The flu and Don Barrett

 

(click to enlarge all of the pics)

I’m recovering from my annual bout of the flu. I do get the vaccine every year, so my symptoms are attenuated – in other words, I only feel like a zombie for three days instead of four, but as always, I digress. Anyway, whenever I reveal I’m down with the flu, I would get an email, text, or phone call from Don Barrett who would always tell me “you opened the window and in-flu-enza!” A corny line to be sure, one I never quite understood, but somehow it was endearing.

It also reminded me Don Barrett was more that my (and likely your) radio guru. To me, he was my historian, occasional annoyance, mentor, and most of all, friend.

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Somewhat similar to my parents' radio, Lohman and Barkley

Don Barrett the historian: My memory of radio goes way back to the upside down (for better reception) Philco tube radio sitting on my parents’ kitchen counter, listening every morning to Lohman and Barkley on KFI, “the World’s Biggest Radio Station.” My parents (wisely) restricted my TV viewing, but they couldn’t do anything about how much time I listened to the radio. So many personalities who kept me company during late nights doing overdue algebra homework, long commutes around SoCal and beyond, and while I was working as a hospital orderly (that’s definitely a past life). 

When Don Barrett debuted Los Angeles Radio People, I was thrilled! I recognized so many of the names, and was surprised by many of the faces (don’t worry, it was a pleasant surprise). I attended a book signing for the second volume of the book, where I met Gary Owens, Bill Balance, Ed Arnold, Mark Denis, Shotgun Tom Kelly, the “World Famous” Tom Murphy, among several others. I had mentioned casually there were a couple of errors and omissions in the book (how contemptuous of me). Rather than dismissing me, Don encouraged my feedback, which eventually led to him sending me preview editions of the next day’s LARadio.com. Somehow that evolved to becoming one of his editors, then eventually a contributor. It was, and still is, one of my most memorable opportunities.

Gary Owens, Bill Ballance, Ed Arnold

Mark Denis, Shotgun Tom Kelly, Tom Murphy (Trax and Grooves)

Don Barrett, the occasional annoyance: I do have opinions, Don and I would share our thoughts with each other regularly, about what we were hearing on the air. Still, I was always hesitant to publicly disclose my thoughts, mostly because I acknowledge a career in radio is much more challenging than many realize, plus I had actually never been on Los Angeles radio. I thought my opinions were worthless. After calling me a “chicken” (actually, Don called me something else chickens produce, and it’s not eggs), he said I was more than a casual listener who had something to say. To paraphrase Don, “you listen to radio waaay more than most people,” he’d tell me, “so why hold back?” For those of you who’ve read what I offer (thank you!), I do share my insights, but I hope I’m always respectful of both the medium and those who work hard to make it happen every day.

My commute to work takes me through three, sometimes four different area codes.

Don Barrett, my mentor: I have my good days and bad days with work. Part of it is a round-trip commute of 87.4 miles to my campus (but who’s counting), also the teaching profession continues to be more and more challenging. A mediocre review on ratemyprofessors.com (yeah, we teachers do read it) would make it worse. On those days, Don would remind me I had a job, and a job was a good thing to have. His experience in recovery provided me with the perspective of taking it “one day at a time.” He didn’t have to take his time for me, in addition to his website he also was a popular speaker with recovery groups and very active sponsoring young men combatting addiction. Don also encouraged me to try new things. He helped motivate me to start this blog, I will always acknowledge this will never be LARadio.com, but I hope it’s still worthwhile to those who enjoyed / still enjoy what’s on the local airwaves.

Yours truly, Dick Whittington, Don Barrett

Don Barrett, my friend: I’m humbled to think he considered me a friend. At his wedding to Cherie (his love to his last moments), there were so many radio personalities in attendance, including the Reverend Charlie Van Dyke, who officiated the nuptials. When he retired LARadio.com, so many offered their praise and appreciation (Don deserved every one of the accolades). He sent me gas cards and other gifts as a thank you for editing (I never expected anything). I recall a massive pack of diapers he brought over when my first son was born (“good luck, you’re going keep needing more of these”), then there’s the lunches with my family when he’d insist on picking up the tab. By the way, I still am in disbelief that I shared meals with both Don Barrett and “Sweet” Dick Whittington, all facitlitated by Mr. Barrett. Don attended my birthday gatherings, visited me in the hospital when I had a minor cardiac issue (OK, maybe cardiac issues are never “minor,” but again I digress), long chats at a coffee shop in Avila Beach when we visited my Mom-in-Law’s timeshare, and always returned my phone calls.

Speaking of phone calls, I didn’t realize when Don reached me last August with the news of his cancer diagnosis, it would be my last conversation with him. He wanted to know how much he appreciated me, and that he decided to completely shut down LARadio.com (he was offering past columns and updating the “Where are They Now?” section). More importantly he wanted me to know that he loved me. I told him we would talk again (I was wrong), that he still had another chapter of life to write.

Don & Cherie Barrett

A few days later, I received an email from him that sounded optimistic about his prognosis, that there were some new treatments options. I was then surprised, okay shocked, just a couple of weeks later that Cherie informed me Don had entered hospice care. I had to call to find out if I could visit. On Monday, September 11, 2023, I called Don’s number to see if that was possible. Cherie picked up the phone, letting me know Don had passed earlier that morning.

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I have hesitated writing my tribute to Don Barrett, partly due to my day job (it’s been busy), but mostly because I was afraid I’d forget an important anecdote or detail. And I really was never in a space to say goodbye. Call it denial. So in my future columns (I plan on keeping this up for awhile), I’ll allude to my historian, occasional annoyance, mentor, and friend. At least in my memory, Tina Delgado is not the only one who’s (still) alive, alive!

ayodaradio@gmail.com