And the little guy loved Coca-Cola. You know, because Id just paid to have the jacket cleaned. In those days KVIL was so big the Postal . When Ron Chapman, Morning Host of KVIL in Dallas, Texas, asked his listeners back in 1998 to send $20 to the station, they did to the tune of $240,000. He is, he admits, a control freak. Theyll still be telling that story when Chapmans grandkids have carpool duty. And she looks so good by the time she gets to the office, she had to be up by 5:30. Everybody that works here eventually comes back around, and Im going to be here when they come round again. But back then, you prayed for Vince Lombardi. That's a very sad commentary on the times. Woods was Charlie Brown. Part of Audacy. He said, Thats the second time youve used that item and its the last! And you were supposed to live up to them. They were gonna change owners and he knew the new owner. And no decision is really final until Chapman signs off on it. I tell people this story, and they think its one of those urban legends. One of his greatest talents is picking people, knowing where they fit, where they go.They gave me a little yellow van, and I drove it myself. It was our mascot for the show. Youd be walking down the hall, and nothing would stop him from putting you down in a very loud voice in front of anybody. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys . He is single-minded, living and breathing and eating KVIL to the detriment of everything else in his life. He's now a news anchor for CBS Channel 11 and will replace Chapman on KLUV's morning show. He also hosted a televised series from Northpark Center in the 1960's for a three-year stint. The guiding light in my life, my operational phrase, was: Ill show em. It wasnt angry. Last time I dialed in for any length was the first day of September2000, whenRon Chapman signed off after a 31-year stint as The Voice of KVIL and, by extension,Dallas radio. There will be NO service, but a public gathering of friends and colleagues is being planned.". (Her cohort, Ron Chapman, who clocked more than 45 successful years on local radio and television [including WFAA-TV,] died in 2021.) We decided we would keep Fort Worth, and treat her like the lady that she is. Everyone I knew went to college. He did not. Because shes gonna move up. He knows what people want to hear. Theyre gone. There are no excuses in Ron Chapmans world except You screwed up. First published on April 26, 2021 / 11:54 AM. 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. KVIL tried to take on powerhouse KLIF-AM in the late 1960s; on 4/17/1967, they changed to a Top 40, "solid rock sound" format (formerly a talk/music format,) and renamed all of their jocks "Dave" to emphasize their 'David . A ratings war is brewing between two oldies stations, and a controversial gadget might decide who wins. (The money was later distributed to local charities.) "And that means something," Mike Rhyner said Thursday morning. Of course, back in those days, I was also given to partaking in the pleasures of cannabis and had a couple of joints with me for the ride. He is best known as the morning drive anchor of radio station KVIL, on the 103.7 frequency. The program, based on "American Bandstand . Fort Worth was the butt of all the jokes by DJs sitting in Dallas talking about people over in Fort Worth. Then by the following Tuesday, youre just gone. Yes, my dear, the world is still a warm and safe and funny place to be, and you are on top of it with us, you know everything we do, which is a lot, and life keeps getting better. The Emperor is in his tower . About all they had were some call letters, and not very good ones at that. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. Whatever it took.. The magic is about to happen, the same magic thats been running nonstop for twenty years. Chapman knows his audience, and he knows what they buycomfort. This month, after 45 years on the Dallas airwaves, Ron Chapman signs off. He was always very, very kind. And Ron says, When youre doing your broadcast, I want you to think that these people here are your audience. A 1989 profile in D magazine described him as The Emperor in his tower, whose duality is a big part of Ron Chapmans magic. He is, the writer opined, an amalgamation of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.. You understand that? Boom! He died Monday at age 85. He also had a stint on television with the local ABC affiliate, WFAA-TV, where he was featured in the mid-60s on the "Sump'N Else" show. . According to Littauer, Chapmans massive energy manifested itself during his youth in a series of class-clown pranks. Net Worth Inspector Menu. Wowwwwww, Chapman warmly asserts, and Okaaaaaaay and Alllllllright and Well suuure. January 20, 2023 by Jacob Pococontons. And Ron has a brand-new sweater. The slightly bugged eyes turn flat, focused inward. In 1968, Chapman joined KVIL-FM, a station known for pioneering the Adult Contemporary (AC) format. And we walked around the corner and stopped. He remained at KVIL-FM for 32 years, serving as program . who served as KVILs newsman for a couple of years during the early Seventies, Chapman is obsessed with his work. For nearly thirteen years, with a few scattered intermissions. At the haunted house, Chapman took along a producer and equipped her with a microphone. I have the same type of personality, just not as much discipline. No spam, ever. And every morning he was there for us, standing at his mic, drinking Dr Pepper, talking to the city. Do you understand this? RIP Ron Chapman. KVIL was always my mom's station, hogging up most of the pre-sets in the '76 Cordoba and later the '79 LeBaron station wagon; it was either Ron Chapman or a Helen Reddy 8-track. So settle down with one of these throws. Honestly, I thought everyone knew that hed started out in radio with a program called Tips for Teenagers.. ', Chapman isnt surprised to hear that many former associates want deep cover before discussing his character and work style. In terms of logistics and creativity, hes a towering genius. Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. 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. Jun 03, 2004 07:18pm. Theyll still be talking about that twenty years from now. 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. His family asks for time to process this loss, and thanks you for your kindness, understanding and prayers., There will not be a service, but, the Hall of Fame noted, a public gathering of friends and colleagues is being planned.. Not only is he 110 percent fireproof and the goose that laid the golden egg, but he is shadow management, and he must be catered to and appeased. A secretary, yeah, sure, absolutely, but she wont be for long. 1 radio show . Chapman is a perfectionist in every way, Nance says. It was Chapman who convinced owners to ditch their paltry AM signal and go with its powerful 100,000-watt signal. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. And we are going to walk all the way from the Sheraton Hotel to the so-and-so life building. They were on the same block, but nobody caught it. . I can make her feel good about the day, or I can make her feel crappy about the day, and of course, the choice is to make her feel good. Chapman had done the Charley and Harrigan show on KLIF during the Sixties (Chapman went by Irving Harrigan then) and had hosted Sumpn Else, a low-budget local version of American Bandstand on Channel 8. To a person, everyone interviewed for this story believed that Chapman, if riled, could end his career. A unique soul with a great personality has an amazing sense of humour, diligent and caring. According to Tony Garrett. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. We could go New Age. When he started hosting SumpN Else, I was a kid, and we loved to dance, and I would go over there to dance. A lot of people on this board are so young that they have never heard of Michael Selden. Industry critics say that while Chapman is full-tilt today, he is not really doing much to prepare his station for Life After Ron. And its not just the lower-downs, but the higher-ups who have their hands full of Chapman ego. And brother, let me tell you something: It was a different age., In 1989, The Dallas Morning News devoted a High Profile cover story to Chapman, noting that peers described him variously as a genius, tyrant and hero. @RGreggHart : A giant of Dallas-Fort Worth radio, Ron Chapman, has died at 85. We just knew where the other one was headed. Early on. Chapman says he and Nancy were in excellent health at that point but age was a factor for him wanting to retire. This duality is a big part of Ron Chapmans magic. In 2000, Chapman moved to KLUV/Dallas, an "oldies" station where he stayed until announcing his retirement from radio in 2005. We became great friends, Fairchild said. The maddest he ever got at me were those times that I delivered less than the best. I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to Dallas radio than electricity. Ron Chapman Was a Warm and Fuzzy Tyrant. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. Chapmans radio station has been number one in Dallas. While many have attempted to imitate his formula, nobodyat least locallyis likely to remotely approach his mastery of it. 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. But hes been trying to play Creative Tension to the point that it became creative chaos. He is the chairman of Southwest Airlines. Chapman knows that he is inextricably linked to KVIL. 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. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He works on his show twelve, fourteen, sixteen hours a day. This system is awful. Ron Chapman received an obituary from the KVIL community. And even then they didnt get it. Ironically, Chapman so dominates the KVIL lineup that the DJs around him seem unremittingly unmemorable. People just trusted him, Dean said Monday. Ive done this in many ways in my sportscast. Imagine working in a situation for five or six years where your first question every day had to be, What kind of moods he in today?, Tony Garrett got a dose of it too, though he took it philosophically. 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.. Ronald Edward Chapman. In 2007, he returned to broadcasting part-time as a substitute for radio legend Paul Harvey. To Chapman, a working divorced mother with two kids was the woman of his dreams. Rhyner, co-founder and sage of the sports-talking Ticket, spent the '70s and '80s just down the FM dial from KVIL at KZEW, where the jocks playedhard(ish) rock while Chapman and his band spun cotton candy. By Emily Jimenez, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD. If he thought you had an iota of talent, and you wound up on that station, then the expectations for you were enormous. KVIL-FM, born in Highland Park on August 25, 1961,died, officially, on Jan. 18, 2017. And it suddenly became a craze. Next to it is a portable telephone, complementing cellular phones in his and Nances cars. We dont do that here. And, you know, Im an easy-going guy. After 45 years in radio, Ron Chapman retired from his morning show on June 24, 2005. Oh, Lord. You had left "Sump'n Else" and you're still at WFAA directing the church