WIBG Radio 99 - 40th Anniversary Lineup

[qtpieislit]

*1060/WRCV was NBC owned and operated, and therefore carried the ‘NBC Red Network’ with local cut-ins, similar to what network morning news shows resemble today. Most daytime programming was news, issue or feature oriented. The two music shows Hy hosted were part of only a hand full of long form programming segments that originated from Philadelphia that otherwise was not covered by the network. ‘Sinatra & Friends’ was heard on the Red Network in selected NBC radio markets as the local news segments concluded. Whereby the network affiliate would announce: "We take you now to Philadelphia for Sinatra & friends, with your host, Johnny dollar". 

As far as the Cincinnati Reds were concerned, Hy was a rather good all around fielder and player but couldn’t hit a curve. Tall good looking blonds were the only curves Hy could hit on.

On one particular visit home for the holidays, Hy needed a work out. He found himself in a basket ball game at West Philly High's Gymnasium. It was the ‘Phila. Players’, against an assembled ‘Radio industry' ball team. It was during that game that Charlie O’Donnell (announcer on Wheel of fortune) fouled Hy with a slap, and remarked, excuse me. Later down court, Hy returned the abrupt foul and promptly replied, "Exxxcuse Me". Charlie commented by saying “Hey, you have a nice voice". Subsequently after the game they struck up a conversation. While ascertaining Hy status as a communications major at Miami University, Charlie indicated the he was the program director for 1340/WHAT, and that he had a time slot to fill the next morning. Before Hy new it he was at the Mic. (To be continued)
After a number of months and taking the 10-2am time slot in to a ratings rocket ride, Hy went to Dolly Banks, (owner of WHAT with her brother William Banks, **WWDB ) and requested a salary increase commensurate with his performance. Her less than hesitant reply was “Don’t get it from me, get it from the record companies”. So he did.



* A picture of Hy on WRCV exists, but can’t seem post it on the new board.
**WHAT-FM would become WWDB, for William & Dolly Banks.

 

[fred flintstone]

WRCV was part of the "NBC Radio Network" - not the NBC Red Network.
The terms "Red Network" and "Blue Network" indicated station line-ups on NBC rate cards and were used in trade advertising. They were not public brands and the terms were not used on the air until 1941 when NBC spun off "Blue" operations prior to divesting itself of the network under government order. At that point and for two years after the divestiture, the network called itself "The Blue Network" until Lifesaver King Ed Nobel, who had purchased The Blue Network, acquired the rights to the name "American Broadcasting Company" from George B. Storer. "NBC Red Network" was never used on the air and NBC continued the network cue it had used on both networks, "This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company. (chimes)" This continued until around 1950 when the cue became, "This is the NBC Radio Network. (chimes)"
At the time of the diverstiture, KYW was (and had been) a Westinghouse station. The WRCV calls, which operated from 1955 to 1965, were in use here long after NBC ceased dual network operations.
By the time NBC took over 1060 AM, network operations had been scaled back and during the week much of the schedule was local. NBC Radio aired "Monitor" on weekends (a for a time in the late 50s on weeknights, as well). NBC Radio still carried some daytime soap operas and talk-variety programming until 1957. It had phased out most network evening sitcoms, dramas and variety shows at this point. NBC Radio did not begin weekday News on the Hour until 1957 (Monitor had News on the Hour from the beginning). NBC Radio did not broadcast network programs during morning drive (except for the 10-15 minute NBC World News Round-up) even during radio's Golden Age. Morning drive was always local time. By the late 50's, WRCV had adopted a big band format (which bombed).
Further, "Johnny Dollar" was the name of the lead character on a well-known CBS mystery drama ("Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar") which ran from 1949 until 1962 (one of the last two Golden Age radio dramas in production).
Sam, your posts are interesting but not always accurate. What you post is at best hearsay and sometimes appears to be guesswork. You weren't there; your old man was. You really need to check your facts.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Does anyone remember:
Dave Anderson, WIBG weekend newsman, formerly of WKWF Key West, FL. and my English teacher. I visited WIBG with him.
WFIL's try at top 40 about 1956 with Phil Sheradon, Bob Horn, and Dick Clark. WFIL had to switch back to pop standards after a few months due to parental complaints. Dick Clark went on to take over the "Bandstand" TV show after Bob Horn faced morals charges. (He liked his female companionship a little too youthful.)
Is that REALLY where the term "horny" started?;D : ???

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Hyski's memory may not have been clear but Sam should not have implied he (Sam) had the absolute truth,especially since he was 5 - 6 years old at the time Joe Niagara and Jerry Stevens switched shifts---

SRF

Originally, Bill Wright Sr. did mornings in the late 50’s. When Joe Niagara came on board, he took over mornings and Bill Wright took on mid days’. In 1960-61, the broadcast companies, in particular Storer broadcasting, reacted dramatically to the payola investigation under way, releasing Hy & Joe. Hy went to WCAM while Joe left the market. In just one rating book the ratings began to swing wildly, quite measurable in favor of Hy, at the little 1310. (With WCAM’s self supporter tower on Camden’s water front, the 250 night time watts radiated up and down the Delaware River, clearly serving south, center, north and northeast Philly with a clean grade signal). After the release of the second book, Storer had approached and rehired Hy, and subsequently thereafter, Joe. With Jerry Stevens already in mornings, Joe went to afternoons, and that would remain the anchor lineup through most of the decade.

