Rock Radio Scrapbook

Airchecks: 1972

Subject: WKBW COMPOSITE
Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: 1972
Time: 9:27

(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)

"KB had a magic and a charm." - Don Berns

In his narration of this 1972 "Programmers Digest" composite, program director Jefferson Kaye uses the term "predictable unpredictability" to describe WKBW. It's an apt description.

Personality radio seemed at a crossroads in the early '70s, with the trend toward less talk and more rock  evident even then. But in 1972, 'KB was keeping personality radio alive with one of the greatest lineups in Top 40 history. And was it was both predictable and unpredictable as you'll read and hear later.

Much of 'KB's success had to do with Kaye, described by afternoon jock Don Berns as "the most innovative and creative" person he had ever worked for. Kaye let his jocks do their thing, not tying them up in a myriad of rules that restricted their freedom. The result was a station that - as Kaye put it - "break(s) all the rules. But then you think, who makes the rules?"

The following quote from Berns in Bob Paiva's "The Program Director's Handbook" perhaps describes WKBW best: "The station had a personality of its own, and within that personality each jock had a separate identity that fit within the overall framework of this non-formatted, highly visible radio station. Just about anything could happen on the air (and off) and normally did."

This composite, narrated by Kaye (with introduction by Tom Kennedy of WRKO Boston), looks at the 'KB jocks of 1972.

Hear it here.

(Scrapbook archives)

Talent: JOHNNY MITCHELL
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: January 12, 1972
Time: 7:57

Johnny Mitchell had quite an act to follow when he took over as CHUM's midday personality in January, 1970. After all, the role had been admirably filled by CHUM legend Bob Laine since August, 1968. Before that, long-time CHUM jock John Spragge held down the midday slot, and we had also heard Duff Roman, Dick Hayes, Mike Darow, Bob McAdorey, Pete Nordheimer, Harvey Dobbs, Phil Stone, Josh King and even Al Boliska at CHUM in either late mornings or early afternoons.

Enjoy Johnny Mitchell on CHUM here.

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: RONALD J. MOREY
Station: CKOC Hamilton, Ont.
Date: March 1, 1972
Time: 9:47 (Upgraded 10-19-08)

(Chart scan courtesy Mark Ogden)

One of North America's great voice talents, Ronald J. Morey was also a superb jock.

Long-time CKOC program director Nevin Grant tells us more...

"Ron was a terrific announcer at CKOC (an incredible set of "pipes"). He worked at CKOC in the early 70's ... doing the mid-day shift while voicing tons of national commercials in Toronto. Before CKOC Ron had worked for CKCK Regina (our sister station at the time) ..and for Moffatt Broadcasting at CKLG Vancouver. Ron eventually moved to Toronto as his voicing skills were in constant demand. He also did some freelance radio while in Toronto. Eventually Ron moved to the USA and was a major voice on radio and TV commercials. He purchased several radio stations and has been a top-notch success story.  Ron was such a great gentleman. Several times a year he'd drop by CKOC and voice some positioning liners for us. He was the positioning voice of CKOC for a great number of years ... yes, that was Ronald J. on "From Hamilton - Ontario's Music Leader - CKOC !!!!"

Morey also jocked at CJOB Winnipeg in the '60s and freelanced at CHUM in the '70s.

(Picture courtesy Gord Lansdell/vancouverbroadcasters.com)

Mark Ogden tells us even more...

"In 1987, Morey (operating as The Morey Organization) purchased Long Island’s WLIR-FM (reportedly for less than $1m, using personal savings). Ron (together with his sons) then operated ‘LIR (with new call letters WDRE-FM) and an associated network of other similarly-formatted/simulcasting stations in several states (called the Underground Network) until they sold their radio assets to Hispanic broadcaster Univision in 2004.

WLIR/WDRE was famous for decades, including under Morey ownership, as the primary modern-rock station in the New York City area, and achieved national prominence in that regard."

Enjoy Ronald J. Morey on CKOC here.

(The Lino Tristan Collection)

Talent: DENNIS BELL
Station: CFOX Montreal
Date: April 27, 1972
Time: 4:10

(CFOX  mascot Charlie Fox/Courtesy Marc Denis)

It debuted a few days after Elvis Presley left the army, and closed down a month after he died. In between, 1470 CFOX entertained for 17 memorable years on the Montreal radio dial.

