He likes certain things in certain places. Woods was Charlie Brown. And Id walk a mile for an impression., Part of the magic of KVIL is that it is positive and upbeat, even when its poking fun at the news, the politicians, or the Cowboys. In 1959, as "Irving Harrigan" he joined the staff KLIF/Dallas, where he teamed up with Jack Woods (a.k.a. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1979). Ive always tried to make my sportscast understandable to the non-sports fan. Chapman rounded out the 1960s by joining the staff of KVIL-FM in 1969, when AM radio was yielding the spotlight to the purer sound of FM stations. I love the guy. @RGreggHart : A giant of Dallas-Fort Worth radio, Ron Chapman, has died at 85. By Emily Jimenez, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD. But KVIL saw a huge, underserved demographic: women listeners between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four account for some 22 percent of the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market. There was dead air for, like, 10 seconds. EYE descending now, deeper into the warmth and coziness; the voice says Yes, my dearest, you are almost home, safe and warm here with me, with us, ELLLLLLLLLvery low and smoky-warm, like embers in the fireplace and sleeping babies in rooms with duckies on the wall, like hearth and home and cows dozing in the barn, and maybe a comforter over your legs on a winter evening, Not too long ago, Ron Chapman received a postcard. Chapman was known for doing the unexpected, once airing his show from a haunted house and another time while skydiving. But it was impossible to replicate a station that made a growing big city feel like a small town. But, of course, its demise was inevitable, yet another casualty of shifting tastes and platforms; it's sign-off came just two months after Clear Channel dulled The Edge by making it, too, a dull shade of Maroon 5. Ron Chapman, DFW radio legend, dies at age 85 - Blogger Mess with Ron and I might become an ape in heat and jump all over you. The station is branded as "Alt 103.7" and airs an alternative rock radio format. He did not see the humor in it. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys . I havent done it all alone, but in this company, Ive been the thread that has taken the spirit of it through twenty years, and I think Ive done it rather well. Hes now retired and owns a winery called Orangewoods near San Diego.In, Im going to say 62 or 63, Jack Kennedy, I think, did a 50-mile hike. - Click to. No one would do that.. And she looks so good by the time she gets to the office, she had to be up by 5:30. Thousands showed up. According to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, no public service is happening, but there will be a public gathering of friends and colleagues which is being planned at this time. Its mascot was an incontinent kinkajou. Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. The radio industry took to social media to reflect on Chapman's life and career. We used a two-way radio. Ron Chapman made money by Directors niche. (The money was later distributed to local charities.) KVIL TIDBITS: Ron Chapman's radio show was simulcast live with video on KXAS-TV as a 30-minute daily program (mid-1970s.). Chapman had already carved out a legend as one-half of Charlie & Harrigan on KLIF. It wont work for you.. At the haunted house, Chapman took along a producer and equipped her with a microphone. For nearly thirteen years, with a few scattered intermissions. The people who dont understand the program., A recent case in point, says Chapman, was the popular evening jock Lynn Haley, who was dismissed in early August. So I went by my hairdressers, who lived in Oak Cliff. He is proceeded in death by his father, Fay Chapman. The Story of Ron Chapman, Sharon Carr Travel & the KVIL World Tour But would he be really pissed if we never played it at all?. List Of Coronavirus Testing Sites In Texas, Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away, Featured Image Photo Credit: Courtesy Mitch Carr, Bankman-Fried might use flip phone under stricter bail plan, Woman accused of killing ill husband released from jail, Alaska's arduous Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start, Snow blankets Northeast as cleanup begins from deadly storm, Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms. Ron Chapman and Mitch Carr Photo credit Courtesy Mitch Carr. (Her cohort, Ron Chapman, who clocked more than 45 successful years on local radio and television [including WFAA-TV,] died in 2021.) Next to it is a portable telephone, complementing cellular phones in his and Nances cars. The man who sat at the top of the hill, a legend in broadcasting. Ron Chapman Obituary KVIL - - InsideEko.com News Media | Facebook Nevertheless, she also has to be in between her late '70s and early '80s. Its on the far back burner, but I think about it. Its a tribute to Chapman that the call letters of what is, after all, just a radio