Surprise Visit To KOLT Radio

On the evening of Tuesday, March 15th, 1983, Randy called up KOLT radio in his hometown of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Randy asked if he could promo for his upcoming album, Dallas, live on the air. The DJ, Teresa Bartlett, said she would have to clear it with her boss and get back with him. As she recalled: “Things worked out and by 10:30p.m. we had Randy Meisner (formerly of the Eagles) at KOLT doing a live ‘promo’ for his new album.”

_{Randy at KOLT radio.}

I found this story in an article in the Spectator newspaper from Western Nebraska Community College. It was written by Ms. Bartlett, who was a student at the school. She mentioned in the article that she had known Randy since he was a child and recalled, as a five or six year old, watching The Dynamics practicing in the back of her parents’ shop, Bartlett Radio & TV Service. But Teresa wondered if Randy would remember her after so many years:

“He did remember. He remembered me and he remembered my parents. He also remembered the huge speakers my father had made for him and the band.”

Bartlett found Randy to be “quite humble considering his popularity. If only a few movie stars and other well-known people could learn to do the same.”

Randy was no stranger to KOLT radio. Back in the 1960s, KOLT radio personalities Harold “Hap” Ellis and Mel Sauer were instrumental in the success of his high school band, The Dynamics. Ellis booked them for some of their most successful gigs at Terry’s Arena, a local venue for which he was a promoter. Mel Sauer hosted the popular “Nightrider Show.” Dynamics guitarist Larry Soto recalled: “We would listen to the ‘Nightrider Show’ with Mel Sauer. He was always nice to us and would say nice things about the Dynamics throughout the night.”¹ In 1964, the Dynamics recorded several songs at the KOLT recording studios, which Soto recalled as having the “look and separation of a real recording studio.” ²

During this impromptu 1983 appearance on KOLT, Randy plugged his upcoming release Dallas, a live recording taped at Nick’s Uptown Cafe in Dallas, Texas in December 1982. The record was initially released in Japan. Although Randy had hoped for a U.S. release, it never happened until a CD issue in 2003. Read more about the Dallas album here.

_{Cover of Dallas LP}

Randy told Bartlett that he was also working on another studio record. Once it was finished, he was planning to kick off a tour in Scottsbluff. “I want to play the hometown crowd first.” This album never came to pass, but he did play three hometown concerts at the Oregon Trail Lounge in July 1983.

Besides the visit to KOLT radio, Randy had another reason for his visit to Scottsbluff. He was co-hosting, along with his sister Carol, a fiftieth anniversary celebration for their parents on March 13th at Emmanuel Congregational Church. Their actual anniversary date was March 15th.

Randy with his parents at their anniversary party. At left is Randy’s girlfriend Alanna Kelly.

Bartlett closed her article by saying that she hoped to see Randy again the next time he was in Scottsbluff. “If you ever get to meet him,” she said, “you’ll understand why I say Randy is one of my favorite people.”

Read the full Spectator article below.

Notes

1. The Drivin’ Dynamics: A Rock And Roll Retrospect Of The Early Years by Larry Soto, 1996 ↩︎
2. Per Larry Soto, the Dynamics recorded two hours worth of songs at KOLT in 1964. However, the songs were not released until 1991. Initially on a cassette celebrating their 30th anniversary entitled “Thirty Years Of The Dynamics: Still Rockin’ On.” Then later on CD in 2004 (The Drivin’ Dynamics/Sonic Past Music). ↩︎