Terry Moss was an unpretentious, supremely talented, highly creative radio personality and production wizard.
He had cool, fun ideas and brought them to life — among them, the Cheap Radio Thrills series that still is used by radio stations around the world.
I’ve heard Cheap Radio Thrills cuts on the programs of virtually every “big name” in North America, regardless of format.
Terry was a friend, inspiration, cohort and pal.
He died 20 years ago. Saturday, October 25, is his birthday.
For the rest of this week, I’m going to tell you about Terry Moss.
Terry founded L.A. Air Force (which now is part of my company), and he was Editor and then Publisher of a show prep service I founded, Galaxy.
His sense of fun caused the Federal Communications Commission to make a new rule against — well, basically, a rule against having fun on the radio.
I’ll tell you that story — complete with audio — later this week.
His sense of conscience almost got him court martialed while broadcasting for Armed Forces Radio & Television in the Panama Canal Zone.
Terry Moss played the last Top 40 record on the legendary KHJ/Los Angeles.
He was one of a handful of air talents chosen to figure out how to deliver a personality-oriented music program via satellite to stations across the country.
People who knew him as a production guy don’t talk about his editing skills. They say, “When he was in the production room, he was so creative — Well, it was amazing.”
Everyone I’ve ever met who worked with Terry as a disc jockey says he was the most prepared jock they’d ever seen — and the most relaxed behind a microphone.
He never had to try to be a radio personality. He just sat down, opened the mic, and made his listeners feel at home as a host welcomes guests to his party.
Here’s Terry, as part of the first panel session I ever moderated at an NAB radio convention.
This is one of radio’s all-time shining stars, talking directly to you, trying to help if he can. That’s what Terry Moss always did.
Yeah, the rest of us on the panel thought he was talking about the power of “the tease,” too.
But that’s not it.
Because Terry chose not to reveal his secret immediately, I’ll honor his wish and wait until tomorrow to share it with you.
Tomorrow: Terry reveals his secret show prep method. Plus…the story of how he almost spent a couple of years in a military prison — because he had something to say that he was willing to risk his freedom for.
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Indeed Terry was one of the good guys in the business.
I got to know him during the years he was living in Durango, Colorado….I was programming a station there. We became one of the few stations around the world (if not the only one) to trade for Cheap Radio Thrills, the MOM music scheduler software and some other Terry Moss production goodies.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s piece.