Any WLS Radio Fans Out There?
TOM CRANFIELD
I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
(P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
William Petrie
690. For awhile, they shut down at sunset and we would pick up a Montgomery
station on 690. Don't remember the call letters.
We used to also pick up KDKA out of Pittsburg, WBZ out of Boston and many
others at night.
Bill
Mark Byrd
: From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
: I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
: clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
: Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
: gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
Sure did! Although I was more enamored of The Big 10, Super CFL, The Voice
Of Labor!
--
---------------------
Mark Byrd
WCRW Chicago 1240 AM
byr...@ripco.com
---------------------
John
> From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
> I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
> clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
> Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
> gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>
> (P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
> shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
Yes, I was a WLS fan. I loved listening to Dick Biondi and Art Roberts.
Does anyone know what happened to either of them. I grew up in
Mississippi about the same time you were growing up in Alabama. I would
lay in the bed at night and listen to the great sounds of WLS.
I particularly remember New Years' Eve on WLS. It was always full of the
years' best music and many artists would call in and talk.
I still have an autographed photo of Dick Biondi. Does anyone remember
what Art Roberts would say as his sign off remark every night?
Thanks for causing me to relive such pleasant memories of great rock
music, super DJs, and easy southern nights.
Anyone else with WLS memories?
John
TOM CRANFIELD
Interestingly, our rock station was on
>690. For awhile, they shut down at sunset and we would pick up a Montgomery
>station on 690. Don't remember the call letters.
>Bill
That station was WBAM (Big Bam). It had a good top 40 format but WHHY
(1440) was better. WBAM went country in the early 70's. You could hear it
in Jax because it was 50,000 watts. It signed off at sunset too, so you
wouldn't have been able to hear it for very long after your radio station
signed off. - Tom
TOM CRANFIELD
I grew up in
>Mississippi about the same time you were growing up in Alabama. I would
>lay in the bed at night and listen to the great sounds of WLS.
>
>
>I particularly remember New Years' Eve on WLS. It was always full of the
>years' best music and many artists would call in and talk.
> John
I remember those New Years Eve countdowns. Too bad things like that have
become virtually meaningless nowadays at any radio station. Also, they
used to have countdowns every night, around 10:00 I believe, of the days
top songs. I too remember laying in bed listening to WLS - and sometimes
not getting to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. I also got
hooked on a talk show out of KDKA in Pittsburgh. - Tom
Kathleen E. Buller
In a previous article, tomcra...@mci.newscorp.com (TOM CRANFIELD) says:
>From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
>I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
>clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
>Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
>gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>
>(P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
>shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
>
>
a
kkk kkk
a
Oh dear, sorry about the gibberish. My editor isn't working.
Anyway, we got WLS frmo a little closer, in southern Wisconsin, and
if you get through Chicago these days, you wil hear Dick Bionid oops,
Dick Biondi broadcasting oldies out of WCFL. Yes, he still sounds
the same. Anyone know where Art A oops Art Robers, Ron Riley et al
are? Larry Lujack has become an icon of Chicago radio, thogu oops,
though I don't know from what station.
Again, sorry abou the bloopers. I am a lousy typist, and am working
on a lan'ed workstation where the editor is disabled!
Grrr!!!
lla ...
k
--
AM...@YFN2.YSU.EDU
DanE223
station with some real on air personalitys. Of course everyone remembers
Dick Biondi and Larry Lujack. But how many remember Jim Dunbar, Gene
Taylor, Mort Crowley, and "Mother Webers oldest son Clark" Clark Weber.
Does anyone have any Silver Dollar Surveys? I have about 40 of them from
the years 1961 to 1964. I'd be willing to trade copies with someone.
Lorna Clark
>In article <4ccjmk$e...@merlin.delphi.com>,
> TOM CRANFIELD <tomcra...@mci.newscorp.com> wrote:
>>I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
>>clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
>>Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
>>gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>>
>>(P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
>>shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
>>
>station on 690. Don't remember the call letters.
>
>others at night.
>
>Bill
In Ontario, I used to listen to Larry Glick at night on WBZ. I loved it
when he shot people off the air!
But back to rock-n-roll oldies. In the early seventies, I sent away to
WLS for a infosheet that attempted to interpret what Don McLean meant in
each line of "American Pie".
