Brain & Courtlin Surprise Bob James on His Last Day at KHAK

It's a bittersweet day here at 98.1 KHAK. Our fearless leader has decided that it's time to call it quits! After nearly 34 years behind the microphone, today is Bob James' final day before he rides off into retirement.

To me, Bob James IS KHAK. He was one of the people who hired me almost 10 years ago, so I've never known the station without him. I can't imagine what it will be like when I come into work tomorrow and he isn't here to pop his head into the studio to say "good morning." Even though we've known about his retirement since November, I don't think I've fully come to terms with the fact that he's leaving. I'm just not ready to say goodbye.

A couple of months ago, I came to Brain with the idea to surprise Bob with a special tribute on his last day. Brain, Bob's wife Julie, and I reached out to a bunch of his friends, family members, and current/former coworkers and had them send in audio recordings as a way to honor his impressive career. As it turns out, a LOT of people wanted to wish Bob a happy retirement. Way more than we originally anticipated! We ended up getting almost 50 recordings, as well as a slew of written tributes. I hope that they help Bob realize the impact he's made on our community and how missed he will be. In case you missed it this morning, here's Bob's official retirement tribute:

Bob, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me and my career. You're the best boss that I've ever had. Please enjoy your retirement! I'll try to remember not to text you whenever there's a problem here at the station, but I can't make any promises...