As you know, I work at WCCO Radio. One of the legendary personalities who has worked here for 50 years now is Charlie Boone. He is best known as the co-host of Boone and Erickson which ran during the mornings on 'CCO for many years and was really one of the most successful radio programs of all time.
Charlie Boone (Top) and his longtime co-host
Roger Erickson in the 1980's
Roger Erickson in the 1980's
In 1996, Charlie was named the Commodore of the Aquatennial and has been a supporter of the festival for many, many years. During this past year, every time I see Charlie we talk about what we have been up to and who we've seen, etc. He's always interested in what we are up to and always has a story or two about his time in Aqua.Today, he came in and we talked about a few things but he shared a story that, as an employee and just a person interested in the history of WCCO, struck me as really interesting.
In 1959, Randy Merriman was the Aquatennial Commodore. Randy was a personality on WCCO at the time. If you're old enough to remember, he was the co-host of a very popular 'CCO program called "Honest To Goodness" in the late 50's and early 60's.
Randy Merriman in the Early 60's
In February, Aquatennial travels to Winnipeg for the Festival Du Voyaguer (which we did this year....you can find that blog entry from this past February for our experience there). Aquatennial and Winnipeg have had this relationship for decades now. And in February of 1959, Randy Merriman was on his way to Winnipeg.While driving through North Dakota, somewhere outside of Fargo, he turned on a rock and roll station, KFGO. He heard a young man on there spinning tunes that really struck him. His name was Charlie Boone.
After returning to the Twin Cities, he told 'CCO management about this man he heard in Fargo and WCCO decided to try and hire him.
Now, Charlie, being a North Dakota boy, didn't know anything about the Twin Cities. Besides an offer from WCCO, he also was offered a job by WDGY. Well, WCCO was at that point one of the largest, most successful stations in the country. And Charlie accepted the job at WDGY.
Before he started there however, a few people told him something like this: "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!!!! GO WORK AT WCCO!".
Charlie took that advice, told the Program Director at WDGY of his decision (who, by the way said "I don't blame you...do what you gotta do"), and began what is a Hall-of-Fame, 50 year career at the Good Neigbor to the Northwest, WCCO Radio.
Just a story that was Aquatennial related I thought was interesting....50 years ago, someone who worked where I do, was involved in the same festival I am, on his way to a place I went, found one of the great radio broadcasters of all time playing Buddy Holly records on the prarie in the middle of February.
Great story.
Lindsey Peterson
2008 Captain
Minneapolis Aquatennial
No comments:
Post a Comment