-Larry Lloyd
Ron Dillon
>
> In article <4ccjmk$e...@merlin.delphi.com>, TOM CRANFIELD
> <tomcra...@mci.newscorp.com> wrote:
>
> > From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
> > I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
> > clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
> > Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
> > gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
> >
> > (P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
> > shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
>
> Mississippi about the same time you were growing up in Alabama. I would
> lay in the bed at night and listen to the great sounds of WLS.
>
> I particularly remember New Years' Eve on WLS. It was always full of the
> years' best music and many artists would call in and talk.
>
> what Art Roberts would say as his sign off remark every night?
>
> Thanks for causing me to relive such pleasant memories of great rock
> music, super DJs, and easy southern nights.
> Anyone else with WLS memories?
>
big reunion.
Biondi is still on in the evenings on 104.3 WJMK. He hasn't changed
his voice or hair color. He still will occasionally do his
"On top of a pizza" rendition (only if you beg). Hey, call
312 591 WJMK around 7:00 PM and you can still talk to him.
Art Roberts - a classy DJ then - " EXCELSIOR ".
Transistor radios were expensive in the 'Silver dollar survey'
days for a teen (about $25 - for an AM only ) so since I tinkered
with radios, would you believe crystals? Actually, I lived only
about 6 miles from the tower south of Chicago and could hear only
WLS with an earphone connected across a germanium diode, which I
hid under my pillow. NO BATTERIES required.
BTW, Biondi still jokes about getting kicked off WLS and going to
North Carolina for remarks he made.
Anyone remember what he said?
How about some others, Clark Weber, Barney Pip, Bob Sirott,
Ron Dillon
doellner christian m
On 3 Jan 1996, TOM CRANFIELD wrote:
> From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
> I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
> clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
> Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
> gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>
> (P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
> shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
Yeah! WLS was a hugh influence on me growing up in down state Illinois.
It was how I developed that love for those 70's one hit wonders. 70-76 was
the wonder years. The Raspberries - "Go All The Way" Wings _ "Silly Love
Songs", Cher's "Tramps and Thiefs".
I really miss WLS. Its nice to see that someone remembers what a
great thing they had going on. Lots of energy! Remember D.J. Larry
Lucheck (sic?) ?
Does anyone have any taped WLS stuff from the 70's? Just random stuff
would be cool. A nice slice of life.
Somebody should forward this to today's WLS and let em now how much
we miss the classic WLS. I think I'm still in in mourning.
chris
>
Dan Olson
>BTW, Biondi still jokes about getting kicked off WLS and going to
>North Carolina for remarks he made.
>Anyone remember what he said?
>How about some others, Clark Weber, Barney Pip, Bob Sirott,
> Ron Dillon
I thought this thread ran its course about six months ago, but OK.
While you were listening in Chicago on a crystal set and those guys
were listening in the deep south I was listening in rural Kansas on a
5-tube radio. Fell asleep with in in the bed with me several times
and don't know how I avoided burning the house down.
Biondi was a special favorite and Weber about as good--these two
worked the hours when the clear chanel reached the suburbs (like
Kansas City, Denver, Mobile, Jackson,etc.)
I understood Biondi denied ever telling that baseball joke on the air.
I didn't hear it. He was just gone all of a sudden with no
explanation.
Dan
(and I would love to hear this again:)
"Whether you drive a BIG CAR (with a BIG BIG RADIO)
or whether you drive a small car (with a little bitty radio)
Enjoy the BRIGHT SOUND! W L S --in Chicago!"
JimAKing
>Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>
I did. Our local rock station was a daytimer, and they invited their
listeners to tune to WLS when they signed off. I've never seen that
strategy since. I also listened to WABC, KAAY, KOMA, WKYC, CKLW, and
WLAC. I moved in daytime range of the Big 89 in 1964, so after that they
were on my radio 24/7. Clark Weber, Bernie Allen, Dex Card, Ron Riley,
Art Roberts and Don Phillips ruled. Later, of course, Larry Lujack, and
earlier, Dick Biondi.
~ Jim
Dave Polakowski
> ... Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
Yes! I grew up in Toledo, and was able to pick them up most of the time.
Had a button on the car radio in my '61 Impala set to WLS.
Along this line, anybody remember CKLW out of Windsor, Ontario?
