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47-616: The Del Rio-Ciudad Acuña Metropolitan Area (DR-CA) is the seventh-largest binational metropolitan area along the United States-Mexican border. The city of Del Rio is situated in the U.S. state of Texas on the north side of the Rio Grande and Ciudad Acuña is located in the Mexican state of Coahuila south of the river. This metropolitan area is also known as "Tierra de la Amistad". The Del Rio micropolitan area's population

94-439: A decade after his death and remain available to local stations, through Talent Farm as of mid-2020. In 2024, as part of a oldies format marking its 85th anniversary, XEPRS began to carry the remastered recordings. In his early days, Wolfman Jack made sporadic public appearances, usually as a master of ceremonies for rock bands at Los Angeles clubs. At each appearance, he looked a little different because he had not decided what

141-400: A large Trans-Oceanic radio, and Smith became an avid fan of R&B music and the disc jockeys who played it, including Douglas "Jocko" Henderson of Philadelphia; New York's "Dr. Jive" ( Tommy Smalls ); the "Moon Dog" from Cleveland, Alan Freed ; and Nashville's " John R. " Richbourg, who later became his mentor. After selling encyclopedias and Fuller brushes door-to-door, Smith attended

188-410: A made-for-TV movie Deadman's Curve based on the musical careers of Jan Berry and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean . Smith appeared in several television shows as Wolfman Jack, including The Odd Couple , What's Happening!! , Vega$ , Hollywood Squares , Married... with Children (his final public performance), Emergency! , The New Adventures of Wonder Woman , and Galactica 1980 . He

235-650: A montage of skits by the comedy troupe The Committee . Wolfman Jack started his recording career in Minneapolis while working at KUXL Radio in 1965 with George Garrett, who helped record the album Boogie with the Wolfman by Wolfman Jack and the Wolfpack on the Bread Label. He was also responsible for engineering, producing, and assembling the band. Wolfman Jack also released Wolfman Jack (1972) and Through

282-566: A pill called Florex, which was supposed to enhance one's sex drive, was sold. "Some zing for your ling nuts ", the Wolfman would say. XERB was the original call sign for the border blaster station in Rosarito Beach , Mexico, which was branded as The Mighty 1090 in Hollywood , California . The station boasted "50,000 watts of Boss Soul Power". That station continues to broadcast under the call sign XEPRS-AM. XERB also had an office in

329-457: A population of at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 people. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003. Like the better-known metropolitan statistical areas , a micropolitan area is a geographic entity used for statistical purposes based on counties and county equivalents . On July 21, 2023, the Office of Management and Budget released revised delineations of the various CBSAs in

376-523: A replacement. Because of new laws passed in the UK in 1967 ( Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 ), the sales operation needed to be situated outside of the UK. For a time, Don Kelley, Wolfman Jack's business partner and personal manager, acted as the West Coast agent for the planned new Radio Caroline, but the deal eventually fell apart. As a part of this process, Wolfman Jack was set to deliver

423-496: A wide local area. Because the designation is based on the core urban cluster's population and not on that of the whole area, some micropolitan areas are much larger than some metropolitan areas. For example, the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area had a 2010 census population of 154,908. That would put its total population ahead of roughly 100 individual locations classified as a metropolitan statistical area in 2010. The largest of

470-785: Is mentioned in a song called "Mexican Blackbird" on the ZZ Top album Fandango! . "Blame It on Mexico", a song performed by George Strait and written by songwriter Darrell Staedtler on the Strait Country album tells about a night in Acuña at Ma Crosby's (a historic restaurant in Acuña) in the beginning. Acuña is the setting for the Robert Earl Keen song, "A Border Tale". Steve Earle refers to "Boys' Town" in his song "The Week of Living Dangerously", recorded as Steve Earle and

517-470: The governor of the state was general Hipólito Charles , who posted a military garrison in the area led by Captain Manuel Leal. In 1880, the community received villa (town) status under its first name of Garza Galán. In 1884, the locality was renamed Congregación las Vacas. Congregacion las Vacas was then renamed Villa Acuña in 1912 after Saltillan poet Manuel Acuña . Villa Acuña was finally given

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564-486: The 1930s in Villa Acuña, now Ciudad Acuña, the border blaster XERF-AM made its home. The radio station was built by John R. Brinkley from the U.S. state of Kansas. Brinkley claimed to be able to cure male virility deficiency with goat gland transplants. Brinkley wanted to promote his male enhancement operations and used the radio station for that purpose. Because of the purpose of radio XER and what it promoted,

