On my handheld transistor radio that I had in the 60s in the northern suburbs, WLS wasn't as strong as the other Chicago 50KW, but listening to it on the beach during the summer the signal was definitely good enough. No static just not quite as strong as WMAQ, WCFL, etc.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Songs That Were Much More Popular On WLS And WCFL Than On The Billboard Hot 100
- Thread starter Schroedingers Cat
- Start date
Omena coordinates are approximately N 45 04 00 W 85 35 00. It is quite a bit farther from WLS, but it looks like more of the path is over Lake Michigan.
“Things I’d Like To say” was a really good song and indeed was the biggest of the three mentioned above from this group. Anecdotally when I worked in Chicago in 2005, I heard it played on the Chicago oldies station, some 36 years after it charted!
Many have commented on this in a very similar way about "Things I'd Like To Say" on YouTube videos of it. Ray Graffia was very touched by the emotions elicited by the song's relevance to many young people's experiences, and responded to the comments.
"I Will Always Think About You" was more generic. "Love You So Much" peaking at #61 is typical of an unknown regional artist, and also should have gone more national. I think I've read where the record labels financial problems hurt the new regional artists, and the NC6 and Bob Seger were two that were affected. Was it Cameo Parkway and associated labels?
Last edited:
I'm a ittle surprised that nobody has mentioned "Little Miss Sad" by the Five Emprees. A band from just across the lake in Benton Harbor/St. Joe Michigan. IIRC in 1965 it went top ten on WLS as well as on WOKY and WRIT in Milwaukee. Without doing much nationally. I'm not sure about WCFL. I'm sure WCFL was playing it, but they were just ramping up their top 40 format, and I don't recall if they were distributing a survey for the public at that point.
Looks like you are correct. WCFL Surveys began in their Top 40 incarnation on December 23, 1965. Both ARSA and Oldiesloon Archives begin on that date.
BTW, was "Chickenman" on WCFL widely listened to in Benton Harbor?
cue Jim Runyon....Wellllllll.
Like they used to say, "He's everywhere. He's everywhere"
(for those too young to remember, Chickenman's real name is Benton Harbor)
A funny combination of coincidences happened today. Sirius XM 70s on 7 ran AT40 with Casey Kasem from February 14, 1976. Casey mentioned in this program that Jerry Bishop had filled in for him the previous week's program, and highly praised him. I went to 440int.com to look at Jerry G. Bishop's DJ History. I found some of Bishop's Obituaries linked at the site and read them. I discovered that Jerry G. Bishop owned a Pizza Restaurant in San Diego around that time. In around that same time frame, Casey Kasem owned a Pizza Restaurant in Flint with his Mother and some of his other relatives. You can find their partnership listed on the Genesee County Clerk/Register Site.
Last edited:
Jerry G moved to San Diego in the late 70s and opened several restaurants there. He continued to do radio & TV in San Diego.
He was on KCBQ radio and co hosted "Sun Up San Diego" on TV and received an emmy around 1990 I believe. I never knew he hosted AT40. I'd love to hear that episode if it's ever available.
That is probably not Jerry G Bishop. There was a Jerry Bishop in LA. It is more likely that he was the one substituting for Casey.
That's what Art Vuolo told me about an hour ago, though he wasn't 100% sure.
He was on LA radio for a long time and a voice over artist: Jerry Bishop - Wikipedia
- Status