In 1972, I was working at a suburban Detroit radio station (WCAR), when I was interviewed by WRIF-FM in Motown to replace legendary DJ Pat St. John, who was moving to WPLJ-FM in New York City. The interview was good, and I was hired to do 7-midnight there. The official date for me to begin was set for two weeks from that day. But destiny had something very different in mind.

Five days before I was to begin at WRIF, Ira Lipson called me, and offered me the afternoon drive shift (2p-6p) at WWWW-FM. The two stations were battling for dominance in the market at that time...both with "Album" based formats. As it turns out...I ended up calling WRIF, and changed my decision. I ended up at WWWW, along with Mark Addy and Ken Rundel.

About one year later, WWWW was sold to another company, and General Manager John Dew, and Operations Director Ira Lipson left the station and went to Dallas to take over WFAA AM and FM. Shortly after that, Ira called me, and offered me a shift at a new station he was putting on the air in 'Big D'. I turned him down because I was doing afternoon drive in my hometown, at the number one rock station. What could be better than that? Once again, destiny had something different in mind.

A month later, Ira called me back, and again offered me this same opportunity in Dallas...and again I turned him down. But as we were ending our conversation, he said..."I just thought I should tell you...Mark and Ken are coming". As I recall, it took me about a nano-second to change my mind. On August 6th, 1973 I moved to Dallas, and the "Zoo" went on the air September 18th.

That decision to make the move was life changing. As a result, I was fortunate to be a part of the greatest radio experience in the entire country...as well as to work with the most talented group of radio professionals ever assembled at one station in history.

Most listeners didn't know that their hometown radio station was also regarded by record companies, and other radio stations nationwide, as the best Rock Station in America.

I remained at the "Zoo" until spring of 1977, when KTXQ (Q-102) called me, and offered me their afternoon drive shift. A few other original "Zoo" folks had left the station by that time, and I decided to accept the offer.

Then in early 1979, the unexpected happened. I was offered a position with Capitol Records...the third largest record company in the world...as their Midwest Regional Promotions Director. What a mind blower. I accepted the job, and for the next five years I worked with, and traveled on the road with groups such as Bob Seger, Heart, The J. Giles Band, The Little River Band, Sammy Hagar, and all the other bands who worked for Capitol.

But then in 1984, Tim Spencer...my boss at Q-102 called, and offered me a chance to be on the Satellite Music Network (owned by ABC). So for the next four years, I did a show that was on 75 stations all over the country.

In 1988, I ended up moving to Orlando, Florida...for family reasons...and was Production Director at the Classic rock station there for the next ten years.

Along the way...I also was Producer of The Texas Music Hour (Q-102) and worked with over 50 of the greatest bands to ever come out of Texas. I also produced the very first live performance Pantera ever made, for the Music Hour. Over the years, I ended up producing hundreds of songs and CDs.

My two biggest "freakout" moments while at the Zoo were...first...in the late fall of 1973, the Zoo jocks found out that the Dallas Police were trying to set us up on some "drug" charges, trying to put an end to the Zoo. And second...as if that wasn't bad enough...right in the middle of an interview I was doing with Robert Palmer, he took out a joint...and lit it up. I was totally fine with it, but the Wackenhaut guards may not have seen it that way. The studios were in the same building with Channel 8, so there were guards walking the halls constantly.

In conclusion...I'm still proud of having helped to "Rot The Minds" of so many "Zoo Freaks"...and consider those years to be the best years of my life.

-Gary Shaw