Who was the greatest DJ of the 60s?

[cyberdad]

And the results are in:

http://radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2329188&spid=24698

Good list IMHO. From a national perspective, it's tough to argue with how the list turned out. But as always, there'll be those for whom a good case could be made for inclusion.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Hard to narrow it down to one as most here have noticed. It also depends where one grew up listening to the DJs. IOW I'm from NJ not Calif. where I live now so I will be influenced by the DJs I heard locally or even DXed for.

My Top 10:

Hy Lit (WIBG)
Dan Ingram (WABC)
Joe Niagra (WIBG)
Herb Oscar Anderson (WABC)
Murray the K (WINS, WOR-FM)
Jack Spector (WMCA)
Joe O'Brien (WMCA)
Joey Reynolds (WKBW)
Harry Harrison (WMCA)
B. Mitchell Reid

Finally, somebody named Herb Oscar Anderson! Didn't he finish his career in the Buffalo market?

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Jerry Blavat, "The Geator with the Heater", from the Philadelphia market. Blavat had dinner with singer Al Martino shortly before Martino's death in 2009.

 

[radioman148]

Hard to narrow it down to one as most here have noticed. It also depends where one grew up listening to the DJs. IOW I'm from NJ not Calif. where I live now so I will be influenced by the DJs I heard locally or even DXed for.

My Top 10:

Hy Lit (WIBG)
Dan Ingram (WABC)
Joe Niagra (WIBG)
Herb Oscar Anderson (WABC)
Murray the K (WINS, WOR-FM)
Jack Spector (WMCA)
Joe O'Brien (WMCA)
Joey Reynolds (WKBW)
Harry Harrison (WMCA)
B. Mitchell Reid

Finally, somebody named Herb Oscar Anderson! Didn't he finish his career in the Buffalo market?

I don't remember Buffalo, but Herb is currently living in Florida.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Harry Harrison, WABC (NYC)
Charlie Greer, " "

 

[radioman148]

Bob "Bobba Loo" Lewis on WABC was a great one and very much underrated IMO.

 

[RadioStarOne]

Gary Owens?

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Bob "Bobba Loo" Lewis on WABC was a great one and very much underrated IMO.

Good catch-- Bob Lewis' WABC theme song was the refrain of a '50s doo-wop song, "Bobba Loo's Wedding Day"

 

[radioman148]

Bob "Bobba Loo" Lewis on WABC was a great one and very much underrated IMO.

Good catch-- Bob Lewis' WABC theme song was the refrain of a '50s doo-wop song, "Bobba Loo's Wedding Day"

I love Bob Lewis' theme. I have an aircheck of it. Definitely one of the best.
Also loved when he set "The Diverialble Veeble vurtzer for the past and let the time slide roll".

IMO, Bob Lewis was the first jock who "rapped" and this was in the early 60s. He was a great DJ and fine voice over artist.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Bob "Bobba Loo" Lewis on WABC was a great one and very much underrated IMO.

Good catch-- Bob Lewis' WABC theme song was the refrain of a '50s doo-wop song, "Bobba Loo's Wedding Day"

I love Bob Lewis' theme. I have an aircheck of it. Definitely one of the best.
Also loved when he set "The Diverialble Veeble vurtzer for the past and let the time slide roll".

IMO, Bob Lewis was the first jock who "rapped" and this was in the early 60s. He was a great DJ and fine voice over artist.

Shame we lost him at such a young age.

 

[radioman148]

Bob "Bobba Loo" Lewis on WABC was a great one and very much underrated IMO.

Good catch-- Bob Lewis' WABC theme song was the refrain of a '50s doo-wop song, "Bobba Loo's Wedding Day"

I love Bob Lewis' theme. I have an aircheck of it. Definitely one of the best.
Also loved when he set "The Diverialble Veeble vurtzer for the past and let the time slide roll".

IMO, Bob Lewis was the first jock who "rapped" and this was in the early 60s. He was a great DJ and fine voice over artist.

Shame we lost him at such a young age.

Yes it is.

 

[Jimmy128]

Dick Summer WBZ Boston

 

[cyberdad]

Dick Summer WBZ Boston

Absolutely belongs in the mix. Perhaps the most cerebral rock jock ever. Every time I hear one of those "Binder and Binder" spots, I think of late nights listening to WBZ. (As opposed to Binder and Binder services...LOL).

 

[hornet61]

This is a great question....Alan freed was an innovator and a landmark DJ, ........behind the Mic , I didn't think he was that great...all of the previously mentioned guys are great both locally and nationally syndicated Icons, Dick Clark was OK, the power of television propelled him to superstar status(but he got that gig at the expense of Mr Bob Horn)........So, I have to go for the guy who the most entertaining,funniest outrageous,innovative, played the best music, and Is the most recognized radio voice of all time...

ROBERT WESTON SMITH-WOLFMAN JACK !!!!

 

[doowopvault]

Any list like this should include Alan Freed. He virtually created the concept of Top 40 DJs, and had an effect on pop music radio that carries over to today's CHR.

And if you don't know anything about Mr. Freed, shame on you!

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Freed

I agree my man!!!! AND....how bout Gus Gossert, he began describing group harmony as "Doo Wop".

 

[radioman148]

Alan Freed's DJ days were really in the 50s. By the time the 60s had rolled around he was pretty much on the downslope.
Definitely agree on Wolfman Jack, certainly one of the best and totally unique.

 

[cyberdad]

Alan Freed's DJ days were really in the 50s. By the time the 60s had rolled around he was pretty much on the downslope.
Definitely agree on Wolfman Jack, certainly one of the best and totally unique.

+ 1. As posted in other threads, during my college days in the late '60s, after midnight, you could walk down the halls of the dorm and hear XERF and Wolfman coming from literally every radio speaker in every room! In those days, you had to have the girls back at their residence halls at midnight....so you went back to your room and put on the Wolfman.

 

[PirateJohnny]

A few years ago at a record store I found a CD of airchecks from Pete the Mad Daddy Myers from Cleveland, 1958-1964. Quite an interesting jock and a sad story, too. Does anybody remember him? Norton Records pressed the CD.

 

[radioman148]

A few years ago at a record store I found a CD of airchecks from Pete the Mad Daddy Myers from Cleveland, 1958-1964. Quite an interesting jock and a sad story, too. Does anybody remember him? Norton Records pressed the CD.

I remember him. He was a wild man and I think he also worked in NYC at WINS.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Ditto, Ditto, and more Dittos for the Wolfman! So stenciled on the conscience of American pop music that he was honored with a tribute by The Guess Who, Clap for the Wolfman !! Wolfman Jack's memory is a shrine at the gates of Rock 'n Roll heaven.

BTW, do you remember Wolfman playing himself in American Graffiti? Looked to me like this part, though brief, showcased an otherwise concealed dynamic of his soul, that of a genuinely sweet and compassionate human being. Are you listening Howard Stern?