Talent: GEORGE MICHAEL
Station: WABC New York
Date: July 13-14, 1977
Time: 47:29

 

It was a sweltering summer night in New York, and George Michael was playing the hits on WABC. Then all hell broke loose.

Midway through his 6-10 p.m. jock shift, Michael tossed away his jock hat and donned his newsman's cap as a power blackout darkened the Big Apple.

Late-night jock Chuck Leonard came in early for his 10 p.m.-midnight shift to help out. Afternoon jock Dan Ingram - who had been on the air at WABC when the 1965 New York City blackout hit - phoned in updates as did swing jock Steve O'Brien.

WABC news director Paul Ehrlich - given the green light by upper management to go all news - took the ball and ran with it. Numerous WABC staffers dropped by the station to help out, even if it just meant going out for coffee. Program director Glenn Morgan called it one of the station's shining moments.

The blackout ended the next day but not before four deaths and $300 million in damages. Listen below as King George Michael anchors the coverage on the night the lights went out in New York City.

Enjoy George Michael on WABC here.