611-486: The 1980s, he did a brief stint at XEROK 80 , another border-blaster station that was leased by Dallas investors Robert Hanna, Grady Sanders, and John Ryman. He also hosted a TV show at Little Darlin's Rock n' Roll Palace, which was eventually renamed Wolfman Jack's Rock'n'Roll Palace. Ryman then moved Smith to Scott Ginsburg -owned Y95 in Dallas, Texas. Recordings of Wolfman Jack's old shows were reintroduced to syndication

658-485: The 4 μSAs (USAs) of Puerto Rico with the following information: Wolfman Jack Robert Weston Smith (January 21, 1938 – July 1, 1995), known as Wolfman Jack , was an American disc jockey active for over three decades. Famous for the gravelly voice which he credited for his success, saying, "It's kept meat and potatoes on the table for years for Wolfman and Wolfwoman. A couple of shots of whiskey helps it. I've got that nice raspy sound." Smith

705-654: The Ages (1973) on the Wooden Nickel label. In 1973, he appeared as himself in George Lucas 's second feature film American Graffiti . Lucas gave him a fraction of a "point", the division of the profits from a film, and the extreme financial success of American Graffiti provided him with a regular income for life. He also appeared in the film's 1979 sequel More American Graffiti , though only through voice-overs. In 1978, he appeared as Bob "The Jackal" Smith in

752-469: The Continental Kids . Wolfman Jack was regularly parodied on The Hilarious House of Frightenstein as "The Wolfman," an actual werewolf disc jockey with a look inspired by the original The Wolf Man movies. A few years earlier, Todd Rundgren recorded the tribute "Wolfman Jack" on the album Something/Anything? ; the single version of the track includes a shouted talk-over introduction by

799-462: The Corona Club (cater-corner to Ma Crosby's) located on the main strip (La Hidalgo). In Kill Bill: Volume 2 the protagonist goes to see Bill's friend Esteban, who runs Acuña through the strength of his Acuña boys, the fatherless sons of the women he pimps. In another Tarantino movie, Grindhouse , Acuña Boys Mexican Food is featured on a bumper ad, as well as a take-out drink container in

846-714: The Dukes, on their Exit 0 album. "Acuña" is the title of a song recorded by Wade Bowen in October 2017. In the film, Rolling Thunder (1977), the villains are known as the Acuña Boys. Outdoor scenes for the 1992 cult motion picture El Mariachi were shot in Acuña, as well as the bar scenes and street confrontation from the sequel, Desperado . Actor/producer Carlos Gallardo was born in Ciudad Acuña. Also, Desperado and Single Action were filmed in Acuña at

893-737: The National Academy of Broadcasting in Washington, D.C. After graduating from NAB in 1960, Smith began working as "Daddy Jules" at WYOU in Newport News, Virginia . When the station format changed to " beautiful music ", he became known as "Roger Gordon and Music in Good Taste". In 1962, Smith moved to country music station KCIJ/1050 in Shreveport, Louisiana , as the station manager and morning disc jockey, "Big Smith with

940-554: The Prowl", and thousands of small, tombstone-shaped paperweights were distributed that said, "Cousin Brucie is going to be buried by Wolfman Jack". After less than a year, WNBC hired Cousin Brucie, and Wolfman Jack went back to California to concentrate on his syndicated radio show, which was carried on KRLA -Pasadena (Los Angeles) from 1984 to 1987. He moved to Belvidere, North Carolina , in 1989, to be closer to his extended family. In

987-527: The Records". He married Lucy "Lou" Lamb in 1961, and they had two children. Cleveland's Alan Freed had originally called himself the "Moon Dog" after New York City street musician Moondog . Freed both adopted this name and used a recorded howl to give his early broadcasts a unique character. Smith's adaptation of the Moondog theme was to call himself Wolfman Jack and add his own sound effects. The character

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1034-472: The Soviet Union. At XERF, Smith developed his signature style (with phrases such as, "Who's this on the Wolfman telephone?") and widespread fame. The border stations made money by renting time to Pentecostal preachers and psychics, and by taking 50% of the profit from anything sold by mail order. The Wolfman did pitches for dog food, weight-loss pills, weight-gain pills, rose bushes, and baby chicks. Even

1081-769: The TV special Garfield in Paradise in 1986. Jim Morrison 's lyrics for "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" were influenced by Wolfman Jack's broadcasting. He is mentioned on Sugarloaf 's 1974 hit single " Don't Call Us, We'll Call You " and on the Grateful Dead song "Ramble On Rose". He furnished his voice in The Guess Who 's top-10 hit single " Clap for the Wolfman ". In 1976, he furnished his voice on "Did You Boogie (With Your Baby)" by Flash Cadillac &

