ON THE AIR…


IMG_3484 It’s been an interesting road to get to say those words…

The picture you see was taken at Sunset from my antenna on the radio tower on WEST BAY HILL. I took it last night when I was finishing up what I hope is the last of the work on my antenna.

That is about the Highest Point on ROATAN… I think it sums up a lot of things this isla de la bahia is about… it’s got a glorious sunset, beautiful blue waters and a cruise ship sailing by to another Caribbean Destination…

RADIO ROATAN 101.1 is now on the air as BLUE WAVE RADIO ROATAN 101.1…

There are many people who I must thank…

The first of which begins back in San Diego with Julio… He helped show me the way to get the engineering work done before I moved here… Also Dick Warren whom I’ve worked with for over 25 years for consulting about the new antenna that I’ve installed on the island… Thanks to them I know a lot more about stuff that makes my head swim… Everything from VSWR and Launch Angle and DNAS servers and VIRTUAL CABLES… and I’m still learning… research to make my head swim. Thanks Guys.

Bob Hughes and Jonathan Schwartz of KPRi San Diego. They were there to help me understand what it really means to be honest with myself. And to call my BS when I wasn’t being honest. I think without them I don’t learn everything need to know that qualifies me to do this. But I got an education.

Pat Osburn, Clark Newton, and every sales person at KPRi… We never had that going away party. I love you all. You were the best group of men and women I worked with and are professional in everyway… What you do is much harder than it looks…

Ray Ray Fisher Toney… He’s the FUNNIEST MAN I’ve EVER heard on the radio and my first mentor… He’s the real reason I got to CALIFORNIA… And if you like the way the station sounds technically… (and it sounds better than any radio station technically that I’ve heard anywhere…) He’s the man you should really thank…

On the ISLAND there is Vernon “El Gringo Loco” Albert… yes you are that… but your understanding of the environmental aspects of things have really helped me prepare the technical systems and put them through the ringer…

Aaron Etches… for giving me time to get my feet underneath me and the entire Etches Family for their generosity in welcoming me and being patient…

Mr. Foster for his thoughts about helping inspire the people here with a good radio station that will have big footprints.

Ed du Monceaux for introducing me to the island.

The Rotary of Roatan… Mike, Mandy, Edda, Butch, and Larry for introducing me to their outstanding group of community service minded people.

Richard Warren at RECO… Thanks for your advice on getting things set up here.

Bob and Judy at Island Posh for the input.

Wyonna at JavaVine… Princessa, Carol and Duane for their help and for being ANIMAL lovers AND allowing me to help with the FURBALL…

Sylvia Miller at Boho Beach Club… You are a lot of fun… a little nuts… crazy creative… and smart like a fox…

Carmen Tobias, Chas Watkins and Harin for much needed technical help and assistance.

Mark Burgess for telling me that I could figure out the technical programming and for teaching me how to build websites so long ago.

Patty McCulla for being a cheerleader and spiritual positive influence… and Scott Haynes for reaching out to me before I ever moved and for introducing me to a great piece of gear… Check is in the mail Scott (which is really funny considering there is NO mail to speak of on Roatan.)

John and Lyn Morrey… John, you’ve been handyman, roadfixer, builder, I can’t say enough… Lyn… thanks for making John wear pants around the house… Not that I haven’t worn skivvies outdoors but at our age he and I have both lost our male-fashion-model physiques… and for the great dinners…

Fran the Man and Stella… you both know where to find just about anything…

Shelly and Mic Burich… You both are awesome listeners… Thanks for your ears and for listening all those nights during the NOVEMBER DECEMBER MONSOON… haha… It’s finally coming together.

Ms Peggy and Joseph Natale… they lead by example…

Brian for helping me climb the tower and put up my antenna.

Nadia, Caleb and Ishmael, and Dennis at Island Electric, Serranos, and Technos for all the visits and being great help when I couldn’t find things.

And to William Crisp and John Morris… They both started the 101.1 Radio Roatan…

It’s at this point that I realize why the f’ing Academy Awards presenters are cut off… but it’s my blog and your name just might still come up…

Let’s go back to San Diego… to people who actually changed my life for the best…

Peter Nordland – Dr Nordland… I can’t say enough… You are like my brother… only more handsome… and with a much better golf game. I miss Karnac the Magnificent… and yes it was funny because we KNOW it was…

Sean Smith – Brother… not only did you teach me to give people a chance and to understand that when the haters were hating it wasn’t me… but it was them, you are the best friend I could have… we worked together for over a decade… I still know more than you do but not much…

Cindy Vega for helping me with the website… She did all the proofreading on everything but this page… which is why this may be the worst page you see on the site… and she also pointed out that I didn’t say thanks to her, even though without her, this page would probably suck a lot… SO I added this later… because everyone is really raving about the website and I can’t take credit for it without crediting her. And if there is a typo or an error, it’s because I haven’t corrected her suggestions yet…

Ric Militi for befriending me,believing in me and for coaching me on the finer points of Marketing and Advertising. You are one of the best I’ve ever seen Ric.

