WHLI's "Switch to Standards" Anniversary

[DavidRJ]

This coming Tuesday (April 21) marks the 30th anniversary of WHLI's format switch from what would now be called Hot Adult Contemporary (Hot AC) to Adult Standards under the "Music of Your Life" umbrella.

Just before that 1979 format switch, however, WHLI conducted a contest in which you had to guess the names of the first and eleventh songs played during a designated eleven-song block. Winners received an album and were eligible for a grand prize of a video cassette recorder!

What memories do you have of the pre-standards WHLI of the 1970s?

Also, I sure wish someone would post online some of the surviving "Top 40 era" airchecks of WHLI in the 1970s, possibly on a revival of the "Long Island Radio Airchecks" site that was up a couple years ago.

Thank you.

 

[klutch00]

Despite their longevity, it's a damned shame that their ratings (as I understand) are now rock bottom. Ya know, I was thinking that a future path that standards stations might want to pursue is either play more lighter hits of years past or play an intense mix of big band and related jazz and include artists such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra and include singers like Diana Krall; or do a combination of both.

One promotion suggestion I have for standards stations would be to sponsor dances, specifically those which feature ballroom dancing. Such dances could even feature a live big band!

 

[cspence]

Despite their longevity, it's a damned shame that their ratings (as I understand) are now rock bottom. Ya know, I was thinking that a future path that standards stations might want to pursue is either play more lighter hits of years past or play an intense mix of big band and related jazz and include artists such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra and include singers like Diana Krall; or do a combination of both.

One promotion suggestion I have for standards stations would be to sponsor dances, specifically those which feature ballroom dancing. Such dances could even feature a live big band!

And those attending are all in wheelchairs and Depends.

 

[50kguy]

You know how to make someone feel old and, appropriately, nostalgic. WHLI had promoted itself as "The AM Difference" in its waning hot AC days. To its credit, the format flip did not accompany a major change in staff. Jason Roberts and Chuck Camlic worked both formats. Jason left for WKHK. ND Sal Giangrasso eventually went to Wall Street Journal, later taking Doug MacQuillan. Dean Anthony and Fred Darwin came over from WTFM to replace Jason and Sal. It was Bob Wayne's next-to-last gig. Randy Place and Mike Charles anchored the weekend newscasts. Bob Ieraci, Tracy Burgess and Kevin Curran worked off-air writing and gathering news. Bruce Kent shagged spots during the week and handled a weekend jock shift. Al Fusco and MaryAnne Roque were among the part-time jocks.

The AM had a larger audience and more billing than the FM, much to management's chagrin. The station operated from a building on Clinton St in Hempstead that was the perfect example of a radio operation: not only did it say WHLI in big letters on the front, "The Voice Of Long Island" was spelled out across the facade.

WHLI was the second MOYL station and, unfortunately, MOYL creator Al Ham could hear the station at his Connecticut home. He thought nothing of calling the PD if something wasn't exactly according to plan. As an AC, all the music was on carts. With MOYL, it was originally all on two reels. Attentive listeners eventually figured out (and complained) that one certain song was always followed by another. Ham did not think "New York New York" by Frank Sinatra belonged on the station since it was a new song. Dean played it anyway.

 

[radioguy1]

I too worked at an MOYL in the early 80s, KBER Abilene, TX, before I returned to LI.
Had the same compalint about listener burn out.
You had 2 sets of reels. They were broken down into blue sheets and pink sheets.
You played a 5 song set from each with the first song being big bands, and progressing through to the most contemporary song and then you went to the other reel and repeated the process.
In the beginning we spiked from last to 2nd passing all but the local WALK equivalent in Abilene KBRC.
But as the months passed the phone calls of praise turned into similar complaints of why are you playing the same songs over and over?
Ocassionally we wewre sent reels of other music that had themes to them like patriotic songs for July 4th that you would cart and drop in.
Pity Al did not expand the selection.
It was big in it's day.
The MOYL satellite network today has recognized that you needed a broader playlist.

 

[radioguy1]

Just a follow-up to my last post....KBER was a daytimer.
A listener called to complain about our signing off at sundown...I explained that we had to protect another station by signing off when radio signals travel further at night.
Her solution: "get a bigger antenna."

 

[pcmusicradio]

I remember seeing a WHLI "remote" at the Roosevelt Field Mall with Sal Giangrasso. I pretty much remember a black AKG microphone, and a small Shure Mic Mixer (with the 5 or 6 round dials). I'm pretty sure they were actually playing the 45's at the remote. I know I heard "Moonlight Feels Right" by Starbuck. Must have been around 1976 or so.

 

[bub]

I mentioned this on another thread but does anyone here remember Jack Spector's last air shift on WHLI in 1994? The guy died in the studio. WHLI was a fixture on my car presets with Spector and Dean Anthony.