All I Wanna Do Is Play the Hits! - Hardcover

by Thomas J. Irwin (Author), Neil Ross (As Told to), Thomas K. Arnold (Editor)

Radio brought rock 'n' roll into the homes of millions of people growing up in the Sixties and Seventies. Rock 'n' roll was the currency of the day, and radio was where you enjoyed it. The internet didn't exist, television only had three networks, and there were no such things as satellites or streaming music platforms. The kings of every station were the irrepressible Top 40 DJs - the guys who entertained us for hours with witty repartee before, after and sometimes during those marvelous, magical hits only heard on the radio. With their voices in our ears for countless hours of every day, these (mostly) men were larger-than-life heroes who most people considered to be close friends and family. Top of every list must be Shotgun Tom Kelly, who joked with us, laughed with us, talked with us and brought us songs that would become the soundtrack to our young lives. Still playing the hits today, Shotgun Tom remains one of the last big Top 40 radio personalities. Even as the world's technology has changed around him, this bear of a man remains instantly identifiable by his trademark ranger hat and "brrrrrr-yah" sign-on. His transition from AM to FM to streaming online has expanded his impact from a handful of Southern California teenagers to a global audience that can't get enough of his sonorous voice. And from acquiring his much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to the hundreds of stories he shares about Cousin Brucie, Wolfman Jack, The Real Don Steele, Stevie Wonder, and countless other mentors, associates, and friends, All I Wanna Do Is Play The Hits! delivers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the golden age of radio with a heartfelt and insightful story told firsthand by one of the most important people ever to turn a station's listeners into a community. In the words of one lifelong fan, "Radio was IT!" And here's Shotgun Tom Kelly in his ranger hat holding court, keeping us entertained and amused once more, and reminding us of the value and importance of spending time with good friends.