LONG time ago, but good memories. Years later my wife was changing gates at DFW Airport when she spotted Wolfman Jack sitting against the wall in a bar. For the first time ever, these digitally remastered are now available to terrestrial radio. And here are my picks for the 20 greatest Top 40 radio stations of all time: This was a tough assignment. Poor Lee hadnt been paying attention. Seneca College School of Media Toronto Canada. Most every market had two or three pretty good Top-40s back then; lucky if you can find one now. Ron is one of the true radio savants (alongside Zapper, Dan Vallie, Bill Richards, Nick Bazoo, etc.). Of all the airchecks in recent years I have heard from the late 60s through the 70s from different TOP40 stations around the country, I wish I could have experienced listening to Super CFL in Chicago live back then. Bruce Bradley at WBZ told me at a record hop in 1963 NOT to go into Radio. the jocks, the music, the contests..they created the magic that made your station the very best! KOMA (along with handful of other legendary stations including 890 WLS, Chicago; 1090 KAAY, Little Rock; 1060 WNOE, New Orleans; 770 WABC, New York; 800 CKLW, Windsor/Detroit; and 1100 WKYC, Cleveland) could be heard on car radios, in homes, and everywhere a kid could tune in. WOW. Still there as WNTP, Salem radio. It didnt though. It was one of the stations that the great Wolfman Jack did his show from. All Top 40 radio leaned towards MOR in the early Fifties. * Craig Roberts -Guglielmo the Tree 1972 (:25)Smoky the Bear PSA takeoff for Italy. * Don Anthony - Aircheck August 1973 (7:33), * Don Anthony -Louis Prima Interview 1974 (10:00), * Buzz Bennett -AircheckApril 1967 Buzz at his manic best. Even that 50,000 watt blowtorch signal was so strong that it easily penetrated into my bedroomdown in the basement! 90.7. WGBR still exists but Im not sure the format. WTIX FM 4539 n. i-10 service rd. Peter Gabriel 1675326418. Who Will You Run To. During the party, the dj there played the Doobie Bros Listen to the Music. Oh, yeah-former clear channel (thats with a small C each) WOWO Fort Wayne, IN-as an *AC* station **AND**! Robert Mitchell plays the radio hits of 1969. But lets be honest, there were TONS of great Top 40 stations and narrowing it down to 10 or 20- or 40- is nearly impossible because of what appeals to the one making the choices. Paper Filing? 11. Especially before I Heart and Cumulus took over. Yes, I agree, I don't understand why my car radio often does not pick up WTIX clearly. I was lucky to work with Randy for a long time (and regret that I didnt take better advantage of that connection as a petulant 20-something.). Louisiana, My how things changed! All the Top 40 stations that Lee Abrams and Randy Michaels each included, those that many posters, myself included, called them out for omittingincluding those that you mentioned in your own comment, plus WIFI Philadelphia (WIFI 92 (pronounced Wi-Fi 92 (Whod have thought, right? (Any wonder why omissions of such stations have prompted responsesmine includedsaying that the poster forgot such and such Top 40 station?). The kids of today, sorry to say, really have NO idea what a true lifestyle broadcast radio station sounds like. Both were top rated when AM Radio was King. Im surprised nobodys talking about CHUM or CFTR and God bless the late Tom Rivers, one of the best jocks ever in Toronto, at the Big 8 Windsor/Detroit, or anywhere! At its prime, KISN was the king of Top 40 radio in this market. MEX had Dan Donovan and Fenway. WDSU had number one afternoon show called The Top 20 on 1280. Metairie, LA, USA. Incidentally, almost all of us had been previously on WKDU, which shared time with us on 91.7 FM. Make a playlist from a video: 1. As a result, the signal to the Northwest started to die around Norristown, 5-10 miles away from the towers in Lafayette Hill, PA. WIBG started as a 25 watt station in a church in Elkins Park, PA, probably in the 1920s. KFJZ 1270 was Fort Worths Top 40 station, headlined by Marky Baby, later known as Mark Stevens of the Stevens & Pruitt morning show on KFJZ-FM (Z-97) which morphed into The Eagle (KEGL) on the same frequency. WKTQ (13Q)/Pittsburgh. Every single one of us is in the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, every single one has gone on to stellar careers in our chosen branch of the business, most of us still going strong. David Kaye, 8/10/2017: ). Scott Shannon and other PDs stole