Columbus Radio Good Guys

[delta]

Damn another post by me... I know Buddy Scott, GREAT guy he and Chris Shebel made a great team....If I controlled the pursestaps they would be running my company! radio is fun

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I believe the format was HELL 94.7...does that ring a bell??

Oh, how could I forget Hell 94.7!!  It was hard to imagine anyone calling a station that, even in those less-uptight days.  I don't think it lasted long, even by 94.7 standards.  Do you recall what the format was?  If not, maybe I'll  try the Chicago board or Googling.

 

[CatFM]

This also reminds me of the time in the 90's when Robbins, who was then with NCI & Nationwide, turned down an offer from ABC to move back to Chicago because his acceptance was conditional on his being able to switch their FM to Top 40 under the WLS calls. But ABC refused to do that. I forget what 94.7's format was at the time...they've been through so many.

That remains of of the great radio mysteries to me. After the fall of WCFL, WLS was THE Top 40 station in Chicago, at least until B96 started coming on strong. Why ABC didn't capitalize on their strength of the WLS legacy and continue it on FM as WLS just doesn't make sense to me. Apparently they thought they had something that would be even more successful, but I never saw any evidence that their decision was the right one since so many formats failed on their FM frequency. I think the bottom line is that ABC had their chance and they blew it...and they should have known better!

 

[JohnboyCrenshaw]

They DID make a run as WLS-FM. As I remember, Lujack was simulcast and maybe Brant Miller in the evenings was as well? Tommy Edwards and Fred Winston on the AM, Danai and Peter B. on the FM. I thought it was a good-sounding station, but late to the party, as B96 was already on.

Before that, I believe the calls were WRCK, and some version of rock. Perhaps someone from Chicagoland can help fill in the blanks?

JbC

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I know 94.7 also did mainstream CHR for a couple years as WYTZ Z-95, but I don't recall the timeline...perhaps mid-late 80's? I believe they had a reasonable amount of success, but then it fizzled. That seems to have been their pattern with so many formats: AOR as WDAI and WLS-FM (Steve Dahl was there for awhile under that format, but he was at WLUP during the infamous "Disco Demolition" at Comiskey Park that had anti-disco fans storming the field and causing the White Sox to forfeit game two of a double-header); WRCK in the early 80's, as you mentioned (that one had little success, though I liked it a lot); Talk; Country; Classic Rock as CD-94.7 (quite successful for awhile in the 90's); and most recently Alternative/Active as the Zone, until they switched to "True Oldies" after CBS flipped longtime Oldies WJMK to Jack. There were pobably some others that I've missed.

 

[Dirty_Harry]

I know 94.7 also did mainstream CHR for a couple years as WYTZ Z-95, but I don't recall the timeline...perhaps mid-late 80's? I believe they had a reasonable amount of success, but then it fizzled. That seems to have been their pattern with so many formats: AOR as WDAI and WLS-FM (Steve Dahl was there for awhile under that format, but he was at WLUP during the infamous "Disco Demolition" at Comiskey Park that had anti-disco fans storming the field and causing the White Sox to forfeit game two of a double-header); WRCK in the early 80's, as you mentioned (that one had little success, though I liked it a lot); Talk; Country; Classic Rock as CD-94.7 (quite successful for awhile in the 90's); and most recently Alternative/Active as the Zone, until they switched to "True Oldies" after CBS flipped longtime Oldies WJMK to Jack. There were pobably some others that I've missed.

Speaking of WYTZ, I spent about 6 Weeks in Chicago circa 1989 and really liked listening to the station.

If you go to www.mp3airchecks.com, you can find an aircheck of none other than Alan Cable when he was on WYTZ.

 

[CatFM]

They DID make a run as WLS-FM. As I remember, Lujack was simulcast and maybe Brant Miller in the evenings was as well?

I know they had a short run when both AM and FM were doing essentially the same thing and morning drive was simulcast, but I don't know how long they tried it. I drove through Chicago once during that time and heard them. AM was still going strong, but the FM had some bozos who never would have been hired for AM, which could explain why FM didn't fly. The guy I heard doing afternoon drive on FM spent more than five minutes talking off mic to someone in the control room about some concert they were at years earlier. By "off mic" I mean that it was an entirely one-sided conversation where the person he was talking to could not be heard by listeners. One of the things I was taught by several PDs was to never have an off mic conversation since the listeners end up feeling excluded and have no idea what is going on. Then he pulled another stupid stunt by potting up the AM to see what they were doing and he blasted them on the air because they happened to be playing "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies, which didn't seem to work for him. I don't think a person on the FM blasting the AM like that is a good idea. It wasn't done in the spirit of fun. The guy was actually verbally abusive about it. As I mentioned, some of the FM people would NEVER have been hired for AM.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

Then he pulled another stupid stunt by potting up the AM to see what they were doing and he blasted them on the air because they happened to be playing "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies, which didn't seem to work for him. I don't think a person on the FM blasting the AM like that is a good idea. It wasn't done in the spirit of fun. The guy was actually verbally abusive about it. As I mentioned, some of the FM people would NEVER have been hired for AM.

