(I used to write a bi-weekly column, RadioRadio, for Players magazine in the Tampa Bay area. The following story appeared in 1991.)

Good Night, Tramonte Watts

By Bob Andelman

It is with great sadness we note the passing of two-time Q105 and one-time Power 93 overnight disc jockey Tramonte Watts. Watts, 38, died Feb. 12 at St. Joseph's Hospital of inoperable brain cancer.

Anyone who listened to Watts over the years or saw him at one of the many promotional events he attended recognized how much he enjoyed being in radio. He had a great voice, swell personality and was born with what we still think was one of the all-time great radio names.

Ron ``Night Train'' Lane followed Watts on the air at Q105 for a couple years and the two grew to be good friends.

``He was always doing something funny,'' remembers Lane. ``A year ago, New Year's Eve '89, we were doing a live broadcast from The Pier in St. Petersburg. Mason Dixon and Steve Austin were at The Pier, Tramonte and Brian Christopher were at the station.''

Watts and Christopher were supposed to cue up a pre-recorded tape at exactly five minutes to midnight to correspondent precisely with fireworks and the crack of midnight and 1990.

``Tramonte and Brian started the tape, but it was tails out,'' says Lane. ``That was pretty funny. Mason was ranting and raving - 'I'll fire them both! I'll fire them both!' ''

Watts' death cast a somber mood over several radio stations this month.

``The main thing I always remember about him is the guy had an upbeat, positive outlook on life,'' says Lane. ``Wherever he worked, he got along with everybody. It's so crazy this guy would come down with a killer disease. He didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't do drugs. He was so clean - he was always spraying the control room with Lysol.''

Professionally, the last six months of Watts' life were traumatic with the upheaval at Q105 and the daily uncertainty of his job security. When he was let go, Watts caught on part-time with Power 93 and took a second part-time slot at 102 Jams in Orlando to make ends meet. He sold ads for The Buccaneer newspaper and told Lane he intended to find other ways to support his family that didn't include on-air work.

When Watts became ill less than two months ago, the cancer was already too advanced to be treatable. Friends in the radio community knew of his condition but at his request did not go public with the information. Watts didn't want to become a public crusade, choosing instead to die quietly, peacefully.

Tramonte Watts is survived by his wife Debbie and a son, Eric, 2.

Dirty, Rotten, No-Good! Who are the true ``bad boys'' of Tampa Bay radio?

Is it Ron & Ron?

Hewko & Brantley?

Bob & Judd?

Would the Last Live Jock at WHBO Please Leave the Up-link On! Sharp (pointy?) eared listeners to WEND (760 AM) may recognize the voice of midday talk show host Joel Vincent. Sounds familiar, but just can't place him, right?

Would you believe ... Howard Hewes?

Believe it.

The last live jock at all-oldies WHBO (1040 AM) is now a chat host on the Sun Network. It's ironic in a way; Hewes was shown the door so HBO could complete its switch to satellite programming and by joining END in the guise of Joel Vincent, he's now a nationwide radio personality - on a satellite network.

First, the last days of WHBO for Howard Hewes:

``I felt it was coming,'' says Hewes. ``I went into work and the receptionist said don't go on the air - see (President) Jon Pinch. I said, 'Uh-oh, where's my check?'

``They just didn't care about us. They said it was a financial thing; they needed the money (his salary) elsewhere.''

Hewes was let go almost five years to the day he was hired. He says he still asked for - and received - a 5-year pin. (Old-timers {like Mrs. RadioRadio} remember Hewes as a night jock at the old WLCY-AM from 1979-81.)

Fortunately for Hewes, he already had a foot in the door at the Sun Network doing talk fill-ins and weekend news at Q105 (WRBQ). Both slots were as ``Joel Vincent.'' When HBO let him go, Sun made Vincent full-time and it was a pretty neat and tidy transition.

``It's a whole different side of me,'' says Vincent. ``How much credibility could you have with Howard Hewes doing the news? People would be waiting for the rim-shot.''

Unlike most of the demagogues on the Sun Network - and WFLA (970 AM), for that matter - Vincent is more of a conduit for his listeners to share their views. At this point, at least, Vincent hasn't surfaced as right-wing or left-wing. He's firmly poised on the fence.

``My own politics - I like to know what (the listeners) are thinking,'' he says. ``I'm easily swayed. I let the people talk. The people are the stars. I'm the ringmaster. The ladies love me 'cause I'm polite. The political people like calling because I let them expound.''

Vincent - who manages his career under a third guise, Joel Bush - hopes Howard Hewes will rise again.

``I'm a unique commodity,'' he says as Hewes. (Getting weird, isn't it?) ``I can't believe somebody hasn't dragged me into their worst weekend shift. Howard may be sleeping. We put away the one-liners and rim-shots for a while. Howard is a side of my personality - boss jokes, dinosaur rock. I miss him. But right now, there is nothing for Howard.''

Talk! Talk! It isn't too late to pick up Deborah Sharp's wonderfully witty cover story on WFLA talk show host Lionel in the February issue of Tampa Bay Life.