________________________________________________________________________
Dave_Po...@hp-loveland-om10.om.hp.com _---_
Hewlett Packard Corporation / O O \
(970) 635-6736 ---((((-------U-------))))---
Harry S. Anchan
> From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
> I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
> clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
> Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
> gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
>
> (P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
> shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
>
>
>
LONG LIVE THE BIG 89. I have a few airchecks from 1972. Larry Lujack,
Jon Landecker, J.J. Jeffrey, etc.
I used to pick it up in Brooks, Alberta, just northeast of Medicine Hat!!
Regards.
-- Harry, #1 Fan!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Gary Owens, Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna, Larry Lujack, Murray the 'K',
B. Mitchell Reed, Bob Eubanks, Jerry G. Bishop, Dick Biondi, Casey Kasem,
Bob Sirott, Dick Clark, Dr. Don Rose, and the Great Wolfman Jack.
Radio, the way it should always be!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Harry S. Anchan
>
> I still have an autographed photo of Dick Biondi. Does anyone remember
> what Art Roberts would say as his sign off remark every night?
>
I used to listen to them both on WCFL, not WLS, when I lived near Chicago.
But that was in the early 70's.
>
> Thanks for causing me to relive such pleasant memories of great rock
> music, super DJs, and easy southern nights.
> Anyone else with WLS memories?
Another DJ I forgot to mention is Joel Sebastian on the Big 89.
-- Harry
Harry S. Anchan
> Anyway, we got WLS frmo a little closer, in southern Wisconsin, and
> if you get through Chicago these days, you wil hear Dick Bionid oops,
> Dick Biondi broadcasting oldies out of WCFL. Yes, he still sounds
WHAT?!! Biondi back on CFL, The Voice of Labor? And with an Oldies
format, to boot? Am I dreaming? Please say I am not!!!!!!!!!!!!
> the same. Anyone know where Art A oops Art Robers, Ron Riley et al
> are? Larry Lujack has become an icon of Chicago radio, thogu oops,
> though I don't know from what station.
>
You mean, Larry USED to work for WLS, right? I have heard he has retired
to his farm in Idaho. Or is he back in radio? <dreaming again>
Harry S. Anchan
> How about some others, Clark Weber, Barney Pip, Bob Sirott,
Bob used to do a show on WBBM-FM, the CBS affiliate in Chicago. A few
years ago, I saw him on a TV magazine show as a correspondent, I believe,
still with CBS!!
Weber used to be on WCFL, right?
Harry S. Anchan
...HOW MUCH WE MISS THE OLD DAYS AND FORMAT!
On Wed, 3 Jan 1996, doellner christian m wrote:
> Somebody should forward this to today's WLS and let em now how much
> we miss the classic WLS. I think I'm still in in mourning.
>
> Does anyone have any taped WLS stuff from the 70's? Just random stuff
> would be cool. A nice slice of life.
Have some songs and airchecks from 1972 and 1973.
Ron Dillon
>
> On Wed, 3 Jan 1996, Ron Dillon wrote:
>
> > How about some others, Clark Weber, Barney Pip, Bob Sirott,
>
> Bob used to do a show on WBBM-FM, the CBS affiliate in Chicago. A few
> years ago, I saw him on a TV magazine show as a correspondent, I believe,
> still with CBS!!
>
> Weber used to be on WCFL, right?
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Gary Owens, Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna, Larry Lujack, Murray the 'K',
> B. Mitchell Reed, Bob Eubanks, Jerry G. Bishop, Dick Biondi, Casey Kasem,
> Bob Sirott, Dick Clark, Dr. Don Rose, and the Great Wolfman Jack.
> Radio, the way it should always be!
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I watched Sirott on Channel 5 here until he had some disagreement
with management. He now does the same morning show 7am to 9am
on Fox.
Weber is still around - he does a morning talk show but I don't
remember which station.
Ron
Ron Dillon
>
> On 3 Jan 1996, TOM CRANFIELD wrote:
>
> > From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
> > I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
> > clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
> > Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
> > gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
> >
> > (P.S.: When I couldn't pick up WLS i got a kick out of listening to talk
> > shows on KDKA and KMOC). - Tom
> >
> >
> >
>
> LONG LIVE THE BIG 89. I have a few airchecks from 1972. Larry Lujack,
> Jon Landecker, J.J. Jeffrey, etc.
>
> I used to pick it up in Brooks, Alberta, just northeast of Medicine Hat!!
