I spent my teen-age/young adult years listening to Richmond's AM top 40 radio wars, approximately from 1960-1970. My first fav top 40 (in the seventh grade)was on 1590---WEZL, as in Whezel. But WEET (1320) quickly won out, with their cool chimes on the hour, cobweb corner, and continual references to their "penthouse suite" on Hamilton Avenue. In the meantime, 1590 changed to "beautiful music" losing my attention in a hurry. Of course, WLEE was the big dog, being a full time station (though they didn't go 24 hours until 1964, I think). But LEE was not near as cool as WEET, in my book. WEET was fighting a losing battle, however, being a daytimer. For several years WEET attempted to get full-time authorization, repeatedly circulating petitions to the FCC--I remember signing a few. They finally threw in the towel, going country against WXGI about 1966. In the meantime, big things were happening on 1590. WEZL's owners got permission to build a new station at 1540 and sold 1590. THey built WRGM there, "scaning the VIrginia-North Carolina Skys with 10,000 watts of Power." Surprisingly, WRGM turned out to be a pretty cool station, programing a new kind of hip AC. 1590 was sold, I believe to to some of the younger members of the Reynolds Aluminum family--I think J. Sargent Reynolds, of community college fame, was one of the principals. About 1965, 1590/WGOE became Richmond's latest top 40 with Jess Duboy (a WEET and WLEE alumni) as lead jock, and probably PD. In my opinion, WGOE as a top 40 never really made the grade. It was the first top 40 station I knew of that did not have jingles. It was just too laid back for me---the pace was too slow. Of course, it was still daytime only. At the time, there was also WMBG/1380 and WENZ/1450. WMBeatleG was nothing to write home about, but was 5000 watts full time. I liked WENZ--they had cool jingles and ok jocks, but couldn't listen to their 250 watt signal at night. Then, about 1966 WENZ, went R&B and knocked Richmond radio on it's rear end, I think beating WLEE and WRVA in the ratings with that little weak signal. WGOE shifted around, trying to grow their audience. THey moved their studio to Belt Blvd (near Southside Plaza!!!) and came up with the slogan "More music South of the James." The idea of trying to appeal only to southsiders was quite stupid IMO. THeir signal was just fine, north of the James as well. ABout 1969, WGOE's on air sound changed completely with a much more frantic presentation--screaming jocks, really good jingles. Very unlike anything in Richmond--more like WPGC in DC. I think Jess Duboy had left, maybe returning to WLEE. But you could tell not too many were listening. Like WENZ in their top 40 days, very few commercials. I knew their days were numbered--Richmond was just not ready for a really hot top 40. Having "grown up," I left Richmond in 1970. When I returned a few years later, WGOE had gone progressive rock, a move that seemed strange to me, since that now popular format was on FM in every city I was familiar with.
