Pat (Patrick Michael) Murphy
Patrick (Pat) Murphy- Radio Personality, Talk show host, TV News Analyst, Political Consultant, Shortwave Radio enthusiast
Pat (Patrick Michael) Murphy, who was better known to Pirate Radio enthusiasts as the FRN (Free Radio Network) Administrator for over a decade, was also the publisher
of the A*C*E Newsletter from 1995-1999 and has authored numerous articles on Pirate Radio for Popular Communications and the A*C*E magazine. Pat was the first but now past-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the North American Shortwave Pirate Radio Hall of Fame. He helped create, along with a group of devoted Pirate DX'ers, the Pirate Hall of Fame to honor North American Pirates and preserve their history.
He is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps 1966-1969 and was Honorably Discharged.
Pat has been on radio and TV since the 60's which include: KPOI & KKUA radio, KHVH TV in Honolulu, KFRC San Francisco, WMOD, WEAM & WEEL Washington, D.C, WNIS, WVNS & WTAR Norfolk, VA, WROV Roanoke, VA, WGOW Chattanooga, TN, KGRZ, KGVO Missoula, MT, WBOC Radio & TV Salisbury, MD and was the Political Analyst on WTTG-TV 5 Washington, D.C.(he was also doing "consumer" reporting and anchored the noon news after Maury Povich left) and for 20+ years on WAVY-TV 10 Norfolk, VA, WBOC-TV Salisbury, MD and KHVH-TV Honolulu. Pat was 50% owner of WYVA (50KW FM) in the Norfolk (Hampton Roads, Virginia market) from 1976-1979.
Pat made a living during the 80's & 90's as a Talk Show host on WTAR, WVNS and WNIS in Norfolk, VA. He Anchored the "Morning News" with co-host Bill Bishop, then did a call-in Talk Show from 9-11 AM. During this time he spent a year (1991) as the President of the National Association of Radio Talk Show hosts, a National organization made up of Talk Show hosts from both Radio and Television stations worldwide. As you can see by the photo's below Pat rubbed shoulders with Rush Limbaugh, Al Roker, Larry King, went to Alaska with June Lockhart (Lassie's Mom),Virginia Governor's Doug Wilder, Jim Gilmore, Gerald Baliles and George Allen, Watergate notable-G. Gordon Liddy, many NASCAR greats (Richard & Kyle Petty, Jeff Burton). He has interviewed Presidents: Bill Clinton & George (H.W.) Bush, local and national Politicians of all sorts and yes, Clowns! (although he'd make a case that there isn't much difference between Politicians and Clowns) Pat was declared an "Elephant Equestrian Extraodinaire" by Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus in the 70's! Morris Rowe of the Virginian Pilot Newspaper said "Pat Murphy is a legend in Virginia Politics for his campaign to remove the tolls from the 44-Expressway,(now I-264) and for sending boxes of horse manure to Virginia Politicians during that campaign" (Morris Rowe - Virginian Pilot Newspaper/Virginia News Source)
During this same period of time in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach Market, he interviewed thousands of people on both his radio and TV programs (WNIS, WVNS, WTAR & WAVY-TV 10) and amongst them were many of the better known names of the Shortwave, Scanner, Numbers and Pirate Radio hobbies and professions. He became good friends with Tom Kneitel (of S-9 fame) who created Popular Communications. Numerous times interviewed Bob Grove who produced Monitoring Times. JTA of A*C*E fame, Havana Moon, the mysterious figure behind "numbers" and "spy" stations, Dieter Wernig, and world renowned Ivan Stang of the Church of the Sub-Genius fame, to name just a few. Pat Murphy was even ordained by Ivan Stang as a "Bishop" into the Church of the Sub-Genius but so far hasn't capitalized on his "higher" calling, but is known to have a lot of 'slack' and does not associate with any "pinks".
The "AUDIO" page has many of the interviews he did with some of Shortwave & Pirate radio's famous names plus some of the funnier comedy Skits & bits that were created for both his show and friends in other markets for their shows. Pat produced skits, songs and bits for other stations and mornings shows (long before the "Zoo" mantra), as well as his own, during the 70's, 80's and 90's from his own studio and production company. The company name was AMU, which was created with long time friend and business partner Tony Amadore. Amadore/Murphy or AMU!
