By Trey Stafford
In late summer 1997 we were trying to figure out what to do with the Fox Morning Show. My morning show partner, Brian Osborn, was leaving to take a job as a deputy sheriff in Greene County leaving a need to find the right fit for the relatively new station which came on the air in March of that year.
Jim Frigo had been on the air across town at KFIN since 1987. He had maintained strong ratings and had made a name for himself in the market walking “Naked” down Caraway Road, sitting in every new seat created in a stadium expansion at Arkansas State University, and had been “banned from the Northeast Arkansas District Fair” for his on-air comments objecting to the idea of moving the fairgrounds to a spot on Highway 49 North.
After anchoring the KFIN morning show for ten years, management there had moved Jim to afternoons. There were rumors that Jim wasn’t happy with the move. My partners and I were having discussions inside the then-Triple FM Radio Group about the idea of approaching Jim about coming across the street to work for us.
After agreeing to “give it a try”, my partner, Bill Pressly, reached out to Jim who said, “I’ll listen!” Ironically at the time I lived right behind Jim and his family in East Jonesboro. Only a ditch separated our yards and his loud dog, Ricky. We scheduled a meeting on my back porch. Instead of walking across the ditch, Jim drove around the neighborhood to my house. Jim told us that management had told him he was “growing too old for the country audience” and felt they needed to replace him on the KFIN morning show. Jim was 42 at the time!
One of the things that worked in our favor trying to recruit Jim to come to work for us was the fact that Jim’s long-time morning show partner, Mark Ford, was already working for us as an advertising account executive. Before long, we developed a plan for Jim to come to work for us and create a three-person morning show consisting of Trey Stafford, Jim Frigo and Mark Ford.
Jim made the move and walked into the Simmons Bank building on Caraway Road on September 9, 1997. Two weeks later, on the first day of the Northeast Arkansas District Fair, September 22, 1997, Stafford Frigo and Ford premiered on 104.9 The Fox. A relatively short time later, Mark left the show. And on November 6, 2004, Mark passed away at the way too young age of 46.
Jim will tell you after a beer or two that “I saved the Fox” when he came in 1997. There is no mincing words here. By coming to work with me and Mark, Jim contributed his market equity, talent and his willingness to be a part of a hard-working underdog radio group to help us create and build an incredible radio station which drove the construction of a wonderful radio company.
Working with Jim on a morning radio show for 25 years requires much more than a blog post to adequately convey what all has been involved. I have been married to Jenna 26 years. I’ve done a morning show with Jim for 25 years. Being in a room not more than three feet apart for three and four hours a day, every day, for 25 years is much more of a deal than it seems. I love Jenna (my wife) very much. And I love spending time with her and talking with her. But in all of my 26 years with her, other than long drives in a car, I don’t know if we’ve ever sat in a room within three feet of each other and talked for three or four hours straight! Jim and I have done it almost every day for 25 years! Trust me, that’s a big deal.
Mine and Jim’s work relationship is very unique. We are morning radio show partners. I am the company’s general manager which makes me Jim’s boss. We are friends who have loved on each other through many personal and family situations over these 25 years. We have laughed together. We have cried together. We have shared each other’s love for Christ with each other at different times. And, yes, we’ve yelled at each other. There were times I told Jim to just go home-not many times, but a few. In a few hours Jim would sneak back into the radio station and into my office, we would apologize and make-up and move on not even remembering what we yelled about.
As much fun as I make of Jim and an occasional pronunciation, Jim is a complex thinker who has his own way of analyzing and processing personal and cultural events. His opinions about things that happened are not quick coming. He weighs and considers and “processes” all of the information and, eventually, will form his own opinion and thoughts, which are always important for me to hear.
Jim loves his children. He will share his regrets about decisions and choices he made younger in life. But Jim hasn’t made any decisions or choices that thousands and thousands of us have made. In recent years Jim has committed himself to helping and supporting his children as they navigate their adult lives.
What do I think of Jim Frigo? Two words. Good man. Jim Frigo is a good man. A great radio talent. A loyal friend. And I wouldn’t trade these last 25 years for anything.
Jim, thanks for “saving the Fox.” Love ya, friend.