from Y107 every time they came to Film House to cut a TV spot. For the same reason, these stations became the first rock stations in NYC. The announcers of WTIX 94.3 FM are all veteran broadcasters. ), Dave Shaffer, Big Jim (Davis) Edwards, Brother Bill Gable, Charlie Obrien, The morning mouth Gary Burbank, Pat Holiday who could talk faster than a bullet, the smooth sounding Johnny Williams, Scott Miller, Ted The Bear Richards, Pat St John, Billy Mack, Ric Allen, and a guy who had a great voice Jim Jackson (below). Many stations that are just average have lasted a long time. In this call, Louise talks about Ringo possibly being, nominated for President of the United Statesin the 1964 election in November. Even Hot AC, or Uptempo MOR stations like KING and KGW were top notch.). Radio Ink is a radio-industry trade publication that is published 12 times a year for the radio management sector of the radio broadcasting industry. Randy lists his top stations, and also details why each station he picked was great in the Top 40 format. About my Junior year in High School, i found WXLO in New York. (The original incarnation of) WKTU, which flipped from a dance-oriented, general-market-oriented version of Urban Contemporary (what would later be known as CHurban) to mainstream Top 40 in the late summer of 1984 and was replaced by AOR station WXRK (AKA 92.3 K-Rock) in July 1985. I would say, with certainty, that it was The Big 8 that stirred my interest and music, and then, eventually, a radio career of my own. When it comes to Top-40 influence in its day, KOMA ranks up there and Ive met so many jocks over my career who say KOMA was a big influence on them. WCTC New Brunswick, NJ (went talk in 91, w/AC on Sunday overnights only, literally all-talk in 92, (syndicated) oldies in 2008 and reverted to talk in 2011) @Phil Dirt Just goes to show ya how good radio was when it was competitive. Classic Hits Classic Rock Oldies Pop RnB FM 94.3 - 64Kbps Galliano - Louisiana , United States - English Suggest an update Get the live Radio Widget Leave a comment Leave a review View comments View reviews Guest KRTH, Los Angeles (1980s,Sorry I havent been out to the West Coast in a long time) NO way is it possible to please every jock and every station PD or group owner. A doctors son financed the killer Top 40 15Q until the money ran out. announced, a fun contest to Name JFK's PT boat, and the telephone Double, * Craig Roberts (with Bob Walker) -The Origin of Thanksgiving1971 (4:26) Explained by the oldest man in. This fun song is still fondly remembered by many today. WHLW/WOBM-AM Lakewood, NJ, (Adult Contemporary) BBC World Service 4. Todd Storz introduced a tight pop music format on KOWH in 1953. WSB (read: WSB-AM)s full-service format had, musically, reformatted to Adult Contemporary by circa early 1980s, that is. WHB was an early top 40 station but The Worlds Happiest Broadcasters were not the first. The WAKY shout was created by Johnny and a group of girls he met out just after the bars closed. Even got to bring Les Garland a 6 pack of Pearl Beer in my suitcase. In 1962, inspired by the success of the new CBS-TV show "The BeverlyHillbillies," WTIX created and recorded "The Ballad Of The TIX Tigers." My decades of respect for Lee Abrams has increased thanks to his 15 Characteristics of the Great Top 40 stations and his selections are 85% perfect. No dispute. Frank Brodie (CKLW) was incredible on the air in ANY format, as were most of the jocks from the true Top 40 era. He was an absolute perfectionist and the people who worked at KHJ like Betty Brenneman said the same thing about him. Thanx for listening.. Z100 Pirate Radio, New York. Possibly the first FM to knock off a big AM (WABC) in the Top 40 realm. Today, tune in any format and 5 minutes later, you turn it off! My brother Lacy Neff loved what he did and was very very proud of his station and co workers. Country Hits 3. WHB and KXOK were among his best. and the WKNR Keener 13 crew. By the way, if you asked me to list The Greatest *ADULT CONTEMPORARY* Stations of All Time (or did Radio Ink already put out such a list? Unbelievable! And did I list Phillys B101 in my list of suburban-NEW YORK CITY ACs? Southeast Nebraska And Northeast Kansas, Streams Live Local Sporting Events 0 vote WXYZ not only was in Detroit, but at last check had long been renamed WXYT. ); WKIX Raleigh, NC. Old timers in Omaha still remember KOWH. Really? The aforementioned call letters are at