Oldies stations from years ago

[peppertree]

There were two waves of Oldies format stations. The first started around 1971 or 1972 and died out around 1976.

There was a difference between the original oldies stations and the second generation oldies stations.

WCBS-FM was from the first generation and started along with stations such as WMOD, WFYR, KHJ-FM, WROR, WAXY and many others. The first generation stations played songs that charted deeper and they played more fifties.

I travelled a bit back then and there was a time when I heard only one small oldies station outside of New York. It was a low powered AM station in Orlando, FL that played all fifties. Maybe a few early sixties, but almost all fifties. I looked for another oldies station but WCBS-FM was the only one, and they programmed the station just as the first generation stations were programmed. Also WLNG was playing 50% oldies in Long Island. They were a quasi oldies staion and positioned themselves as contemporary.

Some played current songs, but others did not. WCAU-FM played Future Gold and put a survey in record stores around 1976. I have two of them. WCBS-FM did not have a survey issued. WAXY did not play current songs.


The second generation oldies stations in the early nineties only played pre-1970 songs. I do not remember any playing 1970 records. They played bigger hits and did not play certain big hits. Never any currents. The influence of the consultants is there in them.

WCBS-FM did not change for a long time. They played deeper songs and played Future Gold twice an hour into the mid-eighties. An example of a deeper song. I listened to an aircheck from 1990 yesterday, and during a regular show, Bobby Jay played Popsicles and Iceicles by The Mermaids. I also remember them playing local songs such as The 81 and It's Gonna Take A Miracle into the mid-nineties.
They were the only first generation station left when all the others were second generation and said, "Good times and great oldies."

I read in a column by the first PD at CBS-FM that there was serious consideration to a change to Hot Hits around 1981. But they decided not to change the format.


> Since the majority of oldies stations nowadays play hits
> from the '60s and '70s, what did "oldies" stations play back
> then? Were there even any oldies stations around? When did
> the first station like this pop up?
>
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[Daveradio]

> > Back in the 70's there weren't that many true oldies
> stations.
>
> Wasn't that satellite format started just last year by Scott
> Shannon?

Uhhh, I wasn't talking about Scott Shannon. I meant actual oldies stations.

 

[Daveradio]

> > It really wasn't till the latter part of the 80's that
> > oldies stations started showing up just about everywhere.

> > Most played a sprinkle of 50's and 70's (not many past
1973 or so) and the heavy concentration was always 1964-1969.


> Dunno about that...when WODS in Boston debuted in 1987 (?)
> they were quite heavily pre-1962. Don't think that changed
> much until the mid-ish 90s.


Bobby...that's why I said "most played...."

 

[Oldiesaholic]

> WCAU-FM was one of the first oldies stations. Their jingles
> were adapted to WCBS-FM, their sister station, when they
> started playing oldies. WROR also used the "WCAU Goldmine
> Series."
>
> There were oldies shows going way back. I remember a 1970
> show on WFUN in Miami called The Music Museum. It was hosted
> by newsman Paul Henderson.
>
> WOR-FM had a high percentage of oldies in 1969 and maybe
> earlier.
>
> I have never been sure of the answer to the question, who
> was first? I know that WMOD 98.7, Washington's Oldies
> Station, goes back to about 1971 and maybe 1970. I think
> they used Oldies in their name too.
>
> WAXY goes back to. At least to 1972 if not 1971. Another
> candidate would be KHJ-FM or later KRTH.
>I believe the Music Museum was hosted by Michael Callum (SP?) on WFUN. I remember Paul Henderson as a newsperson there, as well as at WBIG in Washington DC for a brief time. His daughter worked with my wife in Atlanta briefly in the mid nineties. I believe he passed away a few years ago. He had a great voice.
> As far as music played, I posted a WCBS-FM two hour play log
> from 1985 about two months ago, and it may be in the
> archives here or on the NYC board.
>
> > I don't really know when the first "official" oldies
> > station popped up,but I do remember Joe Niagara of WIBG
> 990,
> > in Philly playing "knocked out Niagara nifties of the
> past"
> > in the early sixties. The "nifties" were from the mid to
> > late fifties! The oldies were only seven or eight years
> old!
> >
>

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Re: first Oldies station

Yes, I meant Boston only. Poor sentence structure on my part.