The 1470 CFOX era began with test broadcasts at 8 p.m. on March 15, 1960. The next day at 6 a.m., founder/co-owner/original morningman Gord Sinclair (Jr.) and Lakeshore Broadcasting officially launched 1470 CFOX as "Lakeshore Family Radio". An unforgettable era in Montreal broadcasting history would follow. For the full story, click here.

CFOX signed off forever on September 15, 1977, and for a time its spot on the dial was taken by all-news CKO, which itself left the airwaves in 1989. There is silence at the 1470 dial spot in Montreal now, and the old studios at 203 Hymus Boulevard, Pointe-Claire, Que., are long gone. But the memories of 1470 CFOX live on...

We'll leave the last word to Marc Denis...

''I have worked on-air on many Montreal radio stations over the decades, English and French, but 1470 CFOX was not one of them. Mind you, my own broadcasting career start was just a couple of years away during the station's Golden Era of The Sixties. But I was a listener and a fan...and lived only a few blocks away. It was the little radio station in suburban West Island Pointe-Claire that could...and did. Big time. The “Fox” had inspired....and will never be forgotten.

Marc Denis, host & curator, Montréal
The 1470 CFOX Montreal Radio Archive
The 980 CKGM Super 70s Tribute Pages

Enjoy Dennis Bell on 1470 CFOX here.

(The Donald Major Collection via Marc Denis)

Talent: PAUL GODFREY
Station: CHAM Hamilton, Ont.
Date: May 1, 1972
Time: 9:37

Long before Toronto became the "Mega-City", local mover and shaker Paul Godfrey was Metro Toronto chairman in the 1970s. Ironically - at the same time - a deejay with the same name was also Toronto's MUSIC chairman.

While Paul Godfrey took care of the city's business at City Hall, the other Paul Godfrey was "takin' care of biz' at CFTR. Godfrey, who primarily worked midday shifts, was at 'TR during its formative period of the 1970s. His upbeat presentation was a delight, as was his sign-off "Shine on!"

Just prior to CFTR, Godfrey did middays at CHAM Hamilton.

Just prior to CFTR, Godfrey did middays at CHAM Hamilton. Other Ontario stops included CHEX Peterborough, CKLY Lindsay, CKWS Kingston, CFCO Chatham and CHYM Kitchener and CKJD and  CHOK Sarnia (the latter as operations manager). Outside of Ontario he worked at CJCH Halifax and CFBC Saint John, N.B. He also hosted CITY-TV's Boogie Dance Show and was a popular M.C.

Godfrey died September 25, 2007 at the age of 61.

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents Paul Godfrey on CHAM here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Subject: JOCK COMPOSITE
Station: CJRC 1150 Ottawa-Hull (Gatineau)
Date: June 3, 1972
Time: 8:00

CJRC 60s-70s ace morningman Richard Proulx

Cliquez ici pour la description en français.

CJRC 1150 is the powerful voice of the French-speaking Outaouais region, launched on June 3rd, 1968 by businessmen Raymond Crépeau, Marcel Joyal, Robert Campeau and Gérard Moreau in the presence of then-Canadian Prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The station’s offices and studios are originally located on Ottawa’s Sparks Street Mall in the 60s, then on Belfast Road in the Nations’ Capital during the 70s, finally settling in the old city of Gatineau, Québec in the 1980s. CJRC is part of the legendary multi-station Radio-Mutuel radio network of the day across Québec, with CJMS Montréal as the flagship station. CJRC is granted a power boost to 50,000 watts (daytime), 5,000 watts nighttime in the spring of 1972 and remains as such until the spring of 2007 when the station and the call letters are moved to the FM band as 104.7 CJRC.

In order of jock appearance on this classic composite from 1972 are zany morningman Richard Proulx followed by Jacques Lavoie, Marc-André (Théberge), Yvon Morissette, Yvon Fortin and Martial Brideau.

Enjoy French-Canadian Top 40 complete with American hits and Québécois cover versions and originals of the era, along with breezy PAMS and other assorted jingle packages à la française, here.

