Rock Radio Scrapbook

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Talent: HAL MARTIN
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ont.
Date: September 3, 1971
Time: 8:58

(Graphic courtesy Tom Howard)

As a youngster, Michael Spears did magic - he was Texas State Champion Magician at age 15. But we remember him for the magic he made on the airwaves.

Magic? How about a 61 share in his night show at Gordon McLendon's KLIF in the late '60s - the highest in the history of the Dallas market. He was Hal Martin there, and he also used that name at Motor City powerhouse CKLW from 1969 to 1971.

More magic: in 1972, Spears was chosen by McLendon to launch Dallas FM station KNUS. The station was number-one within 90 days. After turning WSFO Tampa Bay into successful news-talk station WPLP in 1978, Spears returned to Dallas in 1982 to program K-104 FM. It also went to #1 for the first time.

For his efforts, Spears won Billboard's "Station of the Year" award three times, and twice won that publication's "Program Director of the Year" award. He was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2004.

Spears also co-created The Amber Plan, a radio alert system to aid in the search for missing children. In 2002, Spears won the Service to America award as bestowed by the National Association of Broadcasters.

All told, Spears consulted over 30 radio stations and groups in multiple formats, programming KHJ Los Angeles, KFRC San Francisco, WYSL Buffalo, N.Y., KKDA Dallas and WPNT Chicago. He produced literally hundreds of commercials and news segments for radio and television. Much in demand as public speaker and emcee, Spears was also a scuba diving and architecture enthusiast. He died of cancer October 25, 2005 at the age of 58.

Enjoy Spears - as Hal Martin - on CKLW here.

(The Tom Howard Collection)

More classic CKLW 'checks here!

RETURN TO ROCK RADIO SCRAPBOOK