Tim Smith for the pep talk about always having a plan B. And for being a real friend.

Ron Houston … you were the first to know…

Susan Taylor and Jim Laslavic for showing me what class is all about and for dinner… Come on down … I’m buying the next round.

The DJ’s – All the DJ’s and Program Directors and promotions people that I worked with taught me something… Haley… you were the last… and the best… Jack Silver… you told me that everyone thinks they have the answers… but that no one really does… they just have the confidence to persuade others that they do… Pamela Howe, Amy Stevens, Magi Aguilar, Kerry Keys, Chris, Oz, Jodina, Bryan, Mike Blakeney, Gene Knight, Bob, Darin and Daron yup… really… Halloran, Steve West, Jason and Scott Riggs, Mike Dale, John Leslie, Cindy Spicer, Denise Westwood, Gayle Newman, Deb Henke, Dale, Dona, Jon Eric Stevenson, Joey T., Bob Lima, Bobby Case, Kelly Cole, Shanon Leder, Frank Anthony, John Kentera, Mickey Coulter, Leslie Fram, Ned Perme, Eddie Gurola, John Nacarato, Mary Alice, AnnRae, Billy Bones, Jim Crowe, Coe Lewis, Delana, Deanna Despot, Darren Smith, Doug Thomas, Keith Cunningham, Mark and Brian, Rumble and Thrower, Jeff and Dave, Sully Sullivan, Stacy Taylor, Ben Higgins, Dave Mason,  Randy Lane, Brock Boulette, Simon, Shotgun Tom, Ken Knight, Bill Emerson, Sandi Bananister…and JM in the AM… Cathryn Beeks, Jon Edwards, Diana Vincent, Jack-the-Wack, Jon St. John, Tim Pyles, Joel Madison, Stacy Taylor, Dave Parks, Mary Ayala, Summer Morse, Scotty Brink, Nina Ruthie, JoAnne Porter,  Sherry Toennies, Claudia Russell, Frankie Blue, Blaire Schultze, Rick Lawrence,  Gary Theiman, Kevin Stapleford, Tim Moore, Tony Morgan, Jack Duncan, Tim Camp and his brother Dave who gave me my first job… Lee Arthur Rhodes “the House Rocker” who was the first black man to ever work on a white radio station in Mississippi. Wilbur and Roland Colom. Kenny Weissberg for reminding me that music can be without boundaries.

To all the listeners from all the towns who gave me the time to a) add something to their day, b) make them laugh, c) make them smile, d) say “That guy on the radio is a real dumbass…” e) All of the Above.

I know that I am leaving people out… I’m sorry… All of you mattered and taught me something.

Tammy- You were ever faithful. You helped me accomplish more and get credit for more and save KPRi MORE money because of the way we worked together. You were the person who got things done… I just to take the credit.

Howard Richmond- Howard you are proof of two things… The first is that some people who practice psychology are not just screwed up people who like experimenting with the minds of other more paranoid, insecure, needy people… (Your aren’t screwed up are you, you still like me don’t you?) And that what my dad said about being able to do anything could come true…

Tim Flannery- Three World Series Rings as a champ… Great friends in the music world who love you… a family that lifts you up and a world that you inspire… Coach… you always inspired me… We had that conversation once about getting better at things… and you said that if you want to get better you need to play with people who are much better than you and work hard enough to get them to let you. And that it’s okay to compromise on some things but never on yourself… And that music will always bring you home… pieces of advice that I learned from you… plus you had the best hands in baseball. Thanks Flan.

Earl Thomas- Being born in the same area with family and friends who still live there and realizing that the world is bigger and you have to pursue your dreams and it may take a while to get there or maybe never at all… but you’ll never know until you start out. You have a light brother… thanks for sharing it.

Steve Poltz- If there is a better all-around writer, in the world, than you Steve, I don’t know them. You can write a song , especially a Love Song, better than anyone. I know someone named John Lennon got on Paul McCartney about writing love songs a long time ago but it’s NOT easy to do it as well as YOU do. It’s your gift… perhaps not as fun as writing songs like “Hitchhiker Joe” or “Handjob on a Church Bus”… and certainly those songs need to be written… “You were Meant for Me” is the best love song ever written.

