EP 225 - Friend of the King and Legendary TV and Radio Host, Wink Martindale

Wink Martindale was a very close friend of Elvis. They met the very night Sam Phillips walked into that Memphis radio station with “That’s All Right Mama” that catapulted Elvis Presley’s stardom. Wink tells the story of that incredible night and how Memphis is the true city of rock and roll. Wink is the last survivor of the six people at the radio station that night. Now watch and listen to the rest of the story. 

 

Wink Martindale’s fascination with radio began during childhood. Classmates may have aspired to being doctors, firemen or policemen. Wink just wanted to be a radio announcer. 

 

His former Sunday school teacher managed a 250 Watt radio station back in the day and he gave Wink his first on-air job at $25 a week.

 

His radio dream was fully realized in 1971 when he began a 12 year run as the midday personality on Gene Autry’s flagship “Station of the Stars”, KMPC. Along the way there was his teen oriented “Dance Party” from Pacific Ocean Park, a gold record, the narrative “Deck of Cards”, an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and 21 game shows that Wink either hosted or produced including “Trivial Pursuit”, “Can You Top This”, “High Rollers”, “Debt”, “Gambit”, and the long-running “Tic-Tac-Dough”.

 

Let’s welcome the man, the icon, the legend without equal in the history of radio and television, the one and only Wink Martindale!