Subject: EARLY '70s JOCK MONTAGE
Stations: Various
Date: Various
Time: 30:45

Lots of jocks, lots of rock.

Twenty-five jocks from all over the U.S. and Canada are included in this great deejay montage from the early '70s, when Top 40 AM radio was still going strong.

In order, here's who you'll hear:

Enjoy this montage of early '70s jocks here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

It's radio's greatest fish story, but unlike most fish stories, this is true.

Born April 18, 1944 in Kearney, Nebraska, Art Ferguson became Charlie Tuna at KOMA Oklahoma City in 1966 when Chuck Riley - who used the moniker for just one show - left the station. The rest is Top 40 radio history. Tuna went on to star at WMEX Boston, KCBQ San Diego and Los Angeles stations KHJ, KROQ-AM, KKDJ, KIIS, KTNQ, KHTZ (later KBZT), KRLA, KCBS-FM, KODJ, KMPC, KIKF, KBIG and KRTH. Tuna, whose TV and radio syndication and voice credits could fill a phone book, was voted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2008.

Known for his quick wit, Tuna had the honour of replacing legendary KHJ morning man Robert W. Morgan when the latter went to WIND Chicago in 1970. The gig only lasted until Morgan returned to the Los Angeles station in 1972, but it was memorable and just another feather in Tuna's cap (fin?)

Charlie Tuna died February 19, 2015. He was 80.

Enjoy Charlie Tuna on KHJ (unscoped) here.

Enjoy Charlie Tuna on KHJ (scoped) here.
 

(The Tom Howard Collection)

Talent: TOM KELLY
Station: CKRC Winnipeg
Date: February 15, 1971
Time: 59:29 (unscoped)

Can-Con changed Canadian radio forever.

One of the first mandates of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC) when it was founded in 1968 was to find a way to get radio stations to play more Canadian music. Up until then, stations could play as little home-grown talent as they wanted. In most cases, it wasn't much.

Since stations were not about to voluntarily play more Canadian music, they had to be forced. So beginning January 18, 1971, at least 30 per cent of the music Canadian AM radio stations between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight had to qualify as "Can-Con" (FM quotas came later).

Savvy programmers found ways to lighten the load. One trick was to play a lot of Can-Con in off-peak times, such as late at night or early morning on weekends (known as "Beaver Hours"). Another was to play edited or shortened versions of Canadian tunes. The CRTC eventually closed these loopholes, and in fact increased the percentage to 35 per cent in 1999. What's more, most new Canadian stations since the turn of the millennium have been licensed at 40 per cent (what better way to suck up the commission to get your license than to promise LOTS of Can-Con).

This aircheck gives us a listen to Canadian AM radio less than a month after the regulations were introduced. Fittingly, it starts with a Canadian tune.

Talent: TOM RIVERS
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: May 15, 1971
Time: 25:04

Much has been written and said about legendary Top 40 deejay Tom Rivers, who died of cancer November 20, 2004. We have gathered some of of those special memories here.

Tom Rivers was really COOKIN' the day this aircheck was recorded.

Hear Tom Rivers at his very best here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

For more great CHUM airchecks, visit The CHUM Archives

Talent: GIL HARRIS
Station: CHAM Hamilton, Ontario
Date: June 10, 1971
Time: 1:02:54 (unscoped)

Doc Harris is one of those announcers who put a smile on your face every time you listened to him. His off-beat sense of humour and relaxed delivery charmed listeners for four decades starting in the mid-'60s.

The man born Gilbert Auchinleck started his career at CKDA/CFMS Victoria. Known on-air as Gil Harris, he was there from 1966 to 1969, then moved to CJAT Trail, B.C., from 1969 to 1970. CKOM in Saskatoon was his next stop in 1970. His next two gigs were in Ontario at CKSO Sudbury and CHAM in Hamilton. He was one of CFTR Toronto's first rock jocks - as Doc Holiday - in 1972.