Sam, that would be cool if Bill Wright Sr joined HyLitRadio. I remember Bill's trademark sign-off "Remember, prayer doesn't change things, prayer changes people and people change things".

I know you were a young tyke in 1962 when I discovered your dad, HySki. I remember he'd open his show at 6 pm "It's nighttime in the Delaware Valley" etc etc. I also remember that Niagra was on mornings until sometime either in late 1964 or 1965. Too bad you can't ask Joe to verify (RIP) but connect with Jerry Stevens or ask Hy if I am right.

BTW I remember you and Hy hosting shifts at WKXW when I lived in NJ (born in New Brunswick). Moved to SoCal in '85 but I still remember those days at WIBBAGE 99!

It is Hy’s recollection that once Joe Niagara settled in to afternoon’s and Jerry Stevens settled in to mornings, they pretty much stayed there. And that would have occurred prior to 1964. Incidentally, when Hy left Wibbage to launch WDAS-FM, in late 1968, Jerry Stevens also left to launch WMMR, both as ‘Progressive underground’ stations. Hy’s initial WDAS-FM staff was Ed Schiakey, Michael Tearson, Larry Magid, T. Morgan, Gene Shay, Wayne Joel and Rod Carson, (who was also an anchor newsman at WIBG). Many of which through attrition gravitated to WMMR, and beyond. Ironically, Hy was already heard on FM through the 50’s & 60’s on Wibbage simulcast, 94.1 WIBG-FM, and even earlier on 105.3 WHAT-FM (1340/WHAT simulcast), which ultimately in a frequency swap became WDAS-FM.

WIBG (May, 1962)

(Courtesy: Rick Bohs)

6-10 a.m. - JOE NIAGRA

10 a.m.-2 p.m. - GEORGE GILBERT

2-6 p.m. - JERRY STEVENS

6-10 p.m. - HY LIT

10 p.m.-2 a.m. - JACK STAR

2-6 a.m. - DON L. BRINK


WIBG (1964)
(Courtesy: Rick Bohs)

6-10 a.m. - JOE NIAGARA
10 a.m.-2 p.m. - BILL WRIGHT, Sr.

2-6 p.m. - JERRY STEVENS

6-10 p.m. - HY LIT

10 p.m.-2 a.m. - FRANK X. FELLER

2-6 a.m. - DON L. BRINK


WIBG (1965)
Courtesy: Rick Bohs

6-10 a.m. - JERRY STEVENS
10 a.m.-2 p.m. - BILL WRIGHT, Sr.

2-6 p.m. - JOE NIAGRA
6-10 p.m. - HY LIT

10 p.m.-2 a.m. - FRANK X. FELLER

2-6 a.m. - ALLEN DEAN

the above from:



http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/radpha.html

 

[qtpieislit]

Hy Lit & the Beatles Come together. Next.

It appears it will be necessary to clarify the distortion.
Hy, in fact, did a show called 'Sinatra & Friends' under the name Johnny dollar on WRCV, evenings/daily, as directed by NBC programming and management at the time. He then returned to the air each night at 10:30, for the ‘Rock & roll kingdom’ as Hy Lit. That comes from the man himself. Further, I never said that WRCV identified itself as the NBC red network on the air. I attempted to assimilate an historical retrospective of the evolution of early rock & roll radio on the WIBG thread, as related to Hy. My references are not internet searches, but the actually accounting of the events as compiled from the individuals I am fortunately privileged to be surrounded by. And I do mean Plural. And that is a piece of history, in the making, itself.


Hy Lit & the Beatles Come together: Hear it on HyLitRadio, read about it first on Radio-Info. Next.

 

[cambridge]

WFIL Records - Re: WIBG Radio 99 - 40th Anniversary Lineup

In cleaning my basement, I also turned up a WFIL Music Explosion Record, probably ca. late 60s, based on the songs and these crazy outfits!! In the spirit of sharing, here's the hilarious pic:

<img src=http://i18.ebayimg.com/02/i/07/78/7b/d5_1_b.JPG>

If this doesn't work, try this linkhttp://cgi.ebay.com/WFIL-Music-Explosion-LP-WIBG-KYW-Philadelphia-Radio_W0QQitemZ110004375135QQihZ001QQcategoryZ306QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem.

 

[apco25]

Re: Hy Lit & the Beatles Come together. Next.

It appears it will be necessary to clarify the distortion.
Hy, in fact, did a show called 'Sinatra & Friends' under the name Johnny dollar on WRCV, evenings/daily, as directed by NBC programming and management at the time. He then returned to the air each night at 10:30, for the ‘Rock & roll kingdom’ as Hy Lit. That comes from the man himself. Further, I never said that WRCV identified itself as the NBC red network on the air. I attempted to assimilate an historical retrospective of the evolution of early rock & roll radio on the WIBG thread, as related to Hy. My references are not internet searches, but the actually accounting of the events as compiled from the individuals I am fortunately privileged to be surrounded by. And I do mean Plural. And that is a piece of history, in the making, itself.