Sting- Thanks for telling me that if you want to be a tall tree in the forest, you have to expect to be hit by lightning… and not to fear the lightning because a tall tree in a forest has deep roots… and in the end it’s how deep your roots go… not how many leaves you have… and also for sharing with me that digital technology is voodoo… You have been correct about both on many occasions…

Joe Walsh- If there was ever anyone who inspired me Joe, it was you. From the first time I heard Funk #49 when Michael Zoghby was playing along with it in his bedroom on his black Les Paul Custom in 1971… I never knew that one day, I’d be spending four hours with you on the air… but I was lucky to have you in studio more than once.
You are the only person I’ve ever been starstruck by… Without a doubt, you are the most humble man I’ve met about your talents. You are smart, funny, sharing and caring as a performer. You relish making people feel good with what you do and that in itself is okay. You’ve taught me that one has to work hard to be at the highest level. And that making BIG mistakes is part of life… Yes, as you said you were born to play guitar, it’s what you were put on Earth to do… but I also learned from you that being great and funny and a big deal are meaningless with love… I learned from your example about how love is important, that it’s not always easy. And finally, I learned that we can come back from places in our life and mind that are so deep and dark that it’s a wonder we find our way back at all. But if you ever come to my house, don’t bring a chainsaw…

Okay… last call…

Michael Gross- You have been my best friend as a big boy… No question about the love I have for you brother… you believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and it was that belief that saved me… thanks for teaching me about creating art and that it’s an artists job to see what is inside the flower and bring it out… I miss you every day. I could go on and on and on and you’d still forgive me… Thanks for saying to me that I was born to talk… and for allowing me that… I love you… I really miss our art classes on Monday nights…

Lois Jones- You taught me about so many things… I won’t embarass you here by listing all of them… but some include knowing the importance of a family, the importance of traveling the world and how to appreciate a fine glass of cognac. You showed me how to prepare for business and be a professional, you convinced me that I could function in any world I chose… And you helped me get on my feet and become a success in San Diego by my own measure of success and not by someone elses. You helped me be a better father. And you always made me laugh with your cartoons… there was always an elation when I was with you… and there will be always.

Maureen Miller- Or should I call you Dr. You loved me and took care of me and gave me a family. You forgave me. You insisted we have a dog even though I was allergic and I gave in … and we had THREEE… and I loved them all… and you said that you wanted FOUR children… careful what you wished for… You were pregnant for like 8 straight years… and YOU didn’t kill me… You showed our children, by example, that they must follow their dreams. They have a great mom… who is a great person and Dr. You let me become what YOU probably knew I was inside… I love you for that among so many things…

sam, keeley, madison, julia- It’s really hard to be here so far away from you. You don’t know how that feels and I wouldn’t know if I didn’t have children…

Sam- YOU are my favorite … just in case the others ask. I’m doing this because it’s what I was called to do. It would have been easier to take another DJ job but eventually, the day would come when I’d be asked to step down… I can’t go through that again… I’m glad that you understood that… You have all of my guitars… don’t break them ok?

Keeley- YOU are my favorite … just in case the others ask. I’m so glad that you let ME do the drawing for your tattoo… no you can’t have another one… your skin is too pretty and one is plenty… and if you get another one, I’m having “I LOVE JUSTIN BEIBER” tattooed on my forehead… Your words to me… “I’m proud of what you are doing Daddy” really made me cry… actually the word “DADDY” was enough to make me cry… Just so you know I’m really proud of you too. YOU can do anything you want. Dream it…Be it…

Madison- YOU are my favorite … just in case the others ask. I miss you Mads… You are so smart and like your mom when it comes to independent. You also take up for others and defend them. I know that if you believe in someone or something, you will fight for them or it and you won’t be runover by anyone. You understand things in ways that other people never will. You are also drop-dead sharp funny… I loved flipping you over on my chest when you were growing up… I love how you have the ability to make things happen. Thanks for telling me that I’m not a bad Dad… Dads never get report cards…  so that made my day…

Julia- YOU are my favorite … just in case the others ask. Really… I miss our conversations… You started that stupid “teenager thing” and when you come out of it you will be a fine woman like your mom and two sisters… You know what I miss JJ? Holding your fingers in my hand… and watching Phineas and Ferb… or SpongeBob… and eating popcorn… Sean Smith has the air popper by the way… I left it for you… It’s at the radio station… wow…that just popped into my mind… I miss the movies and coming downstairs after letting you stay up late and finding you asleep on the couch and the TV still on… and covering you with a blanket and turning it off… more than anything, I miss your smile…

my brother and sisters- I’ll start from youngest to older…because I’m the olderest of all…
I couldn’t have accomplished any of this without having them as my family, the only blood-family that I will ever have…

Irene… you have had a long journey… but you always had time to give to me… I hope that you see that YOU make your dreams come to you by going out to them… there is a lot of luck, and that comes from giving to others… I love you.