In 1973, Holliday moved to Vancouver - changed his air name to Doc Harris - and began a long and successful career at stations like CKLG, CFMI-FM, CKKS, CKST, CKNW, CFUN and CISL.

Harris was one of the first radio personalities to get his own web site. His site at www.docharris.com has been on the web since 1994.

Enjoy Gil Harris on CHAM here.
 

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: JOHNNY MITCHELL
Station: KGB San Diego
Date: Spring, 1971
Time: 4:03

What's in a name? In rock radio, apparently a lot.

It's not unusual for deejays to go under two or more different names in a career. Dan Ingram called himself Rae Taylor in his early days. Bobby Ocean was Johnny Scott before the powers that be decreed a change of name.

Three or more names is less common. The man CFTR listeners remember as Red Knight called himself Jack London at CKLW and Rick Bradley at CKSL. Bob Dearborn of WLS and Nightime America fame was also known on-air as Bud Roberts and Mark Allen.

Canadian broadcast personality Howard Cogan went under FIVE names: his own, Todd Chase, Todd Howard, Howie the Hitman and Hungryman Howard.

It was also not uncommon for two deejays in different markets to have the same name at the same time. Back in the early 1970s, there was a Johnny Mitchell in Toronto on 1050 CHUM and there was also an announcer with the same name at KGB San Diego (better known as Eric Chase, a.k.a. Harry Miller and Paul Christy, writes Scrapbook viewer Barry Salberg).

You can hear Johnny Mitchell here.
 

(Scrapbook archives)

Talent: TOM KELLY
Station: CKRC Winnipeg
Date: June, 1971
Time: 46:09 (unscoped)
           10:04 (scoped)

More Tom Kelly on the legendary CKRC!

Enjoy Tom Kelly on CKRC (UNSCOPED) here.

Enjoy Tom Kelly on CKRC (SCOPED) here.
 

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Subject: JACK ARMSTRONG INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN WOLFERT
Station: N/A
Date: June 24, 1971 (Upgraded 3-17-12)
Time: 31:41

Jack Armstrong wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

In 1971, Jack Armstrong was interviewed by Jonathan Wolfert of PAMS about a number of radio topics including, memorably, his time at CHUM Toronto. This no-holds-barred interview tells the behind-the-scenes story of Armstrong's hiring at CHUM, that station's switch to the Drake format and Armstrong's departure from CHUM in early 1969. He also talks about several radio people, including Bill Drake, Dick Biondi and Cousin Brucie. (Note: the CHUM portion starts at 19:20).

Hear the Jack Armstrong interview here.
 

(NOTE: CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE)

(The John Bisci Collection)

AUDIO ENHANCEMENT by Andy Rebscher

Talent: TOM RIVERS
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: July 2, 1971
Time: 23:04

A summer weekend, and Tom Rivers on CHUM. What more could you ask for!

Shortly after this show, Rivers left CHUM for a another rather famous station just down the 401, CKLW.

Hear Tom Rivers here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

For more great CHUM airchecks, visit The CHUM Archives

Talent: HARRY HARRISON
Station: WABC New York
Date: July 13, 1971
Time: 44:10 (unscoped)
            22:49 (scoped)

A native of the Windy City, Harry Harrison became a star in New York City.

Harrison, who had originally considered becoming a priest, got his start in radio at the age of 14, at WCFL Chicago, in 1953. Next stop was WPEO Peoria, Illinois, in 1954, where he was program director and also appeared on local TV. In 1959, he got his big break - as midday host at WMCA New York.

With his genial, non-combative style, Harrison was very popular at WMCA and in 1968 WABC and its program director Rick Sklar came calling. Herb Oscar Anderson was leaving and WABC needed a replacement. So for the first and only time, WABC "stole" a WMCA "Good Guy" and made him a WABC "All-American."