1128-589: The U.S. to attend schools in the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District , on the U.S. side. Minors were being interrogated at the border without an adult present, which caused much controversy, since that is illegal, and not all students had only one home. Many of their parents worked in the Del Rio side of the border and legally paid taxes. More than 400 students never came back. In

1175-634: The United States, which recognized 542 micropolitan areas in the United States, four of which are in Puerto Rico . The term "micropolitan" gained currency in the 1990s to describe growing population centers in the United States that are removed from larger cities, in some cases by 100 miles (160 km) or more. Micropolitan cities do not have the economic or political importance of large cities, but are nevertheless significant centers of population and production, drawing workers and shoppers from

1222-465: The Wolfman should look like. Early pictures show him with a goatee, but sometimes he combed his straight hair forward and added dark makeup to look somewhat "ethnic." Other times he had a big afro wig and large sunglasses. The ambiguity of his race contributed to the controversy of his program. His audience finally got a good look at him when he appeared in the 1969 film A Session with the Committee ,

1269-459: The Wolfman, but on the album version, Rundgren performs that part himself. Canadian band The Stampeders also released a cover of " Hit the Road Jack " in 1975 featuring Wolfman Jack. From 1975 to 1980, Wolfman Jack hosted Halloween Haunt at Knott's Berry Farm , which transforms itself into Knott's Scary Farm each year for Halloween. It was the most successful special event of any theme park in

1316-477: The areas, around Claremont and Lebanon, New Hampshire , had a population in excess of 218,000 in 2010; Claremont's population was only 13,355 in that year's census , and Lebanon's population was only 13,151. The following sortable table lists the 538 μSAs of the incorporated United States (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) with the following information: The following sortable table lists

1363-547: The broadcasting in Del Rio while the license rested in the hands of Mexican officials. They boosted the power to 250 kW. This super station was where disc jockey Wolfman Jack became famous between 1962 and 1964. XERF-AM is currently under control of the Instituto Mexicano de la Radio and plays Spanish-language programs and music. Acuña is mentioned in "El Coyote" by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark off his last studio album "My Favorite Picture of You". Acuña

1410-736: The city , causing incredible damage and killing 14 people and injuring 200 more. Various foreign companies have opened factories, or maquiladoras in Acuña, given its status as being 100% union-free. These include Irvin Automotive Products (automotive seat components), Howmet de Mexico (aerospace parts), Bendix (brake and hydraulic parts), Gentherm de Mexico (automotive seat heaters), Caterpillar (mining truck components), RESCO Electronics (wiring harness and cable assembly manufacturing), and Toter Incorporated (waste receptacles, curbside roll-out carts). Prior to 2009, many students living in this city used their relatives' addresses who lived in

1457-548: The country, and often sold out. In 2012, the estate of Wolfman Jack released a hip-hop single featuring Wolfman Jack clips as the vocals. In 2016, clips from the Wolfman Jack Radio Program were used in the Rob Zombie film 31 . When the one surviving ship in what had originally been a pirate radio network of Radio Caroline North and Radio Caroline South sank in 1980, a search began to find

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1504-480: The first scenes of Death Proof . The film Like Water for Chocolate was filmed on Lake Amistad in Acuña. The film Love and a .45 features a standoff between the film's primary protagonists and antagonist in Acuña after the three have crossed the U.S./Mexico border. Portions of the film No Country For Old Men are set in Acuña. Scenes in the Western novel Ride Harder (2017) take place in Acuña and

1551-503: The international bridge. Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz met for the dedication of Amistad Dam on 8 September 1969. Originally created to serve airmen at Laughlin AFB just across the border, "Boys' Town" is an entertainment district located in an area south of Ciudad Acuña and contains a few after-hours bars and brothels , but is designated off-limits to U.S. military personnel. On 25 May 2015, an F3 tornado struck

1598-509: The more popular, 'Hit the road, Jack.'" In 1963, Smith took his act to the border when Inter-American Radio Advertising's Ramon Bosquez hired him and sent him to the studio and transmitter site of XERF-AM at Ciudad Acuña in Mexico, a station across the U.S.-Mexico border from Del Rio, Texas , whose high-powered border blaster signal could be picked up across much of the United States. In an interview with writer Tom Miller , Smith described

1645-484: The morning shows on the new station. To that end, he recorded a number of programs that never aired, because the station did not come on air according to schedule. (It eventually returned in 1983 from a new ship, which remained at sea until 1990.) Today, those tapes are traded among collectors of his work. On July 1, 1995, Smith died from a heart attack at his house in Belvidere, North Carolina , shortly after finishing