Sandra… thanks for all the support you’ve given me… I love that you have made me think and evaluate and reevaluate… I need it because I’m such a dreamer and you are such reality… You are also the caretaker… from a very young age, you were a caretaker and always responsible and no-nonsense about the important things… you always gave… I love you.

Bill… you were the first person I knew that had Neil Young’s Harvest… AND Randy Newman’s Sail Away… you were cooler than most people knew … even more than I knew… I wasn’t the best big brother… But some brothers just don’t learn early enough and then can’t admit things later in life… I love you and I know you love me… and that’s all that matters…

THIS STARTED OUT AS A SHORT LIST… Holy Crapola… (if you are still reading this)
THANK YOU…

I want to thank my mom for being the person who encouraged me to talk and never asked me to shut up and bought me books and clay and crayons and my first BEATLES ALBUM… She taught me how to read phonetically so I wouldn’t keep interrupting her and she was a really good athlete … especially in tennis where she was a champion in high school… She smoked unfiltered Pall Mall smokes, loved talking to anyone who would listen and never met a stranger. She loved Hank Sr., Nat “King” Cole, and woke me up to watch the BEATLES on Ed Sullivan. She cried when they shot JFK and held me when Tad in first grade told me I had “big ears”… Her name is FRANKIE GERALDINE STONE… She was from Chickamauga, Georgia and lost all of her hair by the time she was 12 years old and had to wear wigs all of her life until she died at 41, one year after having her youngest child, Irene… She had a big smile and made everyone laugh… and her friends called her PETE… She was special and very sensitive… but most of all, she was my mom…

I want to thank my father… He worked as a bouncer to make ends meet when he was a US Air Force sergeant. He brought home JUKEBOX records that were being tossed and gave them to me and my brother and I never wanted for anything because he was a deeply intelligent man who read books and bought albums, and cameras, and recording equipment and loved Elvis, and when I was five went to Cape Canaveral and brought me some CHEESE home as a gift (he said it came from the moon), but most importantly on that same trip, he brought back a Wollensak T 1515 tape recorder and stuck a microphone in front of my mouth and recorded me talking… OOPs. His name is JOHN JOSEPH MILLER and his friends called him Johnny or BIG JOHN… and he could be both and he loved baseball, cars and pretty girls and it was ironic that he and mom were FRANKIE AND JOHNNY… and he told me that I could be anything I wanted when I was 5 years old and it took me 50 years to actually understand what that meant… and when he died at age 59, all I wanted to do was drive around in his car and smell his Old Spice cologne and I cried out loud and he would have been embarassed when the color guard shot the 21-gun salute at his funeral… He was the most instrumental human being in my life and took care of his family and allowed me to be stupid for way tooo long… but most of all, he was my dad…

Finally … If it wasn’t for you… I wouldn’t be here… Greta…

ARE YOU REALLY STILL READING THIS… OMG

I guess you are lucky that I’ll stop HERE… I could keep going …

For instance “To all the girls I’ve loved and some of the ones that I didn’t etc…” but my butt is tired of sitting in this chair.

If I ever say “I DID THIS ON MY OWN…” slap me… as you can see, it’s just not true…

Blue Wave Radio is a station about MUSIC and about the PEOPLE of ROATAN island…

I like to tell a story about Duke Ellington who was once asked “what makes a good song?” He replied … “If YOU like it, then IT’S a good song…” Not sure if the story is true… it was told to me a long time ago by a senile old friend of mine but it’s how I’ve come to feel…

He’s right… No music snobbery here… No elitist look down the nose music BS… Every song was hand picked on 101.1fm… There are no dogs… I’ve listened to all of them… It’s ready … Hopefully you’ll like it… and if you don’t I can’t change your mind and won’t try… But I know that it’s time to have some fun and the hard work is done…

SO let’s rock… turn it on if you are ever in the neighborhood… By the way… the picture below… from NASA… the long middle island off the coast is ROATAN … come and visit… and listen… and to you astronauts… hi and thanks …

Roatan Island from Space

 

I wonder if they can get us in space…
Keith Madison Miller
2/18/2015