Harrison was WABC's "Morning Mayor" for 11 years, heading a lineup that included Ron Lundy, Dan Ingram, Chuck Leonard and - until 1974 - Cousin Brucie. In November 1979, Harrison, Leonard and Brucie's replacement George Michael were dismissed but Harrison wasn't out of work for long. In March of 1980 he replaced Jack Miller as morning man at WCBS-FM. Harrison stayed at 'CBS there for 25 years, before retiring from full-time duties in 2003 and weekend work two years later.

Harrison was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November 2019. He died just two months later - January 28, 2020 - at the age of 89.

Enjoy Harry Harrison on WABC here. (UNSCOPED)

Enjoy Harry Harrison on WABC here. (SCOPED)
 

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

(Courtesy Ted Wendland/radiowest.ca)

Be sure to visit radiowest.ca, a superb radio site hosted by Ted Wendland. Airchecks, jingles, photos, logos, history and forums - radiowest.ca has it all. Rock Radio Scrapbook thanks Ted for sharing this aircheck.

Talent: DON STEVENS
Station: CKLG Vancouver
Date: July, 1971
Time: 3:16

When Don Stevens began his radio career at CKSA Lloydminster, Alberta, in 1962, he could have hardly foreseen the changes that lay ahead in his business. Back then, jocks played music from turntables, had a say in the music that was played, and stations were live 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the most part. It was personality radio - what was between the songs mattered almost as much as the songs themselves (maybe more!). Nowadays, everything is digital and played from a computer (good), the jocks rarely have any say in the music (not so good), and much of the programming - especially at night and on weekends - is voice-tracked or there's no jock at all (ugh!). Progress? Something to contemplate.

After getting his career start at CKSA, Stevens went on to work at a number of major stations including CHED Edmonton, CKLG Vancouver, CJAY Calgary (as morning man and program director), and as program director at AM 106 (CFCN) Calgary, CKFM and CFTR Toronto. He was also morning show host at Lite 96 Calgary (CHFM) before moving to XL 103 (CFXL) in Calgary as program director and morning show host where he celebrated 50 years in broadcasting in 2012.

Enjoy Don Stevens on CKLG here.
 

(Courtesy Ted Wendland/radiowest.ca)

Be sure to visit radiowest.ca, a superb radio site hosted by Ted Wendland. Airchecks, jingles, photos, logos, history and forums - radiowest.ca has it all. Rock Radio Scrapbook thanks Ted for sharing this aircheck.

Talent: GUS GOSSERT
Station: WPIX-FM New York
Date: July 25, 1971
Time: 10:16

Back before oldies were "cool", there was Gus Gossert, "the curly-headed kid in the second row." The deejay who took his nickname from the legendary Peter Tripp ("the curly-headed kid in the second row") is credited with helping revive interest in New York street music - a.k.a. doo wop - in the late '60s and early '70s.

The Pennsylvania-born Gossert studied law at the University of Tennessee, but his true love was radio and doo-wop. After stops at stations in Hawaii and San Francisco, Gossert was hired by New York's WCBS-FM in 1969 to host a Sunday night oldies show - long before that station switched to an all-oldies format in 1972. Gossert's WCBS-FM show, which focused on doo wop music of the 1950s, proved to be immensely popular. That popularity continued when his show switched to WPIX-FM in 1971 and 1972 (he also had a Saturday night show at WPIX-FM). At one time, Gossert's show was the highest-rated Sunday night program in New York radio.

Gossert had long since left the New York scene when he was shot to death in August, 1976. While his stay in the radio spotlight was brief, it was certainly significant.

Hear Gus Gossert on WPIX-FM here.
 

(Scrapbook archives)

Talent: SCOTT REGEN
Station: WCAR Detroit
Date: August 25, 1971
Time: Part 1 - 46:31 (unscoped)
           Part 2 - 29:13 (unscoped)

WCAR seemed like an unlikely prospect for a rock station.

For years, owner Hy Levinson resisted the move to rock, sticking to what he called "good music" and not playing anything resembling rock 'n' roll. But with the station struggling financially, Levinson finally OKed the move to an adult contemporary format by 1970 with the slogan "W-CAR Cares About Detroit." By late 1971, WCAR had become a full Top 40 station as "All Hit Music, The Giant 1130" with a tight playlist and less talk by the deejays. A parade of formats would follow in the '70s, including all-news, progressive rock, adult contemporary (again) and then country as WCXI in 1979. The station switched format to sports and the call letters to WDFN in 1994.

