Jimmy Smith Treble TR

Red Fred

Jimmy Smith, who founded the Dublin pirate "Treble TR" which specialised in Country and Irish music in the 1980s, has died at the age of 83. RIP

Showband legend and Cavan native Jimmy Smith dies aged 83 | NorthernSound

Declan A Walsh

Treble TR became the template for other Dublin country and Irish pirates in the 1990s and the early '2000s, particularly Radio Dublin when it went all country and the station that split from it called Kic FM. Indeed, some of the presenters had previously been with Treble TR. More surprising names who had brief involvement with Treble TR were Bob Gallicoe and Aidan Cooney - don't think either played country! Treble TR relaunched in the mid 1990s after initially calling itself by its frequency. Jimmy Smith was the only deejay I heard on it and I don't think I had heard him back ion the 1980s. But then again I would not have listened to it much. There were arguments about whether '90s/'00s country pirate Walkinstown Local Radio was Treble TR by another name. It certainly seemed to have the same template from what I read about it.

As regards his radio career, Jimmy Smith has to be acknowledged as a pioneer and someone who influenced certain other radio stations and personnel. It is questionable whether or not temporary licensed Hot Country would have happened without his previous influence.

Lord Nelson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117769363#Comment_117769363

Walkinstown Local Radio had no connection with TTTR or Jimmy Smith. It was run from a house in Lansdowne Valley by an individual who was essentially clueless. It may have had some musical merits, but that’s where it ended.

Declan A Walsh

I remember Treble TR used to be on in the 1980s in a small newsagents in town run by a guy in his fifties . It also seemed to be very popular amongst taxi drivers!

Ger Roe

I am sorry to hear about the passing of Jimmy Smith.

He was passionate about his music genre and he knew exactly what his audience wanted to hear - every attempt to provide a country music radio service after him, was always compared to Treble T. Usually... 'Why can't this be like Treble T R?'. He proudly played Irish Country Music when most others after him forced international country pop on the specific audience that he had targeted and developed.

I remember fondly his quip about the time Radio Nova set up in the building beside him at the Green Acres Country Club. Nova was testing on much higher power and the audio was bleeding through on the TTTR signal. Jimmy decided to move out ..... 'They became Clutter Free Nova and we became Nova Free Treble T R'.

I met him once in a non radio context and he was a very genuine and friendly character.

RIP

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117770351#Comment_117770351

I think that quite a few people thought that they were going to get a licensed pure country music station (with at least some Irish country included) when Dublin's Country Mix 106.8 was launched. I remember its then chairman David Harvey referring to "hot country jocks"! It turned out its license was not that specific, nor were its intentions! The country element, mainly of the American country crossover variety, which was about a third of the music mix initially, gradually became less and less. It's now Sunshine 106.8, essentially an easy listening station. The nearest legal entity in Dublin to Treble TR was temporary licensed Irish Country Music Radio, which morphed into Hot Country. They ran during the '00s. I think it was often thought that the best bet for a legal Treble TR type station was in the north-east of the country. I think that ship has well and truly sailed now, which is unfortunate for the country, especially C & W, fans.

ford fiesta

 Dublin's Country Mix 106.8 tried to tap into the Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks and Garth Brooks / line dancing new country listenership, which had died by the early - mid 00's.

If it was national and played more genuine American C&W and Irish C&W/Irish Ballads, it may have kept a Country format a bit longer.

Sunshine play a handful of the "new Country" songs now, usually overnight, as well as the 200 other playlisted songs.

Rest In Peace Jimmy.

TheBMG

while I can’t say I’m a big country fan (quite the opposite!) full credit to Jimmy Smith.

Treble TR was one of those radio institutions in the 1980s .. always on-air and plugging away regardless even as other stations came and went.

he did a great interview with Aidan Cooney on (I think) Thursday 29th Dec 1988 just before the big closedowns and came across as a fantastic warm character.

LICR (London Irish Community Radio) was his brainchild too. Set up in London as a pirate in 1988 it suffered some heavy raids quite quickly and the project died. I’ve often wondered if the DTI were wary of an Irish pirate station considering the political tensions of the time.