WJJG 1530 AM- Rare Stuff

[DXnCruise]

On various tapes, I recorded WJJG 1530 AM. I have commercials and songs (some entire) from two, brokered, South Asian programs. I also have a few station sign ons and sign offs. I also have some of my favorite songs (all forgotten oldies) from the 1930s-60s. What makes these clips special are a few things:

1.) Sound Quality- It sends shivers up my spine whenever I hear the grainy sound quality. What was even more of a treat was that whenever a program was not scheduled, but it was near sign-off, WJJG would play some very beautiful music. Marry that with the early sunset times, and it sounded like you were listening to an old time station about to sign off. I loved hearing WCKY try to take over the frequency.

2.) The enthusiasm and passion poured into the programming and music. The people I spoke to WJJG while it was still WJJG loved being on the air. Joe Gentile made the best investment of his life when he bought the station back in 1994. I discovered it in 2003 and listened to it until July 2011.

 

[Tom Wells]

There was something special about Joe Gentile's delivery and natural "unpolished" delivery that cannot be found in
safe corporate radio. He was definitely the last of his kind in Chicago.

I have one short aircheck from May 2011 where he elaborately describes how to get to Rosehill cemetery.
He used great Chicago-isms, like "under da via-doc", "da stop-n-go light", etc.

 

[DXnCruise]

There was something special about Joe Gentile's delivery and natural "unpolished" delivery that cannot be found in
safe corporate radio. He was definitely the last of his kind in Chicago.

I have one short aircheck from May 2011 where he elaborately describes how to get to Rosehill cemetery.
He used great Chicago-isms, like "under da via-doc", "da stop-n-go light", etc.

That's exactly why I loved Joe Gentile's personality. Chicago does not have anyone that I can think of, that is currently involved in small or large radio stations.

There's Steve Cushing and his Sunday AM program, Blues Before Sunrise. I listen to him every Sunday at 12 AM. Cushing doesn't have the Chicago accent (at least when I hear him on the radio), but he certainly knows blues history and music well. He also wrote a book and made a CD of the interviews on his program back in 2010-2011.

John DiVita is on FM and still does his Chicago history program, plus a new, big band show! I don't live anywhere near Norridge. That's where the station is, but I listen online. I had the privilage of calling John DiVita twice, back in May 2011. I wanted to know how I can get a show on WJJG. I wanted to do an old-time music program myself. I have a number of records in my collection.

I am still devastated not only at losing Joe, but also how WJJG turned into a nasty, alt-rockers paradise. I have other airchecks from 2004-2006 of various programs as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.