This aircheck is from WCAR's first stab at an adult contemporary format, a few months before the switch to Top 40. Scott Regen had previously been in the Detroit market at CKLW and WKNR, and also jocked in Tampa, Miami and Kansas City. He returned to WKNR in late 1971, just in time for that station ending its Top 40 format the following spring.

Enjoy Scott Regen on WCAR, Part 1 (UNSCOPED) here.

Enjoy Scott Regen on WCAR, Part 2 (UNSCOPED) here.
 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: RON BRITAIN & BOB DelGIORNO
Station: WIND Chicago
Date: September 1, 1971
Time: 59:00 (unscoped)
           34:36 (scoped)

Ron Britain's radio career spanned 11 presidential administrations.

Britain's first radio gig was at WHAS Louisville in 1949, when Harry Truman was the 33rd president. He worked in radio throughout the entire second half of the 20th century, and into the 21st century as well when George Bush 44 occupied the White House. In between, he jocked at leading stations such as WSAI and WKRC Cincinnati, WHK Cleveland, KCMO Kansas City, WCFL, WIND, WJMK, WTMX, WLUP and WLS-FM Chicago. His last radio stop was WRLL "Real Oldies", a short-lived nostalgia station that also featured Chicago legends Tommy Edwards, Larry Lujack, "World Famous" Tommy Edwards, Scotty Brink and Jerry G. Bishop.

On this aircheck, you'll hear WIND's oldies format branded as "#1 Music" which began in the summer of 1971 and lasted until 1974. Britain, who chose his on-air name because of his love of all things English, was at WIND from 1970 to 1974. He was doing mornings when he left in March 1974. As for WIND, the station evolved into a mostly news-talk format by the end of the decade. On December 12, 1985 the station was sold and signed off with "The Whiffenpoof Song" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." WIND reappeared two weeks later with Spanish-language programming.

There's a little bit of Bob DelGiorno on the tail end of this aircheck. DelGiorno worked more than a half-century in radio, including 31 years at WWL New Orleans. He got his start in 1959 in his hometown of Syracuse, New York, also working in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Flint, Michigan.

Enjoy Ron Britain and Bob DelGiorno on WIND (UNSCOPED) here.

Enjoy Ron Britain and Bob DelGiorno on WIND (SCOPED) here.
 

(The Paul Wolski Collection)

Talent: HAL MARTIN
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ontario
Date: September 3, 1971
Time: 8:58

(Chart scan courtesy Tom Howard)

As a youngster, Michael Spears did magic - he was Texas State Champion Magician at age 15. But we remember him for the magic he made on the airwaves.

Magic? How about a 61 share in his night show at Gordon McLendon's KLIF in the late '60s - the highest in the history of the Dallas market. He was Hal Martin there, and he also used that name at Motor City powerhouse CKLW from 1969 to 1971.

More magic: in 1972, Spears was chosen by McLendon to launch Dallas FM station KNUS. The station was number-one within 90 days. After turning WSFO Tampa Bay into successful news-talk station WPLP in 1978, Spears returned to Dallas in 1982 to program K-104 FM. It also went to #1 for the first time.

For his efforts, Spears won Billboard's "Station of the Year" award three times, and twice won that publication's "Program Director of the Year" award. He was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2004.

Spears also co-created "The Amber Plan," a radio alert system to aid in the search for missing children. In 2002, Spears won the Service to America award as bestowed by the National Association of Broadcasters.

All told, Spears consulted over 30 radio stations and groups in multiple formats, programming KHJ Los Angeles, KFRC San Francisco, WYSL Buffalo, New York, KKDA Dallas and WPNT Chicago. He produced literally hundreds of commercials and news segments for radio and television. Much in demand as public speaker and emcee, Spears was also a scuba diving and architecture enthusiast. He died of cancer October 25, 2005 at the age of 58.

