B.J. BENEFIEL, BJ THE DJ, REPORTS ON "WHAT'S UP IS UP; AND NOT DOWN"
"I was KHRB Radio's News Director from 1973 through 1974. After KHRB sold out in 1974, I continued to prepare news stories, mostly for a number of Central Texas Television Stations. I began a rather large newspaper colomn, about Central Texas History in the 'Luling Newsboy and Signal' and I also wrote some books and had them published.
I cooperated with 'The Old Tyme News', a Central Texas History Magazine and wrote a number of cover and feature stories for them."
According to KHRB Radio owner and general manager- Dan Heath; I had more years of broadcasting tenure than anyone else. During my shows I would play country music, and give the listeners interesting facts about the music and the artists. Then, I would spice things up a bit with stories from the past, and jokes too. I would write and tell about yesterday. Mr Heath told me that after my shows became a regular thing"; that the station started to make a profit, for the first time since it began. Mr. Heath accepted an offer to sell to Bill Buchanan and that is how KCLT Radio was born. I was the first employee to ever sign KCLT Radio on the air. I would have continued with the station, and I was hired on to work, but I was so irritated, because there were no time slots for any music. Buchanan created "a mess", tapping in to a "commercially canned music service"; they only needed "control operators" from that day until the station's demise. That station and those which came after it, only lasted a few years, until almost no one listened anymore. The doors closed; and the station and it's property became a "grave yard to looters."
I had a large audience, which back in those days were very hungry for entertainment. We had only radio and television. My programs had to have something extra to draw listeners from KVET, KASE, and KOKE, which were "city-fied" and dull stations to listen to. I brought live bands into the building, most of the musicians had Polish or Bohemian blood in their veins; so they were actors as well as musicians. They talked like "hillbillys", and were endowed with jokes and sayin's that would turn a person into a hyenia. I would "call people up", and talk to them about music at the Old Log Cabin, or just check with the beer distributor, because you could determine people's state of mind in the community by amount of beer sold at one time. There were two women, I saw them one time; they were tall and all fancied up. One told me that she liked "fire marshals" and for me to come out to the interstate and see her, and she would give me "a free rub". These girl's would call the station and give traffic reports and did an excellent job of "hoo-royin" over the radio. You'd be surprised what you can do with Radio; and no body can see you there.
My fellow D.J. at KHRB was Aaron Allen or (Double A); a renowned disc jockey and song writer; he is still at work at some radio station.
One day the station manager, Dan Heath came "scurrying in", so as you would wonder what was exciting him so. The light bulb that was painted red to indicate when the mike was on, was not burning, so he came right into the control room, with a big grin. He sez to me, How did you do that? I was driving on the street and I heard you talking to David Carter( a part-time disc jocky). I said, I was testing my latiest invention. I asked David over the radio waves about the weather down there, and he reported it as nice as it could be. Mr. Heath said, "how did you do that? With amazement he said, this is the first time that anyone ever spoke over the telephone and went out over the radio. When the station was off the air at nights, I would drive over, and experiment; but the trick with the telephone was made possible with a transducer and a amplifier. I had a Broadcast License until the FCC ruined that, and other good things possible with broadcasting. A thousand American broadcasters had studied and went perhaps a hundred or more miles to take that test and pass it. Then you were awarded a license. They (our government) destroyed that "good thing" during the Reagan Administration; when favors to big business became the rule of the day. Us country folk really got hurt during that time.
I was often emcee at old "Honky Tonk Joints", and once held a guitar and sang at the old "Log Cabin" near Luling, Texas. That place is where Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, Al Dexter, Hank Thompson and others used to sing. As a Master Electrician, I re-wired that historic old place and the dance patio.
After KHRB closed, I got with Cecil Moore and we contrived creating a small recording studio. I designed and engineered "Texas Sound Studio" at Luling, Texas. I had Lu-Tex, Rattler, A&R labels, and did recordings of all types. Some even were sent as demos to Willy Nelson.
I was mayor pro-tem of the city from 1984 to 1987. I was a certified professional firefighter, a certified fire inspector, a certified training officer and certified training coordinator; for 23 years. I also went to school and was certified in public safety communications, and bomb and explosive handling and disposal. I was safety coordinator for the city and chairman of the Caldwell County Safety and Protection Committee, and founder of the Caldwell County Firefigherstrts Association. I weighed 94 pounds and fought almost 3,000 fires in three counties. during 1990 I began to have spells that caused a number of problems I continued to fight more fires, and in the last months some of the worst fires I fought, for amounts of toxins to be emitted. In 1991 I was told to cease doing all forms of work except fire department. The fire chief would argue and complain about nothing and make threats about my employment, and I was terminated in January 1991. The State of Texas told me I was disabled due to "prolonged environmental exposure to toxins". That resulted in a number of problems, like Fibromylgia. My voice has been almost completely destroyed; and I have heat damage to my upper respiratory system. I get along better than anyone would think.
A computerized, digitally controlled and programmed radio station was designed by me, and was constructed in my studio building during 2008. On January 1, 2009 station KJCR (Jesus Christ Radio) went on the air continously broadcasting country and western music, which is predominately dance hall and beer joint juke tunes; for 24 hours a day. The stations' anouncer is Jeff, who is a beer drinking Bohemian from over near Cistern. He is a great guy, he never fails to do his job. I control what Jeff says and when, same as I do with the songs. I think I am working with 8 thousand of them; as I am discarding ones that can't make the cut in today's market. The music is formatted in my own style, so that all songs seem to connect together. This station is non-profit, and experimental; testing broadcasting improvements and the impact and practability of low power and digital broadcasting.
One test that could help improve Country radio is that I have three old hounds, and one new hound at the stations controls, and it is comforting to have them there; as foot rests.
The studio operates as Texas Sound Studios. While the station was being constructed and tested; three renowned country music recording artists came to see this work. Bill Mack, is Bill McIntosh and is the brother of Lonnie Mack, and they came to Austin years ago and helped Stevie Vaughn develop his music style and they were his back-up band, Gaylynn Robinson is our good friend and comes to visit often, always pitching a new album to us. The latiest "Love and Heartache" is fantastic; and then comes by Dave Gonzales, he's moving next door, He's leader of The Paladins. The Paladins have literally "circled the globe" playing dates and gigs. That's pretty much it for now. Hope you enjoyed reading about our broadcast history here in Caldwell County, Texas.
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