He killed the competition. He was one of the greatest radio people to ever sit behind the mic. The radio industry took to social media to reflect on Chapman's life and career. Paul: Okay, so let's go back to Bud's career. He then did afternoon drive at KVIL-FM for several years until he was fired by Ron Chapman. Maybe for forty-eight hours, max. 26, 2021 at 1:34 PM PDT. Posted Mon, Apr 26, 2021 at 8:33 pm CT. Dallasites are grieving the death today of deejay Ron Chapman, a man whose voice was a constant companion throughout the Metroplex for more than five . So we hit the air, and Ron got it. A computerized Young Chang Grand Piano is playing Gershwin via floppy disk over near the bar. Ron would fairly often show up while I was on the air to go in a studio and record a promo that might run overnight, only to plug something that was going to be on his show. And so, Ive always wanted to be YA-HA! Give me a spotlight and let me go., On Monday, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame paid tribute to Chapman by noting on Facebook: Three time radio Hall of Famer and Dallas radio ICON Ron Chapman has passed. Beneath that rasp, he's still very much the manwho once broadcast while skydiving and whoin April 1988 asked listeners to send $20 without explaining why and wound up collecting $240,000 he dispensed to charity. But you could hear this blow-dryer. And its also a public service if you use it right.. Born plain old Ralph Chapman in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Ron began performing at the ripe age of three. To this day I still get the shakes whenever I hear Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," Gerry Rafferty's "Right Down the Line"and anything by Anne Murray or Barry Manilow. "This has something to do with age. He must know where everything is at all times. Ron was a longtime morning host at our sister station KVIL 103.7, where he worked with KRLD's Mitch Carr. Its mascot was an incontinent kinkajou. Like the time when, in charge of locking away the band instruments in a wire cage, Ralph kept the mouthpiece of the tuba in his pocket. Michael Granberry was born and grew up in Dallas. There will be no service, however a "public gathering for friends and colleagues" is being planned at this time. By Casey Carr. His hard-scrabble experience inspired him to say, Ill show them. And his broadcasting career accomplished exactly that he showed them. 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. / CBS Texas. And no decision is really final until Chapman signs off on it. Every store in town used KVIL's mellowrock as its shop-to soundtrack; it evenprovidedthe background music softly droning throughout my orthodontist's office, because what pre-teen with a mouth full of metal doesn't dig some "Afternoon Delight." 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. Chapman had a . The guy would give you the shirt off his back. KVIL TIDBITS: Ron Chapman's radio show was simulcast live with video on KXAS-TV as a 30-minute daily program (mid-1970s.). who served as KVILs newsman for a couple of years during the early Seventies, Chapman is obsessed with his work. I froze. After 45 years in radio, Ron Chapman retired from his morning show on June 24, 2005. 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. You understand that? Boom! And I was going to run faster, work harder, get street-smarter. Thats just the wrapper. Theyll still be telling that story when Chapmans grandkids have carpool duty. "In my own little world, the end of KVIL was something unthinkable," he said. When New York-based Infinity Broadcasting bought KVIL a couple of years ago, they paid more than $80 million, the highest amount ever paid for a stand-alone radio station in the U.S. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. Ron Chapman was born on 25 January 1936 in Newton, Massachusetts, USA. Who could follow Ron Chapman? It almost looked like a squirrel. 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.. . During his 31 years at KVIL, Chapman became famous for his upbeat humor and his participation in outrageous stunts and giveaways. Ron Chapman began his radio career the DAY he graduated high school, hitting the airwaves in his hometown of Haverhill, Massachusetts. And one night in March 1981, KVIL radio legend Ron Chapman walked into Billy Bob's. "And I walked up to Chapman and I said, 'I'm going to come work for you,' " Dean said. She loved going to NorthPark to dance with other teenagers during the daily weekday broadcast of SumpN Else. I used to do the 11 to 2 a.m. shift, during college. Turn! The maddest he ever got at me were those times that I delivered less than the best. There will never be another run like his. Six years later, he moved to Texas to begin what eventually became a Radio Hall of Fame career in DFW. It was Chapman who convinced owners to ditch their paltry AM signal and go with its powerful 100,000-watt signal. Like a handful of other stations in town, at least until they all change formats again. Ron Chapman Was a Warm and Fuzzy Tyrant. In 2000, Chapman moved to KLUV/Dallas, an "oldies" station where he stayed until announcing his retirement from radio in 2005. Within