As the warm July sun rose over the Gulf on this morning, I began the second day of my 90th trip around that big, beautiful orange colored sphere called the sun. Yesterday July 1st was the actual day, but at this time in my life, each day that I awake to see the sun shining on us is a big blessing.
Reaching this age has, of course, had me doing a lot of reflecting, remembering and having pictures in my mind of times gone by. I remember some things in vivid detail going as far back as when I was just 3 years old. That would be October 30, 1938 when my folks were in a panic, packing suitcases, getting me dressed and trying to get out of the house. Why, the “Mercury Theater was on the radio and it was the Orson Welles broadcast of “War of the Worlds” and the entire tri state area around New York was in a panic because they thought the Martians were coming to take over. Of course it was finally discovered to be the radio show, but the problems it caused and what it did to people is still a story to tell.
I remember at age 6, December 7, 1941 what we were all doing when the word came over the radio and how my family reacted and what that day would mean for all of us for the next four years. My uncle Sonny was a career navy officer who was stationed at Pearl Harbor and made it through the attack. My uncle Bill was a bomber pilot and was shot down over Germany in 1943 and didn’t make it.
I remember growing up in the 40’s and 50’s going through high school, graduating working for a bit. Then with my best friend Billy, we joined the Air Force and for me, that would turn into creating my future career in radio as it all began in the Air Force just by chance. My boss Captain McPherson needed someone to do an Air Force promo on the local radio station. He liked my voice and asked if I would do it, so did three 20 second spots and it went well. The radio station wanted to know if I would like to host a 2 hour record show from the local USO on Friday nights. I said yes and that would begin a long career as a radio deejay while I was in the service and after I got out.
In 1972 I started up my own talent agency booking local country music acts, putting together country music concerts and managing some local talents. It did well, and I had the pleasure and honor to work with some of the biggest names in country music, just as I had in 50’s early 60’s with rock and roll. But in 1977, I was tired of the daily commuting, the long winters and the industry rat race. So, I closed up the business, packed up the family and moved to Florida and have never looked back.
I had various jobs after we relocated, but in 1983 meeting Paul Allen and his family would change everything. We became good friends and they were a second family. In 1988 Paul asked me to join him with a new magazine he had started called Sports South. I took the chance and in 1991 the magazine morphed into NightMoves magazine and being part of the adult industry. Now here we are all these years later and still publishing our magazine, still doing our awards show (our 34th will be this October) and making our way through the twists and turns that life brings our way.
I have always felt that I grew up in the best times because of all we had to endure and go through. The lessons we learned, the teachings in grade school and high school about history, the good, bad and ugly about the depression, WWII, etc. So much of what we learned growing up then is totally lost on today’s youth because politics decide what you can and cannot teach in school today, and that is totally 100% wrong.
Now that I have reached 90, I fully intend to continue making those yearly trips around the sun and celebrate my 100th. It has been one hell of a ride that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I thank you all for your friendships, your support and being a big part of my life. May you all be as blessed as I have been.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
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