Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of June 21, 2009
Weekly issue #535

Subject: CHUCK BLORE COMMERCIALS/JINGLE MONTAGE
Station: Various
Date: 1960s
Time: 17:05

(Description by Doug Thompson)

"Chuck Blore has made the radio talk to our hearts." - Sonny Melendrez

There is only one Chuck Blore.

Blore, who turned 80 this year (2009), is a broadcasting legend several times over. From January 2, 1958 until the mid-'60s, Blore was the creative force and Program Director behind Top 40 powerhouse KFWB in Los Angeles, launching it into the stratosphere by taking it from zero ratings to number-one in three months with a 30-share of the market. Imagine - 30 per cent of all radio listeners in Los Angeles were listening to KFWB. A phenomenal success.

For years, stations across North America copied the sound of "Color Radio" - as Blore called it. Chuck told me he became more than a little angry when stations copied his style. "It used to piss me off because I'd sit there for hours and hours trying to think up contests, station promos and liners, and a few weeks later they'd be everywhere," Blore says. "It was damn frustrating. Why couldn't these program directors think for themselves."

In 1964, he turned his magic to the world of advertising with Chuck Blore Creative Services, and struck gold, silver and platinum with several thousand awards to the company's credit. Chuck's advertising, like his radio station programming, was totally unique and highly innovative. His styles included quick cut editing techniques, highly memorable jingle lyrics ("a cow is a cat's best friends" for a Milk Marketing Board campaign) and "tug-at-your-heart-strings" emotional spots. Blore quickly gained a reputation for his innovative commercials with children, which included campaigns for Laura Scudder's Potato Chips, Taystee Bread and Sears ("Jeffrey, are you the opposite sex or am I?" featuring a very young actress by the name of Christina Applegate).

This 17-minute montage contains some of Chuck's early revolutionary spots from the 1960's, including a Hoffman Candy Cup O'Gold spot voiced by then-unknown singer Roger Miller, a legendary Bell long-distance ad featuring an unnaturally long rotary dial SFX as well as the hit song parody jingles for Cleveland Trust. Interspersed amongst the commercials are a few jingles Chuck created for KRLA, WCFL, KMAK and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

Listen to the words - the sounds - the innovation of Chuck Blore. And enjoy ... here.

Produced by Doug Thompson

(The Doug Thompson Collection)

More from Doug Thompson's Production Corner here!

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