Tom Kelly

Tom while still in high school, KPRI, 1967.

Tom Irwin aka "Shotgun Tom" Kelly worked at KDEO, KPRI, KGB, KCBQ, KOGO, KBZS and KFMB-FM before replacing the late Don Steele in the afternoon slot at Los Angeles oldies station KRTH-FM, K-Earth 101.

In August 2015, Kelly was taken off the air and became KRTH's "Ambassador," doing personal appearances throughout Southern California. He eventually returned to the air as a weekend host. Kelly exited KRTH in 2016.

Mom, Tom, and Dad.

Tom was born in San Diego, California. He attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Saint John of the Cross parochial schools for his elementary years. He attended Mount Miguel High School and was the announcer for the morning bulletin. While in high school, Tom joined Junior Achievement which had a radio show on KOGO.

At 10, his mother mentioned to Tom that there was a disc jockey doing a radio show in a shopping center in nearby Lemon Grove, California. The disc jockey was Frank Thompson on KOGO-AM, who saw young Tom Irwin looking through the window and interviewed him on the air. Following that experience, Tom became fascinated with radio shows, even putting together his own mock radio studio in his bedroom.

Stick and string microphone in 1958.

A few years later, the then 13 year-old Tom Irwin went to other radio stations and watched the disc jockeys on the air. Tom visited Radio KDEO where he met program director 'Sunny' Jim Price.

Price wanted to get a teenager's opinion on a song he was going to add to the play-list. Price played the song to Tom, who liked it. The song was “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas & The Papas. Radio KDEO was the first station in the country to play it. Price afterwards gave Tom his first job at a radio station helping with remote broadcasts.

In 1966, at the age of 16, Tom was hired by Program Director George Manning to work on Sunday mornings at KPRI-FM 106.5 in San Diego. Tom was playing music sung by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis and Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66. Every Sunday morning, Tom also did a children’s radio show, called The Uncle Tommy Show and played recordings from Disney Records.

After high school, Tom attended the William B. Ogden Radio Operational Engineering school. He graduated in 1969 with his FCC First Class radio license and went to work at KYOS in Merced, California.

At 21, Tom worked at KACY in Port Hueneme, California using the name Bobby McAllister. There, he met DJ Dave Conley who named him Bobby "Shotgun" McAllister. Less than a year later, Tom and Dave moved to radio station KAFY in Bakersfield, California. Tom wanted to use his real name, but the general manager did not like the name Irwin, and asked Tom to change his last name on the air to Kelly. Dave Conley suggested the name “Shotgun,” from Bobby Shotgun McAllister, and they ended up using the name "Shotgun Tom" Kelly. In addition to radio, Tom took a weekend job at television station KERO, and did a television kid's show as NEMO the Clown.

In 1971, Tom was offered an opportunity to return to his hometown, San Diego, California when Charlie Van Dyke hired him at Boss Radio 136/KGB. Less than a year later, Tom was hired by Buzz Bennett to work at KCBQ. In 1972 Tom returned to 136/KGB.

Tom at KGB in 1971, and then with KCBQ the same year...

Shortly thereafter, Tom joined Buzz Bennett for a job at KRIZ in Phoenix. He returned to San Diego and was on air weekday afternoons at KCBQ. It was while at KCBQ that Tom started wearing his trademark ranger hat. During this time, Tom was also asked to host the kid’s TV game show “Words-A-Poppin” airing on KGTV Channel 10 in San Diego, and syndicated to other cities. He won an Emmy for Words-A-Poppin' that same year. In 1978, Tom won a second Emmy for Words-A-Poppin'.

In November 1987, Congressman Duncan Hunter invited Tom to the White House to meet President Ronald Reagan. While visiting, Tom presented the President with one of his trademark ranger hats, which President Reagan donned for a photo op.

...and back at KGB in 1972.

In 1989 Mark Larson hired Tom at KFMB-AM to do a radio show from David Cohn's Corvette Diner in Hillcrest, and at The T-Bird Diner in Escondido. In 1993 Tom was hired to work at KBZT K-Best-95 in San Diego. In September, 1997, Tom was hired to succeed the late Real Don Steele and work in afternoon drive at KRTH K-Earth 101. On August 28, 2010, Tom hosted the dedication of a monument at the former site of the KCBQ building and its six, 200-foot towers.

February 22, 1971

The dedication was attended by over 400 of the radio station's fans and former on air personalities. Tom was instrumental in gathering the approval, funding and placement of the monument.

Tom has appeared on several television stations since the early 1970s. In 1970, Tom would take a weekend job at television station KERO, Bakersfield to host a Saturday morning television kids show as NEMO the Clown. In 1972, Tom was asked to host “Words-A’Poppin” a game show for kids. The show aired in San Diego on KGTV Channel 10, and was also syndicated in several other cities. Tom went on to win two Emmy Awards as host for the show.

A quickie of Tom at 100.7 KFMB-FM San Diego in 1978 [ LISTEN ] (1:34) and another undated snippet. [ LISTEN ] (1:37)

Also in 1972, Tom was invited to host the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. He would serve as host of the telethon for more than 30 years. In 1982, Tom was offered a position at KUSI-TV as a booth announcer and on-camera host on The KUSI Kid’s Club.

Tom would continue as host of the show for 12 years. He has also served as station announcer for WFLX-TV FOX 29 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Tom's B-100 billboard around 1977.

Shotgun Tom’s voice is featured in the motion picture “Déjà Vu” starring Denzel Washington and on the Fox Television show America’s Most Wanted and Spike TV’s 1000 Ways To Die. Tom also did voice work for his hometown San Diego Chargers.

LEFT: Taped at Art Vuolo's birthday party in Novi, Michigan, on September 26, 2010, here are two radio legends (with a third - John Records Landecker thrown in for good measure) Shotgun Tom (KRTH-101) and New York's Joey Reynolds, telling some cool stories! Part 1 focuses on how Shotgun Tom got his "Shotgun" name.

Tom’s voice could be heard on the Jumbotron during Charger's home games. Kelly's voice also appears on French producer and DJ Fred Falke's song "Radio Days".

On April 30, 2013, "Shotgun Tom" Kelly was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located adjacent to another K-Earth personality, The Real Don Steele.

Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Airchexx, Videoholic, Shotgun Tom Kelly (Facebook).