Category: Radio

No Static at All – 1

Something I failed to spot in 2015 was the 50th anniversary of the Master FM Antenna installation on top of the Empire State Building. There was a light show, commemorating the date, synchronized to Steely Dan’s “FM”.

The song was from the 1978 movie of the same name.

Ironically or not, we played “FM” on the AM station where I worked. In 1978, for a $15/week raise, I became a one-man news department, like Les Nessman on the fictitious AM station WKRP in Cincinatti, which premiered that same year. Loni Anderson was a breakout star on the show, but for me the one to watch was Jan Smithers.

https://youtu.be/gHNHj6Kg5gs?t=1094

The DJ Who Played VJ

Dick Biondi’s family has announced that he died last week, on June 26, at age 90. On February 23, 1963, Biondi was the first American DJ to play a Beatles record, a full year before they came here. Biondi was on WLS in Chicago, home of VJ, the only record label that wanted the Beatles.

https://www.beatle.net/biondi-announcing-please-please-me/

Biondi’s passing will make Sunday’s showing of a new documentary about his life bittersweet.

https://www.dickbiondifilm.com/

From WABC to WRKO

Rewound Radio is playing Musicradio WABC airchecks from the ’60’s and 70’s for its Memorial Day Weekend programming.

Click to go to Rewound Radio

As I have said here many times, WABeatleC was the sound of my childhood in Connecticut. Listening to WABC was my inspiration for wanting to work in radio when I grew up.

After my family moved to Massachusetts, I listened to WRKO in Boston on my bedside GE AM radio. Here are some RKO airchecks from my peak years of listening to the station, before buying my first stereo and tuning the Pioneer SX-440 receiver to WBCN FM. At one point, a bit of a commercial with WABC’s Dan Ingram can be heard.

Hanks’ Two-Fer Thursday

This morning, Tom Hanks will be wearing a mortarboard at Harvard’s commencement ceremonies.

https://www.harvard.edu/in-focus/celebrating-the-class-of-2023/

Video of Tom’s speech will certainly be available later, but until then he can be heard today at 1 PM ET, wearing his DJ cap on Boss Radio 66.

Here’s a convenient player to use.