WLQT 99.9 Getting Retro AT40 from the 1970s every Sunday morning!

[jcs]

Today I learned that Dayton's WLQT "Lite" 99.9 will get a retro "American Top 40" with Casey Kasem every Sunday morning from 8-11!!! I am SO EXCITED!!! Over the last four years every Saturday morning I have tuned in to WMMX "Mix" 107.7's retro AT40 from the 1980s (hoping to catch the songs in slots 40-31, which is hard to do since it starts at 6).

Of course, that begs the question: How will all 40 songs from that day get crammed into three hours?

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

the AT 40 Retro shows usually start at 31-30 area and air the final 3 hours of the show. at least that is how the 80's version is usually airred. so im sure its the same for the 70's version as well

 

[Kent]

AT-40 the 70's is a three hour show. Each hour consists of 13 songs instead of 10. AT-40 didn't start doing the four hour format until 1978, and they don't air the shows from October 1978 through '79. In fact, I think it was this week in 1978 that they started doing the four hour format. The number one song in the first four hour AT-40 was Exile's "Kiss You All Over."

By the way, AT-40 the 80's can be shorted to three hours for stations that pick it up. There are no national breaks in the first hour of the show, and stations can squeeze some of the segments together commercial free to shorten it.

 

[alans613]

A few years back, Premiere began syndicating AT40 in its original four hour format from 1980-88, and then a few weeks later they cut out #s 40-31 or so because stations that carried the show felt that listeners weren't familiar enough with those songs, so Premiere did away with the first hour, and joined the show in progress, and by doing that, the show was shortened to three hours, and only the years 1982-88 were aired. The show was no longer syndicated after December 2002. However, Mix 107.7 kept playing it until the new "AT40: The 80s" debuted a year or two ago, which restored not only the years 1980 and 1981, but they went back to presenting the show in its four hour entirety, and is also hosted by Ed McMann, who filled in on occasion for Casey in his later years on AT40.

 

[jcs]

A few years back, Premiere began syndicating AT40 in its original four hour format from 1980-88, and then a few weeks later they cut out #s 40-31 or so because stations that carried the show felt that listeners weren't familiar enough with those songs, so Premiere did away with the first hour, and joined the show in progress, and by doing that, the show was shortened to three hours, and only the years 1982-88 were aired. The show was no longer syndicated after December 2002. However, Mix 107.7 kept playing it until the new "AT40: The 80s" debuted a year or two ago, which restored not only the years 1980 and 1981, but they went back to presenting the show in its four hour entirety, and is also hosted by Ed McMann, who filled in on occasion for Casey in his later years on AT40.

I remember the first time I heard a retro AT40 from 1981 on "Mix 107.7", on September 23, 2006. They were doing the 9/26/81 AT40. It was one of the happiest days of my life; that is one of my favorite years for music! I still don't hear any from 1989, tho'; then again, 1989 is one of my LEAST favorite years for music.

I also remember when "Mix 107.7" only did the Top 30. Adding spots 40-31 was an improvement since such were less likely to make the Top 10 (or, should I say, get tagged with the "overplayed" label?). It excites me to hear an unfamiliar song and be told the title and artist; all I have to do is access my "Joel Whitburn's Top Pop 1955-1993" almanac.

Oh, and "Lite 99.9" spotlighted the AT40 from September 29, 1973, today, leading off with Millie Jackson's "Hurts So Good" (with which I was not familiar; it's different than John Cougar Mellencamp's 1982 hit) and ending with Grand Funk's "We're An American Band". Two AT40 extras were Seals and Crofts' "We Will Never Pass This Way Again" (because it was quickly moving up the charts) and Chicago's "Just You 'N Me" (debuting that day at #71).

 

[Kent]

I still don't hear any from 1989, tho'; then again, 1989 is one of my LEAST favorite years for music.

You won't likely hear any AT-40's from '89 because they don't re-air the Shadoe Stevens AT-40's. Casey left AT-40 in 1988 and didn't give any hint he was leaving on his last show.

 

[tcsnrayp]

Is this the full 4 hour show with all top 40 hits and the long distance dedications and other feature songs?

 

[jcs]

Is this the full 4 hour show with all top 40 hits and the long distance dedications and other feature songs?

No, the 4-hour show didn't start until at least 1980.

 

[gr8oldies]

This is great! I'll be tuned in. I still like the 80s version, especially some of the early years. Mix seems to have some problems of late keeping the segments straight, one week I heard the show jump from 1982 to 1986,and one Saturday morning a segment of Ryan Seacrest's AT40 appeared on Mix. Yes, on the 80s version it's all there, long distance dedications and even "American Top 40 is heard on great radio stations like, (insert two classic top 40 stations and one "Z2SG, Tristan da Cunha".