During the 1970's the only way to get a commercial on the air in the D.C./Baltimore/Philly/Boston/NY markets was with an AFRTRA-SAG approved (member) Advertising Agency and voice talent. Pat was, and still is a Member of AFTRA-SAG in the Washington, D.C.Market and has been recognized by the Union as a QC (Quarter Century) member in good standing.(inducted in 2002)
AMU was created to cut out the huge overhead the Ad Agencies had to charge clients to get a commercial on the air in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore/Philadelphia/New York/Boston markets. It was a "cut out the middle man idea" that was profitable and created some funny and memorable commercials during the 1970's. AMU ended when Pat bought WYVA-FM (50-KW) in Yorktown, VA (Hampton Roads Market) with good friend Dave Wever, but some of those commercials have somehow survived and are on the "Audio" page. Tony Amadore married and moved to Atlanta to sell advertising for such giants as Playboy and Time. Many of Tony's later works can be found here: http://www.reverbnation.com/tonyamadore Tony Amadore is also retired and living in the Birmingham area.
Pat says, "I've always enjoyed the hell out of what I was doing for a living. I seldom felt like it was a grind or work as such. I've ridden Elephants (for Ringling Bros Circus), broadcast from Hot Air Balloons, been involved in Politics and had a good run with radio and television and had an interesting life. I've been blessed beyond imagination. Radio provided a doorway to many other ventures. I got a chance to work in "Radio" when it was fun. Really fun!"
Pat has written ghost stories, travel logs, Pirate Radio articles and political commentaries for numerous publications in the past 50+ years. (we are still trying to find and compile them for this site) During this time he has traveled to all 50 states and numerous countries and been able to ride a "Harley Davidson" motorcycle in all 50-states. "Nothing better than spending the day riding a motorcycle and seeing America. NOTHING!, except maybe spending the day with my grand-kids" he said.
Pat Murphy retired from Broadcasting and Politics in 2007 because of Cancer and lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina but still is an active listener to the shortwave radio and can sometimes be seen on the local PBS TV stations discussing politics and government. His voice is still heard on a number of station ID's and commercials all along the East Coast and Canada.
Here are some Publicity photo's (in no particular order) from his 40+ years in Broadcasting, Politics and Motorcycling. He was an active member of H.O.G (Harley Owners Group) was an Officer in the Southern Cruisers motorcycle Club and was a United States Marine with an Honorable Discharge.
Our thanks to Pat his family, friends and credited contributors for helping to create this page.
Pat Murphy on WTTG-TV 5 Washington, D.C.1975 (yes its the real Al Roker) (a much younger Roker)
Pat's statewide network Map
Hollywood Star?
Advertising and publicity shots from the 70's & 90's On WTAR Newstalk - 790-Norfolk, VA
Billboard with Gordon Liddy and Larry King! (1996)
The Famous "Golden WEEL" Bumper Sticker (1976)
Washington Post Article on "troublemaker Murphy"
(from WEEL collection of Aaron Hall)
WNIS publicity photo
Virginia Statewide Network of stations on VNN
(Photo courtesy of Chandler Ackie)
Long lost "Breakfast Buddy" card from 1974
(photo of card courtesy of James Stephenson)
The mysterious "Byron the Dwarf" incident - early 1976 WEEL
During the very early 70's Pat Murphy was Ray Mack on WGOW - Chattanooga, TN
(Flyer Courtesy of Ronnie Brandon)
The Breakfast Buddy Club inspiration
(Photo Courtesy of Ronnie Brandon)
Speaking to Boys State Convention 2006
(thanks to American Legion Magazine)
With his friend Governor Doug Wilder at WTAR 75th Anniversary Party
Rush Limbaugh with Pat Murphy in 1987 when Rush was starting his EIB network nationwide!
VA governor Doug Wilder with Pat 1993 G-Gordon Liddy with Pat 1997
Pat Murphy w/ Senator John Warner 1992 NASCAR great Jeff Burton with Pat 1998
(L-R) Bill Bishop - Dusty the Clown - Pat Murphy. Bill and Pat Co-Anchored the WNIS morning news from 1986-1995. They were the #1 AM program on radio. Dusty became station management!
(photo courtesy of Rodney Suiter)
Pat Murphy said:"Bill Bishop was a real radio pro and I admired him and enjoyed working with him. Those were fun times to be working in radio and "Bish" was the best of the best", "I'd know he was in the building when I heard him sing "My honey-bunch" and ask what the Michigan score had been"!
Bill Bishop & Pat Murphy -Morning News WNIS (1989)
You know you're an Aging Radio DJ when...
You were first hired by a GM who actually worked in radio before becoming GM.
Radio stations were no place for kids.
