Its Final, CVD is gone from 101.1

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Charlie Van Dyke, Voice of K-EARTH, Ends Quarter of a Century with Classic Hits Station


(May 21, 2015) Putting together a successful radio station is made of a number of major ingredients, not the least is the imaging voice. He or she is part of the audio tapestry that weaves between content, commercials, promotions, music, and show talent.

Charlie Van Dyke’s enormously successful run as the voice at K-EARTH has come to an end. For decades, his was the voice you heard at the beginning of a show at the top of the hour … “From the entertainment capital of the world … Gary Bryan,” then a jingle and then the opening of the show. It varied over the years but Charlie was the guy who was the consistent deep – no, very deep – voice that you heard every day, every hour for a quarter of a century.

“To everything, there is a season,” said Charlie after learning the news that his contract was not being renewed. “Mike Phillips brought me on board 26 years ago. I’d call that a good run. I’m grateful to Keith Smith for producing such excellent product over the years and the talented program directors I’ve had the pleasure to know. I think of the air staff as long-term friends.”

Charlie concluded with: “K-Earth will always be a special station for me and I wish them success as they continue to evolve.”

When Charlie ended his very successful run as jock that started in the 1960s in Dallas and continued at classic Top 40 stations like KFRC-San Francisco, CKLW-Detroit, WLS-Chicago, KHJ and K-EARTH, and WRKO-Boston, he made a great segue into voiceover work, currently based from his home in Phoenix. He has been the imaging voice to hundreds of television and radio stations. Locally, he continues to be the voice of KABC/Channel 7. Great run, Charlie.

(Taken with love from L.A. Radio.Com)

Hot Hits said:

“To everything, there is a season,” said Charlie after learning the news that his contract was not being renewed. “Mike Phillips brought me on board 26 years ago. I’d call that a good run. I’m grateful to Keith Smith for producing such excellent product over the years and the talented program directors I’ve had the pleasure to know. I think of the air staff as long-term friends.”

Charlie concluded with: “K-Earth will always be a special station for me and I wish them success as they continue to evolve.”

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With that, I suspect Mr. Van Dyke has personally presented a far more objective analysis than many of the reader comments that no doubt will follow.

Question for consultants.

How far out in terms of weeks or months on average do radio stations ask voice overs to do their work for them.

For example.

Are we going to hear Charlie Van Dykes voice over work till Fourth of July?

The week after morning man Charlie Tuna left KHJ in early 1972---He would wind up at the new KROQ-AM---the back of the KHJ Thirty survey folder had these words: "Who is Charlie Van Dyke?" At that time, I did not know Charlie Tuna's real name and I had never heard of Charlie Van Dyke. I immediately thought, "Huh! That must be Tuna's real name." And then Robert W. Morgan returned to the morning show and Charlie Van Dyke took over the 9-to-noon slot. Who remembers the KHJ CVD jingle with the patriotic fife-and-drum music?

Hot Hits said:

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Charlie Van Dyke, Voice of K-EARTH, Ends Quarter of a Century with Classic Hits Station


“To everything, there is a season,” said Charlie after learning the news that his contract was not being renewed. “Mike Phillips brought me on board 26 years ago. I’d call that a good run. I’m grateful to Keith Smith for producing such excellent product over the years and the talented program directors I’ve had the pleasure to know. I think of the air staff as long-term friends.”

Charlie concluded with: “K-Earth will always be a special station for me and I wish them success as they continue to evolve.

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Wait though, Charlie did the TOH ID at Smokin' Oldies in the mid 80's along with a ton of FM work. Where does 26 years come into play?

Charlie Van Dyke worked at CKLW in 1968-69. The Motor City Radio Flashbacks site has a nice biography of Charlie plus the audio of his recording of The Flag and a CKLW survey showing a barefoot pajama-clad Charlie pouring himself a cup of coffee so he can be awake for his morning show:

http://www.mcrfb.com/?cat=100

26 years ago was 1989. Charlie was 'The Voice" of KRTH/KRTH FM way before that time?

In 2013, it appeared that Charlie Van Dyke would no longer be doing imaging for KRTH. However, Van Dyke wound up staying for two more years. Someone who we all know and love posted the original story on this site. It appears to be a press release and it notes that "Charlie began with the Classic Hits station when then-program director Mike Phillips hired him as image voice in the early '90s [emphasis mine] and later as morning man." After Robert W. Morgan's 1998 death from lung cancer, Van Dyke did mornings for two years before Gary Bryan was brought in from KJR-FM. Does anyone---David? Michael?---have copies of any of the weekly radio columns which Van Dyke wrote for the Arizona Republic in the 1990s?

http://www.radiodiscussions.com/sho...-Van-Dyke-no-longer-will-work-for-K-EARTH-101

I remember that thread well as I also alluded to a massive impending weekend/ fill in talent change. CVD was doing tons of work at K-EARTH FM in the 80's and as the Voice of the Smokin' Oldies ID. CVD just wasn't under a 'contract'.

34james said:

How far out in terms of weeks or months on average do radio stations ask voice overs to do their work for them.

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Generally speaking, by the time you change imaging voices you're ready to immediately retire all of the existing talent's work.

It's measured in days, not in weeks or months.

Thanks K.M. Richards.

DavidEduardo said:

Generally, consultants don't do the day to day contact with a VO person. That's generally the PD's job as (depending on the agreement) the PD will change imaging with some frequency, often including references to promotions or special occasions.

Some voice work will be done in "refresh" sessions, some may be done on a last minute basis if a special track were required. Since many / most VO talents work from their own studios, the turn-around could even be the same day. Delivery is usually by ftp or an equivalent like DropBox.

If an agreement is cancelled, and depending on how amicable it is, the station may continue to use material for some time or they may just decide to change everything overnight.

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Sorry about the Confusion David, I know you guys don't.

What would be the reason CBS Radio dropped Dyke? I know that his contract was up. Maybe was Askin for too much compensation? Or pay raise?

34james said:

Sorry about the Confusion David, I know you guys don't.

What would be the reason CBS Radio dropped Dyke? I know that his contract was up. Maybe was Askin for too much compensation? Or pay raise?

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Most likely neither of those. Charlie's tremendous, but has a strong association with the old KRTH. I noticed when I was in L.A. two months ago that the legal ID had two station voices (in addition to a snippet of Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." and some "real people" shout-outs). They're moving in a new direction. And that almost always involves changing the imaging voice.

Remember in the 1990s when KIIS-FM was trying to attract a larger share of female listeners and the format was bordering on Hot AC? The new imaging voice was Bobby Ocean! I had listened to him on KHJ in the '70s and I don't think his voice fit well with the overall sound of KIIS.

By the way, Bobby Ocean and Charlie Van Dyke volunteered their services to record IDs and promos for Portland Public School District station 1450 KBPS. Nice guys!

http://kbps.am/