| FROM THE DESK OF
Debbie Gibson
WKAZ News Department (1975-1980)
Hi, Rick,
I cannot believe your web site! So cool! I stumbled across it while looking
for something else, and had to nose around.
I'm Debbie Gibson; or at least, I was before I got married! I was on the
air from late 1975 until early 1980 at WKAZ, when I left to get married and moved
away to Maryland. Radio jobs are hard to find and don't pay that well, so as
you can see from my signature, I decided to pursue a different line of work.
Regarding your time line: Jane Drain left the station just as I joined, in 1975.
She went into TV news, and I have no idea where she is now. Darrell Daniels
left, I think, in 1977 or 1978. He was news director before me, and I was
news staff under him when he was there. Dave Cohen was way before me; I
think he was the news director previous to Darrell. I maybe met him once,
briefly; I never worked with him.
I started as a new anchor and later (I forget which year; maybe 1978?) became
the News Director, such as it was, for WKAZ and WQBE. Staff who worked under me
were Mark Davis (now a talk show host in Texas; see link below) and Mark
"The Roose" Russo, who now lives in the Carolinas, I think, and became a
real estate agent. He worked for Mutual Radio for a while, I believe.
Also
there was a woman, Pat (?) -- I'll remember her name, I'm sure. Just can't
pull it out now. She wasn't there for very long. After I left, the station
hired Darrell back at some point; don't remember exactly when. Also, they
hired a woman named Kerry Wray. I don't know how long she was there.
Mark Davis link:
http://www.wbap.com/showdj.asp?DJID=1397
I still have a couple of old air checks; every once in a while, I haul them
out and listen to them.
I'll be glad to fill in some more blanks for you, if I can; I can remember some
of the air staff, but don't always, after so many years, remember exactly what
years they were there. I do have an old WKAZ Hits record
album with pictures; I can snap digital pics for you and send them, if you
like.
Gotta get back to work now ... the tax memos are calling.
Deborah G. Kosnett, CPA
(Debbie Gibson)
Washington, DC
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