New Faces! Ron Michaels replaced Pete McLaren as the 2-6 a.m. air personality at 98 Rock (WXTB-FM) this week. ... Gator McClusky moves from part-timer to the regular midnight-3 a.m. jock slot on Power 93 (WFLZ-FM). And Jason Dixon is now plugged in from 3-5:30 a.m. on the station, in addition to his role in the ``Three Little Pigs'' in morning drive.

Commercial Break! John Guidry, long-time production director at 98 Rock and voice of perhaps half the station's commercials, left the station recently to join Tour Design in Indianapolis. Tour Design does many of the radio spots for rock concerts.

RadioRadio doesn't plan to make a habit of this, but Guidry wrote and was the voice of one of the most clever, most twisted spots currently airing on 98. It's a ``poem'' by one Sasafras Sapwhacker, satisfied customer of Suncoast Auto Brokers. It goes like this:

``... Alas I'm broke and have no money

With no car, Selma Lou won't be my honey,

All I need is a car or truck

So me and Selma Lou can ffffind happiness!

To Suncoast Auto Brokers I went

And bought a car with little spent,

The weekly payments are itty bitty,

To match my Selma's little nose.

So if you're broke and need a car

You need not look very far.

Go to Suncoast Auto Brokers

And buy a car, you Mother Goose, You!''

It may not read as well as it sounds, so try saying it aloud. We'll miss your work, John.

The Lonely Storm! Mix 96 (WMTX-FM) dried out ``The Quiet Storm'' jazz show Feb. 12 and said goodbye to Al Santana. Santana brought the jazzy show to the station a few years back when he was cast adrift by WHVE (102.5 FM).

Mix 96 Program Director Don Schaffer says there were a number of reasons for the move.

``It didn't fare too well in the ratings,'' he explains. ``And we're being fiscally responsible. Most of the stations in the market have let some people go.''

Another factor was the station's effort to make its lite rock sound more consistent around the clock and jazz didn't fit in.

To manage the move, Schaffer's afternoon drive shift is now 3-7 p.m. Party Marti is on from 7 p.m.-midnight and Celeste Harris pulls the longest shift of the day, midnight-5:30 a.m.

Program Notes! 95ynf listeners may want to mark these days on their calendars:

March 3 ``Live at Morrisound,'' guest: Factory Black

March 4 ``Rockline,'' guest: Todd Rundgren, The Rembrandts

March 10 ``UpClose: Queen''

March 11 ``Rockline,'' guest: George Thorogood

March 17 ``Live at Morrisound,'' guest: Tyger Tyger

March 24 ``UpClose: Deep Purple''

April 1 ``Rockline,'' guest: R.E.M.

April 8 ``Rockline,'' guest: Pat Benatar

April 22 ``Rockline,'' guest: David Lee Roth

There's also a new daily feature on Charlie Logan's afternoon drive shift. ``From the Cutting Edge'' offers a one-song shot of alternative music at 4:40 p.m. from Logan's Sunday night show, ``Radio Clash.'' Initial artists included Elvis Costello, Daniel Ash and Jesus Jones.

Tasty, Tasty! Stuart Nunnery's 2-minute tongue-in-cheek look at food and consumption has been added to WHVE's ``Sunday Brunch.'' The feature airs at 8:20 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. every Sunday.

Great. Now when will the station bring back ``Christopher at the Bijou''?

That's a No-No! It's come to our attention that a handful of Tampa Bay radio stations are carrying audio from CNN when major news breaks from the war in the Persian Gulf.

We also hear they're going to be sued.

Tsk, tsk!

Everybody's Got Problems! If you work at a Tampa Bay radio station and someone claiming to represent RadioRadio calls or comes by other than Bob Andelman, tell 'em to go to hell. Don't be fooled by liars or imitations. We have no authorized assistants, interns, peons, et al.

That should clear up our problem.

Great Gobs of Gooey Goodies! Ever wanted to know where to get stuff with your favorite station's name and logo on it? Wander no more, restless one!

For starters, most Bay area stations offer their bumper stickers free. Call or drop by the station of your choice and they'll be happy to give or mail a sticker. It's free publicity and makes them goosebumpy to see their name on your bumper (or whatever).

Here's a guide to other goodies and their availability:

98 Rock Shops in Peaches, Asylum and Ace's sell keychains, license plates, caps, mugs, tank tops, T-shirts and warm-up suits.

WQYK sells T-shirts, keychains, visors, hats and jackets through its promotions department. Call 576-6055 for prices and availability.

U92 sells satin jackets, golf shirts, T-shirts, sports bottles, sunglasses, license plates, tank tops and caps at all Brown's Trophy locations. Logo products are coming soon to U92 Prize Center locations at Tyrone Square Mall and University Square Mall.

Q105 expects to have new shirts and other merchandise available shortly.

WHVE T-shirts, tank tops and sweat shirts are available at all Spec's locations.

WMNF sells T-shirts at the station

W101 gives away Bob & Judd mugs, T-shirts, keychains and balloons at remotes broadcasts and to on-air winners only.

Write! Don't by shy - tell Dr. RadioRadio what's on your mind. The address: RadioRadio, c/o Players, PO Box 1867, Pinellas Park, FL 34664. Or fax us: (813) 578-1414.

We'd like to invite stations - or individual air personalities - to send black & white photos for future columns.