 

[tcsnrayp]

Is this the full 4 hour show with all top 40 hits and the long distance dedications and other feature songs?

No, the 4-hour show didn't start until at least 1980.

So what did they add to stretch the show to 4 hours? It had to be features since they always played the top 40 hits?

 

[radiorob2.0]

Is this the full 4 hour show with all top 40 hits and the long distance dedications and other feature songs?

No, the 4-hour show didn't start until at least 1980.

So what did they add to stretch the show to 4 hours? It had to be features since they always played the top 40 hits?

When the show began in 1970 much of the music was under three minutes. By the late seventies the songs were longer averaging four minutes. Until they expanded the show they would have to edit or fade out the songs. The four hour show started August 1978.

 

[gr8oldies]

They did review the top three from the previous week on the four hour version, not sure if that still is in the reruns.

 

[alans613]

Rob Durkee, who worked behind the scenes at AT40, wrote a wonderful book on AT40 called "American Top 40: The Countdown of the Century"...It is available on Amazon.com and at some local libraries. It is highly recommended from this radio die-hard...LOTS of interesting tidbits and trivia in there! ;D

 

[cklw800]

Right you are, Alans613. Great ,great book that you made me pick up again by mentioning it. Don't know if a newer edition has come out. My copy is from 1999. Looking at it brings to mind one error, definately not in the content anywhere, but on a chart. Page 304. Number 31 for 1975 chart listed as "Fire" by B.T. Express. I believe that should be Ohio Players. But that's nothing because that whole book absolutely rocks!

 

[jcs]

I noticed that on October 19's edition (from 10/29/77) they skipped the second verses of Andy Gibb's "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and Johnny Rivers' "Swayin' To The Music (Slow Dancin')". What gives? ??? Granted, they were falling down the chart by this day, but still...

 

[tcsnrayp]

I noticed that on October 19's edition (from 10/29/77) they skipped the second verses of Andy Gibb's "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and Johnny Rivers' "Swayin' To The Music (Slow Dancin')". What gives? ??? Granted, they were falling down the chart by this day, but still...

apparently that's how they squoze all the songs into a 3 hour show!

 

[gr8oldies]

I don't know if the shows aired originally that way or if they were snipped for the rerun

 

[KFodor]

I noticed that on October 19's edition (from 10/29/77) they skipped the second verses of Andy Gibb's "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and Johnny Rivers' "Swayin' To The Music (Slow Dancin')". What gives? ??? Granted, they were falling down the chart by this day, but still...

apparently that's how they squoze all the songs into a 3 hour show!

There is a book out about the making of American Top 40. The book says, yes...sometimes songs were edited, especially if they were dropping on the chart, though that changed for a while when the show went 4 hours. Later on, once Shadoe Stevens took over from Casey additional editing took place, a lot of which was not for the better.

Of course, it wasn't Shadoe's fault, the new owners of ABC/Watermark (read: ABC execs) who were in direction of the show were the ones who made those decisions. It's a really interesting read, particularly for those of you who have an interest in the show. It would answer a lot of your questions.

And, yes...Casey's "Dead Dog" story is also recounted in the book.

 

[alans613]

The "Dead Dog" story is a hoot! I actually have the edited and unedited version of Casey's tirade. Dr. Dave and Alan Kaye also did a bit about it back in Early 1988 on Z-93, where Alan did his hilarious Casey Makes 'EM! voice and then they went into the outtakes. If i'm not mistaken, the "Dead Dog Dedication" of AT40 actually aired about a year ago on Mix 107.7. When I heard him start out with the line about "...My dog named Snuggles" I knew that was it! I believe it happened in August 1985 and followed a Pointer Sisters song called "Dare Me" and it was in the first or second hour of the show. They also cover the story about those pictures that Casey was promised to see that week as well. ;D

 

[KyDXIn]

The "Dead Dog" story is a hoot! I actually have the edited and unedited version of Casey's tirade. Dr. Dave and Alan Kaye also did a bit about it back in Early 1988 on Z-93, where Alan did his hilarious Casey Makes 'EM! voice and then they went into the outtakes. If i'm not mistaken, the "Dead Dog Dedication" of AT40 actually aired about a year ago on Mix 107.7. When I heard him start out with the line about "...My dog named Snuggles" I knew that was it! I believe it happened in August 1985 and followed a Pointer Sisters song called "Dare Me" and it was in the first or second hour of the show. They also cover the story about those pictures that Casey was promised to see that week as well. ;D

I love the tirade that he does when he's introducing the song "Ponderous." I'm not faulting Kasem for going on a tirade on any of these songs. I'm sure listening to these songs week after week could be a form of torture. I just find it funny that his public image is so calm and cool, yet thru the magic of recording tape we can hear the shear honesty of what we're all thinking!