One Glorious Day

It all started in 1967. I had been working at KOGT in Orange, Texas for Ed Lovelace. Through the “grapevine,” I heard about an open position at KBAT in San Antonio. I wanted to move up to a bigger market, so I called the program director, Dick Jones. When I talked with Dick, he asked me to send him a tape. I said, “You need a jock and I want a job. How about I read you some news copy over the phone?” He agreed, and got Ed Montray, the general manager to also listen. After about a minute or so hearing me read some Associated Press news copy, Dick offered me the job.

When I arrived in San Antonio, I initially stayed in a rented motel room located on Fredricksburg Road. After getting situated following the long drive, I went to the station and found out that I was hired for the all night show—midnight to six AM.

During all my previous radio experience, I had been using my real name–Bill Hoadley (pronounced hoad-lee). I never even thought about using another name. Bill Rohde had the morning show from six to ten AM. When he arrived at about 5:30 that first morning, he introduced himself, and provided me with the correct pronunciation of his last name--roe-dee. I ended my show: "Well that's it for the Bill Hoadley show...Stay tuned for the Bill Rohde Show.”

Later that day, I found myself in the program director’s office attempting to come up with a new name. While sitting there, I noticed an album on his desk. It was an album by a singer named Paul Kelly. When Dick asked me what new name I would like to use, I just blurted out Paul Kelly.

For the next 14 years, I was Paul Kelly, but for one glorious day in San Antonio Radio, I was Bill Hoadley.

Paul Kelly

[ Home ]