three days listeners had sent in more that $240,000. I can make her feel good about the day, or I can make her feel crappy about the day, and of course, the choice is to make her feel good. Ron Chapman's legendary $20 announcement from March, 1988. Ron Chapman, a Dallas - Fort Worth radio legend, has died at the age of 85, according to CBS 11 KTVT in DFW. In fact, the jingle was the fastest 45 in the West. It was based on Rons experience with Top 40 radio. Ronald Edward Chapman. Hes now a program director for ABC Dallas radio and an adjunct professor of TV production at the University of North Texas.We did Sumpn Else at NorthPark. Robert Wilonsky, Special Contributor. Selden went full circle in his personal life too, abusing drugs and alcohol until he wound up doing some time in what he calls the Home for the Occasionally Coherent, the state hospital at Rusk. If Chapman knows just what to say on the air, he also knows what not to blurt out: no jokes that have females as the butt. When he started hosting SumpN Else, I was a kid, and we loved to dance, and I would go over there to dance. His family received condolences from thousands . It was a woman who had a pink sweater wrapped around her neck. #1. Ron Chapman set out to claim it. He doesnt want to look for cuff links., And as for keeping up with the competition, well, Chapman has a television parked in front of his toilet. Everywhere 1 go, the broadcasters are asking me how to do that. I dont believe that any one person can be in that much control and yet allow for the station to be the living, breathing organization it has to be in order to survive. Robert Wilonsky, former city columnist for The Dallas Morning News, is communications director for Heritage Auctions and a frequent contributor to these pages. Ron Chapman Obituary - Death: Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil | Ron Chapman Cause Of Death Ron Chapman Obituary: In the loving memory of Ron Chapman, we are saddened to inform you that Ron Chapman, a. The station's studios are located along North Central Expressway in Uptown Dallas. "And when he left, that was it.". In honor of his life, we reproduce this 1989 profile of Chapman. Shes now a motivational speaker and lives in Fredericksburg, Texas.From the first moment we ever opened our mouths, we clicked. The store was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As writer Diane Reischel put it in The News story: The store was the childrens living room, the customers their audience., His sister, Florence Littauer, said her baby brother was so clever and funny that people would pay me for him to speak. As The News noted, The parents his mother was a violinist challenged the children to think creatively. Chapman is a perfectionist in every way, Nance says. His family asks for time to process this loss, and thanks you for your kindness, understanding and prayers., There will not be a service, but, the Hall of Fame noted, a public gathering of friends and colleagues is being planned.. Steve Eberhart was a deejay at KVIL. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. Longtime North Texas disc jockey Ron Chapman, who spent more than four decades on the air in Dallas-Fort Worth, died Monday. Youd be walking down the hall, and nothing would stop him from putting you down in a very loud voice in front of anybody. Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. Chapman rounded out the 1960s by joining the staff of KVIL-FM in 1969, when AM radio was yielding the spotlight to the purer sound of FM stations. April 26, 2021. For nearly thirteen years, with a few scattered intermissions. Garrett remembers Chapmans blowing up at him for reading the same filler story at several news slots. Ralph Chapman passed away on May 4, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. We had several meetings in which we hoped to gain her attention about things we didnt feel were happening correctly on the nighttime show. Dale Hansen broadcasted Cowboys games on KVIL. 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. of course. 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. In 1959, as "Irving Harrigan" he joined the staff KLIF/Dallas, where he teamed up with Jack Woods (a.k.a. It would be rude not to let Ron Chapman give it a proper send-off. Now, its someone I found out of Kim Dawson headshots. (Her cohort, Ron Chapman, who clocked more than 45 successful years on local radio and television [including WFAA-TV,] died in 2021.) So youre that egotistical S.O.B., They became fast, but platonic, friends. Imagine working in a situation for five or six years where your first question every day had to be, What kind of moods he in today?, Tony Garrett got a dose of it too, though he took it philosophically. During his 31 years at KVIL, Chapman became famous for his upbeat humor and his participation in outrageous stunts and giveaways. Last time I dialed in for any length was the first day of September2000, whenRon Chapman signed off after a 31-year stint as The Voice of KVIL and, by extension,Dallas radio. Yeah, he would. CBS News Texas: Free 24/7 News; . I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. But Ive wondered ever since., Herb