station, have entered the argot of the trade. Radio Hall of Famer Ron Chapman Dies at 85 - People Newspapers I can give you failure after failure of people whove come on the air in this market and tried to do that. In the meantime, you play every night like it was opening night, kick ass, and prove me wrong. April 26, 2021 - TOP INFO GUIDE The program, based on . "His family asks for time to . That was his job to make that station great. We had several meetings in which we hoped to gain her attention about things we didnt feel were happening correctly on the nighttime show. For full obituary please visit. Ralph Frederick "Ron" Chapman (1936-2021) - Find a Grave Each ratings point represents a percentage of the audience market share and is said to be worth about $1.3 million in advertising revenues yearly. Oh, Lord. In 1959, a 23-year-old up-and-coming disc jockey from Haverhill, Mass., took on the role of morning co-host for a . On it was a headshot of some fierce new arrival on the Dallas radio scene, the latest young gun bent on a showdown with Chapman at the WBOK Corral. Posted Mon, Apr 26, 2021 at 8:33 pm CT. Dallasites are grieving the death today of deejay Ron Chapman, a man whose voice was a constant companion throughout the Metroplex for more than five . The Left Hand of God is Fort Worth. I can tell you that little secret and know the competition will pick up on it, and theyll work on it. She loved going to NorthPark to dance with other teenagers during the daily weekday broadcast of SumpN Else. Wowwwwww, Chapman warmly asserts, and Okaaaaaaay and Alllllllright and Well suuure. Stevens and Pruett. Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly entertaining intellect who has refreshed my life for 25 years with his insightful wit and unerring eye for the quixotic vagaries of the human kind. There are a lot of stations right now that will say, after they read this, Oooooh, so thats what theyre doing. They still dont know it., Even the KVIL signal is altered to be pleasing to a womans naturally more sensitive ears. Id just started with Chapman, and I did that two or three times before he slammed down the headphones and blew up. Chapmans radio station has been number one in Dallas. We had this little kinkajou honey bear. First published on April 26, 2021 / 11:54 AM. And Ron has a brand-new sweater. He doesnt want to look for cuff links., And as for keeping up with the competition, well, Chapman has a television parked in front of his toilet. Fort Worth was the butt of all the jokes by DJs sitting in Dallas talking about people over in Fort Worth. In 2000, as radio began to change once again, Chapman moved to KLUV, a Dallas oldies station where he stayed until announcing his retirement in 2005. Did Ron Chapman have a wife? KVIL radio personality's life explored The center is the guy who is bending over with the football.. Chapman knows how to be reassuring to women who are fighting an uphill battle day after day. Former Dallas Morning News columnist Robert Wilonsky contributed to this report. But Chapman says that the first time Haley went on the air after the deal was struck, She was dreadful. I dont believe that any one person can be in that much control and yet allow for the station to be the living, breathing organization it has to be in order to survive. Jan 3, 2017. And Ill tell you who finds it difficult to work for me. You realize we dont play the same things for a thirty-five-year-old female that youd play on the Zoo. Often, he would ask me to help out with his charities. PART OF AUDACY NEWS. Barnum. Everyone I knew went to college. He did not. His family is asking for time right now to process the loss and thanks the community for their "kindness, understanding and prayers.". Chapman knows his audience, and he knows what they buycomfort. Theyre over. But telling Brad after 20-plus years how to broadcastDont be talking about blitzes and the nickel defense. And Chapman was being pretty emphatic about it. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. Because of my vast admiration and liking for this protean man, I was shocked beyond dismay when he publicly stated that inviting me to roast him was the worst mistake hed ever made. Or we could go KVIL.. It was also an opportunity, and that night Rons car found itself parked outside every cool bar and nightclub on Greenville Avenue. The slightly bugged eyes turn flat, focused inward. Into the breach jumped Ron, who offered to loan me his brand-new Cadillac Seville. It would be rude not to let Ron Chapman give it a proper send-off. Ralph Chapman passed away on May 4, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. So Charlie and Harrigan came on and said, Were going to do our hike. Chapman hired fellow broadcasting legend Jody Dean to work a late-night shift at KVIL in 1982. All great relationships are built on trust . "Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly . / CBS Texas. Turns out that a few years back, during a race around the world for a promotion, Chapman arrived late at the airportno ticket, no cash, no passport. He was so popular in Dallas in the 70s, 80s and 90s that his station, KVIL, sold for more than the Dallas Cowboys. Would Stevie Wonder object if we took it out? He became widely known, according to his bio page on the Radio Hall of Fame website, for his humor, outrageous stunts and giveaways. And for his astronomically high ratings. Ron Chapman's legendary $20 announcement from March, 1988. Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil Death | Obituary | Ron Chapman Dead | Died | Has Passed Away | Funeral Plans - We are immensely sad . Chapman is a perfectionist in every way, Nance says. He is the chairman of Southwest Airlines. Why Ron Chapman Was An All-Time Great - Radio Ink Hes the sports anchor on ABC Channel 8. Talk about a cush gig. We play some stuff that cooks pretty good, but there are a lot of songs we wont play at all. When we first went to KVIL to do the Cowboys games, Ron brings Brad Sham and me into his office and starts giving us this big speech on how we should broadcast a football game. In 1989, KVIL reigned supreme for three consecutive quarters, reaching 10.5 ratings points in the July Arbitrons, 3.1 points ahead of runner-up KSCS. He knew exactly what he was going to do and started work reprogramming KVIL in their big studio. And we ran an electric cord out to the van, and while Im on the air with Ron, Im having my hair done. He knows what people want to hear. He remained at KVIL-FM for 32 years, serving as program . Part of Audacy. the magic morning man takes a deep breath, raises his index finger before his eyes, and does what Ron Chapman does best: KAY he breathes, low and confiding, in a voice that mirrors the softest, kindest, deepest, afterglow moments of romantic love. I know something the others havent figured out.. Chapman returned to the states in 1959, took a radio job in New Haven, Connecticut, and then, when a co-worker landed a job with KLIF in Dallas, Chapman went alongat $175 a week, more than double his Connecticut salary. And its not just the lower-downs, but the higher-ups who have their hands full of Chapman ego. But if anyone were to remember me, I would hope it would be as someone who took radio disc jockeying and maybe gave it a little respect. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. Death: Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil - Tradegy Info Yet beneath that amiable exterior lurk hints of a tyrannical ego, of a man well accustomed to his own success story. Some 12,000 did, and KVIL donated $240,000 to charity. His rages and abuse must be swallowed whole. Wednesday's announcement just made it official, finally. Maybe for forty-eight hours, max. After a brief, hoarse "Oh my God," he shrugged off the news with all the oh-well of an 80-year-old man who bowed on Dallas teenybop radio juggernaut KLIF-AM when the Beatles were still known as TheQuarrymen. And so, Ive always wanted to be YA-HA! Give me a spotlight and let me go., On Monday, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame paid tribute to Chapman by noting on Facebook: Three time radio Hall of Famer and Dallas radio ICON Ron Chapman has passed. Ron Chapman on the State of Radio and Why He'll Never Make a Comeback FACE FOR RADIO: Chapman hosted a popular TV show. Ron Chapman made Vocal Majority . He died Monday at age 85. And he says, This is your audience. Ill never forget it. Ron Chapman Obituary: In the loving memory of Ron Chapman, we are saddened to inform you that Ron Chapman, a beloved and loyal friend, has passed away. At the end of this, the sergeant looked at Ron and said, What is your job. It was Chapman who gave KVIL its sound in 1969: music foryoung adults who'd grown up listening to him on KLIF. Nance (pronounced Nancy), Chapmans wife of three years, is the centerpiece of the home tour. He served with the Army in South Korea from 1957 to 1959, producing a radio show for Voice of the United Nations Command. Beneath that rasp, he's still very much the manwho once broadcast while skydiving and whoin April 1988 asked listeners to send $20 without explaining why and wound up collecting $240,000 he dispensed to charity. Ron Chapman Obituary KVIL - Death : DFW Radio Legend Died: Funeral - KVIL and DFW Radio legend, Ron Chapman died aged 85, on April, 26th, 2021, with loved ones left in total devastation. But her memories of her tenure at the station are not pleasant. Chapman died Monday at the age of 85, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame announced on its Facebook page. But what me and Tom Murphy did was put together a morning show for teens, Murphy and Harrigan. The rest, as they say, is history. Turn! Especially this woman right here., And Brad says, Well, how about if we start the play and say, The quarterback comes up to the line of scrimmage. I cannot say I will miss KVIL, mostly because I haven't listened to it in years -- couldn't tell you its format since, oh, 1985? So one of our sponsors was Coca-Cola. Here are a few other stories about Chapmans career, told by those who knew and worked with the legend. You tend to say things like the mayor when you mean Dallas and the mayor of Fort Worth when youre talking about them. