KUJ Owner Verne Russell

Verne Russell was well known in Walla Walla for owning KUJ and the Walla Walla Padres (before that, Islanders, Phillies) Northwest League baseball team. His picture was featured in the Bygone Walla Walla blog.

Russell's iconic sign-off can be found by clicking here.

Lost Audio? Verne Russell's KUJ Sign Off

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote a series of articles about Walla Walla radio stations. I went in depth on the city's oldest, most powerful, and most well known, KUJ. I also touched on the late Verne Russell and his memorable daily sign-off.
"And so we come to the end of another broadcast day." Russell, the station's owner, was able to use his voice as a paintbrush as he described the area where the station was located at. Last weekend, I received an e-mail from someone who read the piece and was wondering if the recorded sign-off was still in existence in some dusty attic. I sent a few e-mails, and heard a few suggestions, but so far, no answer. Stay tuned, because if it turns up, I will try to put it on the blog.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 39--Verne Russell Buys KUJ

 

Steve sent this old UB article from the late 60s, as V. B. R. Broadcasters, headed by Verne Russell, purchased KUJ.  The station would continue to play easy listening/adult contemporary music and CBS Radio programming. 

KUJ--Walla Walla's Pioneer Radio Station

If you are entering the City Of Walla Walla from the west, the first thing you may notice is the twin radio towers of KUJ. KUJ is Walla Walla's oldest and most powerful radio station. At 1420khtz, it was between K-HIT and KTEL on the dial. If K-HIT was the station that your father would listen to, chances are, in the 60s and early 70s KUJ was the station that your mother would have on. It's soft adult contemporary music and low keyed radio hosts were probably perfect for a "stay at home" housewife. For many years, it carried the Arthur Godfrey show. The owners of the two other stations in town had both worked early in their careers at KUJ. It's owner, Verne Russell , was perhaps the valley's best broadcaster, known mostly for his recorded end of day sign off ("we will shake those watts and Kilocycles out of bed..."). While KTEL carried most of the high school sports play by play, KUJ carried the local minor league baseball team's broadcasts. Russell himself did play by play in his smooth broadcaster's voice. Eventually, he bought the team.
In the mid 70s , Russell sold the station as well as the baseball team to Jim Nelly.

Lost Audio May Have Been Found

A couple of years ago, I wrote a series about growing up with Walla Walla radio. Focusing on KUJ, the grandaddy of broadcasting in the region, I mentioned a distinctive "sign-off" from station owner Verne Russell. Perhaps only handful of people ever read it, but one former listener asked if there was still a tape left, that lead to another post, A couple of nights ago, I received an e-mail from the son of a prominent former Walla Walla resident saying they may have the "sign-off" on tape. His mother was enjoyed the hymn of "Peace In The Valley" which played after Verne's descriptive monologue. Verne was kind enough to send a tape to the family of both the sign off and sign on. If they can find the tape, we will attempt of course, to post it here.

Northwest League Baseball--The Walla Walla Islanders

Walla Walla would get Minor League Baseball in 1969, the same year Major League Baseball first came to the Seattle (The Pilots).  At first, the Walla Walla Bears were affiliated with Philadelphia. When that tie ended, Walla Walla began an unusual affiliation with a Pacific Coast League team, The Hawaii Islanders.  The season before, Hawaii had the Bend Rainbows in the Northwest League. In the picture above, actor Kurt Russell, who at the time was appearing in Disney films, was trying to make a second career as a baseball player.  Tom Trebelhorn, would later have success as a manager in the "bigs".  Team Owner, Verne Russell (no relation to Kurt) is also pictured on the left in a tie.  The team played at Borleske Stadium.  It was a great place to spend a summer evening. 
The next season,  the team would begin a long affiliation with the San Diego Padres.

The KUJ Wake Up Song

The KUJ wake up song, when Charles Luce, Jr wrote KUJ owner Verne Russell to tell him about his Mom enjoying the KUJ sign-off, Russell sent a tape of the sign-off along with the "Wake-up Song" which was played every morning at the time when KUJ started it's broadcast day.

The Lost KUJ Sign-Off Lost No Longer

Thank you to Charles Luce, Jr for finding this. From the 1960s through the '70s Legendary Walla Walla area broadcaster Verne Russell signed his pioneer radio station off with this audio.

KUJ carried the broadcasting of, at one time, The Seattle Pilots and the Walla Walla Minor League team, which Russell eventually purchased. It also had CBS network news and programming along with local Djs playing easy listening music. The sign-off would occur at 10:00 or whenever a game that was broadcasted, would conclude.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered Part 35--Walla Walla Bears Picture Feature Roth And Russell

You can see two Walla Walla radio legends in this picture that was from the Bygone Walla Walla blog in a story about the 1969 Bears team. Seated second from the left is Bevin Roth, who I worked with at KTEL and seated on the right is Verne Russell , the owner of KUJ, who did play by play for the team and would eventually buy it. 

Also, standing second from the left is UB sports editor Jim Redding, who would go on to the Seattle Times.

Walla Walla's Top All Time Sports Broadcasters

I was asked by a friend to name the top 5 Walla Walla sports announcers.  Having not lived in Walla Walla in the last 22 years, I picked 5 who stood out in my memory, they are:

1. Roy Elia--Local guy, did sports reports on KHIT-XT-97.
2. Verne Russell--Owner of KUJ, play by play man for Walla Walla Phillies, Islanders, Padres.
3. Bevan Roth--KTEL  Wa Hi Blue Devil Football and Basketball.
4. Bud Bowman KTEL Wa Hi teacher and Bevan's sidekick on local sports broadcasts.
5. Larry Weir  KUJ, KTEL  Play by play Wa Hi Sports, then I believe, became announcer for EWU.
Honorable mention Pat Gillette, Chuck Boyk, Mike Cherry,Dana Wagner, Sherm Mitchell. Anyone you wish to add?

Former Walla Walla Radio Voices Silent

In my research for the stories on Walla Walla radio stations KHIT and KUJ, I learned of the passing of 2 very notable players on the scene.

Verne Russell was owner of KUJ and the Walla Walla Padres until he sold both entities to Jim and Patricia Nelly in mid 70s. He died last month at 81.

Andy Harle had passed away in 2003, although I had learned of it until a couple of days ago. As a salesman/radio personality at KUJ in the 1970s, he helped to train me for a radio job by letting me come to the studio and showing me how to make an audition tape. It was a real learning experience for me and I appreciate it to this day. He later bought a Pendleton radio station and started K-Wheat, an FM country music station in the Walla Walla area. Andy was only 55 when he left us. Andy's picture is above.  Thank you to Dennis Deccio for providing the picture.