Did this station forget that their state is still part of America? Where's our National Anthem? Give up the Confederacy bullshit, you lost, get over it.
This sign-off had special meaning one night in August 1975. The ark-la-tex would have been informed by News that evening, of Hank Williams Jr.'s near death experience that afternoon in Montana. Maybe these same thoughts of "Dixie" resonated in Hank's mind as he lay helpless on that Mountain side.
@Mr1991ladarius Yea true, but, maybe it wasn't actually recorded IN 1975 though? I remember the sign offs in my area of the country, they would use the same 1 for many years. Maybe this initially MADE in 1975, but was recorded in the late 70's/early 80's? It's very beautiful though. I wish I knew who sang it. Such a beautiful voice! I miss TV sign offs. Infomercials killed'em. TV sign offs were natures way off telling you it was time to go to sleep/bed. LOL (unless you had HBO).
@gjc82071 I don't know, but I always find sign offs very annoying because I was born in the early '90s (1991) and while I was growing up as a Kid, I would stay up late at night to watch TV and at one point there would be a rainbow screened or gray screened sign off that would last about an hour and whenever I would get so excited for Nickelodeon to come on at 5am after Nick @ Nite, I would get so annoyed by the rainbow screened sign off that would come on 30 minutes or 60 minutes before 5am.
@Mr1991ladarius If I'm not mistaken, this video was pulled straight off the master tape that an employee had at their desk. This isn't a home video recording, thus the high quality.
Really, really nice - I love old TV sign-offs and this is by far one of the best I've ever seen (I grew up in North Carolina & missed this one). Also never heard this version of "American Trilogy", it's fantastic!
BTW if you or anyone else has the 1970's TV sign-off that has old NASA moon footage synched to "Lonely People" by America, I've looked for it for many years with no luck - that's the best sign-off of all time. It was shown on Charlotte, NC area stations in the mid to late 70's.
I have hours of video from that time and some day I'll go through them to find some things like this. In the mean time thank you so much for posting it. It is truly one of my most fond memories of Shreveport and is still as touching as it was the first time I heard it.
@ouachitarivervalley WPCH aka Peachtree TV is still owned by Turner Broadcasting. WPCH would take over coverage of Braves games after TBS aired MLB games instead of the Braves in 2008.
I didn't take it as being offensive. I think Dixie is a very beautiful song. It did blend into Battle Hymn of the Republic. Both songs associated with The civil war. I believe the race issue is way over used and people seem to go out of their way to get offended to display their desire to be a good person. If Dixie is used to offend then that is a different matter.
I need to know that in the last 20 seconds of this signoff. Did the announcer say in the description about charges "Or any other charge with each spec day or two"?
It sound like he said "Or any other charge with its check day or two". I know it can't be that.
A very touching sign-off with the late Reisor Bowden and "American Trilogy" in the music background; crystal clear like it should have been in 1975. Great post!
While I'm a bit offended by the apparent absence of our National Anthem it is still probably the most beautiful and classy sign-off I've ever seen. Thanks!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Heh beautiful yet a bit creepy sign off for that time almost expect to see a burning cross or a body hanging from a tree in the swamps but at the time the tv station made a beautiful and safe sign off with a beautiful song.
Ridiculous comment. Those thoughts you had in your mind only show your own biases/feelings. Those of us who grew up here never even entertained such ideas while listening/watching this. Never ONCE did I think of such horrors.
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!! Such memories!! My best friend and i were wondering if we would ever be able to find this. I thought of calling the station to ask for it. SINCERELY,...this was such a great part of a shreveport childhood.
Can't believe somebody has this! I remember this from when I was a kid, Saturday night after the "Big Movie". The announcer was Reisor Bowden I think. Too bad they wouldn't be able to sign off with "Dixie" on TV anymore without trouble. What a pretty song and film.
I wonder if anyone has Channel 12's morning sign-on from that era? It was very nicely done as well. Thanks for posting this.
Apparently it was common for stations in the south to play "Dixie" at sign-off at one time; Hank Williams Jr. referred to it in the song "Dixie On My Mind".
No, it was not uncommon to sign off with "Dixie", often followed by the National Anthem. But let me correct myself. The song is "American Trilogy" written and sung here by Mickey Newbury, made famous by Elvis. "Dixie" is just part of this song.
In case anyone remembers KSLA's sign-on, the song was a John Denver instrumental. Hint, hint. Someone's got to have that one too.