Enjoy Michael Spears - as Hal Martin - on CKLW here.
 

(The Tom Howard Collection)

Talent: JOHN RODE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: September 3, 1971
Time: 17:47

John Rode entertained at five different Toronto stations, numerous outlets south of the border and even did  stints in Vancouver and Alaska. But he's probably best remembered for the many years he spent at 1050 CHUM.

Rode arrived at CHUM in 1970 after a stint in mornings at rival CKFH. Prior to that, the Wisconsin native had appeared at several other stations, including WALT Tampa, Florida, WKLO and WINN Louisville, Kentucky, WSAI Cincinnati, WRKO Boston, WIBG Philadelphia and WDRC Hartford.

While Rode would spend much of the '70s, '80s and '90s at CHUM, he gained everlasting fame in 1977 when he become the first morning man at Q-107. He was also the morning personality at CHUM-FM in the early '80s and KEY 590 (CKEY) late in the decade. Rode also found time for 1970s stints at CFUN Vancouver and KFQD Anchorage, Alaska. He returned to CHUM in 1989 for swing work, often filling in on the morning show in the '90s.

Enjoy John Rode on CHUM here.
 

(The Gary J. Peterson and Donald Major Collections)

Audio editing by Marc Denis Productions

Talent: LARRY LUJACK
Station: WLS Chicago
Date: September 23, 1971
Time: 56:17 (unscoped)

Sarcastic, grumpy, seemingly always on edge, Larry Lujack was the antithesis of the cheerful Top 40 jock. But he was also one of the most popular.

Lujack's caustic style was a hit with listeners who appreciated his cynical take on life. He was a pioneer of the shock jock genre later made popular by Howard Stern and others (Rush Limbaugh said Lujack was the only announcer he ever copied). Born Larry Blankenburg June 6, 1940 in Quasqueton, Iowa, he considered a career in wildlife conservatism but fell into radio when a part-time job at KCID in Caldwell, Idaho, turned into a full-time career. Lujack (he got his air name from Chicago Bears quarterback Johnny Lujack) worked at several other stations, including KJR Seattle and WMEX Boston, before landing in Chicago in 1967.

Lujack spent the next 20 years in the Windy City, doing two tours of duty each at Chicago Top 40 rivals WCFL and WLS. "Superjock" became a superstar in the highly competitive Chicago market - at his height he had a million listeners. His sardonic "Klunk Letter of the Day" and darkly humorous "Animal Stories" with sidekick Tommy Edwards became the stuff of legend.

Lujack was the last voice on WCFL when that station ceased Top 40 programming in March, 1976, then returned to WLS a few months later to begin a nine-year stint in mornings. In 1984, he signed a 12-year, $6-million contract with WLS, which made him one of the highest-paid announcers in the U.S. Lujack moved to afternoons a year later but left the air in the wake of declining ratings in 1987.

Lujack returned to Chicago radio in 2000-01 at WUBT, followed by his final Windy City stint at the short-lived WRLL from 2003 to 2006. He died December 18, 2013 in New Mexico after a year-long battle with esophageal cancer. The 2004 National Radio Hall of Fame inductee was 73.

Enjoy Larry Lujack on WLS here.
 

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: RICK JANSSEN
Station: CHLO London, Ont.
Date: October 4, 1971
Time: 1:01:15 (unscoped)

The Top 40 wars in London, Ontario, heated up in the early '70s, with CJOE going after the well-established CHLO for hit music ears in the Forest City.

CJOE, a Beautiful Music outlet since signing on in 1965, dipped its toe into Top 40 in 1970 by playing rock in the evenings with an emphasis on "underground" or album music. CHLO countered by playing more album cuts, then CJOE fought back by going rock full-time and mixing album cuts with Top 40 tunes. This aircheck of Rick Janssen from the fall of 1971 gives you an good idea of what CHLO was doing to counter the CJOE threat at the time.

