And this was totally not intended. 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.. 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. Im rough to work for. Then ten to midnight. If someone leaves KVIL and wants, a year later, to work for Y-95, and theyve just been in the Dallas Observer calling me a, uh, you -fill- in-the-blanks, well, they know better than to call me for references.. 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. But certainly not unrealistic. Selden was the Afternoon Drive DJ at 1190 KLIF at the time when 75% of the teenagers in Dallas were listening. We never worked in the studio together, for 20 years. There are no excuses in Ron Chapmans world except You screwed up. We used a two-way radio. Even Ron Chapman was not at all shocked to hear of its demise when I called him Wednesday afternoon to tell him his beloved KVIL was now, um, the Amp. In 1969, Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth as morning disc jockey, music director, and program director, bringing the "adult contemporary" format to FM radio. Michael Granberry was born and grew up in Dallas. Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. The Story of Ron Chapman, Sharon Carr Travel & the KVIL World Tour Robert Wilonsky on Twitter: "I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to In 2007, he returned to broadcasting part-time as a substitute for radio legend Paul Harvey. According to Tony Garrett. 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. There will be no service, however a "public gathering for friends and colleagues" is being planned at this time. Three Time Texas Radio Hall Of Famer, Ron Chapman Has Died A little egotistical, perhaps. Turn! KVIL wasso named for its original HQ in the Highland Park Village, after Charles Meeks acquired a broadcast license from the feds to open up shop in 1958. I figure we have her ears, and were the only ones shell let talk to her for the first hour of the day. Weve become Coke. A man in the hotel found his passport and rushed it to the airport. And Ill tell you who finds it difficult to work for me. "Dusty Attics", Episode 23: Ron Chapman - Jody Dean He always brought light to every room entered. Everybody bring your water. Hes like the man who juggles chain saws while singing Verdi. Last year, that power was demonstrated when Chapman asked listeners to trust him and send in $20 each for no specified purpose. And that means dont do anything to KVIL. He was born in Pittsburg, in East Texas and was raised in East Dallas -- in the area that is now District 5 -- where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. The guiding light in my life, my operational phrase, was: Ill show em. It wasnt angry. Chapman knows how to be reassuring to women who are fighting an uphill battle day after day. He is single-minded, living and breathing and eating KVIL to the detriment of everything else in his life. The station is branded as "Alt 103.7" and airs an alternative rock radio format. Jun 03, 2004 07:18pm. 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. Skip to content. Some 12,000 did, and KVIL donated $240,000 to charity. "In so many ways around here, Chapman was the pioneer, the seer," Rhyner said. Says Chapman, Electronically, we dont do much, but we are very conscious of highs. They were gonna change owners and he knew the new owner. @RGreggHart : A giant of Dallas-Fort Worth radio, Ron Chapman, has died at 85. By KLTV Digital Media Staff. I used to do the 11 to 2 a.m. shift, during college. He's now a news anchor for CBS Channel 11 and will replace Chapman on KLUV's morning show. 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. He never said anything to me about it. Back then, Chapman says, wed latch on to anything. But her memories of her tenure at the station are not pleasant. And he admits that, in part, it is the reason his first marriage ended after nineteen years. 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. Blonde, voluptuous, impeccably well-mannered, and gracious, she smiles through a mouthful of sharp teeth. Many of us grew up listening to him on #KVIL. He likes certain things in certain places. He ended up following Chapman at KLUV in 2005. Within three days listeners had sent in more that $240,000. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. He was the Dean of Dallas/Fort Worth Radio spending 31 years hosting the morning show at KVIL, most of those in the number one position. Ron was a legend already in the 60s in Dallas, Fairchild said Monday from her home in Los Angeles. Michael Selden, a DJ at KVIL from 1974 to 1979, has gone full circle with Chapman emotionally, from admiration to loathing and back again. So I had just had my jacket cleaned. It was the only way we could get a feel for the publics impressions on what we were doing. 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." Among the passengers on a March 4 flight out of Hanoi 45 years ago Sunday at the end of the Vietnam War were three Air Force officers who would eventually settle in Northwest Florida. RIP Ron pic.twitter.com . He had this real, real long tongue, and it could get into the bottle. I can walk faster than most people can run, Chapman once told The Dallas Morning News. Barnum. CBS News Texas: Free 24/7 News; . Forty-five years in one market. Chapman and his morning cohortsSuzy Humphries, Jody Dean, Michael Rey, et al.are saying, in effect. Our thoughts and hearts are with his frien - 2 years ago. Dallas Radio Icon Ron Chapman Dies at 85 - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth So he and a couple of radio buds ( Hugh Lampman and Jack Schell) got some backers and found a little building on Mockingbird across from the Dallas Country Club, where they launched a station called KVIL. 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. We had this little kinkajou honey bear. Though nobodyrepeat, nobodywants to take on Ron Chapman in public (even his roast at the Dallas Press Club last year was a three-hour valentine), friends and foes alike admit to a powerful fear of the man. This duality is a big part of Ron Chapmans magic. He served with the Army in South Korea from 1957 to 1959, producing a radio show for Voice of the United Nations Command. While many have attempted to imitate his formula, nobodyat least locallyis likely to remotely approach his mastery of it. 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 lot of people couldnt handle it, Dean said of Chapmans style. 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. The kids had to wear coats and ties on the show. Chapman was known for doing the unexpected, once airing his show from a haunted house and another time while skydiving. Its a trap: if you are situated in Dallas, you look at things from the Dallas perspective, even unconsciously. Hey, says Chapman, most people like living here. Please enter valid email address to continue. It was your classic, stereotypical young yuppie couple from Highland Park. But later, using his real surname, Chapman became an even bigger personality. "Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly . Ron Chapman announced his retirement on 98.7 KLUV at age 69 saying he was retiring from the morning program and going on vacation with his wife Nancy. And she looks so good by the time she gets to the office, she had to be up by 5:30. As The News noted in a story: When the terrified producer charged into his room to say the ghost had just hugged her, Chapman had only a one-sentence response: Did you get it on the air?. Ron actually holds up a picture that hed cut out of a JCPenney catalog. But Im serious when I tell you that I learned a great deal from it. Consultants studied and copied KVIL, launching dozens of lite-rock imitations across the country. Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death Just heard radio legend Ron Chapman has died. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys . I hear it., I said, Yes. He brought, what is known in the industry as the "adult contemporary" format to FM. 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. Thats what we started doing. He remained at KVIL-FM for 32 years, serving as program . Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. And because he spanned KLIF and "Sump'n Else" to KVIL -- he WAS the history of Dallas radio . Paul: Okay, so let's go back to Bud's career. I now think about retiring. Ron Chapman had this offer from KVIL. Everyones going to do a 50-mile hike. You people dont listen to me, and you are going to lose $100,000 on this auction! When she replied that the auction had never made anywhere near that much, he snapped, Thats why!. FACE FOR RADIO: Chapman hosted a popular TV show. And yet, he would never ask me to be one of the [featured] dancers. We decided we would keep Fort Worth, and treat her like the lady that she is. "In my own little world, the end of KVIL was something unthinkable," he said. His talent rose above us all. Michael Selden airchecks | RadioDiscussions Chapman died Monday at the age of 85, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame announced on its Facebook page.