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WSBA MYTHS AND LEGENDS

I believe his name was Len Willinski. When Bob Brooks was doing 7-Midnight, he used to talk about his wierd Uncle Leonard from Willinski Ohio. I believe Markham did the news on his shift.
 
you are correct bossjock....also, Bob Brooks was a pretty good personality. I thought he was waisted on 7 to midnight. should have been afternoon drive.
 
I agree loeper. He was a real pro. Moved on to the Seattle market. From what I recall, you were on the FM in the pre-WARM days. You would have worked out quite well in a prime WSBA slot.
 
I seem to recall they finally did move Bob to daytime, noon to 4 I think, before he left to go to Seattle. Bob was not a disc jockey. He was a personality. He would have fit in very well with the kind of personalities WSBA had during its Top 40 days.
 
Bob worked in the same building with me at Fisher Broadcasting in Seattle from 2007-2009. He was handling production for KING-FM and I was an anchor for sister station KOMO. One of the funniest and creative talents in the business, in my humble opinion.

As a footnote, it is interesting to note the number of WSBA alums who ended up in Seattle Radio. Me and Bob, and his former wife Lisa (Silberman) Brooks, and probably others as well.
 
I loved Dave Pennington and his all night trivia shows . I won a lot of prizes playing trivia. I worked swing shifts so when I was on Midnight- 8, I could listen to the radio all the time.

Dave was music director at WSBA around 1976 and when I visited the station he invited me to listen to a brand new 45 record just released. Thumbs up.
"Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band! It became a huge hit.
 
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This was most likely right before the official flip to adult contemporary. I say official flip because they've been trending in that direction for several years. Johnny Andrews arrived and got rid of a lot of clutter, but with FM taking over with WYCR and Q-106, it was only a matter of time. They did AC very well and Rod Burnham took it to the next level. As far as today is concerned, like many legendary stations, they are just a shell of their former self.
 
Robert Markham was Leonard Willinsky, (correct spelling) my uncle........ Indeed he did die in a plane crash with his friend on February 26, 1983

Many of the information bits I found here are in fact correct, my grandfather did own a funeral home in Girardville, PA (Willinsky Funeral Home) and many family members still live in the Minersville, Pottsville area. It was neat to find all of the thoughts and remembrances in this discussion group about him. . I have a cassette copy of the memorials they did on the station from many of the radio personalities and people he worked with over the years that I will upload soon.

Link to news story https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=9nYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3311,4255284&hl=en

Thanks for the kind thoughts of my uncle !

Mike Willinsky
Chester, New Hampshire
 
I always enjoyed playing trivia. Won many prizes playing Rod Burnham's "Show Biz Quiz".
bossjock 56 said:
Some of the great personalities of the 60's on WSBA include Ed Lincoln, Ed Coles, Bob Janis, Jim O'Leary, Ralph Lockwood, Gil David, Paul Roberts, Jim Pride, Larry Hall, Dan Donovan, Don Steele, Peter Porter, Bob Woody, Len Woloson,and Bill Campbell...just no name a few. Who were the WSBA PD's? Bob Shipley was always the main guy...but Bob Janis, Bob Harper, Jack Barry, Mike McKay, and Johnny Andrews were also key players during the top 40 era. Andrews was at the helm during the flip to AC in the mid 70's...followed by Rod Burnham....and right up to the present....Jim Horn. Some of the greats have been left out....if you can add to this list.....by all means I'd love to hear from you!
Click to expand...
 
I loved Bob Brooks. First heard him in the mid 1970's as morning deejay on the small Columbia PA AM Station- 1580 WHEX. He moved on to WSBA. Right before the TMI crisis in March, 1979, I entered a contest on his show. I won a "Moped" from Don's Kawaski in Hellam. Whoopee! After Bob left WSBA for KJR in Seattle, we stayed in brief contact. He mailed an air check from KJR a few months later. A great guy and deejay! QUOTE=bossjock 56;5609309]I agree loeper. He was a real pro. Moved on to the Seattle market. From what I recall, you were on the FM in the pre-WARM days. You would have worked out quite well in a prime WSBA slot.[/QUOTE]
 
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