1692-569: The radio, taking away 80% of XERB's revenue. Smith then moved to station KDAY 1580 in Los Angeles, which could only pay him a fraction of his former XERB income. Smith capitalized on his fame, though, by editing his old XERB tapes and selling them to radio stations everywhere, becoming one of the first rock-and-roll syndicated programs (as the tapes began to age, they were eventually marketed to oldies stations). He also appeared on Armed Forces Radio from 1970 to 1986. At his peak, Wolfman Jack

1739-519: The reach of the XERF signal: "We had the most powerful signal in North America. Birds dropped dead when they flew too close to the tower. A car driving from New York to L.A. would never lose the station." Many of the Mexican border stations broadcast at 150,000 watts, three times the U.S. limit, meaning that their signals were picked up all over North America, and at night as far away as Europe and

1786-576: The rear of a small strip mall on Third Avenue in Chula Vista, California just 10 minutes from the Tijuana – San Diego border crossing. The Wolfman was rumored to actually broadcast from this location during the early to mid-1960s. Smith left Mexico after eight months and moved to Minneapolis to run station KUXL . Although Smith was managing a Minneapolis radio station, he was still broadcasting as Wolfman Jack on XERF via taped shows that he sent to

1833-625: The station was closed in 1939 by the Mexican government. In 1947, the government of Mexico licensed XER, the 100 kW super-power border blaster run by Ramon D. Bosquez. They used the old XERA facilities and sold its airtime to American evangelists broadcasting in English to the United States . In 1959, Ramon D. Bosquez and Arturo Gonzalez formed the Inter-American Radio Advertising, Inc. in Del Rio. They ran

1880-667: The station. Missing the excitement, however, Wolfman returned to border radio to run XERB, and opened an office on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles in January 1966. He recorded his shows in Los Angeles and shipped his tapes across the border into Mexico, where they would then be beamed across the U.S. In 1971, the Mexican government, under pressure from the Roman Catholic church, banned the Pentecostal preachers from

1927-420: The title of city on 16 September 1951 by Don JesusMaria Ramon, when it got its present name of Ciudad Acuña. On 24 October 1960, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos met in Acuña to sign the initial agreements allowing construction of the dam. Construction plans were not finalized until December 1966, when Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz met on

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1974-472: The town is mentioned in the series's first book, The Hardest Ride (2013). United States micropolitan area Population United States micropolitan statistical areas ( μSA , where the initial Greek letter mu represents " micro- "), as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are labor market and statistical areas in the United States centered on an urban cluster (urban area) with

2021-493: Was 55,000 people in 2015, and the Ciudad Acuña Metropolitan Area's population was 225,000 people in 2015. The 2015 population of Greater Del Rio-Ciudad Acuña binational metropolitan area is 280,000. The first recorded settlement of Acuña took place on 27 December 1877. It was founded by a group of colonists led by Domingo Urias, Irineo Casillas Arevalo, and his wife Maximina Espinoza. At the same time,

2068-427: Was based in part on the manner and style of bluesman Howlin' Wolf . At KCIJ, he first began to develop his famous alter ego, Wolfman Jack. According to author Philip A. Lieberman, Smith's "Wolfman" persona "derived from Smith's love of horror films and his shenanigans as a 'wolfman' with his two young nephews. The 'Jack' nickname was taken from the 'hipster' lingo of the 1950s, as in 'Take a page from my book, Jack', or

2115-566: Was born in Brooklyn , New York City , on January 21, 1938, the younger of two children of Anson Weston Smith, an Episcopal Sunday school teacher, writer, editor, and executive vice president of Financial World , and his wife, Rosamond Small. He lived on 12th Street and 4th Avenue and went to Manual Training High School in the Park Slope section. His parents divorced while he was a child. To help keep him out of trouble, his father bought him

2162-819: Was heard on more than 2,000 radio stations in 53 countries. He was heard as far afield as the Wild Coast, Transkei , on Capital Radio 604 based there. In a deal promoted by Don Kelley, the Wolfman was paid handsomely to join WNBC in New York in August 1973, the same month that American Graffiti premiered, and the station did a huge advertising campaign in local newspapers predicting the Wolfman would propel their ratings over those of their main competitor, WABC 's Cousin Brucie (Bruce Morrow). The advertisements proclaimed, "Cousin Brucie's Days Are Numbered / Wolfman Jack Is on

2209-524: Was the regular announcer and occasional host for The Midnight Special on NBC from 1973 to 1981. He was the host of his variety series The Wolfman Jack Show , which was produced in Canada by CBC Television in 1976 and syndicated to stations in the U.S. In 1984, Wolfman Jack starred as himself on the short-lived ABC animated series Wolf Rock TV . He also voiced the chief of the Rama Lama tribe on

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