remotes. Robert Bird Brown Obituary - Dead | Robert Bird Brown Cause of Death April 26, 2021 Son of Mercy 0. That was his job to make that station great. His older sister, Florence Littauer, now a motivational speaker, used her seniority to motivate Ralph, teaching him tongue twisters and then persuading him to repeat them for amazed visitors at the store-for a small fee. Ron didnt say a word. The store was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As writer Diane Reischel put it in The News story: The store was the childrens living room, the customers their audience., His sister, Florence Littauer, said her baby brother was so clever and funny that people would pay me for him to speak. As The News noted, The parents his mother was a violinist challenged the children to think creatively. Hey, says Chapman, most people like living here. A lot of people couldnt handle it, Dean said of Chapmans style. RIP Ron pic.twitter.com . While Ron was 85 years old at the time of his death, Nance Chapman's age remains a mystery. Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death Just heard radio legend Ron Chapman has died. I tell them, you cant do that. And because he spanned KLIF and "Sump'n Else" to KVIL -- he WAS the history of Dallas radio . I hear it., I said, Yes. 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. "Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman dies at 85. Thirty-two of them at the same station. We had a contest to name the honey bear. His rages and abuse must be swallowed whole. But the laughter was tinged with something like pity. He was so popular in Dallas in the 70s, 80s and 90s that his station, KVIL, sold for more than the Dallas Cowboys. "In my own little world, the end of KVIL was something unthinkable," he said. Chapman realized that if he won Fort Worth, he could almost double the stations numbers. The Amp is now playing a handful of pop-radio hits, by the likes of Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift and DJ Snake, over and over and over, ad infinitum. 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. It was Chapman who gave KVIL its sound in 1969: music foryoung adults who'd grown up listening to him on KLIF. That was, perhaps, the last Most Meaningful Moment on local radio. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. "Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly . Ronald Chapman July 23, 2021 Ronald Monroe Chapman, 77, of Jordan, died peacefully in his sleep at 2:32 am on July 23, 2021 while at home surrounded by his loving family. But theyll never work hard enough.. Two things worth noting: back then, no one had any fear about writing "$20" on an envelope - and we never gave our street address. Back then, Chapman says, wed latch on to anything. He likes to say he lost two-thirds of his voice then, but every so often you can hear peeks and hints of that booming voice that used to wake up Dallas every weekday morning. "But a well-respected punchline," Rhyner said. He brought, what is known in the industry as the "adult contemporary" format to FM. Nothing to embarrass a woman who is even remotely prudish. Warm and fuzzy was the game plan from the very beginning. Chapman was involved at the time with a woman in New York, an aspiring actress. But Im serious when I tell you that I learned a great deal from it. A little egotistical, perhaps. Hes now an announcer and does several shows for ABC radio. You realize we dont play the same things for a thirty-five-year-old female that youd play on the Zoo. Chapman had served as emcee for a couple of years in a row and had complained both times about the sound system. Done in slick, black marble, it is an oversized rectangle, big enough for Ron to pace in. To pace in. In 1969, Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort . He was huge in Dallas for decades doing mornings at KVILclick link to learn more. #1. And I did everything. He began by working as a disc jockey for WHAV in Haverhill. And one night in March 1981, KVIL radio legend Ron Chapman walked into Billy Bob's. "And I walked up to Chapman and I said, 'I'm going to come work for you,' " Dean said. "How sad that all of those KVIL things are now part of history. The things that attracted Marilyn to me in the first place were the things that drove her crazythe drive, the ambition, the living in the eye of the tiger eventually drove her crazy. Id never been in a Cadillac Seville. Selden went full circle in his personal life too, abusing drugs and alcohol until he wound up doing some time in what he calls the Home for the Occasionally Coherent, the state hospital at Rusk. DALLAS (CBSDFW) - The Texas Radio Hall of Fame shared the news of the passing of Dallas radio icon Ron Chapman. 1 forever. 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. Most of the radio folk we talked to have a love-hate relationship with the man. They had no bathtub, no phone, no family car. That was the power of Ron Chapman. I now think about retiring. Ive had two scoops of everything, Chapman likes to say. A very happy one. of course. Name another program director or air person of any type anywhere in the country who would come in at 11 oclock and cut a promo thats going to run overnight. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. As she perfected her skills, the dean of Dallas radio, Ron Chapman, hired her at KVIL-AM/FM as News Director alongside his other show members: Suzy Humphries, Len Mailoux, Andy McCollum, and Larry . April 26, 2021. His talent rose above us all. @garycogill : RT @HawkeyeOnAir: I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. They thought we were going 50 miles.