Kelleher has known Chapman for years. Ron, how come my offer to buy KVIL never worked out? The station would cycle through many owners, all of whom readily admittedthey were really buying Chapman-- "a warm and fuzzy tyrant," D called him in 1989, which he took as compliment. Before SumpN Else finished its run, Fairchild had already scored her first movie credit, appearing as Faye Dunaways double in the Oscar-winning film, Bonnie and Clyde. Please enter valid email address to continue. Ive had two scoops of everything, Chapman likes to say. "In so many ways around here, Chapman was the pioneer, the seer," Rhyner said. RIP Ron Chapman. Theres a Stevie Wonder song where right in the middle of the song he does this loud, high-pitched scream. Ronald V. Chapman, age 80, passed away Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus. Chapman targeted that audience for several reasons, and he lists them the way he says almost everything, with unflappable confidence: a) they are the purse strings; b) there are a lot of them; c) they tend to be very faithful and build an allegiance; and d) they were underserved in this market, and nobody was paying them any respect. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. According to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, no public service is happening, but there will be a public gathering of friends and colleagues which is being planned at this time. Selden was the Afternoon Drive DJ at 1190 KLIF at the time when 75% of the teenagers in Dallas were listening. Theyll still be talking about that twenty years from now. Thats what we started doing. We could go AOR. Barack O-blame-a. Following his tenure at KLIF, Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM, Dallas-Fort Worth, in 1969. Chapman's family says there will be no service, but a public gathering of friends and . Chapman began his career in Dallas radio in 1959 at KLIF as a member of the "Charlie and Harrigan" team. At the end of this, the sergeant looked at Ron and said, What is your job. Be sure to wear a hat. Were keeping you on the payroll through October. If shed said, I f-ed up, Im on the team, shed be here still. Long before the KLUV World Tour, our travel program began as the KVIL World Tour, pioneered by my parents and Dallas Radio legend Ron Chapman. Ron Chapman passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. And every morning he was there for us, standing at his mic, drinking Dr Pepper, talking to the city. We tell them, Heres the concept. EYE descending now, deeper into the warmth and coziness; the voice says Yes, my dearest, you are almost home, safe and warm here with me, with us, ELLLLLLLLLvery low and smoky-warm, like embers in the fireplace and sleeping babies in rooms with duckies on the wall, like hearth and home and cows dozing in the barn, and maybe a comforter over your legs on a winter evening, Not too long ago, Ron Chapman received a postcard. And because he spanned KLIF and "Sump'n Else" to KVIL -- he WAS the history of Dallas radio . . This time, the gala planners were prepared; the system had been checked and rechecked by technicians. Even after he retired, he would call and ask for help, and I was always happy to do it. He always has some grand scheme bubbling up to the surface, she says, and hes always looking for some way to convince the rest of us that its a good idea. Chapman was a giant in radio in Texas, and was inducted as a member of the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. Chapman hired fellow broadcasting legend Jody Dean to work a late-night shift at KVIL in 1982. @theoldgreywolf once told me, "Chapman was the pioneer, the seer." "I was always on the quest of doing something new and dramatic and different and surprising," Ron said in 2010. . Info. DALLAS - Three-time Texas Radio Hall-of-Famer and Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman died on Monday. (The money was later distributed to local charities.) He is an amalgamation of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, a warm, fuzzy presence who intrudes benignly into the consciousness of hundreds of thousands of women every morning. the magic morning man takes a deep breath, raises his index finger before his eyes, and does what Ron Chapman does best: KAY he breathes, low and confiding, in a voice that mirrors the softest, kindest, deepest, afterglow moments of romantic love. Robert Bird Brown Obituary - Dead | Robert Bird Brown Cause of Death April 26, 2021 Son of Mercy 0. And brother, let me tell you something: It was a different age., In 1989, The Dallas Morning News devoted a High Profile cover story to Chapman, noting that peers described him variously as a genius, tyrant and hero. I havent done it all alone, but in this company, Ive been the thread that has taken the spirit of it through twenty years, and I think Ive done it rather well. So I went by my hairdressers, who lived in Oak Cliff. But she was the problem., Chapman, who says he agonizes over every firing and tries to help the departed financially, told Haley to find another gig by the end of the year, while challenging her to do better: I told her. 