Ray Van Hooser died in March, 2000. He was part of the original staff of KBOA.
Recorded in 1982 on the station’s 35th anniversary celebration. Excerpts from interview:
“My radio background began in Royal Oak, Michigan about 1940. From Royal Oak, Michigan I moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas, where I worked as an announcer for KBTN in Jonesboro.
Before KBOA even went on the air I went in as sort of a Program Director and kind of got the programming aligned and at the same time I was doing this Bob Conner, as you know was the Chief Engineer at that time, was getting the technical details together and we put this station on the air with a bang.
We were always trying to figure out who could draw the most mail, me on my Old Camp Meetin‘ and Butterball on his personal appearance show. So we had a contest. In that two or three week period I drew something in excess of twenty-five thousand cards and letters. Butterball lost. So on a given Saturday which was preannounced Butterball pushed me down Main Street in a wheelbarrow.
There was an estimated thirty thousand people in town to see that and they came from I think about seven states.
I was at KLCN and then the CP came through for KBOA. And before the station even went on the air, I contacted Mr. Jones and agreed to give me a go at it so I moved up to Kennett. I would go out during the day and write contracts for advertising and then I would go back to temporary offices at night and write the commercial continuity and try to set up some kind of a program schedule. I think I had about seventy or eighty thousand dollars worth of business written before the station ever went on the air.”
I have the most wonderful memories of my father’s association with KBOA Radio Station in Kennett, MO. during the late ’40’s. Missing him this morning, I logged in just to hear his voice and as always … the flood gates opened.
Mr. Paul Jones, Butterball, Old Camp Meeting, Chuck Harding and The Colorado Cowboys, the Wilburn Brothers, and so many others have sashayed in and out of my conscientiousness since childhood, …and yes, I remember in great detail, the notorious wheelbarrow ride down main street!!!
Dad’s early morning program “Old Camp Meeting” always began with the old gospel “Turn Your Radio On …and listen to the music in the air”. The integrity and honor that motivated these dedicated, hard working, and courageous men and women during this era instilled values that I cherish and that I wish today’s generation could know and respect. Life was good!
Karen Van Hooser, daughter of Ray Van (Hooser)
Thank you for the comment, Karen. And for visiting the site. I put a lot of hours into this (a long time ago) and comments like yours makes it worth the effort.
A lot of folks think Mr. Rudy was the original host of Old Camp Meetin’, unaware that your father was the first. Same for the popularity contest with Butterball. My father and Jimmy Haggett reprised the contest — and the wheelbarrow event– years later. It was a time when radio had real soul and character. Glad our father had the experience.