> I think he meant for Boston, not for the USA.
>
>
>
> > Actually, WCBS-FM debuted before WROR, signing-on in early
>
> > 1972.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > In Boston, the original WROR 98.5 FM became the first
> > > full-time commercial oldies station in 1973, riding the
> > 50's
> > > nostalgia wave spawned by the movie "American Graffiti"
> > and
> > > the TV show "Happy Days". They played hits from the
> > mid-50's
> > > to the very early 60's. This was the period when many
> > oldies
> > > stations first debuted in many cities.
> >
>

 

[davideduardo]

Re: Oldest all oldies station.

> > Since the majority of oldies stations nowadays play hits
> > from the '60s and '70s, what did "oldies" stations play
> back
> > then? Were there even any oldies stations around? When did
>
> > the first station like this pop up?
>
> In Boston, the original WROR 98.5 FM became the first
> full-time commercial oldies station in 1973, riding the 50's
> nostalgia wave spawned by the movie "American Graffiti" and
> the TV show "Happy Days". They played hits from the mid-50's
> to the very early 60's. This was the period when many oldies
> stations first debuted in many cities.


One of the first full time oldies stations was WMOD (FM) in washington, DC, programmed by Barry Richards. It was on when I got to DC in April, 1970. At the same time, WEEL-1310 in Suburban Fairfax was "Million Dollar Music Weel" under PD Jack Alix and yours truly as OM for a brief period...

Both these DC oldies stations were on the air prior to June, 1970. n

 

[954]

> Kind of puts things into perspective doesn't it? Back then
> a 6 month old song would be considered an oldie, yet today
> many on this board think a 30 year old song is too new.

Why would an oldies station play a song six months ond, when many other formats would already play that?

Some people prefer music of the 50s and 60s.

Oldies is a type of music, not an measure of a record's age.

Consider that most people who like doo-wop or the Beach Boys
would probably not be interested in the top 40 of 2004.

73s from 954
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[954]

> Since the majority of oldies stations nowadays play hits
> from the '60s and '70s, what did "oldies" stations play back
> then? Were there even any oldies stations around? When did
> the first station like this pop up?

In south Florida, our first oldies station was WAXY-FM, which went on the air in 1973 or 74! I thought it was great. I heard loads of 50s songs I'd never heard before, because I was too young when they came out. I loved it. (I had pretty much stopped listening to rock & roll in '65 or '66, because I thought the music was getting worse.)

Then in '81 we had oldies on WVCG for a few years, and then we had WBSS Blue Suede Radio when they went off. Both heavy on 50s.

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Finally, since the mid-80s we've had WMXJ, although they've cut most of the 50s and early 60s from their playlist a few years ago. Not much good stuff left.

ALMOST FORGOT: In WPB, WOLL "Oldies 94" ... which is now on 105.5 and doesn't call itself oldies any more. I know the format started on WOLL in 1990 or before, because that's when I got my WOLL Oldies 94 T-shirt, in a twist contest!



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<font size="1">Pictured items are from the South Florida Radio Pages.</font>

73s from 954<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by 954 on 07/10/05 08:29 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[semoochie]

> > Even before Boston got an all-oldies format, there was a
> > time circa 1969 when the late Bud Ballou on the old
> > WMEX-1510 would devote his entire Friday-evening show (his
>
> > airshift was weeknights from 6 to 10 P.M.) to oldies.
> >
> > At the time, WMEX was (apart from Ballou's Friday-night
> > oldies show) a top-40/CHR format.
> >
> > My guess was that his show played hits that were more than
> a
> > couple of years old.
> >
> > Anyone who listened to that show on a regular basis is
> > welcomes to respond and provide more details.
> >
>
>
> But the topic of this thread is what was the first oldies
> format playing. Nothing to do with weekend dayparts,
> speciality shows, or certain features even if they date back
> in 62'.
> You can date back to Art Laboe the man who first phrased
> non- current music as "oldies". But were not talking
> speciality or featured shows.
>
"Those Oldies but Goodies Reminds Me of You"

 

[semoochie]