Hy Lit & the Beatles Come together: Hear it on HyLitRadio, read about it first on Radio-Info. Next.

Sam or Hy,

I have another interesting question.....on the final days of WIBBAGE, why wasn't Jerry Stevens, Bill Wright, and Frank X Feller added to the reunion lineup at their normal time spots instead of Hy and Joe doing 6 hour shifts. I know a few of them had program duties at the FM stations, but it was a special occassion.

 

[qtpieislit]

   On the final week of Wibbage Sept.5-10 1977, Only Hy & Joe were contracted for the on-air performances, 6am-6pm. Geater bought his time, 6-Midnight. Aparently commissioned research indicated that Hy & Joe were the most recognized air personalities at the time. I was not part of management, and played no role in the executive decision process, although I was hired for production, and to run the board and produce Hy’s show.
WIBG had just been bought by Fairbanks broadcasting, with Jim Hilliard (WFIL) running the corporate programming implementation and Kevin Metheny (WNBC/MTV) as the incoming program director for the proposed WIZZARD 100 (WZZD). Kevin was fresh out of a successful run at Faibanks/B-100 in San Diego, which in all probability got him the ill founded job. Since Jim Hilliard was part of the original WFIL alumni, he really had a distain for the WIBG staff and for that matter, all the history it represented to Philadelphia. He thought WFIL was the beginnin and end all in Philly radio. So the sooner he killed WIBG, the better, were his sentiments entirely.
The revival of the original WIBBAGE sound that week was a spectacular success, that reinvigorated radio in the city. Subsequently, WIZZARD 100 was its doom. Kevin Metheny was fired less that 1 year later, and the format was change to disco. At that point Fairbanks broadcasting bailed, to Salem which flipped to Contemporary Christian, and preacher paid programming.
Fairbanks Broadcasting tried to park the WIBG call letters, but were denied by the FCC, and subsequently the WIBG call letter were picked up by WSLT/1520, and currently reside at 1020/Ocean City.

 

[Camco]

Sam, Did your Dad ever tell you about peeing down from the balcony onto the Wibbage Christmas tree? I'll always remember that story, I was answering phone for Allan Dean's dedication shows on Friday & Saturday nights. I remember your Dad on the Thanksgiving parade float, He and I think Frank X were sharing a flask.

Thanks for the memories.... Please tell your Dad I said hi! I doubt if he'll remember me, I was usually there when he was taping his Saturday night show at around 3:00 AM so he could be at his hops.

 

[The Boy Troy]

Anyone know the wheareabout of Frank X. Feller? Or Alan Dean (real name I believe was Jerry Toppel)?

Paul Troy/Gary Phillips (formerly on the air in Philly, Atlanta & Miami)

 

[starlitejon]

Anyone know the wheareabout of Frank X. Feller? Or Alan Dean (real name I believe was Jerry Toppel)?

Paul Troy/Gary Phillips (formerly on the air in Philly, Atlanta & Miami)

 

[starlitejon]

Anyone know the wheareabout of Frank X. Feller? Or Alan Dean (real name I believe was Jerry Toppel)?

Paul Troy/Gary Phillips (formerly on the air in Philly, Atlanta & Miami)

 

[Spruceman]

Hey folks. I remember back in 1958 when they used to say "It's always DAWN on WIBG" Tom Donahue from 6-10 in the morning, Doug Arthur from 10 to 2, Bill Wright from 2 to [??] 7:30, and Joe Niagara from 7:30 to [sign-off] Midnight. Making for the D-A-W-N....hope I got all the first names correct there.

 

[drmboi]

Great stuff. Joe Niagara and Jerry Stevens definiely swapped shifts in the 60's. I remember the promos : "I'd rather switch than fight" which mimiced a popular cigarette commercial (Kent?).

Sam: I briefly worked for your Dad & Harvey Holiday at WDAS-FM. When we talk about the original jocks, let's not forget My Father's Son. His real name was Steve Leon and he actually WAS the son of the then station owner (Max Leon)

 

[apco25]

The cigarette your referring to is Tareyton. Not Kent. Happiness is is Kent. I don't even smoke.

 

[Kyle D]

Anyone know the wheareabout of Frank X. Feller? Or Alan Dean (real name I believe was Jerry Toppel)?

Paul Troy/Gary Phillips (formerly on the air in Philly, Atlanta & Miami)

Hey Paul,
Johnathan P. Casey from WSNJ (wsnjam.com) asked me to post this info for him, as his account doesn't seem to be working here.
He said Frank X. Feller is alive and well and living in the Philadelphia suburbs. Johnathan interviewed him a couple months back for his Legends Series, and he is going to replay the interview this coming Tuesday (August 15th) at 5pm. You can hear the show thru the stations website. Hope this helps you out.

 

[The Boy Troy]

Kyle...yes, thank you for the info on Frank-Frank-The Water Tank (what Hy Lit would call him). Appreciate it! The Boy Troy