I was a big Kidd P1 at the Eagle. Burn your buns was a great bit. Kidd was a great guy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, those are some big boots to fill at KISS.

    It looks like there may be some more rumbling on the AM dial soon, as some people are anticipating Cumulus will not re-sign Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity.

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/07/cumulus-planning-to-drop-rush-limbaugh-sean-hannity-169371.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. Being a Ticket P1 I didn't hear much of his work, my wife and her friends are big Kidd P1's and so I've had to listen to him a few times. The guy was a genius, and you could tell how much respect the Musers had for him this morning. As much as those guys pull the #1 spots in their demographic, I'm thinking Kidd probably was #1 in most others. What noone has mentioned in this thread yet is what he's done for kids with terminal illnesses, his Kidd's Kids foundation. I listened to a couple of those shows where they talk to the kid and their stories and it's heartbreaking. It brought more than a few tears to my eyes and made me realize how lucky I am to have made it 30+ years. RIP Kidd, there was only one Kidd Kraddick.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am sure just about every child in the metroplex born after 1980 grew up listening to Kidd. What a tragic loss. As a I grew up, I moved on to other stations, but there is denying that man was one of the best in the business.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am sure just about every child in the metroplex born after 1980 grew up listening to Kidd. What a tragic loss. As a I grew up, I moved on to other stations, but there is denying that man was one of the best in the business.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am sure just about every child in the metroplex born after 1980 grew up listening to Kidd. What a tragic loss. As a I grew up, I moved on to other stations, but there is denying that man was one of the best in the business.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sorry for the triple poasting. I'm an idiot.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Coroner says heart disease.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I was way too much of a music snob to listen to The Eagle back then, so I think I've probably listened to a total of about 30 seconds of Kidd's show, but I certainly knew who he was and what he was about. What I had no idea about, and was fascinated by when the Musers were talking about it today, was Kidd's business acumen. I just did a little research about BitBoard, which was his creation, and it was cool to hear Gordo's personal account of what an entrepreneur he was. To be able to carve out a spot for yourself in this market and then turn it into national syndication, then to jump further to satellite and the other tangential things beyond that took a pretty special business mind.

    *off-mic* STAY HARD, KIDD!

    ReplyDelete
  15. One of the best to ever do it. Kidd was the total package - not only an incredible radio host/DJ but a great businessman and philanthropist. THL mentioned how he is probably a Top-5 DFW celebrity/public figure all-time and after seeing the support from the entire area, I can see it. Very few people's death could make DFW come together like this.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I was a Kidd P1 in the mid 90's, then I found the little ticket and became a ticket P1 in 98-99. There was something about him and his crew that really captured me as a listener. Really didn't listen to him much since I became a P1. Respect him for being a classy guy, what he did with his charity and the young artists he helped throughout his career. He will definitely be missed.

    I hate to sound like a real jerk here, but it will be interesting to see how the morning radio landscape will change around here. I'm sure the ratings the next few weeks are giong to be through the roof the next couple of weeks for that show.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I listened for a few minutes this morning because I was unable to tune KTCK, or even BAP, for some reason. It was kinda surreal to hear Kidd segments and laugh at them. RIP, Kidd.

    Speaking of my reason for tuning in, I have a question: has anyone else on the 'fringes' of 1310 signal coverage noticed the signal weakening (almost disappearing) in the last 18 or so hours? I work out in Fort Worth (Hulen/I-20 area) and while it was fine at lunchtime yesterday, I noticed that I couldn't tune it at ALL when I left for the day. Same with 820; neither would tune until I got close to Arlington.

    It might be my car, but before I put it in the shop and pay $100 for the diagnostic fee I thought I'd pose the question here.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Deezy, the signal has been even worse than usual for the past few days. Even 104.1 has been terrible in the mornings. I've had to resort to the HD signal, which has been shakier that normal too. It's not just you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I usually get 104.1 fairly well on the stereo in the house (Richardson) but it was unlistenable a couple of days ago. I haven't tried it since.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anyone out there still follow MaSS on Twitter? Just saw where they have a "new" bit: Tweet your sports, lifestyle, relationship, and life questions to MaSS and we'll answer them on air.

    So they're even stealing bits from Norm!

    For kicks, I've tuned into their show from time to time. Let's just say that Scot has pretty much adopted every single Mike Rhyner mannerism, while Matt has added to his already, eh, "different than most people" personality about everything he can cop from Corby with a lot of Gordonisms. From a P1's perspective, it's an uncomfortable listen. You know exactly what they're doing, what and who they're ripping, and they do it so effortlessly. To the point that it makes you shake your head at those guys. They're absolutely shameless. And they leave the impression that this is all their stuff. Don't know if any of The Ticket hosts are hip to this, but if they are, I can't imagine that those boys would be welcomed back with open arms. Which, at least in Scot's case, at one time I think wouldn't totally been the case.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I listened to Kidd for awhile before the Musers moved to the morning drive slot on the Ticket. I wasn't a Kidd P1, since it was more geared to women, but the chemistry among that crew was good enough to keep me listening until something more to my liking came along.

    I really found It interesting to learn this week that Kidd felt his show was the chick version of what the Ticket is for guys. I never thought of it that way before, but he was exactly right.

    Gordon's comment in his DMN column about how he first met Kidd while he (Gordo) thought he wanted to be a shock jock was a revealing statement as to how he views his own evolution.

    There are too few really talented people in the radio business. It's a tragedy for the industry that one of the best is gone.