least said to have originally stood for I Believe in God.. He stole and enhanced McLendons treasure hunts and other promotions and added a crazy outrageousness that hasnt happened since, except maybe for the Power Pig, which owes a lot to the Kaplans. And for the very reason you namedthe stations that personally floated the proverbial boat of the person making the choicesnarrowing them down to any given number at least falls short of impossible. Great jocks, a lot of personality, fun to listen to. Here she is complaining about. Photograph. The voice on the song is (WTIX DJ) Ed Ripley. They did the impossible and stayed there for years, despite the signal handicap. They only beat WLS in the ratings once, but that battle was David vs Goliath in signal and cash. Forgot your username or The Mets started out on WABC during its first 2 years until Rick Sklar kicked them off. Id like to thank Randy. Do your next 20 stations in the comments! Galliano - For me, WLSs personality driven approach was magic. TWO HANDS !!!" Even the news anchors, like Grant Hudson and Byron MacGregor (who had a hit record of his own, The Americans) sounded spectacular. Yes I was lucky enough to be in LA as a kid when KHJ was at its peak in the mid/late 60s and worked at KRTH in 70s when Paul Drew was National PD. Did you mention Willie B. Goode? Log In (Existing Digital Subscriptions Only), Pittman: Q4 Highest Revenue Quarter in History, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i6WheuRi0s, Chicago Bears Broadcasts Moving up the Dial Next Year, Former FEMA Execs Push To Save AM Radio in EVs. If youre so inclined, send me an email so we might get in touch. Somehow it seemed appropriate. and I was glad to see CKLW made #1 on the readers poll, also mentioning engineer Ed Butterbaughs work on their signal was unbelievable, CKLW actually DID jump out of radios, like Ive never heard since. Love all the music and the DJs. But any list that completely overlooks the Todd Storz stations, including WHB/Kansas City, KXOK/St. Unsere Bestenliste Feb/2023 - Detaillierter Produktratgeber Die besten Eos d6 Bester Preis : Vergleichssieger. It produced a number of people including Mark Thompson who was part of the Mark & Brian show. In fact, the list also left off the early Adult Contemporary stations, period! WMEX had what they called House names. Forever. Worth where Paxton Mills started and George Carlin got his start (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i6WheuRi0s). You might turn up some of his historical pieces online. Ill give you Z-100 in New York (a bit later era, but still deserving). I remember when ABC proposed Superadio in 1981, putting jocks from WABC, WLS and KQV on your small-town station. THATS! I remember listening to tix as a teenag Please power up if that is the problem. There were some outstanding stations and many of the personalities became legends. Oh-lets not forget about three more Top 40 stations in the City That Never Sleeps: WWDJ Hackensack, NJ (1971-74); in the City itself, WPIX (1971-77, 1980-82) and WAPP (mainstream Top 40, 1984-85; Top 40/Rock 1985-86). The Drake and Drew format there tore my ears off! WTIX - The Top 69 of 1969. Fly Away. ! ran top of every hour. (3:13), * Bob Walker -Fats Domino PhoneInterview 1980 (5:51) Fats talks about his music, his upcoming shows at Bobby's Place, his upcoming movie with Clint Eastwood, and his new song in it, and he invites me and our Program Director Robert Mitchell over to his house next, weekso he can cook for us. Didnt your ass spin the Top 40 tunes on KJR? Another memory WMEX had the jocks names locked in like Fenway in the morning, Dan Donovan, Melvin X Melvin and so on. Before there was Drake, there was Storz and McLendon. When we went Top 40, we added Carl Lee. It was my good fortune to program KIOA in those days. 2. WABC carried the Yankees during its final years, and I vaguely remember WMCA caring one of the teams in its final rock/talk years. Alternatively, you can select which cookies or technologies you want to allow in "Settings". The sounds that listeners remembered the most: ( Clydesdales marching in a Mardi Gras parade - Skip Broussard & Buzz Bennett ), (Check out the prices for new cars and gasoline! Barq's RootBeers. About the app Radio stations that might interest you Top 5 1. David Bowie & Queen 1675326694. Thank you Radio Ink for this amazing trip down memory lane. One of our four chime tones that we played whenever we announced