S1:E29 "Deadair" Dennis Dillon

The Egos Last Stand

I left Ohio in September 1987 for my first full-time radio job in Danville, Kentucky at WRNZ. When I arrived the engineers informed me and Rod Willis that the station wouldn't be ready for 'air' for another two weeks, so would we mind lying beneath the building in the crawl space and run the wiring? A year later I'd join Michael Lee Webb, Skip Grynn, Tighe Barrett and Mark Summers (soon to be known as 'Officer Don Evans') at WLFX (formerly WFMI) in Winchester. When I started at the station in 1988 it was a 'Pop Hits' station, but once the station fell into bankruptcy, we were encouraged to develop it into a more contemporary direction. Thus it became WLFX 'X-100', Lexington's 12-in-a-row hit music station. (It still makes me laugh to say it aloud.) At that time the station was helmed by Jack Smith (formerly of WRFL) and later, myself. Lee Cruse was part of the staff by this time. By Fall 1992, the station was 'dark' and awaiting new ownership and a new direction. Rather than risk hanging around for potential employment, I packed my bags and left for Chattanooga where I programmed two stations. My swansong came from Tony 'TNT' Tilford whom I had befriended at various Rupp Arena concerts. Tony had told me that if he ever became Program Director at WKQQ (the only radio job he'd ever held -- which was a foreign concept to a nomad like myself) that he would hire me as his Music Director. Little did I know, three years later that TNT would hold his promise and place the phone call that would bring me back to Lexington. It was November 1, 1995 when my tenure at WKQQ would (finally!) begin. In August 1997 I 'transferred' to Louisville to resurrect WLRS 'The Walrus', which we successfully did. But back in Lexington, in the Spring of 1999, Tony TNT Tilford was beginning to get offers that he couldn't refuse. For the first time in his career he was off to another station, seeking his replacement. I was eager to get back to the #1 Rock Station in the Bluegrass, where I remain today as Program Director. That's the humble story of 'Dead-Air Dennis' in a nutshell.