You got off on the sound of "dead air" on the competitor's station.
Sales guys wore Old Spice to cover the smell of liquor.
You were playing Elvis' #1 hits when he was alive.
Engineers could actually fix things without sending them back to the manufacturer.
You worked for only ONE station, and you could name the guy who owned it.
You remember when normal people listened to AM radio, and only"hippies" listened to FM.
Radio stations used to have enough on-air talent to field a softball team every summer.
You're at least 10 years older than the last two GMs who fired you.
You used to smoke in a radio station and nobody cared.
Engineers always had the worst body odor, not because they worked too hard, but because they just didn't shower that often.
You know the difference between good reel-to-reel tape and cheap reel-to-reel tape.
Religious radio stations were locally owned, run by an old Protestant minister and his wife, never had more than 20 listeners at any given time ... and still made money, lots and lots of money!
You have a white wax pencil, a razor blade, and a spool of 3M splicing tape in your desk drawer - - just in case.
You know people who actually listened to baseball games on the radio.
You can post a record, run down the hall, go to the bathroom, and be back in 2:50 for the segue.
The new guy you're training has never listened to an AM station. He couldn't even name one in his own home town if his life depended on it.
You knew exactly where to put the tone on the end of a carted song.
You spent most of the time on Friday nights giving out the high school football scores. And when they weren't phoned-in, you got really pissed off.
You never thought twice about drinking from the same bottle with another DJ.
You only did "make-goods" if the client complained. Otherwise, who cares?
You can remember the name of the very first "girl" that was hired in your market as a DJ.
Somebody would say, "You have a face for radio," and it was still funny.
Sixty percent of your wardrobe has a station logo on it.
You always had a screwdriver in the studio so you could take a fouled-up cart apart at a moment's notice.
Agents were people like James Bond and the Man From Uncle.
You would spend hours splicing and editing a parody tape until it was "just right," but didn't give a damn how bad that commercial was you recorded. Hey, I can only work with what they give me, right?
You still refer to CDs as "records."
Dinner? Let's see what the last shift left for me in the refrigerator.
The only interaction between you and someone else prior to bedtime is, "Thank you. Please pull ahead to the second window."
Your family thinks you're successful, but you know better.
You played practical jokes on the air without fear of lawsuits.
You've been married at least three times, or never married at all.
You answer your home phone with the station call letters.
You used to fight with the news guy over air time. After all, what was more important: your joke about your ex-wife, or that tornado warning?
You knew how to change the ribbon on the teletype machine, but you hated to do it because "...that's the news guy's job."
You had listeners who only tuned in for the news ... and not you. You could never figure that out.
You know at least three people in sales who take credit for you keeping your job.
You remember when "Rock" wasn't a bunch of guys who look and sound more like girls.
You have several old aircheck cassettes in a cardboard box in your closet that you wouldn't dream of letting anyone hear anymore, but you'll never throw them out or tape over them. Never!
You can still see scars on your finger when you got cut using a razor blade and cleaned out the cut with head-cleaning alcohol and an extra long cotton swab on a wooden stick.
You still have nightmares of a song running out and not being able to find the control room door.
You've ever told a listener, "Yeah. I'll get that right on for you."
You have a couple of old transistor radios around the house with corroded batteries inside them.
People who ride in your car exclaim, "Why is your radio so loud?" Or "why can't you leave it on ONE station?"
You remember how upset people used to get about Richard Nixon.
You have at least 19 pictures of you with famous people whom you haven't seen since, and wouldn't know you today if you bit 'em on the ass.
You wish you could have been on "Name That Tune" because you would have won a million bucks.
You even REMEMBER "Name That Tune".
You were a half-hour late for an appearance and blamed it on the directions you received from the salesperson.
You've run a phone contest and nobody called, so you made up a name and gave the tickets to your cousin.
You remember when people actually thought radio was important and it actually was!
Pat Murphy in Virginian Pilot newspaper on his return to WAVY-TV-10
Pat Murphy is the lead bike (lower front center) on a Charity ride for a fallen U.S. Marine in 2002 in North Carolina
(photo courtesy of Southern Cruisers Motorcycle Club Hampton Roads)
On his 1999 Harley Heritage Softail Classic. Pat has ridden to all 50 states by motorcycle over the past 50+-years
This photo was taken on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel during a charity ride for a Motorcycle Dealership
1969 Pat Murphy in the United States Marine Corps
More photo's can be found at www.vartv.com, www.dcrtv.com and The Radio Jox website.