WNEW in New York! I still think about them. And when we moved to Florida WQSR Quad 102.5 in Sarasota! Both ruled my seventies childhood.
What were the radio stations of your youth that helped you on your music/audio journey?
I am older so my radio stations of influence were in their prime during the British invasion and many, many American singers and groups.
The stations I listen to the most were WLS out of Chicago, KIOA out of Des Moines, KAAY out of Little Rock, Arkansas and KOMA out of Oklahama. When I was in the Air Froce I had a few stations near the main base I was stationed at outside of Rapid City, S.D.
Of course systems and better and better systems and FM became the dominate source for broadcast/online music. I did learn much of what I liked and eventually purchased through early radio listening.
I still listen to radio mainly for Jazz stations and NPR news.
The stations I listen to the most were WLS out of Chicago, KIOA out of Des Moines, KAAY out of Little Rock, Arkansas and KOMA out of Oklahama. When I was in the Air Froce I had a few stations near the main base I was stationed at outside of Rapid City, S.D.
Of course systems and better and better systems and FM became the dominate source for broadcast/online music. I did learn much of what I liked and eventually purchased through early radio listening.
I still listen to radio mainly for Jazz stations and NPR news.
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Chicago in the70’s was awesome (and the 90’s) WXRT still a good station have listened since their beginning TRIAD RADIO part time at night. Huge influence on my taste THE FOX WJKL ELGIN. great station very low power signal. In the 90’S THE BEAR. Did not lsat long but a great station nonetheless All these stations were ahead of their time and had an tremendous influence on my musical tastes |
Beaker Street with Clyde Clifford. Was born and raised in Iowa. HUGE plastic AM radio with the big carbon battery. From the wiki: The first underground music program broadcast regularly on a commercial AM radio station in the central US. The station’s signal carried far and wide. In early 1967 Beaker Street was a staple for adherents to the burgeoning underground communities in the upper Mid-West especially in Des Moines, Iowa, where it was the only access to Dr. Demento and Firesign Theatre. Lasted until 1972. I was 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_Street |
Not a radio station but a Philadelphia program called Folklore with Gene Shay began in the mid 1960s on Sunday evenings although it moved from station to station over the decades. I aleays loved folk music and Gene was at the forefront of the genre often introducing later to be great performers before they ever recorded. How many of you knew about the duo Chuck and Joanie Mitchell and the list goes on and on. |
KISW-FM 99.9, seattle- progressive rock station that veered amazingly far into frothy pop. this was back in the glory days of album-oriented rock and they would play the whole album. it was where i first heard the rick wakeman album, "rhapsodies" [very late-70s cheesy synths]. KING-FM 98.1, seattle- back in the 70s a "progressive" classical and jazz station, at night they’d play jazz. it is where i was first exposed to Canadian bandleader rob mcconnell. KLAY-FM 106.1, tacoma- a progressive/new-wave station where i first heard those kinds of tunes, where i first heard punk, late 70s. KNBR-680AM- san francisco, late 70s then a progressive news station, where i first heard left-wing politics. i heard this station via atmospheric "skip" for the first time. KSL-AM 1160, back in the 70s the originator of a late night call-in talk show called "Nightcaps" hosted by herb jepko. very laid-back informal format, adult in a very calm way. reasoned discourse. i miss it. |
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I was lucky to in the late 1960’s live within reception of the San Francisco stations. On AM were KYA and KEWB (it’s sister station in Los Angeles was KFWB). Then in 1967 Tom Donahue---one of the KYA disc jockeys and co-owner of Autumn Records, home of The Beau Brummels---launched the first "underground" FM Rock ’n Roll station in the U.S.A.---KMPX. The station was staffed by renegades (as opposed to the fast-talking "Key kids!" AM jockeys), the playlist not 45 RPM singles, but LP cuts, or whole LP sides, or even entire LP’s. When Sgt. Pepper was released they played the complete LP non-stop. In 1968 (iirc) some problem developed between the station owner(s) and Donahue, who took his staff and relocated to KSAN radio, which continued the free-form programming style. A VERY influential station, copied all over the U.S.A. |
"I grew up in Florida, so I used to surf the late night airwaves of pirate radio hundreds of miles away. Don't remember any of the call letters." One of those might have been WMUM (Mother) in Lake Worth. Around 1970. First night I listened to them they played the just released "In The Wake Of Poseidon" in its entirety, no breaks. Awesome. |
Glad to see quite a few members influenced by Chicago radio stations. In the early and mid 70s, a time brokered station in Chicago, WXFM, had a show on Monday through Friday, 8 PM to midnight, called Triad Radio. The music was way beyond the rock and pop of the early 70s. I got my first taste of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Frank Zappa, Can, Kraftwerk, Babe Ruth, IF, Aphrodites Child, PFM, Heartsfield, Faust, Magma and so much more. Each month a "schedule" was published showing some of what would be played each day. The schedule was called the Triad Radio Guide and it was available at sponsors of Triad Radio. I still have a few copies of the Triad Guide and they are pushing almost 50 years old. It's fun to look at them every now and then. My musical appreciation and tastes were certainly shaped by Triad. Someone asked about Terri Hemmert from WXRT in Chicago. She retired after 40+ years at the station. "Aunt Terri" does fill in work once in a while. WXRT had one of the most loyal followings in radio and the jocks built 25+ year careers at WXRT. It is still a great rock station. |
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audioman58 Thanks for sharing your memories. I remember all the people you mentioned, it was a very good time to be young. And as one of them would say....."Good Day" |
Don’t remember the station but on late nights with Wolfman Jack was classic , Casey Kasum , and even talk show host like Paul Harvey , and Howard Stern when he was starting out entertainment which I would listen to , and in New England Stone man at WPLR, and WCCC at midnight stairway to heaven would be on every weekend . I lived in the suburbs and would Blast it where People coming to our keg parties + other party goods could hear over 1/4 mile away which speaks for it self 1970s,Great memories If I were only young again! |
All Detroit area CKLW-the big eight, AM800, out of Windsor Canada, jingles sung by Johnny Mann Singers, Robin Seymour-dj, also hosted TV show-Swingin Time, something like American Bandstand WKNR-keener 13, AM1300, Detroit A bit later on WXYZ, 1270AM Detroit, had tv dance show called Club 1270WABX 99.5FM, free form or undergroundWRIF 100.3FM, slightly more formatted rockWXYZ 101.1 for a short time similar to WRIF |
Houston stations, KILT AM (My introduction to the beginnings of the British Invasion thru Post-Woodstock/Pre-Donny and Marie), KLOL 101 FM “The Air Corps” (Aforementioned Post-Woodstock thru rehab “aka the aftermath of the late ‘70s into some indeterminate point-in-time involving the 1980s”), and KPFT Pacifica 90.1 (My intro to music genres beyond Top 40 Pop/AOR with emphasis on the Austin Scene) |
Detroit Michigan rock stations-WKNR Keener 13. And, CKLW I think from Windsor Canada. Keener played a lot of Bob Seger back then as he roamed the area. "Heavy Music" I also remember the Underdogs-"Loves Gone Bad" , MC5- "Kick Out The Jams", and the Question Mark and the Mysterians "96 Tears". A lot of real rock music during those days... ozzy |