>
> Regards.
>
> -- Harry, #1 Fan!
>
> Gary Owens, Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna, Larry Lujack, Murray the 'K',
> B. Mitchell Reed, Bob Eubanks, Jerry G. Bishop, Dick Biondi, Casey Kasem,
> Bob Sirott, Dick Clark, Dr. Don Rose, and the Great Wolfman Jack.
> Radio, the way it should always be!
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
--
John Records Landecker is still on mornings on WJMK 104.3. He
just released Landecker and the Legends Volume 2 on CD. He's
got several OJ (who?) songs - Y D N A sung to the Village Peoples
version of Y M C A. BTW he's getting married again (#3) soon.
Ron
James Gardner
>Yeah! WLS was a hugh influence on me growing up in down state Illinois.
>It was how I developed that love for those 70's one hit wonders.
>I really miss WLS.
Me, too.
> Remember D.J. Larry
>Lucheck (sic?) ?
book from his glory days, _SuperJock_. Quite a slice o' life.
In fact, if you can find a copy of Lujack's book, please let
me know--I'd love to own a copy.
>Somebody should forward this to today's WLS and let em now how much
>we miss the classic WLS. I think I'm still in in mourning.
I KNOW I'm still in mourning. They did a really nice anniversary
celebration about ten years ago, that lasted all summer. They
brought back all the old dj's (well, lots of 'em, like Dex Card
and Clark Webber; not Lujack, who is apparently in seclusion,
or his side-kick, "Little Tommy" Edwards, who apparently dropped
off the face of the earth) and had these great nostalgia sessions.
It wasn't too long after this that the station went to an all-talk
format. At that time, I not only wrote to WLS to protest, but tried
to organize a letter-writing campaign. You can see how successful
it was.
Yeah, I miss 'LS.
j. gardner
wot...@mace.cc.purdue.edu
.
> chris
>
>>
Brenda Lindsay
>
>j...@ebicom.net (John) wrote:
> I grew up in
>>Mississippi about the same time you were growing up in Alabama. I would
>>lay in the bed at night and listen to the great sounds of WLS.
>>
>>
>>I particularly remember New Years' Eve on WLS. It was always full of the
>>years' best music and many artists would call in and talk.
>
>
>I remember those New Years Eve countdowns. Too bad things like that have
>become virtually meaningless nowadays at any radio station. Also, they
>used to have countdowns every night, around 10:00 I believe, of the days
>top songs. I too remember laying in bed listening to WLS - and sometimes
>not getting to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. I also got
>hooked on a talk show out of KDKA in Pittsburgh. - Tom
>
do on the weekends was to drive around and listen to the radio. WLS was
my favorite station. Brenda
Richard T. Colgan
Biondi and Art Roberts well. At 10 p.m. each weekday night, they'd play the
most requested 3 or five songs of the day. Biondi was fired in the middle 60s
for telling what was then considered a dirty joke on the air. Nowadays, the
joke wouldn't even get a laugh, but in its day, it was scandalous.
Since I grew up around Kansas City, I listened to WHB "The World's Happiest
Broadcaster" on 710. In the early 90's they went talk, then country. Too
bad, they played a good mix of top 40 and regional favorites (however, to this
day, I can't stand anything by Bob Kuban and the In-men from St. Louis!!!).
One of my favorite stations was, and still is, KOMA 1520, OKC. BTW, if you
can pick them up, try listening to them on Sunday nights from 9 to 2 (?).
They play lots of oldies that I don't hear anywhere because they weren't top
40 and didn't get that much airplay. Down here, KOMA puts in a marginal
signal, but I listen anyway to hear the oldies. In the 60s, they put a solid
nighttime signal into Manhattan, Kansas (as did WLS).
Another station listened to was KIOA 940, Des Moines, who went country in the
70s, but are now playing oldies. A station in Little Rock (on 1090?) who the
day before they started playing top 40 music in the early 60s, played "Baby
Elephant Walk" for several days straight. Anyone remember the call letters?
There were lots of other stations, but these are the most memorable.
Terry
****************************************************************************
"I've heard the truth. Now, what I want are the facts"
Terry Colgan tco...@mail.eden.com Austin, Texas
****************************************************************************
JimAKing
<Pine.A32.3.91.960104...@srv1.freenet.calgary.ab.ca>,
"Harry S. Anchan" <anc...@freenet.calgary.ab.ca> writes:
>> Does anyone have any taped WLS stuff from the 70's? Just random stuff
>> would be cool. A nice slice of life.