@HarlodJenkins There must have been more than one version that Mickey Newbury recorded because the one I have has a faster rhythm and slightly different lyrics.
I remember The Saturday Big Movie as a kid. It use to air after the News, and later, after M*A*S*H. Although they do, on occasion, still air movies on Saturday Night, I still miss the Saturday Big Movie. Which reminds me, does anyone has the opening to that?
Nice..! Who says you can't sign off in style..?
noahf67 4 months ago
Did this station forget that their state is still part of America? Where's our National Anthem? Give up the Confederacy bullshit, you lost, get over it.
sd02231 5 months ago
This sign-off had special meaning one night in August 1975. The ark-la-tex would have been informed by News that evening, of Hank Williams Jr.'s near death experience that afternoon in Montana. Maybe these same thoughts of "Dixie" resonated in Hank's mind as he lay helpless on that Mountain side.
Fontenotcjf 7 months ago
NICE QUALITY
gatesca10 7 months ago
No national anthem or test pattern at the end of this clip.
BTW, incredible quality for a TV signoff dating way back to 1975.
mrceleb2006 7 months ago
I'm surprised that somebody recorded it because home video recordings were very rare in the early to mid '70s.
Mr1991ladarius 10 months ago
@Mr1991ladarius Yea true, but, maybe it wasn't actually recorded IN 1975 though? I remember the sign offs in my area of the country, they would use the same 1 for many years. Maybe this initially MADE in 1975, but was recorded in the late 70's/early 80's? It's very beautiful though. I wish I knew who sang it. Such a beautiful voice! I miss TV sign offs. Infomercials killed'em. TV sign offs were natures way off telling you it was time to go to sleep/bed. LOL (unless you had HBO).
gjc82071 10 months ago
@gjc82071 I don't know, but I always find sign offs very annoying because I was born in the early '90s (1991) and while I was growing up as a Kid, I would stay up late at night to watch TV and at one point there would be a rainbow screened or gray screened sign off that would last about an hour and whenever I would get so excited for Nickelodeon to come on at 5am after Nick @ Nite, I would get so annoyed by the rainbow screened sign off that would come on 30 minutes or 60 minutes before 5am.
Mr1991ladarius 10 months ago
@Mr1991ladarius If I'm not mistaken, this video was pulled straight off the master tape that an employee had at their desk. This isn't a home video recording, thus the high quality.
butanebandit 6 months ago
Really, really nice - I love old TV sign-offs and this is by far one of the best I've ever seen (I grew up in North Carolina & missed this one). Also never heard this version of "American Trilogy", it's fantastic!
BTW if you or anyone else has the 1970's TV sign-off that has old NASA moon footage synched to "Lonely People" by America, I've looked for it for many years with no luck - that's the best sign-off of all time. It was shown on Charlotte, NC area stations in the mid to late 70's.
arkologist 11 months ago
@arkologist
Great to know I'm not alone in trying to find the Moon-Handshake in Space Lonely People sign off. It aired in Jacksonville, Fla as well.
roovelroe 9 months ago
Wow...the way that Dixie blends into the Battle hymn of the Republic is amazing. Who is the singer for this?
UIWWildthing 1 year ago
@spadesaddict: You're welcome!
spufferama321 1 year ago
I have hours of video from that time and some day I'll go through them to find some things like this. In the mean time thank you so much for posting it. It is truly one of my most fond memories of Shreveport and is still as touching as it was the first time I heard it.
justyvonne 1 year ago
Sherri, thanks for finding this buried treasure in your newsroom and posting it.
spadesaddict 1 year ago 2
That's the former call letters of WPCH-TV.
JesseLee85719 2 years ago
@JesseLee85719
No, it is not. KTBS has always been their calls. WPCH's old calls were WTBS.
ouachitarivervalley 1 year ago
@ouachitarivervalley WPCH aka Peachtree TV is still owned by Turner Broadcasting. WPCH would take over coverage of Braves games after TBS aired MLB games instead of the Braves in 2008.
kcthatsawinner 1 year ago
@JesseLee85719 Before they were WTBS, their call letters were WJRJ-TV.
kcthatsawinner 1 year ago
REESER! It's the voice of Reeser Bowden (the announcer guy). Gawd does this ever bring back memories!
fraggenaught 2 years ago 2
Very beautiful and inspiring sign-off. This is from the year that I would have graduated from high school.
nanlisa 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Racist, racist, racist. Nice to use a Black man to sing the Confederate anthem to sign off... offensive, even in 1975.
tbilisijeff 2 years ago
I didn't take it as being offensive. I think Dixie is a very beautiful song. It did blend into Battle Hymn of the Republic. Both songs associated with The civil war. I believe the race issue is way over used and people seem to go out of their way to get offended to display their desire to be a good person. If Dixie is used to offend then that is a different matter.
