by A couple of weeks ago there was some discussion on this list of
*** Martin and his late-night `Moonglow with Martin' from WWL,
New Orleans. I passed along the various comments to Joe Thomas,
a friend and fellow*** Martin fan. Joe wrote back of his
experience meeting the man in 1960 or 1961 and gave me permission
to post his comments here:
I met*** Martin at the WWL studios in the Roosevelt
Hotel one of the times I was in New Orleans visiting my
brother. Dick Martin was a middle-aged man (probably early
40s at that time) with thinning hair, round shoulders, a
little pot belly, and a dyspeptic expression (ulcers?).
According to what my brother told me later,*** Martin
had a substantial disagreement with the "powers-that-be" at
WWL (owned by Loyola University of the South) and left for
greener pasture. Said pasture, if memory serves, being
Davenport, Iowa, and the "Quad Cities."
Also, if memory serves again,*** Martin was voted one
of the top DJs in the late 50s and early 60s. Another top
radio personality from that era was Willis Conover who
hosted `Music U.S.A.' on Voice of America. Conover emceed
some of the early Newport Jazz Festivals. Back in my high
school days I was able to enjoy both `Moonglow with Martin'
and, because I was fortunate enough to have a short-wave
receiver, `Music U.S.A.'