Enjoy Rick Janssen on CHLO here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenberg Collection)

Talent: PETE GRIFFIN and DAVID PRITCHARD
Station: CHUM-FM Toronto
Date: October 21, 1971
Time: 13:36

(Courtesy John Donabie)

(Larger view here)

It was a different time.

A time when announcers programmed their own music. A time when a song was played because the deejay or music director - or even the listeners - liked it, not because some focus group thousands of miles away "approved it". A time when you could hear a rock tune, a jazz piece, a classical opus, and maybe some folk music all in the same set. A time of long music sets, rather than lengthy commercial sets.

It was a time when announcers just talked to the audience - one-on-one - rather than regurgitating liner notes. A time when one skilled communicator could carry an entire show, rather than a team of self-described "zany" types known as a "Morning Zoo." A time of intelligent rap and gentle wit, rather than shouting. A time when there was an actual living and breathing person in the studio all the time, not a machine. A time when stations were programmed locally, not from head office.

This was progressive rock radio in its early days. Back in the late '60s, this new brand of radio emerged - one that broke all the rules. And one of the first stations to program this "album rock" format - some called it "underground" radio - was Toronto's CHUM-FM. Debuting on July 1, 1968 it was truly memorable in its early days, playing album cuts not heard anywhere else and with outstanding personalities like Pete Griffin, Walter Michaels, Larry Green, Tim Thomas, Kim Calloway, Hugh Currie, David Pritchard, Benji Karsh, Reiner Schwartz, Dave Marsden and John Donabie.

Pritchard was CHUM-FM's all-night man in the early years of that station's progressive rock format. He later went on to become program director of yet another legendary progressive rock station, Toronto's CFNY. His death on February 27, 2005 was sad news for all of those who remembered him, either on or off the air.

On October 21, 1971, Pritchard hung around after his shift to talk on-air to CHUM-FM morning man Pete Griffin.

You can hear the results here.

(The Gary Pfieffer Collection)

Talent: JACK ARMSTRONG
Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: November, 1971
Times: Part 1 - 59:43 (unscoped)
             Part 1 - 14:02 (scoped)
            Part 2 - 41:14 (unscoped)
            Part 2 - 10:06 (scoped)

Rarely do all the elements that made Top 40 radio so memorable come together as they do on this aircheck.

First, there's the jock. Jack Armstrong is without question one of the best Top 40 jocks of all time - some would say THE best (they'd get no arguments from us.) By the time he arrived at 'KB in 1971, Armstrong had already appeared on several Top 40 giants, including WKYC, WMEX, WIXY, CHUM and WPOP. And there were plenty more to come. But we believe Jack shone brightest at 'KB - the combination of energy and enthusiasm he displayed there is without peer.

As for the station, 'KB's consistently epitomized the excellence that was Top 40 radio from its launch as FutureSonic Radio in 1958, to its end as a locally-programmed music station in 1988. 'KB might have at its very best during the Jeff Kaye years, from 1966 to 1973, and this aircheck shows why.

The jingles are fabulous (how about those Pop-Tops!), the music outstanding, the presentation tight and bright ... need we say more? If you're wondering why we love classic Top 40 radio, just listen.


Enjoy Part One of Jack Armstrong on 'KB (UNSCOPED) here.
 

Enjoy Part One of Jack Armstrong on 'KB (SCOPED) here.


Enjoy Part Two of Jack Armstrong on 'KB (UNSCOPED) here.
 

Enjoy Part Two of Jack Armstrong on 'KB (SCOPED) here.
 

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: JOHNNY WILLIAMS
Station: KHJ Los Angeles
Date: November 26, 1971
Time: 13:22

(KHJ Chart/December 21, 1971)

Johnny Williams outlasted them all at KHJ.

When KHJ debuted Boss Radio in April, 1965, the lineup was Robert W. Morgan (6-9 a.m.), Roger Christian (9 a.m.-noon), Gary Mack (noon-3 p.m.), The Real Don Steele (3-6 p.m.), Dave Diamond (6-9 p.m.) and Sam Riddle (9 p.m.-midnight) and Williams (midnight-6 a.m.).

