640 radio stations
The Ramsey Show grew from a single Nashville station to 640 radio stations, becoming the second-largest talk radio show in America.
Where this was said
Blake Thompson: From First Producer to Ramsey Network Head
At 11:44 · chapter starts 10:00
Dave Ramsey explains the mechanics of the show's early growth: buying Comrex boxes and dialing individual radio affiliates by long-distance phone, starting with Oak Ridge, Tennessee, then Russellville, Kentucky, then Jackson, Tennessee — which remains on the network to this day. Over the decades with Blake running the board and Laura Johnson screening phones, the show grew to 640 stations and landed in two radio halls of fame, including a Marconi Award. [1] — Dave Ramsey "Blake Thompson is the first Ramsey employee to hit 30 years — hired at 25 for $18,000, he retires at 55 after building Ramsey Network from …" 03:02 Dave also recounts the prank he and station manager John played on Blake: telling him he'd left four long-distance Comrex lines open over a weekend, running up $10,000 in charges that would have bankrupted the operation. Blake's immediate response — begging to keep his job and offering to sell Dave's book door-to-door — perfectly encapsulates the loyalty that defined 30 years of partnership. Dave closes the tribute by crediting the show's consistency and crew stability as the primary reason it reached its current stature.
The $10,000 Comrex Prank That Almost Ended Ramsey's Career
In the early syndication days, Dave and his team pranked Blake by telling him he forgot to hang up four long-distance Comrex phone lines over a weekend — racking up a $10,000 bill that would have bankrupted the show. Blake begged to keep his job and offered to sell Dave's book door-to-door. Dave cracked up before they could hold straight faces.
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