Alias Jim O'Neal

Here's one of my first Southern Gospel Favorites shows from 1990 as my alter ego, Jim O'Neal. Press play to enjoy

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wet your whistle

Welcome to the newly redesigned Peanut Whistle. For those of you reading via Facebook notes thank you very much for viewing the basic text of this blog. You will enjoy the Whistle so much more by visiting the website from which this blog originates. Our address is www.thepeanutwhistle.com or click any time you see a hyperlink (usually in blue letters). One of the best features of my new site is the extra audio, video and photos I have included as support for the text. There is music and links galore, so go wild.

Your word of mouth advertising is very crucial to keeping the Peanut Whistle afloat. Also, if you see anything advertised that interests you please feel free to visit my sponsors then return by hitting the back button on your browser. Visit us often because I am constantly adding new content even to older blog posts. For instance, the Gran Torino post includes new pictures of the old wreck. Facebook only archives posts as they originally appeared.

When you are on www.thepeanutwhistle.com check out the side bars for the audio & video and click away on the numerous play buttons as you scroll down the page. There are numerous links beneath our snazzy new header. They lead to my other blog, Gospel Aircheck, my YouTube channel, and the more technical pages I have set up.

Be sure to check out our audio restoration services as well. Peanut Whistle Audio (PWA) will turn your old analog cassettes into CD’s and other digital media. Our rates are very reasonable. “We work for peanuts.” Contact us at nealrhoden@thepeanutwhistle.com

Stay tuned.

Swap Shop

One of the joys of small and medium market radio is the contact by phone with my listeners both on the air and off. This was no more apparent that at radio home number four, WBKI, in tiny Bremen, Georgia. We had a live call in show called Swap Shop. It was tremendous fun. Callers would phone in their radio classified ads. Anything from bedding and blankets to cars, trucks and farm animals. Along the way I made some telephone friends who felt they knew me personally. I suppose I did a fairly good job of listening to them and recapping what was listed after the conversation ended.

This was all of course absolutely live, without profanity delay, to the air. I was always fearful of losing our FCC license over some nut dropping a cuss word or two. It never happened though. Whew. There is nothing like doing seat of your pants radio. Introducing records is ok, but nothing beat witnessing the unexpected, unscripted, spontaneous and organic process that was Swap Shop. I had a few regulars; Ole Waco Nut for one who lived in nearby, you guessed it, Waco, Georgia, that is. I think he made his living selling items on our show.

Then there was town gossip, Virginia, who who had all the latest news from the whacky goings on in the little town along with her plugs for fresh eggs and chickens from her farm. She visited in person on my last day at the station to wish me farewell. We had an entire hour wall to wall with callers. Quite surprising, with a 2,500 watt signal, the hour never lagged.

I had attempted at number two radio home, WSPZ, something called On Air Market a quarter hour show that seemed like an eternity. I came in around 3:45 pm for the show where no live callers were featured due to our owners’ paranoia. The savory seasoning of live conversation was missing, thus the show, like the station in general, was extremely bland. I had a producer screening and taking dictation of caller submissions who would chime in when needed, like Roz on the TV show Frazier.

Market Calls on 900 AM in Savannah was similar. As a fledgling broadcaster I feared accepting the challenge of live call-in until 1986 when I had three years DJ experience under my belt at my first radio home. Previously, I had refused hosting the show. The one time I finally did it my delivery was so impersonal and unmemorable that I overcompensated and overshadowed the callers not allowing personality to shine through. I got almost every recapped phone number wrong. Thank God it was only 30 minutes. Actually, 20 minutes of show and 10 minutes of pervasive music to fill the voids. Seven years later It prepared me for Swap Shop on WBKI in what not to do.

Stay tuned.

The Truth with My Hand Up

My hand to God this is the truth. If it had not happened in church to someone I know and trust. Yada, yada… In my last post I spoke of some gospel lyrics near and dear to my heart; this next song is especially touching to a car guy such as myself (the actual words from my cousin Ray):

Actually it’s...Jesus, he will be my snow tires, in the winter he’s my anti-freeze, when I need him, he is my oil filter, and he's my windshield when there is a breeze!!! C'mon, sing it this time if ‘ya know it!!.. (true song....written by a well-intentioned, but hardly mentally gifted girl from my childhood)

At least it rhymes. Thanks Ray! She took a metaphor and ran with it. Now on to something completely different.