> There were two waves of Oldies format stations. The first
> started around 1971 or 1972 and died out around 1976.
>
> There was a difference between the original oldies stations
> and the second generation oldies stations.
>
> WCBS-FM was from the first generation and started along with
> stations such as WMOD, WFYR, KHJ-FM, WROR, WAXY and many
> others. The first generation stations played songs that
> charted deeper and they played more fifties.
>
> I travelled a bit back then and there was a time when I
> heard only one small oldies station outside of New York. It
> was a low powered AM station in Orlando, FL that played all
> fifties. Maybe a few early sixties, but almost all fifties.
> I looked for another oldies station but WCBS-FM was the
> only one, and they programmed the station just as the first
> generation stations were programmed. Also WLNG was playing
> 50% oldies in Long Island. They were a quasi oldies staion
> and positioned themselves as contemporary.
>
> Some played current songs, but others did not. WCAU-FM
> played Future Gold and put a survey in record stores around
> 1976. I have two of them. WCBS-FM did not have a survey
> issued. WAXY did not play current songs.
>
>
> The second generation oldies stations in the early nineties
> only played pre-1970 songs. I do not remember any playing
> 1970 records. They played bigger hits and did not play
> certain big hits. Never any currents. The influence of the
> consultants is there in them.
>
> WCBS-FM did not change for a long time. They played deeper
> songs and played Future Gold twice an hour into the
> mid-eighties. An example of a deeper song. I listened to
> an aircheck from 1990 yesterday, and during a regular show,
> Bobby Jay played Popsicles and Iceicles by The Mermaids. I
> also remember them playing local songs such as The 81 and
> It's Gonna Take A Miracle into the mid-nineties.
> They were the only first generation station left when all
> the others were second generation and said, "Good times and
> great oldies."
>
> I read in a column by the first PD at CBS-FM that there was
> serious consideration to a change to Hot Hits around 1981.
> But they decided not to change the format.
>
>
> > Since the majority of oldies stations nowadays play hits
> > from the '60s and '70s, what did "oldies" stations play
> back
> > then? Were there even any oldies stations around? When did
>
> > the first station like this pop up?
> >
>
That's the first time I ever heard anyone describe a #3 hit as "going deep"!

 

[Oldiesaholic]

> > Kind of puts things into perspective doesn't it? Back
> then
> > a 6 month old song would be considered an oldie, yet today
>
> > many on this board think a 30 year old song is too new.
>
> Why would an oldies station play a song six months ond, when
> many other formats would already play that?
>
> Some people prefer music of the 50s and 60s.
>
> Oldies is a type of music, not an measure of a record's age.
>
>
> Consider that most people who like doo-wop or the Beach Boys
>
> would probably not be interested in the top 40 of 2004.
>
> 73s from 954
>I agree with you 954, It's a specific period in Rock and Roll history, It's not how old a song is. Songs from the '70s or '80s are old songs but they are not "Oldies" to me.

 

[apco25]

> > > Even before Boston got an all-oldies format, there was a
>
> > > time circa 1969 when the late Bud Ballou on the old
> > > WMEX-1510 would devote his entire Friday-evening show
> (his
> >
> > > airshift was weeknights from 6 to 10 P.M.) to oldies.
> > >
> > > At the time, WMEX was (apart from Ballou's Friday-night
> > > oldies show) a top-40/CHR format.
> > >
> > > My guess was that his show played hits that were more
> than
> > a
> > > couple of years old.
> > >
> > > Anyone who listened to that show on a regular basis is
> > > welcomes to respond and provide more details.
> > >
> >
> >
> > But the topic of this thread is what was the first oldies
> > format playing. Nothing to do with weekend dayparts,
> > speciality shows, or certain features even if they date
> back
> > in 62'.
> > You can date back to Art Laboe the man who first phrased
> > non- current music as "oldies". But were not talking
> > speciality or featured shows.
> >
> "Those Oldies but Goodies Reminds Me of You"
>

I just your hope your a female with that response. Otherwise I suggest your looking for the Dance Techno board.

 

[peppertree]

If you are referring to Popsicles and Icecles, I don't think that song was touched by second generation oldies stations. It did not make the cut with the consultants, but since WCBS-FM remained or was programmed as a first generation oldies station, they would play that song by The Mermaids. The stopped playing it when they started to take on second generation oldies stations characteristics.

> >
> That's the first time I ever heard anyone describe a #3 hit
> as "going deep"!
>
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[954]

> > "Those Oldies but Goodies Reminds Me of You"
>
> I just your hope your a female with that response. Otherwise
> I suggest your looking for the Dance Techno board.

Please explain the joke (if that's what it is) for us old farts.

