Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of April 3, 2016
Edition #879

Talent: LARRY NORTON
Station: WGRQ Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: April 8, 1981
Time: 19:15 (unscoped)
8:09 (scoped)

Stunts and contests were a mainstay of Top 40 broadcasting, with stay-awake marathons among the most popular. Peter Tripp did a 206-hour marathon for WMGM in 1958 (supposedly it affected his health in the long term). But on March 14, 1981, Larry "Snortin'" Norton - then the midday jock at Buffalo's 97 Rock WGRQ) - set out to stay on the air for 484 consecutive hours. Under the rules set by the Guinness Book of World Records, Norton could take a five-minute break every hour, or save up those breaks and take a two-hour rest every day. That's what he did, sleeping from 2-4 a.m. and broadcasting for 22 consecutive hours for 20 straight days before finishing up on April 8. When it was over, Norton got a well-deserved trip to the Virgin Islands and yes, some sleep.

(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)
 

To hear how Larry Norton's marathon ended, click here. (UNSCOPED)  

To hear how Larry Norton's marathon ended, click here. (UNSCOPED)
 

To hear how Larry Norton's marathon ended, click here. (SCOPED)

To hear how Larry Norton's marathon ended, click here. (SCOPED)
 

(Scrapbook archives)
 

More 1981 airchecks here!