I first met gospel comedian Wendy Bagwell in 1983 at a big gospel music show in Savannah, Georgia. He was over six feet tall with curly dark hair. The only man I have ever met named Wendy. Like Johnny Cash and his Boy Named Sue I believe Bagwell would have had a great story to tell with the origin of his name. This was about the time he first told his Three German Police Dogs story about the disruption that ensues when a yellow cat is introduced to three seeing eye dogs belonging to a group of famous blind singers at the Ebenezer Freewill Baptist Church all day singing and dinner on the ground homecoming. “Those blind folks didn’t know what was going on,” he said, “They just thought they done took that job too cheap.” His theory was that the blind group, unaware of the ruckus, assumed the crowd had broke out in an old fashioned shouting revival.

It turns out that Mr. Bagwell was quite the shrewd businessman as well. He owned Bagwell Sales in metro Atlanta, Georgia. My parents, who were both blind, did business with his furniture store several times over the years. My mom, who is not the least bit shy, confronted Wendy about his comments in the famous bit. “I’m blind, but I know what’s going on,” she commented to him. “I know you do,” Wendy replied with a broad smile and a wink in his voice. “This is the truth what I’m telling you with my hand up,” he would often say before one of his stories which were probably slightly exaggerated. Stretchers, if you will, were his calling card. He was a master showman of the Gospel world. Wendell “Wendy”Lee Bagwell died in 1996 and now has a stretch of US 278 in Georgia, our home state, named after him. Rest in peace.

Stay tuned.

nealrhoden@thepeanutwhistle.com

Just for Fun

Throughout my storied radio career I have come across some very entertaining and often comical songs and tales geared to the Gospel audience. Sometimes the comedy was intentional. Most obvious is the work of Wendy Bagwell & the Sunlighters who’s work is intentionally funny. A few local singers with minimal exposure have been overlooked for their accidental comedic portfolio. Take for example a fellow in Savannah who penned the timeless classic, “Jesus Rode a Donkey Down Victory Drive.” His poetic device, a metaphor entailing our Lord riding a burro down world famous palm lined Victory Drive on His way to Tybee Island apparently.

The next songs my cousin Ray told me about a few years back. A songster in his hearing sang, “In the winter You’re my afghan / in my car You’re my anti-freeze” and he also mentioned the big hit by country music’s Bobby Bare, “Dropkick Me Jesus (Through the Goal Post of Life)” from 1976. Give me a break.

Let’s not forget the Jerry & the Singing Goff’s cover version of “God’s Gonna Get ‘Cha (for that)” was originally done by George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Ain’t nothing like basing your theology on a country song. The Jerry Goff cover version was played lyrically unmodified on Gospel stations all across the USA in the late 70’s.

Often I would host, in person, preachers live at my radio homes. Some were earnest but a little confused. Once in my first studio I had a preacher lady give her testimony. The rather large elderly black woman was getting very excited about her personal relationship with Christ when in her discourse claimed that, “Jesus is my boyfriend!” What!? I had to hide my face in my hands laughing hysterically as I could plainly be seen through her studio location into my control room seat by glass partitioning.  I could see thousands of radios simultaneously switching off.

Other preachers were allowed language freedoms not afforded Howard Stearn. A few of these guys often used descriptive pejorative terms of certain lifestyle groups. If the FCC had known, our license might have been pulled. None of these shows were auditioned before hand or on a profanity delay when live. All required was their money for airtime. 

Then there was a certain preacher from Dallas, Texas whose Success in Life show debuted on our air in about 1985. He claimed that indescribable wealth could be yours with a thousand dollar “vow” to his ministry. He was later exposed of fraud on ABC news when hundreds of letters from listeners were found outside his offices in the dumpster having contributions excised from them. He made claims of praying over each letter personally. That his very tears stained the notes until the ink bled. He also had a TV show. I think you can still see this name it and claim it charlatan on cable to this day.

I think God must have a marvelous sense of humor. Many think they are inspired. Some are. A few, well, let’s leave God alone to judge.

Stay tuned.

The Silent Decades

For over ten years I thought very infrequently of my radio past. Up until Fall of 2008 I had suppressed any thought or public mention of my previous life in broadcast media. One evening while working as manager of an auto parts retail store I was discussing with a fellow manager and part time country musician his passion for recording his music. I know he wasn’t impressed by my story but I felt the need to enlighten him with the brief details of my 12 year DJ career. I was ignored but relieved that I finally revealed a past that I was quite proud of at one point and I really didn’t expect his arrogant personality to receive it. The conversation was merely a catalyst for a new phase of my life.

It was a load off my chest because I was once again captured by the radio bug. I was burned out with the retail hell into which I had fallen. I needed more out of life. I was waxing sentimental over my old career and could not escape thinking about and writing about it. This obsession eventually became a blog, podcast and Internet radio station, The GRIN.

Still, I need a tangible outlet for my audio passion. As I noted in a previous Gospel Aircheck  post I’m trying to get involved in church sound and media again. This objective seems out of reach. I detect little movement from those who could use me and I am somewhat discouraged. Do I face reality and completely abandon my dream? Or should I be more proactive?