    ReplyDelete
  22. As far as the signal goes it's just that time of the year. Increase in temps and morning cloud cover causes the signals to do weird things. 104.1 gets stepped on from a station in Kilgore I think and I was hearing a spanish station on 96.7 until I drove a half mile down the road and changed directions.

    Someone 150 miles down the road may have had the experience of Gordon for the first time today because of it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. @YOKOYOLO
    I saw Matt's Tweet today too. I wonder how their ratings are?

    ReplyDelete
  24. I have not heard if its been mentioned; any update on Rhynes' mom?

    ReplyDelete
  25. @YOKOYOLO and anon(8/1...10:03p),

    MaSS is doing what most every other duo does...copy others. Don't fret since Birmingham sports radio is full of "Call in with your moment which made you a college football fan" segment in afternoon drive and the lines are full of people who want to tell about their first Bama or Auburn game.

    As for their ratings, it is unclear and the game may change as soon as Monday as Paul Finebaum is expected return and the MaSS station, Cumulus owned WJOX will "flip" to ESPNRadio from their current CBS Sports Radio affiliate just to carry Finebaum's show because their FM competitor changed formats.

    http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/07/former_after_pulling_the_plug.html

    ReplyDelete
  26. Mike was absent from THL today, dealing with his mother's funeral.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Speaking of stealing bits, The Hardline stole BaD Radio's bit of reviewing old movies.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sad to hear of Rhyner's mom. Hearts and prayers go out to him.

    ReplyDelete
  29. from the blogger who announced josh hamilton has ALS

    ReplyDelete
  30. IMO Corby is more likeable when Rhynes is gone. Danny does a good job in the co-pilot seat with Jake easily sliding into the on-mic producer role. Thought they flowed nicely. IMO Corby interacts more fluidly with all other hosts other than the old grey wolf.

    ReplyDelete
  31. @912am Non sequitur much, pal?

    ReplyDelete
  32. @10:48

    I agree with your thoughts regarding Corby and his chemistry w/ Mike. Great observation.

    @MaSS haters

    I've never listened to Bama MaSS, but this subject is fascinating to me. What is the delineation between rip-off and homage?

    Everyone gets their ideas from somewhere else in some form or fashion. For instance, listen to THL from around ten years ago. Let's just say that Corby had pretty much adopted every single Jack Black/Tenacious D mannerism (during the height of the D's popularity.)

    Anyway, offsides effectively drawn. "You gotta pay the troll toll..."

    ReplyDelete
  33. A little tension Saturday in the mix with Teebox and Orphanage. Teebox wanted to comment on Danny's tats, Danny complained that they always picked on him in the mix, Teebox complained that Danny wouldn't talk about his bar with them but talked about it on the Hardline, Danny responded that Corby just brought it up. Before things got any more pissy, they went to bake. Then Danny sounded really annoyed during their first segment.

    Available on the Unticket.

    ReplyDelete
  34. @pDub
    I'm no troll. I think the difference between homage and rip off isn't applicable here. While MaSS was at The Ticket, it had its own unique sound and flow. It evolved from a bit of an awkward hey-we're-not-making-fun-of-church-but-yeah-I-guess-we-kinda-are schtick that was neither funny or controversial enough to make any hay to a show that had its own distinct persona and pace. Scot, in some ways, reminded me of Rhyner in the early Ticket days. Matt, the same but with Greggo. Sure, Matt could be icky, and to be honest, unlikable at times. But his sports talk was solid and he wasn't afraid to throw anything and everything out for public consumption. Which was often to his own detriment. Scot steered the helm with an admirable even handedness. They were a good show that only kept getting better. But I was surprised when they were snatched up by the Bama station. Obviously I liked them, so I made it a point to listen in a few times a week, at first. It became very apparent, from the get go, that they were hired not so much to bring their own show, but to bring The Ticket, but more specifically THL, to Birmingham. They've done it in spades. I rarely check in anymore, but when I do, it's mind blowing. MaSS is THL. From Scot aping Rhyner, right down to saying "and some such" all the time, to Matt doing "Over you fill in the blank-er" bits. Now they're taking Norms Twitter segment. Right down to using the very description Norm uses. It's pretty obvious they listen to The Ticket a lot. Heck, it might be a CTO mandate. After all it appears they were hired to totally ape their former co workers. It makes me sad because they don't need to.

    You can disagree with me pDub, but at least take a bit of a sample size of Bama MaSS and judge for yourself before accusing me of hating. It's sad that nowadays anyone who states an opinion based on their own experience, and even more so when much of it is not opinion but fact, they are accused of hating. It's sad and silly.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Regarding the tension, Danny is probably in a weird spot with it. He already said he doesn't want the "SMU crowd" in there, and to be honest, he probably doesn't want a bunch of P1s in there. I've never been, but I'm sure it's not the kind of place where drunkenly yelling drops and asking about fake heads would go over well. If you've been to any ticket events, it's not hard to realize the majority of the people aren't what you'd expect to see in deep ellum.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I think it's more than that. I think he is burned out on doing the Orphanage, and as we have speculated here the combination of producing the Hardline plus running the bar is taking its toll. And he had to pick up the slack on Friday because of Mike's absence. And get up and drive to Big Sky Country for the Orphanage gig.

    He might have been just a tad testy Saturday morning.

    ReplyDelete
  37. This Grenada Theater "Wedding Clothes" commercial is the new SweetJack auger-to-the-ears.

    C'mon sales guys, go sell some new ads for the stream!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'm learning some kickass stuff about a former weekend show that is now in the 60th biggest media market in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thanks for letting us know about the kick ass education you are receiving here, 735. Your comment really adds to the conversation.

    ReplyDelete