> > > > The subjects that get my interest are the demise of
> 50's
> >
> > > > and 60's oldies
> >
> > Actually, I'm surprised there isn't more discussion of the
>
> > demise of '50s and '60s oldies. But that would awaken some
>
> > of our readers who deal with it such oldies on a daily
> > basis, on such outlets as WKHB-AM 620, WKFB-AM 770,
> WLSW-FM
> > 103.9 (and its simulcast on WQTW-AM 1570) and I could go
> on.
>
> I think that when any genre of music makes the transition
> from very highly rated, mass-market stations to stations
> that cater to shrinking "niche" markets, that transition is
> one of the signs of the genre in question meeting its
> demise. That's also the pattern that Big Band music from the
> 30's and 40's went through. As an old guy who came of age
> when the music of the 50's and 60's was "today's" music, I
> can now understand how my parents felt when music of such
> artists as the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, and all the
> rest of the stars of that era almost completely disappeared.
>
>
> >
> > > > the demise of true soft AC except in Tampa
> >
> > That's an interesting topic for me, as my wife's favorite
> > stations include WSHH-FM 99.7 (which I pre-set along with
> > WLTJ-FM 92.9 on my FM jukebox list). I seem to recall WSHH
>
> > had enough listeners overall that it placed fifth or sixth
>
> > on the last Arbitrends in this market. Of course, would
> you
> > call "Soft Rock" true soft AC? I don't know.
>
> Didn't "Soft Adult Contemporary" refer to the genre of music
> typified by the lounge singers like John Davidson, Robert
> Goulet, Peggy Lee, and all those other Vegas-style
> entertainers? Wasn't "Soft Adult Contemporary" where the
> former teen idols like Bobby Rydell graduated to when the
> got old (like in their 30's)?
>
> > > > and any discussion of the great AM Top 40 stations
> > > > that we all call legendary.
> >
> > It could be that in Pittsburgh, nothing vaguely resembling
>
> > "great AM Top 40" exists. There used to be a wild weekend
> > show on a college station here, "Radio 9," on WRCT-FM
> 88.3,
> > that had the look and feel of "great AM Top 40."
> >
> > > There are other forums that specialize in radio
> nostalgia.
> > I
> > > would like to be able to listen to scripted radio
> comedies
> >
> > > and dramas, of the kind that were the standard broadcast
>
> > > fare in the Golden Age of radio. But I realize that
> waxing
> >
> > > nostalgic over programs that are almost six decades old
> > like
> > > "The Bickersons" isn't appropriate in here.
> >
> > As an occasional listener to both "Golden Age Of Radio" on
>
> > WEDO-AM 810 and "When Radio Was" on KQV-AM 1410 (and I
> think
> > weekends on WMBS-AM 590) ... Amen.
>
> The thing is, enjoying listing to it is one thing.
> Attempting to discuss it in a forum primarily inhabited by
> those who are only interested in current, mass-audience
> radio broadcasting seems an exercise in futility.
>
Soft AC refers to artists who were being played when the term was coined. They include Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Dion Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Barbra,Bread, Air Supply , Gino Vanetti, the Bee Gees, some Beatles, Dan Fogelberg, and on. WDUV in Tampa still has this type of playlist, however it is jockless except for AM drive. Nothing like this exists in Pittsburgh, although WJAS has at times leaned this way.
As for legendary Top 40 in PIttsburgh, we in da Burg had the trial run for WABC and WLS. It was called KQV. Anybody who starts a thread with WABC,KHJ, CKLW, WKBW, and on knows I am joining in. I grew up sitting buy a huge old radio that could pull em in as far away as Iowa at night.
I remember when DVE came on. I thought it was lousy then and I still do. But that's just me. My parents thought KQV was noise.
So shoot me