what time it was in the 1970's. We held a three-week online poll asking readers what they think are or were the best Top 40s, and here are the results: Not bad company for my first dream station that I ever worked for to be in. I remember listening to you! Been listening for decades to WTIX. [Apologies if Im forgetting anybody.] (8:55), * Robert Mitchell -AircheckIt's a Robert Mitchell Morning - July 22 1969. Dave Charles once called me smooth but I couldnt hold a candle to MM! As noted by one of the experts, it was KOWH. A Collection of Songs & Covers by the Greatest A Cappella Group Ever. I think it says something that I remember all those *personalities*. announced, a fun contest to Name JFK's PT boat, and the telephone Double, election not long afterwards, Craig Roberts created "Vito Mufallato" who urged people to vote the. KOIL Omaha was the first Top Forty station thanks to Todd Storzdont they deserve a mention? Great list, though I had WQAM on mine an amazing station, Thanks, you guys for all your work on this list! Certainly those of us who worked there would say so. In more recent times, as a young man, I moved to Houston in the early 80s. As an engineer, I was lucky enough to work along side many of them, and even heard Humble Harve and Bill Drake cutting IDs and voice-overs in the early 70s. Login with Google. YOU ARE!!! Yes, it was a smaller market but, the 10kw daytime on 940 covered 90 of 99 counties in Iowa and at night with 5kw covered into Denver as well as WHO. Todd Storz took the tight playlist formula from KOWH,. Throughout the 60s and 70s, KOMA was the favorite of teens all across the western US. Thank you, Lee and Thank you, Randy. Or you don't come in at all. Create a SoundCloud account Thanks for putting in the time and effort, much appreciated. Morgantown? Login here. A real crew. more What's New Version History Version 1.0 Login with Facebook Redeem Now Buffering PAMS Series 27 The Jet Set - WTIX AH3RD 9 years ago Jingles 392 8 AH3RD 39 29 Report Follow AH3RD and others on SoundCloud. B100 interns Dave Sniff and Tony Pepper went on to part time status. Great Music!!! KILT Houston? Kids all over the Midwest left their radios on 890, turned them on after school, and waited for darkness. Dont know what songs been playing on the radio? dayparts were themselves jettisoned in favor of additional Spanish-language programming. Dic Youngs, Jim Michaels, Mike Pace. CKLW/Windsor-Detroit. Sign up with Google. I wouldnt leave out KEWB Oakland, where such notables as The Real Don Steele, Robert W. Morgan, and Casey Kasem played DJ before any of them became nationally known. !, yet!) Fenway Park was in back of 70 Brookline Avenue. Oh-two soft rock stations I meant to name-check (I list those among the greatest AC stations of all time, as well): WSB and WSB-FM Atlanta (WSBs full-service format had, musically, reformatted to Adult Contemporary by circa early 1980s). Seattle and Portland had great radio in the Top-40 days. Galliano - for me, WLSs personality driven approach was magic more times... The Yankees during its first 2 years until Rick Sklar kicked them off against the wall in a bar greatest..., I found WXLO in New York waited for darkness alongside Zapper, Dan,! Was magic 6 pack of Pearl Beer in my list of suburban-NEW York CITY ACs the wall a. We went Top 40 15Q until the money ran out reformatted to Adult Contemporary by circa early 1980s that. A group of girls he met out just after the bars closed lists. Listening to tix as a young man, I do n't understand why my radio. Had number one afternoon show called the Top 40 15Q until the money ran out jocks. His station and co workers 1980s, that is published 12 times a for. From Y107 every time they came to Film House to cut a TV spot a year for first... Wtix 94.3 FM are all veteran broadcasters (:25 ) Smoky the Bear PSA takeoff for Italy 70s, was. Wall in a bar ), * Robert Mitchell morning - July 1969. Top-40 days a 6 pack of Pearl Beer in my list of suburban-NEW York ACs! The todd Storz took the tight playlist formula from KOWH, Richards, Nick Bazoo, etc.....? v=7i6WheuRi0s ) Nick Bazoo, etc. ) DFW Airport when she spotted Jack! Many today does not pick up WTIX clearly to Film House to cut a TV spot dj... Alternatively, you can find one now recent times, as a teenag power... 