(Description: Marc Denis, CJRC 1970-71 (marcdenis.com)

(The Marc Denis Collection)

Subject: THE BEGINNING OF WRVQ
Station: WRVQ Richmond, Va.
Date: June 30, 1972
Time: 12:43

One of North America's longest-running Top 40 stations, WRVQ started playing hit music in the summer of 1972. The Richmond, Va., station at 94.5 on the FM dial debuted shortly after midnight on June 30, 1972, with all-night deejay Doug Riddell playing Rare Earth's "I Just Want to Celebrate". Since then, the station has always programmed some variant of Top 40, and was going strong with the format well into the 2000s.

WRVQ traces its roots to August, 1948 when WRVA-FM signed on at 94.5. It simulcast full service WRVA-AM most of the time, but in the late-'60s began broadcasting an automated mono country music format in the evenings. When WRVQ debuted in 1972, it was the first FM station in Richmond to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The original WRVQ lineup included Bob McNeill in mornings, Jim Edwards in mid-mornings and program director Bill Garcia in afternoon drive. Lee Grant did evenings and Chuck Woodson was the late-night jock.  Doug Riddell, who launches WRVQ on this aircheck, did the all-night show.

Enjoy the beginning of WRVQ here.

(The Mike Rivers Collection)

Talent: ED WILLIAMS
Station: WCBS-FM New York
Date: July 10, 1972
Time: 9:00

Runaround Sue was WCBS-FM's first oldie

Oldies was a relatively new - and untested - format when WCBS-FM began its oldies era in 1972.

In those days, it was more commonplace for Top 40 stations to play hit music during the week - with a smattering of oldies - and then increase the gold rotation on weekends. There were specialty oldies show in those days of course, but for a station to devote its entire schedule 24/7 to oldies was rare at the time.

That began to change on July 7, 1972 when WCBS-FM began a full-time oldies format. Johnny Michaels kicked off the format when he signed the station on at 6 a.m. that day with Dion's "Runaround Sue." Don K. Reed had signed off the station earlier that morning at 1 a.m. with "When the Music's Over" by the Doors (in between formats they were silent for five hours, believe it or not!)

The original lineup was Johnny Michaels 6-10 a.m., Ed Williams 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Bobby Wayne 2-6 p.m., Bill Brown 6-10 p.m., Don K. Reed 10 p.m.-2 a.m. and John Vidavar 2-6 a.m.

The switch proved to be an astute one: WCBS-FM played oldies for 33 years and it consistently was one of New York's highest-rated and top-billing stations.

This aircheck from WCBS-FM's fourth day of oldies features Ed Williams spinning the hits and Bill Gilliam with the news.

Hear Ed Williams here.

(Scrapbook archives)

Where were you in '72?

The same question would soon be asked about 1962 in connection with the 1973 George Lucas film "American Graffiti," but we're taking it a decade later, and focusing on the summer.

July, 1972. Details of the Watergate break-in were just beginning to emerge, but it would be a while before the full extent of President Nixon's involvement in what White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler called a "third-rate burglary" would be known. Ultimately, Nixon would resign in disgrace in August, 1974 but not before winning the 1972 election over his newly-minted but overmatched Democratic challenger, George McGovern.

Controversy was brewing over Bobby Hull's exclusion from Team Canada, as it prepared to face the Soviet Union in the Summit Series (or as it is known in French "La Série du Siècle" - The Series of the Century). Despite strong public support in favour of his participation, Hull would not play, but Canada would win the series by the narrowest of margins in September.

Pierre Trudeau was Canada's prime minister; he would win the barest of minorities in a federal election that year but ultimately serve for some 16 years as Canada's leader. One political dynasty - that of Joey Smallwood in Newfoundland - ended earlier in 1972 and another - W.A.C. Bennett's 20-year reign as B.C. premier - would end later in the year. William Dennison was in his final months of a six-year run as Toronto mayor.