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</P>

 

[peppertree]

Because WAXY was programmed to play rock and roll songs from around 1955 until six months ago (prior to broadcast).

It was fine for me. I grew tired of hearing the top 15 songs of the week in rotation when I was about 14 years old. I loved rock and roll and WCBS-FM was even better for me, because they played the new songs but only two per hour. So I could hear the new songs without hearing them too much.

As to your statement that some like fifties and sixties. A programmer and I spoke about this over ten years ago and he said that there are three kinds of oldies listeners.

1. Prefer pre-Beatles rock and roll
2. Prefer post Beatles up to 1971 or so
3. Prefer all rock and roll 1955-1971.
1971 is arbitrary, it could just as well be 1979 or anything in between.

Most oldies stations tried to keep all three listeners happy though there were some that specialized in one period or the other.


> Why would an oldies station play a song six months ond, when
> many other formats would already play that?
>
> Some people prefer music of the 50s and 60s.
>
> Oldies is a type of music, not an measure of a record's age.
>
>
> Consider that most people who like doo-wop or the Beach Boys
>
> would probably not be interested in the top 40 of 2004.
>
> 73s from 954
>
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[email protected]</P>

 

[allisonmarie]

> > >
> > > WOR-FM had a high percentage of oldies in 1969 and maybe
>
> > > earlier.
> > >
> >
> > I thought WOR-FM went Drake Top 40 in 1967/68, eventually
> > evolving into 99X, then rhythmic "Kiss". When were they
> > oldies?
> >
>
> When it originally came to 98.7, WOR-FM under Bill Drake was
> a pseudo-oldies station, leaning heavily adult rather than
> Top 40. The Top 40 cuts they'd play would be softer and
> almost chicken rock; the majority of the format was what
> we'd term oldies--stuff from back to the mid-late 50s.

The music on WOR-FM was called "The Big Town Sound" and was the only station that I know of that had that jingle on air. WOR-FM back then was
actually kind of cool to listen to. The station had super on air talent
working there too!

>
> It became more a prototypical Drake Top 40 operation in
> 1969-70.
>
> Check out the WOR-FM Composite at Reelradio.com for an
> example of what I mean.
>

 

[peppertree]

Re: Oldest all oldies station.

I agree with David. It would be tough to top WMOD for being oldies at an earlier time unless I fudge and use WOR-FM, which was not pure oldies but a hybrid.

Though WCBS-FM played two Future Gold per hour, I would still classify them as Oldies.


>
> One of the first full time oldies stations was WMOD (FM) in
> washington, DC, programmed by Barry Richards. It was on when
> I got to DC in April, 1970. At the same time, WEEL-1310 in
> Suburban Fairfax was "Million Dollar Music Weel" under PD
> Jack Alix and yours truly as OM for a brief period...
>
> Both these DC oldies stations were on the air prior to June,
> 1970. n
>
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[peppertree]

Re: Oldest all oldies station.

As far as early stations that stressed oldies, another was WINZ in Miami, though they played new songs, but stressed oldies.


> oldies at an earlier time unless I fudge and use WOR-FM,
> which was not pure oldies but a hybrid.
>

>
> >
> > One of the first full time oldies stations was WMOD (FM)
> in
> > washington, DC, programmed by Barry Richards. It was on
> when
> > I got to DC in April, 1970. At the same time, WEEL-1310 in
>
> > Suburban Fairfax was "Million Dollar Music Weel" under PD
> > Jack Alix and yours truly as OM for a brief period...
> >
> > Both these DC oldies stations were on the air prior to
> June,
> > 1970. n
> >
>
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[peppertree]

Re: first Oldies station

Do you remember WCGY Lawrence? I lived in Boston in 1983 and I loved to listen to their Oldies. They played good music and they had Cub Koda on once a week.

> Yes, I meant Boston only. Poor sentence structure on my
> part.
> <P ID="signature">______________
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[peppertree]

And let's not forget KOOL Gold. Originally it was AM 960 in Phoenix, but then the KOOL Gold network expanded to about fifty stations. They played nothing but pre-Beatles rock and roll. They did not play Rat pack type MOR either the way that WRLL does. Morse Code Of Love was the only latter day song that they played.

If anyone wants to trade, I have about twelve hours of KOOL gold unscoped airchecks.


> Uhhh, I wasn't talking about Scott Shannon. I meant actual
> oldies stations.
>
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