>
>Have some songs and airchecks from 1972 and 1973.
I have the PAMS "Rock of Chicago" and "Solid Rock" jingles from the 70's
and the original "Personality" jingles by the Ray Conniff Singers from the
60's dubbed at WLS studios (not air checks).
"Bells are a-ringin' and we can't quit singin' 'bout wonderful W-L-S.
Ding a ding ding a ding dong."
~ Jim
Harry S. Anchan
>
> I do have all of their jingles from the early days thru the seventies.
>
I love the 1972 version, "Double U elll es".
-- Harry
Robert W. Northcott
James Gardner <wot...@mace.cc.purdue.edu> wrote:
> Sure do. (It's "Lujack" btw.) If you can find it, read his
> book from his glory days, _SuperJock_. Quite a slice o' life.
> In fact, if you can find a copy of Lujack's book, please let
> me know--I'd love to own a copy.
>
I agree, this is a great book. Unfortunately I lent my copy to someone
about 20 years ago and never saw it again. I haven't seen one since
either. I never got a chance to hear him but that book sure made me want
to.
Where in North Carolina did Dick Biondi go? I heard most of the Am
stations in the state at some point but I dont' remember him being down
here. When was it?
Speaking of Chicago radio, some of my most memorable Sunday nights were
spent listening to WCFL from 6-9 (or maybe it was 7-10; we're an hour
behind) to Ron Brittan (sp?) and his "Subterranean Circus" where he
showcased the best of "underground" rock, during the late 60s-early 70s.
Me and all my pals in jr. high would get together before school Monday
morning on the blacktop and discuss what great stuff we had heard the
night before. It was the first place I heard "Abbey Road" and "Led Zep
II" (both pre-release) and lost of other great stuff. DOes anyone know
where Ron Brittan is now? The story my friends and I heard (I don't
remember from where) is that he came in too high one night and got fired.
Man that was a long time ago. What memories!!
Tracy E. Carman
> and the original "Personality" jingles by the Ray Conniff Singers from the
> 60's dubbed at WLS studios (not air checks).
>
> "Bells are a-ringin' and we can't quit singin' 'bout wonderful W-L-S.
> Ding a ding ding a ding dong."
>
> ~ Jim
Jim....
I'd love to get a dub of the Conniff WLS jingles. What format do you have them
in? Also... what do you want in trade?! I had access to the six 'working
masters' of the Rock Of Chicago package, but never bothered to dub them.
Let me know......
-TC
----
o/~ Mu-sic.... That's our middle name. o/~
-PAMS Series 31
Kim Fosbe
>BTW, Biondi still jokes about getting kicked off WLS and going to
>North Carolina for remarks he made.
>Anyone remember what he said?
>How about some others, Clark Weber, Barney Pip, Bob Sirott,
> Ron Dillon
When I was in my teens, I lived in Cairo and every once in a while
it would come in good. This was in the 70's. I remember Yvonne
Daniels and John something at night.
My brother, well, half-brother, stepbrother, was much older than me
and he told how Dick Biondi got thrown off for telling an old semi-
dirty joke. Something about a couple at a baseball game where he
kisses her on the strikes and she kisses him on the balls. I think
the joke is more stupid than dirty.
kris hughes
Wow! This thread has really brought back some good memories. I grew up
in West Michigan and WLS was my baby. I listened to it from the late
sixties through the seventies. I don't remember some of the people
mentioned because I thik I was to younb. I sure remember Bob Sirott
though and Fred Winston, J.J. Jeffreys, John Landecker (sp) at night and
of course, Larry Lujack. I first heard him on CFL though if I'm not
mistaken. I listened to both of them quite a bit. Those were indeed
the days of wonderful radio, and as someone said earlier, what energy!
Kris
: In
Harry S. Anchan
> though and Fred Winston, J.J. Jeffreys, John Landecker (sp) at night and
Aaaaah! Almost forgot the energetic Fred Winston. Wonder where he is...
Landecker...the spelling is right. I have J.J.Jeffrey's aircheck from
1972. WHAT a set of pipes!!
Tracy E. Carman
> find musical IDs for WNEW that Spike Jones made in 1957. The Jones
> family tried to get a copy in 1965 and was told they had been erased,
> even at that time.