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. We did that to our audience constantly. 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He was just a wonderful, wonderful guy., And yet, on a professional level, Chapmans reputation carried with it a darker side. Most of the radio folk we talked to have a love-hate relationship with the man. Chapman thought that was funny. Early on. Ron Chapman Obituary KVIL - Death : DFW Radio Legend Died: Funeral - KVIL and DFW Radio legend, Ron Chapman died aged 85, on April, 26th, 2021, with. She said, How do you expect me to do a good job after all Ive been through? I said, Thats it, weve been talking too long. Ron Chapmans the only one that talks to her that first hour, and in that hour, 1 can mold her frame of mind. At one point, Chapman broadcast live while skydiving from a plane . I froze. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it serves the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in North Texas. I just never mellowed out. Chapman admits. Between his junior and senior years, he interned at The Washington Post during "the Watergate summer" of 1973. Ron Chapman Was a Warm and Fuzzy Tyrant - D Magazine He was one of the greatest radio people to ever sit behind the mic. But KVIL, four letters that decorated 100,000 Dallasites' car bumpers during one notable 1982 promotion,shouldn't be allowed to vanish without a proper eulogy. Theres a Stevie Wonder song where right in the middle of the song he does this loud, high-pitched scream. April 26, 2021. We tell them, Heres the concept. Hes now a program director for ABC Dallas radio and an adjunct professor of TV production at the University of North Texas.We did Sumpn Else at NorthPark. Ron Chapman - Press Club of Dallas Garrett remembers eavesdropping with Chapman on conversations at the local coffee shop or the grocery store, trying to get a feel for what people were talking about. And yet, he would never ask me to be one of the [featured] dancers. He also hosted a televised series from Northpark Center in the 1960's for a three-year stint. CBS Radio has rebranded 103.7 on Your FM Dial as the Amp, a moniker also bestowed upon energy drinksand vitamins that promise "alean, ripped physique." DALLAS - Three-time Texas Radio Hall-of-Famer and Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman died on Monday. One time, I finally asked him, You seem to like my dancing, but why dont you ever ask me to be one of the dancers? And he said, Well, to be honest, youre too sexy for our show. ", At that age, Fairchild said with a laugh, I didnt really know what he was talking about.. The piece coincided with Chapman's 20th anniversary at KVIL, where, The News noted, "His hyper, happy-talk 'Ron Chapman and the Morning Group' has been the almost-constant No. The Morning Guys on Y-95. Robert Wilonsky on Twitter: "I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to His family is asking for time right now to process the loss and thanks the community for . It gives him this ability to do separate things simultaneouslyto be charming and light and breezy and set up the next little joke-and yet never lose clear, cold-blooded sight of the target audience. When he started hosting SumpN Else, I was a kid, and we loved to dance, and I would go over there to dance. Theyre gone. Every store in town used KVIL's mellowrock as its shop-to soundtrack; it evenprovidedthe background music softly droning throughout my orthodontist's office, because what pre-teen with a mouth full of metal doesn't dig some "Afternoon Delight." And the little guy loved Coca-Cola. In one infamous stunt, notes his Hall of Fame bio, Chapman told his listeners to each send $20 to the station; within three days, the station had received $200,000. Some estimates put the final amount even higher. You treat her with respect. He was No. To a person, everyone interviewed for this story believed that Chapman, if riled, could end his career. Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death Just heard radio legend Ron Chapman has died. Steve Eberhart was a deejay at KVIL. Who is KVIL Dallas Radio Personality Ron Chapman? Cause Of Death One infamous incident occurred during last years gala for the National Craniofacial Foundation. A secretary, yeah, sure, absolutely, but she wont be for long. And the guy was the typical model. He was so popular in Dallas in the 70s, 80s and 90s that his station, KVIL, sold for more than the Dallas Cowboys. Ron would fairly often show up while I was on the air to go in a studio and record a promo that might run overnight, only to plug something that was going to be on his show. "This has something to do with age. 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