Where Are They Now?

     

Ron Hart [ James Witter II ]

Ron Hart was a very talented mid day jock at WALT in the early 60s. He left the radio station in 1964 in pursuit of fame and fortune as a singer/song writer.

Ron had one release to his credit on Columbia Records in 1963. “Calhoun The Elephant” was to be the “A” side release, a novelty record that went no where. Some DJs started playing the “B” side “The Ghost of Gary” and it took off. Catchy teen love lyrics like;

“Everything seemed to be going so fine, til you were burned by your old flame. Now that little diamond must have lost its shine because you sure ain’t actin’ the same, I don’t want to be haunted by the ghost of your love for Gary, If you’re still thinking about him, baby won’t you set me free, I don’t want to be haunted by the ghost of your love for Gary, If you’re still thinking about him, baby just forget about me.“

This was not Ron’s first try at music, he recorded several tunes on United Artists and Neptune Records under the name of Jimmy Whitter and The Shadows.

Jimmy Witter/Shadows - My kind of woman/What are little girls made of-Neptune-118, Great 2 Sided Rovker/Sm LT/Plays Well, VG+, $30

Jimmy Witter/Shadows - My kind of woman/What are little girls made of-Neptune-118, Grt 2 Sided rkr, VG++, $60

Ron left WALT and moved out west, worked at KSOL and then on to Charlotte where he passed away in 1974.

Ron Hart’s real name was James Witter II. Ron married a very young Tampa girl named Angie, together they would be seen sidewalk surfin’ on the Buffalo Avenue Bridge at sunsets.


Ron Hart 2nd from the left - top row with Herman’s Hermits