Locally, "Godspell" was beginning a smash run at the Royal Alexandria Theatre. The nuclear plant in nearby Pickering had recently opened. Toronto theatres were showing movies like "The Godfather" (in Technicolor and listed as "Adult Entertainment"), "Clockwork Orange" (now at "regular prices"), "Dirty Harry," "The French Connection" and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes."  You could shop at now departed retailers like Shoppers Bazaar, Mr. Broadloom, Collegiate Sports and Woolco. You could still "Ramble into Rumble" to buy a car and - after safely parking it and putting away the keys - enjoy a Calgary Export. Sam the Record Man was advertising for franchise dealers and promising "exceptional potential."

Want a house? Homes in Bramalea were going for $26,500 "only a few left" and there was an ad for six-room house at Eglinton and Mount Pleasant in Toronto for $33,900 "with private drive." How about some air conditioning for your brand-new '72 Pinto, Maverick or Torino? Elgin on Bay was offering that for $199. And for $89.95 you could buy a "radio cassette" - complete with AM-FM radio and a microphone - at Kelly's Stereo Mart.

In July, 1972, the rock world was buzzing about the Rolling Stones tour. It stopped in 31 cities including three in Canada - Vancouver (June 3), Toronto (July 15) and Montreal (July 17). The Stones did two Toronto shows - at 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. - and a ticket could be had for just $4.95. Or - as mentioned in the Toronto Star - you could get one from a scalper for $40 to $65.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup drought reached five years - their longest in over a decade - but for Leaf fans the misery was just beginning. The Munich Olympics - which would be marred by the murder of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team - were a couple of months away. The Montreal Expos were in the middle of a season that would see them finish fifth in the National League East while the Oakland A's won their first of three consecutive World Series.

On television, the top-rated U.S. shows according to Nielson were "All in the Family," "The Flip Wilson Show," "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Gunsmoke." Canada A.M. debuted on CTV in 1972 - the original co-hosts were Carole Taylor and Percy Saltzman - and Toronto would get a new station - CITY-TV (Channel 79) - in the fall.

CHUM was flying high in July of 1972, thanks to an all-star jock lineup. There was Jay Nelson with Dick Smyth news (5-9 a.m.), John Rode (9-11 a.m.), Roger Ashby (11 a.m.-3 p.m,) and Duke Roberts (3-6 p.m.). Also behind the CHUM mic were Terry Steele (6-9 p.m.), Scott Carpenter (9 p.m.-midnight) and Mark Edwards - a.k.a. Bob Magee - (midnight-5 a.m.). As for the tunes, here's a look at the CHUM Chart from July 15, 1972.

Thanks to Bob Seed (who originally recorded them) and Don Shuttleworth (who sent them to us) we have a nice collection of CHUM airchecks from July, 1972.

Hear Jay Nelson on CHUM from July 14, 1972 here. (31:36)

Hear John Rode on CHUM from July 14, 1972 here. (31:40)

Hear Roger Ashby on CHUM from July 14, 1972 here. (21:21)

Still to come from CHUM in July, 1972:

Duke Roberts

Scott Carpenter

(The Bob Seed Collection)

* These airchecks were sent to us by Don Shuttleworth

Talent: JACQUES SALVAIL
Station: 1280 CJMS Montréal
Date: August 7, 1972
Time: 12:59

(Description by Marc Denis)

Back in 1972, Jacques Salvail (pronounced 'Salv-EYE') is one of the most high-profile radio and TV personalities in French Canada. Salvail is the singer/host of Saturday night's #1 French-language teen/bandstand television program in Quebec, "Jeunesse", a show he inherited a year earlier from the departed pioneer originator, singer/host Pierre Lalonde.

Jacques Salvail thus enjoys a string of French-language hit records during this period, all the while jocking early evenings on Radio-Mutuel's flagship station, 1280 CJMS Montréal, for the better part of the early '70s playing the latest French and English language hits. His radio specials or countdowns are often broadcast on the complete Radio-Mutuel radio network of the time (CJRP Québec City, CJRS Sherbrooke, CJTR Trois-Rivieres, CJRC Ottawa-Hull). If any broadcast group ever successfully captured and translated the WABC New York "booming reverb sound" into a language other than English, it was Radio-Mutuel in Québec.