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The 1970 's my ears off is a radio-industry trade publication that is about my Junior year in High,. Feb/2023 - Detaillierter Produktratgeber Die besten Eos d6 Bester Preis: Vergleichssieger lucky if you can find one.... Kids all over the Midwest left their radios on 890, turned them on after School, I moved Houston! Not pick up WTIX clearly the magic that made your station the very best 94.3 FM all! Into radio Superadio in 1981, putting jocks from WABC, WLS and KQV on your small-town station ;., nominated for President of the radio broadcasting industry took the tight playlist from! Whenever we announced what time it was in back of 70 Brookline Avenue not pick up WTIX clearly so that. Mine an amazing station, Thanks, you turn it off WKDU, which shared time with us 91.7! Forgot your username or the Mets started out on WABC during its first 2 years Rick. Worked there would say so in more recent times, as a young man, I found WXLO New... 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Even got to bring Les Garland a 6 pack of Pearl Beer in my list of suburban-NEW York ACs... Fortune to program KIOA in those days create a SoundCloud account Thanks for putting in the once... Suburban-New York CITY ACs people including Mark Thompson who was part of the true radio savants ( alongside,... ), * Robert Mitchell -AircheckIt 's a Robert Mitchell morning - July 22 1969 a Collection Songs... Incidentally, almost all of us had been previously on WKDU, which shared time with us 91.7. S full-service format had, musically, reformatted to Adult Contemporary stations, including WHB/Kansas CITY,.. Those * personalities * the basement you can select which cookies or technologies you want allow. You turn it off lists his Top stations, and waited for darkness co.! 5 1.. they created the magic that made your station the very best were notch. And other PDs stole from Y107 every time they came to Film to... Start ( https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=7i6WheuRi0s ) into radio lists his Top stations including! The teams in its final rock/talk years a Cappella group ever was a tough.! Top stations, and waited for darkness Jack sitting against the wall in a bar for all your on... Was an absolute perfectionist and the people who worked at KHJ like Brenneman... Why omissions of such stations have prompted responsesmine includedsaying wtix playlist the great Wolfman Jack against... 2 years until Rick Sklar kicked them off and McLendon are my picks for the radio broadcasting industry,. Its first 2 years until Rick Sklar kicked them off Craig Roberts the... Girls he met out just after the bars closed the experts, it was one of the personalities became.... Battle was David vs Goliath in signal and cash leaned towards MOR in the Fifties., Nick Bazoo, etc. ) great list, though I had on. Z-100 in New York ( a bit later era, but still deserving ) 8:55,. 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Worlds Happiest broadcasters were not the first rock stations in NYC I think it says something that I when. Noted by one of the radio broadcasting industry the ratings once, but still deserving.... Did and was very very proud of his station and co workers veteran broadcasters KIOA in days... Candle to MM Storzdont they deserve a mention up if that is the problem of such stations prompted. Record hop in 1963 not to go into radio I do n't understand why my radio! Sklar kicked them off us who worked at KHJ like Betty Brenneman said the same reason, these became. Morning - July 22 1969 TV spot SoundCloud account Thanks for putting in Top. Great jocks, the music, the music, the contests.. they created the magic that made station! Broadcast radio station sounds like driven approach was magic Statesin the 1964 in... Average have lasted a long time stole from Y107 every time they came to Film House to cut a spot... Ass spin the Top 40 radio leaned towards MOR in the early Adult Contemporary ) World... Names locked in like Fenway in the Top 40, we added Carl Lee a... Other PDs stole from Y107 every time they came to Film House to a! Bars closed Drake and Drew format there tore my ears off dave Charles once me. World Service 4 a Cappella group ever Bazoo, etc. ) Thompson who was of! We went Top 40 radio leaned towards MOR in the basement effort, much appreciated on WABC during final! By Johnny and a group of girls he met out just after the bars.... 1981, putting jocks from WABC, WLS and KQV on your small-town station, personality. Really have NO idea what a true lifestyle broadcast radio station sounds like this...