Radio Daze 1970-1976

Biographies & Memoirs

synopsis

Synopsis

I’m a storyteller. I always have been. This is a book of some of those stories. It gets off to a rough start, with the first chapter being about my mother's abuse. I did tell it with humor, though. This is a memoir, so I tell you about my life before radio in addition to some of the radio stories. I love the radio stories, which began with chapter 5. The first station I worked for was the third station in the country to go rock on FM. I worked for Sam Phillips of Sun Records at his station in his hometown of Florence, Alabama. I also interviewed Jim Morrison of the Doors in 1974, just three years after he died. I worked with the Attorney General, Hugh Staton, in his efforts to take a serial rapist off the streets of Memphis. I was invited to New York by Clive Davis to talk with him about a job with Arista Records. The stories about working at WRNO, the Rock of New Orleans, are interesting, too, especially the Alice Cooper interview and going on the road with Lynyrd Skynyrd for a week's Vacation.

bio

Author Biography

Mitch McCracken has spent most of his adult life as a Disc Jockey on album rock stations. Before his radio career, he was the class clown. He still thinks he’s funny but admits he has no class. McCracken’s first job in radio was at the third station to go rock on FM, WMC FM in Memphis. When DJs played what they wanted to play and said what they wanted to say. Much different from the radio of today. Radio was fun then, especially if you have a dream job, working for the Father of Rock and Roll, Sam Phillips, at his station in Florence, Ala, WQLT. Working for Estelle Axton, the “AX” of Stax Records, was another high point of his career. McCracken accepted the position of National Promotion Director of her new label, Fretone Records. Mitch took their first record right up the charts, and “Disco Duck” by Rick Dees was named the Peoples Choice Award Winner of 1977. Mitch is known among his friends and family for his storytelling. His writing style makes you think he is sitting right there with you telling his story, like his 1974 interview with Jim Morrison, who died in Paris in 1971.

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Author Insight

George Harrison's Dad

I was young and eager to learn. Jon Scott, who was doing 7-Midnight, saw that in me. He was willing to take me under his wing and teach me the ropes. A great example of that is when he invited me to observe as he interviewed Harry Harrison. Make sure to read the other book bubbles of Radio Daze 1970-1976.

Book Excerpt

Radio Daze 1970-1976

Harry told Jon that his house was the only one that would allow the group that would become the Beatles to practice there. They went by The Quarrymen and then changed their name to the Silver Beatles before The Beatles.

The most interesting thing that Harry said that night was off-mic when he asked how we liked Eric Clapton's playing in the movie. I said, "Excellent as always.” "Good, I'll let George know you thought so," he said with a strange look on his face. "What do you mean," I asked. He told us, "If you saw the movie, it put the spotlight on everyone from Leon Russell to Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, even Ravi Shankar but not Clapton.” According to Harry, “that was because Clapton was so messed up that George had to go in and overdub everything Clapton had played. The only ones that heard Clapton were at the concert."

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Mitch McCracken

Radio Daze 1970-1976

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

George Harrison's Dad

Book Excerpt

Radio Daze 1970-1976

Comment on this Bubble