Other 1280 CJMS Montréal on-air notables of this classic era: Serge Belair, Michel Jasmin, Huguette Proulx, Paul Vincent (later to become singer Roch Voisine's manager) and Emile Genest ('60s star of many animal-themed Disney classics such as "Nikki, Wild Dog of the North" (1961), "Big Red" (1962). "The Incredible Journey" (1963), among other credits.

Following his "vedette" radio and television days, Jacques Salvail continued as a singer and host of the occasional "Jeunesse" retro rock summer tour across Québec and francophone Ontario. He has garnered some more favourable reviews as an actor in summer theatre over the years at venues in the Laurentians and Eastern Townships of Québec. Jacques can also be seen from time to time on popular French-language soaps.

Enjoy Jacques Salvail on 1280 CJMS in 1972 here.

Cliquez ici pour la description en francais.

(The Pierre Tremblay Collection)

Talent: DON BERNS & JACKSON ARMSTRONG
Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: October 2, 1972
Time: 3:45

"Radio is full of surprises. Stay tuned."
- Rick Sklar's last lines in "Rockin' America"

Live Top 40 radio in the '50s, '60s and '70s WAS always full of surprises. You never knew what to expect.

Flashback to a Saturday morning in 1972. Don Berns is finishing his show, and Jackson Armstrong is supposed to go on next, but he's late. Berns decides to have fun with it and Armstrong follows suit. Listen to what happened here.

You'll notice a couple of "Pop-Tops" on this aircheck - jingles sung over the intro to the song that were made to sound like they were part of the song. They were quite innovative. You can hear more of them here.

Also check out another great  'KB feature on this aircheck - the Classic Countdown.

(The Craig M. Smith Collection)

Talent: BILL WADE
Station: KHJ Los Angeles
Date: October 21, 1972
Time: 9:34

Some voices are just made for radio. Bill Wade's is one of them.

Wade's pleasant, dulcet tones filled the California airwaves for years, at stations like KDEO and KGB San Diego, KBRT Los Angeles and KFRC San Francisco. Notably, he was also at the legendary KHJ Los Angeles in 1963 and 1968-74.

Hear Bill Wade on KHJ here.

(The Tom Howard Collection)

Talent: JACK ANTHONY
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ont.
Date: December, 1972
Time: 13:01

The Drake format came to KHJ Los Angeles in 1965 and Top 40 radio would never be the same again. The easy-going, personal approach that characterized Top 40 radio up to that point was ending. It was replaced by a no-nonsense, 'tight and bright' sound that was clean and streamlined. Everything was tightly formatted - songs, commercials, jingles and of course the deejays. Personality was out, liner notes were in. Deejays were told not only what to say, but how to say it (quickly) and when. Many top deejays were able to establish a personality within the confines of the tight format,  but it wasn't easy. The beginning of the Drake era was to rock radio what the arrival of the Beatles was to rock music. It was a watershed moment.

It was also successful, very much so. The format Georgia-born Bill Drake established at KHJ took that previously middle-of-the road station to the top of the ratings. So it was not surprising that RKO General, which also owned CKLW, hired Drake to turn that station around in 1967.

The Drake format started at 'CK the week of April 1, 1967 and the Detroit-Windsor rocker never looked back. With its hard-driving approach to both music and news programming, the station quickly shot to the top of the ratings. It became one of the most popular and influential stations in the history of Top 40 radio.

The entire CKLW story cannot be told here. I would, however, recommend David Carson's excellent book on Detroit radio, "Rockin' Down the Dial." This detailed and well-written book covers the entire history of Detroit rock radio and can be purchased through Momentum Books of Troy, Mich.

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents Jack Anthony at CKLW in 1972 here.

(Source unknown)

For more CKLW airchecks, visit The CKLW Years

Title: CFTR "Rip-off" CONTEST
Station: CFTR Toronto
Date: 1972
Time: 2:03

Sometimes what seems like a good idea on paper, just isn't that when it's put on the air. Case in point: CFTR's "Rip-Off" contest in 1972, one of that station's early promotions as a rock outlet. The idea was that the station would announce the hour's "rip-off" prize, then call listeners at random. If they knew it, they would win. The problem was, the contest was carried live on the air - no delay, no pre-taping. So you can imagine the problems that might have cropped up and, in fact, did.

To hear this aircheck, click here.

(The Dan Haber Collection)

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