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. And some who have shown too much personality, critics charge, get the ax. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. Chapman died Monday at the age of 85, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame announced on its Facebook page. Id just started with Chapman, and I did that two or three times before he slammed down the headphones and blew up. He is, he admits, a control freak. According to Tony Garrett. Chapman retired from KVIL in 2000 and moved to KLUV, where he worked until 2005 before retiring again. And the 01 Man on KVIL is still saying, aint this great? But suppose, suddenly, a rogue meteorite comes falling out of the sky and mashes him into a puddle at the corner of Mockingbird and Central? He is best known as the morning drive anchor of radio station KVIL, on the 103.7 frequency. Nance likens her life with Ron to living with P.T. We decided we would keep Fort Worth, and treat her like the lady that she is. And it suddenly became a craze. "How sad that all of those KVIL things are now part of history. And the little guy loved Coca-Cola. Chapman has seen twenty years worth of six-month wonders come and then go. Nobodys going to build monuments or hold big memorial services. Didnt think about it until after I handed the keys back to him. And it was Chapman who ran every single nutty promo in the station's stories history, among them a scavenger hunt that involved hidden tape recorders, secret messages and, eventually, a Braniff International Airways ticket to Hawaii. Walton and Johnson. And that means dont do anything to KVIL. 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. Everyones going to do a 50-mile hike. Im rough to work for. Chapman first hit the Dallas airwaves in 1959 on the Mighty KLIF. He was always very warm and sweet with me and very welcoming, as he was to all the kids. The Texas Radio Hall of Fame shared the news of the passing of Dallas radio icon Ron Chapman. He spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times before returning to Dallas. I hear it., I said, Yes. That was, perhaps, the last Most Meaningful Moment on local radio. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. Hes now an announcer and does several shows for ABC radio. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1979). January 20, 2023 by Jacob Pococontons. Chapman liked to say he was a poor kid who grew up behind a grocery store, which his father owned in his native Haverhill, Mass. We play some stuff that cooks pretty good, but there are a lot of songs we wont play at all. But, of course, its demise was inevitable, yet another casualty of shifting tastes and platforms; it's sign-off came just two months after Clear Channel dulled The Edge by making it, too, a dull shade of Maroon 5. It was an itty-bitty bear. Ron didnt say a word. But the laughter was tinged with something like pity. Theyre gone. But she never did., Coast to coast, when a radio stationbegins considering a format change, radio insiders say, the list of options goes like this: We could go country. I figure we have her ears, and were the only ones shell let talk to her for the first hour of the day. And its not just the lower-downs, but the higher-ups who have their hands full of Chapman ego. Here are a few other stories about Chapmans career, told by those who knew and worked with the legend. And now, it is no longer.". Baby, it's cold outside. Or we could go KVIL.. And I want you to know that Leonard jerked the plug out from the wall. Dick Clark is an old friend of Chapmans. For all time, at the moment, 2023 year, Ron Chapman earned $73 Million. That's a very sad commentary on the times. But the thing about it is, ten minutes later, its like it never happened.. Then the man loaned him enough money to buy a ticket. The organization said no service will be held for Chapman, but a public gathering of friends and colleagues is planned. Knowing Ron over the years has been an adventure. That was the power of Ron Chapman. They were gonna change owners and he knew the new owner. Trust me, Chapman didnt laugh at all. Dallas, Texas 75201. Gratefully I accepted, and drove off in his North Dallas wheels while they towed my Fort Worth bomb away. And she looks so good by the time she gets to the office, she had to be up by 5:30. Ron Chapman and Mitch Carr Photo credit Courtesy Mitch Carr. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. DALLAS Updated at 9:41 p.m. with more quotes from colleagues. When we first went to KVIL to do the Cowboys games, Ron brings Brad Sham and me into his office and starts giving us this big speech on how we should broadcast a football game. Its a trap: if you are situated in Dallas, you look at things from the Dallas perspective, even unconsciously. Ron.. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. This is a secret, but we take a lot of the staff to the big derrick at Six Flags and put them on top. 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Ron Chapman has passed away. Dallas, Texas 75201. And we ran an electric cord out to the van, and while Im on the air with Ron, Im having my hair done. And now. Jody Dean was Chapman's producer at KVIL from 1987 to 1994.