Since there was been a lot of talk about WHAT during their current changes I thought I would add my two cents and involvement with WHAT AM 1340 in the 1980's and 1990's.
First I believe in 1986 is when WHAT went from having a long history of playing current R&B Music to an R&B Standards/Nostalgic Music Format.
Around late 1989 when Cody Anderson took control of the station he had started to evolve the station to an Afro American talk format. By 1990 the station was Afro American Talk during the day and R&B Standards at night. During the night other personalities played various types of R&B Music.
In late 1990 Ali Hackett “King of the Oldies” began his Friday Night R&B Oldies Show. The show ran from Friday Night from 10 pm to Saturday Morning to 2 am.
He played R&B Oldies from the 50’s to the mid 70’s. The last two hours of the show were the King’s Corner where he played slow R&B oldies. It was a great show. The show was similar to Harvey Holiday's old Sunday Night Show on WDAS.
In 1993, his show time was moved because the station was adding more talk shows. The new time slot was Sunday morning from 1 am to 6 am. Charlie Brown came on before him on Saturday from 10 pm to Sunday at 1 am. He played R&B Oldies form the 50’s to the late 70’s. He did a good show but it was not as good Ali’s.
The only problem was WHAT now all Afro American Talk expect for these eight hours. The main problem these show did not get much recognition because of their night time signal. I was fortunate I could pick up the signal where I live.
From time to time I would visit the station when Ali was on the air. At this point in time it was located at 54th and City Line Avenue. He used some of my records to play on the air. He used my copies of the Ordells “Sipping on a Cup of Coffee, “I’m Still Waiting” by Patti Labelle and The Bluebells, and a few others. I even once met Barbara Mason, when she was a guest on one of his shows.
In August of 1999, Charlie Brown did his last show on WHAT. Ali show continued to do his last show up until March of 2000.
At this current moment as I speak WHAT is dark. I have read they are coming back on the air as Spanish format. I thought I would give you my memories and small involvement with AM 1340 WHAT.
First I believe in 1986 is when WHAT went from having a long history of playing current R&B Music to an R&B Standards/Nostalgic Music Format.
Around late 1989 when Cody Anderson took control of the station he had started to evolve the station to an Afro American talk format. By 1990 the station was Afro American Talk during the day and R&B Standards at night. During the night other personalities played various types of R&B Music.
In late 1990 Ali Hackett “King of the Oldies” began his Friday Night R&B Oldies Show. The show ran from Friday Night from 10 pm to Saturday Morning to 2 am.
He played R&B Oldies from the 50’s to the mid 70’s. The last two hours of the show were the King’s Corner where he played slow R&B oldies. It was a great show. The show was similar to Harvey Holiday's old Sunday Night Show on WDAS.
In 1993, his show time was moved because the station was adding more talk shows. The new time slot was Sunday morning from 1 am to 6 am. Charlie Brown came on before him on Saturday from 10 pm to Sunday at 1 am. He played R&B Oldies form the 50’s to the late 70’s. He did a good show but it was not as good Ali’s.
The only problem was WHAT now all Afro American Talk expect for these eight hours. The main problem these show did not get much recognition because of their night time signal. I was fortunate I could pick up the signal where I live.
From time to time I would visit the station when Ali was on the air. At this point in time it was located at 54th and City Line Avenue. He used some of my records to play on the air. He used my copies of the Ordells “Sipping on a Cup of Coffee, “I’m Still Waiting” by Patti Labelle and The Bluebells, and a few others. I even once met Barbara Mason, when she was a guest on one of his shows.
In August of 1999, Charlie Brown did his last show on WHAT. Ali show continued to do his last show up until March of 2000.
At this current moment as I speak WHAT is dark. I have read they are coming back on the air as Spanish format. I thought I would give you my memories and small involvement with AM 1340 WHAT.