One by one the originals left. Diamond was the first to go, just a couple of months after the launch. Christian went in 1966, Mack left in 1967, Riddle departed in 1970 and Steele said goodbye in 1973. Morgan left KHJ in 1970, returned in 1972 and departed for good in 1973. That left Williams as the last of the original Boss Jocks, and he finally departed in the fall of 1974.

Williams started in radio in 1959 at KBOL Boulder, Colorado. He jocked at KIMN and KBTR Denver, KISN Portland, Oregon, WABB Mobile, Alabama, KRIZ Phoenix, KCBQ San Diego, KRLA Los Angeles and a few others before arriving at KHJ in the spring of 1965. After KHJ, he went to WTAE Pittsburgh for a decade beginning in 1975. Williams was in Honolulu radio in the 1990s at KHVH and KHNR before launching one of the first radio web sites, 440:Satisfaction, in 1995 (he gave us our first link in 1996!)

Hear Johnny Williams on KHJ here.
 

(The Tom Howard Collection)

Talent: LEE MURRAY
Station: CKGM Montréal
Date: December 28, 1971
Time: 30:23 (unscoped)
             4:04 (scoped)

(The CKGM Super '70s Page)

The climb to number-one was short and sweet for CKGM in the early 1970s.

CKGM signed on December 7, 1959 and was a hit music station in the 1960s. But things really took off for the Montréal station after it revamped its format January 1, 1970. By December of that year CKGM had overtaken rival 1470-CFOX to become the number-one rocker in Montréal. It would hold that position until December 1979, when it was overtaken by sister station CHOM-FM.

Lee Murray - whose birth name was Murray Cruchley - jocked at CKGM from 1971 to 1973. He moved to CFUN Vancouver circa 1974.

Enjoy Lee Murray (UNSCOPED) here. 

Enjoy Lee Murray (SCOPED) here. 
 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: LARRY DOUGLAS
Station: CJOE London, Ontario
Date: December 30, 1971
Time: 1:04:36 (unscoped)
              19:20 (scoped)

How many of you learned their radio chops on the weekend all-night show?

Like many a young jock in the days of live all-night jocks, Larry Douglas is learning the ropes on this aircheck from the second-last day of 1971. Douglas plays an interesting assortment of music - from Humble Pie to Helen Reddy to Isaac Hayes. We love the anti-drug ads. But what's with all the Can-Con? The Stampeders, the Five Man Electrical Band, Lighthouse - hey Larry you don't need to play Canadian content between midnight and 6 a.m.! It doesn't count toward the quotas. Maybe he just likes the music!

Enjoy Larry Douglas on CJOE from December 30, 1971 (UNSCOPED) here.

Enjoy Larry Douglas on CJOE from December 30, 1971 (SCOPED) here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: RON O'BRIEN
Station: WCAR Detroit
Date: December 31, 1971
Time: 54:01 (unscoped)

Big Ron O'Brien hosted a show called "On the Radio" in the '80s and '90s, fitting for a guy who was on the air his entire adult life.

Born Richard Walls in Des Moines, Iowa, O'Brien started his professional career in 1969 in nearby Kansas City. His 49-year career took him all over the continental U.S., as far west as Los Angeles (KFI and KIIS), as far east as Boston (WRKO) as far north as Milwaukee (WOKY) and his southernmost stop, WQXI Atlanta. His resume also includes such biggies as KTLK in Denver, WCFL in Chicago, WPGC in Washington, D.C. and a trio of Philadelphia stations, WFIL, WYXR-WLCE Philadelphia and the station where he spent the last six years of his life, WOGL.

Ron O'Brien died April 27, 2008 of pneumonia at the age of 56.

Enjoy Ron O'Brien on WCAR here.


(The Bill Dulmage Collection)
 

RETURN TO ROCK RADIO SCRAPBOOK