>
> -Ted Hering
> Redding, California
Unfortunately, radio stations and other media organizations forget their roots.
We had one radio station program director here in the sixties (actually for
around 20 years) who maticulasly saved everything. Every contest promo, every
local promotion were carefully added to a series of 10.5" reels and clearly
labeled for posterity. You could go back through twenty years of promotions,
promos, jingles, et. al. right through the reels.
Then... the station was sold. The new owner came in and said ''We're going to
make new radio history'' and slid the massive volume of tapes off the shelfs
into the trash can/dumpster. These tapes, which represented the early careers
of people who moved into major markets and became household names are now in
the bottom of a land-fill somewhere.
Unfortunately... this is not the exception... but the rule. New owners come
in, automate and distroy/trash the stations heritage. Sorry if I sound like
I'm on a soapbox... but I am.
We've managed to rescue over 700 hours of radio station ID jingles,
commercials, et. al. from the threat of extinction. Having been archiving the
materials for the last several years, I can vouch for the pain-staking efforts
of around a dozen people across the country who truly care about these
materials and have 'put there money where their mouths are' to help preserve
these archives.
I wish more people would do more.
Tracy E. Carman, Director
Media Preservation Foundation
Lorna Clark
Carolina about twenty years ago.
-Larry Lloyd
Harry S. Anchan
> Then... the station was sold. The new owner came in and said ''We're going to
> make new radio history'' and slid the massive volume of tapes off the shelfs
> into the trash can/dumpster. These tapes, which represented the early careers
> of people who moved into major markets and became household names are now in
> the bottom of a land-fill somewhere.
>
> Unfortunately... this is not the exception... but the rule. New owners come
> in, automate and distroy/trash the stations heritage. Sorry if I sound like
> I'm on a soapbox... but I am.
Tracy,
These owners are looking at a radio station as strictly a business or a
tax write-off. Shame.:( I wish more folks who truly appreciate music
would get into the ownership business.
Anyone for starting one?!!
>
> We've managed to rescue over 700 hours of radio station ID jingles,
> commercials, et. al. from the threat of extinction. Having been archiving the
> materials for the last several years, I can vouch for the pain-staking efforts
> of around a dozen people across the country who truly care about these
> materials and have 'put there money where their mouths are' to help preserve
> these archives.
>
> I wish more people would do more.
>
> Tracy E. Carman, Director
> Media Preservation Foundation
>
Thanks for all you're currently doing. Feels good there's someone out
there who is actually helping to preserve radio heritage...those were
the Golden Years of Radio, and I hope generations in the future never
forget it.
Regards.
Ted Hering
-> 70's and the original "Personality" jingles by the Ray Conniff
-> Singers from the 60's dubbed at WLS studios (not air checks).
->
-> "Bells are a-ringin' and we can't quit singin' 'bout wonderful W-L-S.
-> Ding a ding ding a ding dong."
Kim Fosbe
>Along this line, anybody remember CKLW out of Windsor, Ontario?
Yeah, but it only came in good every so often. I was soooo fascinated
that it was "C" and not "K" or "W".
Harry S. Anchan
"C" because it is Canadian. "K" because it is in the Eastern U.S. "W"
because it is in the Western U.S.
Mike Callahan
writes:
>Anyone know where Art Robers, Ron Riley et al
>are?
In 1982, I tracked down all the Chicago deejays I could find and did
extensive interviews with them. I had hoped to do a book, but I haven't
had time. Joel Sebastian died shortly after I talked to him in the
summer of '82. I recently heard that Barney Pipp has also died. Art
Roberts left Chicago to go to Milwaukee and had a country show up there
for several years (closing: "This has been a work of Art. Excelsior.").
He later (late '80s) moved to California and retired from the radio
business and got into some sort of financial planning career. Ron Riley
moved to Baltimore after his Chicago gig, and for several years was on
the radio there, where he was also program director of an AM-FM
station. In hois spare time, he did TV (Bowling for Dollars, weather,
etc.). He now works for Channel 8 here in the Washington, DC area as a
weatherman. In fact, I saw him on the air today.
Re: the Biondi joke. I did not hear it, but the day after he went off
the air, a neighbor of mine told me that he suddenly left the air and
nothing replaced him for a while. I lived in Chicago at the time, and
it was big news. My neighbor told me (this was the next day, remember,
not years and legends later) that the joke was "Knock knock. Who's
there? Wilma. Wilma who? Wilma finger do till I get my pants down?"
