Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of August 29, 2010
Weekly issue #595

Talent: YVONNE DANIELS
Station: WLS Chicago
Date: July 12, 1975 (Upgraded 8-29-10)
Time: 20:50

She was the "First Lady of Chicago Radio," with a powerful voice that boomed throughout much of the U.S. and Canada via the clear channel signal of Chicago's WLS. She was also a pioneer, a woman on the air at a major top 40 radio station when women weren't nearly as commonplace as on the air as they are now. And there was another barrier to break - she was African-American. Daniels rose above it all to become of the legendary deejays of the Top 40 era, making her fame at the Big 89. She was there in the overnight slot from 1973 to 1982 as the first female jock on WLS and the first to work full-time on Chicago AM radio.

After Daniels left WLS, she jocked at Chicago stations WVON, WGCI and "Smooth Jazz" WNUA. Prior to WLS - from 1964 to 1973 - she hosted "Daniels Den" on WSDM Chicago, the nation's first all-female station (she was the only jock there who used her own name on the air.) Before WSDM, Daniels was at Chicago stations WNYR and WCFL after starting her career in her hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., and working for a time as jazz singer (her father was jazz singer/dancer Billy Daniels.)

Daniels died of breast cancer in 1991 at the age of 53. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1995. A street in Chicago - Yvonne Daniels Way - is named after her.

Daniels is in fine form on this aircheck. And check out the heavy spot load - Daniels even does two live reads in a row! There's even a contest - keep in mind this is the all-night show.

Hear Yvonne Daniels here.

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

More 1975 airchecks here!

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