Johnnyqwest1 2 years ago 4
I looked into this song. It's done by a white guy. You don't even know what you are talking about.
Johnnyqwest1 2 years ago
I thought, with the exception of the song, was one of the greatest sign off in the area.
devares2006 2 years ago
Comment removed
dakar8993 2 years ago
I need to know that in the last 20 seconds of this signoff. Did the announcer say in the description about charges "Or any other charge with each spec day or two"?
It sound like he said "Or any other charge with its check day or two". I know it can't be that.
Please let me know.
kambreesuncle2 2 years ago
"Or any charge with respect thereto."
dakar8993 2 years ago
"....or any other charge with respect thereto."
byrd56 2 years ago
Is a great sign off though
AlanStoneFan 2 years ago
A very touching sign-off with the late Reisor Bowden and "American Trilogy" in the music background; crystal clear like it should have been in 1975. Great post!
kscott24 3 years ago 2
While I'm a bit offended by the apparent absence of our National Anthem it is still probably the most beautiful and classy sign-off I've ever seen. Thanks!
Scottcom36 3 years ago 2
My NBC station still signs off nightly, and while they used to run the National Anthem, they no longer do so.
EncoreEnterprisesLLC 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Heh beautiful yet a bit creepy sign off for that time almost expect to see a burning cross or a body hanging from a tree in the swamps but at the time the tv station made a beautiful and safe sign off with a beautiful song.
AlanStoneFan 3 years ago
Ridiculous comment. Those thoughts you had in your mind only show your own biases/feelings. Those of us who grew up here never even entertained such ideas while listening/watching this. Never ONCE did I think of such horrors.
brimi925 3 years ago 7
sorry did not to entertain the thought of such bad memories but is a great song
AlanStoneFan 2 years ago
This is great!!! I've looked for this too. Thanks for posting!!!
thisisnotcharles 3 years ago 2
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!! Such memories!! My best friend and i were wondering if we would ever be able to find this. I thought of calling the station to ask for it. SINCERELY,...this was such a great part of a shreveport childhood.
brimi925 3 years ago 3
I couldn't agree more. I have great memories of watching this with my dad.
wineyone 3 years ago
It is, isn't it? That and the opening for the Big Movie.
devares2006 2 years ago 4
Can't believe somebody has this! I remember this from when I was a kid, Saturday night after the "Big Movie". The announcer was Reisor Bowden I think. Too bad they wouldn't be able to sign off with "Dixie" on TV anymore without trouble. What a pretty song and film.
I wonder if anyone has Channel 12's morning sign-on from that era? It was very nicely done as well. Thanks for posting this.
HarlodJenkins 3 years ago 7
Apparently it was common for stations in the south to play "Dixie" at sign-off at one time; Hank Williams Jr. referred to it in the song "Dixie On My Mind".
Cowboybud 3 years ago
No, it was not uncommon to sign off with "Dixie", often followed by the National Anthem. But let me correct myself. The song is "American Trilogy" written and sung here by Mickey Newbury, made famous by Elvis. "Dixie" is just part of this song.
In case anyone remembers KSLA's sign-on, the song was a John Denver instrumental. Hint, hint. Someone's got to have that one too.
Hey, does anyone even sign off anymore?
HarlodJenkins 3 years ago
KTBS still signs off on the weekends.
devares2006 2 years ago 2
@HarlodJenkins There must have been more than one version that Mickey Newbury recorded because the one I have has a faster rhythm and slightly different lyrics.
chuckcollins 1 year ago
I remember The Saturday Big Movie as a kid. It use to air after the News, and later, after M*A*S*H. Although they do, on occasion, still air movies on Saturday Night, I still miss the Saturday Big Movie. Which reminds me, does anyone has the opening to that?
devares2006 2 years ago 4
Cue the V of Doom music!
ddavenport 3 years ago
@ddavenport No. That was Channel 12, KSLA, which was owned by Viacom at the time.
chuckcollins 1 year ago
@chuckcollins another CBS station Channel 10, KFDA in Amarillo, TX, was also owned by Viacom at the time
rebafan19 1 year ago