This reminds me of something else I heard in Chicago circa 1986 that kinda floored me. This was when the Classic Rock format was just starting to take hold, but many stations were going with the slightly lighter and poppier Classic Hits variant instead. Classic Hits stations would play some Motown and Soul with the Led Zeppelin. (As an aside, when 99.7 in Columbus became a straight-ahead Oldies station for six months starting in 1986, they confused matters by using the moniker Classic Hits.) Anyway, the first Classic outlet in Chicago was Classic Hits 95.5 WRXR, formerly Doubleday's WMET. I was driving in the area listening to RXR, and the guy who was on-air made a point of letting listeners know he didn't approve of the station's approach. He wanted full-blown Classic Rock instead. After finishing a set that ended with "Respect," he back-announced, with a voice completely slathered with sarcasm, "And we ended that set with Aretha Franklin. Gosh, what a great ROCKER, huh?"

 

[kevinkelly]

John Crenshaw is correct, the WLS AM&FM simulcast days did feature Larry Lujak in mornings (complete with Animal Stories) and Brant Miller in evenings, and for a while they had Steve Dahl and Gary Meier doing afternoon drive, first on the FM, then after a while, they switched over to the AM. Made a lot of people mad, because they couldn't get the AM inside office buildings in Chicago.

One day, Steve Dahl was on a political rant, and failed to finish yelling and screaming by 7:00pm when they were supposed to join the FM for the simulcast. Steve went on screaming and cursing until about 7:20. Then there was a few seconds of dead air, then the jingle came on "W-L-S, AM and FM, Chicago!" then some song started and played for about 2 minutes, then abruptly stopped. Steve Dahl announced that he wasn't finished with his show on WLS-AM and intended to talk until he was finished and started right where he left off. This continued for another few minutes, then more dead air, and the music started again. Now, THAT was great radio!

 

[jtmichaels]

well it looks as if "SOMEONE" decided to taddle-tale because I disagreed with an earlier post. this "SOMEONE" (and you know who you are) e-mailed the person I made mention of. how lame.

it's all good, Andrew. sorry I never called you back. i just now got your vm (along with 8 others) and didn't realize you'd called.

 

[gr8oldies]

Steve and Garry ran overtime fairly often...they couldn't stand the fact that they had been shunted to AM. Often they'd join WLS-FM with Brant Miller already in progress. Z95 WYTZ was the immediate successor.

 

[kirkiefan]

"Stereo Quad" Susie Waud-WXGT(1980s)
'O Malley and Chad-WXGT(1980s)
Sean McKay-WNCI (1970s)
Allen at Night-WCOL-AM (1970s)

 

[kingdish]

Shawn Ireland - down to earth, nice lady
Trisha Moore - who is always down to earth; some friends did an interview with her for an event and they said she was just the nicest person, so laid back and made the interview easy
Bill Harman - very cool guy
Chris Davis
Susie Waad...the coolest ever
Ronnie Hunter

 

[del_griffith]

"Stereo Quad" Susie Waud-WXGT(1980s)
'O Malley and Chad-WXGT(1980s)
Sean McKay-WNCI (1970s)
Allen at Night-WCOL-AM (1970s)

Never met Sean McKay, but I loved his on air work. Wonder where he is today?

 

[Radioboy989]

When I started this thread, I was thinking about the people that have made an impact on our broadcast careers in some way, as mentors, motivators, examples. etc..

It ended up a little different than I planned, but thanks to everyone for the participation!

 

[NotMe]

More than 30 years in the biz, most of it in Columbus. I guess I never did anything to make much of an impact or leave a lasting impression on the market. But, I sure had fun and I hope some of my listeners did, too. I've always thought, THAT'S why we do this.

 

[Inventor989]

Here's my votes:

Oldest to newest:
Bryan McIntyre, former New WCOL PD, the brave soul who played the prophetic "Wall Street Shuffle" by 10CC and made it a hit in Columbus back in the early 70s..I double dare any of you CCU guys to bring THAT song back!
Vicki Yaklevich, former WCOL-FM in the progressive rock days (I later worked with her at 13Q Pittsburgh)
John Boy Crenshaw (another Pittsburgher who kicks butt despite having to work for those empty suits)
Steve Konrad (one of the truly excellent news talk PDs, especially during his first tour at KSTP-AM)
Chuck Patterson (who has more joy playing radio? I don't know...)

and...all of my buddies on Carriage Hill Lane.

 

[FlyAngel]

Jamie Michaels on WHOK also WNKK
WLVQ as Mike James???

 

[Radioboy989]

Wow...I'm touched. I started this thread some time back as I was waxing nostalgic about some of the memorable folks in my radio life. This morning as I was re-reading some of the posts, and actually paying attention, I see I was metioned on someone's "good duy" list.
That's really nice. Thanks!

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Trying to remember some of the names on WNCI around 1970. E Karl is one...I used to hear them in Cincinnati...they were so impressed that they mailed me their Hot Half Hundred survey sheets for quite a while. I still have all of 'em...

WNCI was an interesting station back then. They played the top 50 with something of an AOR presentation. Everything from Mountain to Donny Osmond. Sean McKay was on WTUE around 1972...not sure if that was before or after his WNCI tenure. But he sounded great on the Rock Of Dayton...