I've never been able to verify this, however, and nobody's talking or
seems to have an aircheck of that evening.
Mike Callahan
Both Sides Now Publications
BJ
>From: TOM CRANFIELD <tomcra...@mci.newscorp.com>
>Subject: Any WLS Radio Fans Out There?
>Date: 3 Jan 1996 00:47:16 GMT
>From the mid-60's to 1980 I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (age 13 to 27).
>I could pick up WLS in Chicago some nights, since it was 50,000 watts,
>clear channel. It was a real treat when it was coming in loud and clear.
>Too bad it went to an all talk format several years ago. I wish it had
>gone into an oldies format instead. Anyone else grow up on top 40 on WLS?
Count me among the fans.
I used to listen (in a small town in Eastern PA) to Dick Biondi on WLS late
winter nights, and got inspired to become a DJ myself. Other major clear
channel rockers we all enjoyed (at least East of the Mississippi) were WABC,
CKLW, WOWO and WKBW. They made '60s music real.
Those were truly great stations that contributed so damn much to the culture
of rock music. Those jocks were the best.
Ellis Bromberg
>I believe that the specifics are that all U.S. stations EAST of the
>Mississippi River begin with "W" (except one!), and all U.S. stations which
>are WEST of the Mississippi begin with the letter "K". The ONE exception is
>the first commercial U.S. radio station: KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA. As I
>understand it, this station was allowed to keep its "K" designation because it
>was the first commercial station in the U.S.
Sorry, Peter...as several folks have noted, it's more than just one station
that breaks the mold.
I wonder if we can come up with a complete list of all the oddities, Here are
those that come to (my) mind in addition to KDKA/Pittsburgh:
Eastern K stations
KYW/Philadelphia
KQV/Pittsburgh
Western W stations
WCCO/Minneapolis
WDAF/Kansas City
WHB/Kansas City
WNAX/Yankton, SD
WFAA/Dallas
WRR/Dallas
WBAP/Fort Worth
WEW/St. Louis
WIL/St. Louis
(Should we take this over to the radio newsgroup??)
Ellis Bromberg Phone: (217) 333-1070
Station Manager FAX: (217) 244-6386
WILL-TV Internet: brom...@uiuc.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Peter J. Constantine
Mississippi River begin with "W" (except one!), and all U.S. stations which
are WEST of the Mississippi begin with the letter "K". The ONE exception is
the first commercial U.S. radio station: KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA. As I
understand it, this station was allowed to keep its "K" designation because it
was the first commercial station in the U.S.
Peter J. Constantine
Senior Examiner
DATA DISCOVERY
"Forensics For The Information Age"
Harry S. Anchan
> Oklahoma, of course, has its cold winters, but I recall weather reports
> of sub-zero temperatures and the cold winds that blow across Lake
> Michigan, as reported on WLS. Brrrr . . . that's cold.
>
> Again, thanks for the WLS deja vu.
>
>
No, Nestor. Here just before Christmas we had -37 C to -45 C weather
with thigh-high blowing snow. With the wind chill factor taken it...well,
that's cold.:(((( Why, I saw a dog frozen to a fire hydrant!
Regards.
Tracy E. Carman
> -> From: Dave Polakowski <Dave_Po...@hp-loveland-om10.om.hp.com>
> -> BTW, are there any other "exceptions" besides KDKA in Pittsburg and
> -> WOAI in San Antonio? And why are these stations different?
>
> Yes, WFAA and WBAP are both Texas stations.
>
>
You forgot KYW in Philadelphia... formerly in Cleveland, I believe. Also,
there's KQV in Pittsburgh.
-TC
Kim Fosbe
>>I believe that the specifics are that all U.S. stations EAST of the
>>Mississippi River begin with "W" (except one!), and all U.S. stations which
>>are WEST of the Mississippi begin with the letter "K". The ONE exception is
>>the first commercial U.S. radio station: KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA. As I
>>understand it, this station was allowed to keep its "K" designation because it
>>was the first commercial station in the U.S.
Well, there's WOW here in Omaha, and we're west of the Mississippi, but
I think all the others are "K". There's WHB in Kansas City, and Wsomthing
in Des Moines.