Is it 1995 all over again when I saw a new door open in a completely different field? ‘95 was a turning point into the world of retail. It was my final foray into radio because my new employer would not allow me the one day a week I worked at WBTR-FM. Forward to 1999, I got involved with the sound crew of an Assembly of God church known regionally for its Revelation to Calvary production that ran for weeks and was advertised on the Atlanta market’s large FM Christian station, WVFJ.

Here I was a somewhat jaded former broadcaster now volunteering with a highly professional crew. The pastor stressed excellence in the audio and it showed. Theatrical sound effects, creative audio processing and other elements of a proper audio presentation were the norm. It was the best sound I had ever heard in a church setting. Regrettably, I had to leave the team after 8 months or so when marriage to my first wife ended in 2000. My ex attended the church before me and it was agreed that I would leave.

Another ten year cycle passes and I find myself in the present wanting to take what I’ve learned to a new church setting. One pastor is interested in an effective media presentation complete with theater style lighting and effects. So far I’m still deciding weather to get involved with the Media Shout computer operator position Pastor sees me filling. I have liked photography, computers and video as a hobby but audio is my obsession. Maybe the path is clearer as I wrap up. I’ll see eventually. For now I’m remaining at my home church, warming a pew.

One constant in my life is my love of all things audio. Over the last 30 years I have learned all I could about analog and digital sound. In fact, I have started a new business Peanut Whistle Audio Restoration. I specialize in analog cassette and reel to reel transfer to CD-R and other digital media. I will take your tapes, remove noise and normalize for CD then transfer to your choice of digital media all for a very reasonable price. Other services are available. The only limits are our imagination. I apply all my radio production and theatrical audio expertise to every project. Custom editing is available. Email me nealrhoden@thepeanutwhistle.com or call 678-230-2424

Stay tuned.

Rock Even Mom Will Love

The 1980’s were a musical decade chock full of synthesizer driven pop thanks to the Yamaha DX-7 keyboard. An instrument heard on almost every track from Van Halen’s Jump to Amy Grant’s Find a Way. Looking back at the decade of my late teens; most of the eras top 40 or as it became known then contemporary hit radio (CHR) songs had that signature sound. Today’s post isn’t really about keyboards. It chronicles my youth obsession with Contemporary Christian Music and particularly Amy Grant.

I eventually graduated from pop culture to more mature fare listening to the Blues, Classical, Jazz, Oldies, Talk, and of course Gospel. All the time I have been simply a lover of music. These days I do not understand why I found certain songs appealing. Chalk it all up to maturity.

Amy grant was a promoters dream. She was, as her concert commercial noted, a phenomenon. I never before or since have seen a bigger star in Christian music. By 1985 she had become such a success in CCM that the secular record label, A&M had signed her allowing her to retain her Word Records affiliation as she was now promoted as singing, “music with meaning.” Her then current hit, Find a Way was popular on both secular and Christian radio. Her Unguarded album was sold with two different covers: one on the Word label of her pictured dancing, harmlessly, and the A&M cover with her dancing in a more sensual pose. The dual covers stirred up quite a controversy in the Christian press and Gospel radio circles.

I attended an October 1985 concert by Amy and saw her perform a couple more times by the late 80’s. The first show was at the Savannah Civic Center Arena and I remember how awkward I felt dipping and swaying to the beat of Everywhere I Go. I was no dancer. Screaming teen girls rushed the stage like any other rock star show. Theatrical smoke and lighting effects prevailed along with high decibel ear splitting sound. It seemed that it was more of a cult of personality instead of an exposition of God’s plan of salvation. The show was, however,  positively reviewed the following day in the local paper and was described as “Rock that even mom’ll love.”

The Grant era ushered in Christian radio that was extra light on the plan of salvation and heavy on entertainment. As I scan the Atlanta radio dial these days the two biggest Christian FM’s promote themselves as family friendly or positive music, Christ has been put aside for the sake of the almighty dollar. Most of the music they play is so bland, vaguely Christian, that secular radio is more preferable when I listen to radio at all. Do not misunderstand, I am not a critic of any particular Christian artist. Secular promoters and corporations have no business in the the Lord’s work period. Watering down the Gospel is not an option. There are hard rockers that are Christian to the core with an obvious message prevalent in their music. On the other hand there are singers who happen to be Christian who sing secular music. I have no problem with them living within their own convictions. Please, whatever you sing; pop or rock,  just don’t call it Gospel if it has no ministry content. Hear the concert commercial at my Gospel Webcast site.

May the Good News go with you. Stay tuned.

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