REEL TOP 40 RADIO REPOSITORY
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Even though he was born 15 years earlier, Lexington, Kentucky native John Quincy (a.k.a. Ted Tatman) didn't really discover Top 40 radio until he smuggled in a transistor radio to his church camp outside of Louisville in the summer of 1970. After a few hours of listening to the legendary WAKY in his dorm room, he caught the radio fever. Upon his return to Lexington and a visit to local AM-ers WVLK and WLAP to find out how radio stations really performed that on-air magic, he was hooked. Luckily, an English teacher at his high school told him about a Junior Achievement program being sponsored by WVLK-AM. Every Wednesday night, WVLK would turn over a half hour of their programming to high school kids, who would sell, operate, and program it. Quincy made sure he was one of the ones chosen to be one of the teen DJs. Between his junior and senior year Quincy scored a summer job working seven days a week at WBGR AM & FM in Paris, Kentucky. Most of the time was spent running Cincinnati Reds baseball games but for a little while each shift he got to play DJ. It was country music (which was especially bad in the early 70s) but it was radio. From that point, Quincy never looked back.
There were stints in other Lexington area radio stations (WEKY, WAXU, WCBR, WKDJ, and WBLG) before Quincy got the call in 1979 to escape
Lexington's awful winters and work in sunny Savannah, Georgia (WKBX and WZAT). Then in 1981, Quincy moved up the coast to Charleston, SC to
take on PM drive duties at WSSX. Later Charleston gigs included AC WXTC (where he spent nearly 10 years as PD), All 70s WJUK, Country
WBUB, and Oldies WXLY. Subscribers to Today Quincy is the assistant program director and morning producer at News/Talker WTMA in Charleston. Along with his radio work, he creates and maintains Web pages plus does regular mobile DJ gigs. The Repository thanks John Quincy for sharing! |
[Descriptions by John Quincy, unless otherwise indicated]
TOP STREAM 32Kbps (10Khz)
Johnny Hill, Sonny Palmer, WCOL-FM Columbus OH October 1962 (11:30)
. . . And now, from Columbus, entertainment capital of the great midwest . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] This exhibit from contributor John Quincy originated in the personal collection of the late Herb Oscar Kent of Lexington, KY. The 'scoping is unpredictable, and everything is edited somewhat. The recording was made of WCOL-FM from approximately 5:22 until 6:18 PM on a weekday in October,1962. Johnny Hill opens this aircheck, counts down the Music Meter and closes out afternoon drive. We know Hill remained at WCOL for a few years — he was still there in August, 1966. The 6 PM news is reported by John Otting (sp?) and heard five minutes sooner. Then, with great fanfare, it's time for young Sonny Palmer. No idea how long Palmer stayed there, but we're hopeful he didn't choke on that "thing" in his throat. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (10Khz)
Barney Pip and Someone Else, WISH Indianapolis, 1963 (09:56)
. . . with the geekiest, ugliest looking disc jockey you ever saw . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] This exhibit is a composite of two short, 'scoped airchecks. They are both quite rare, since WISH Radio (AM & FM) is no longer broadcasting from Indianapolis. (The call letters live on with WISH-TV.) These airchecks feature PAMS jingles and the "Wonderful" logo. The AM frequency was 1310, but this was most definitely recorded from WISH-FM. Contributor John Quincy notes this one comes from the personal collection of the late Herb Oscar Kent of Lexington, KY. Most of Mr. Kent's airchecks were from FM simulcasts. On the first aircheck, the jock says he's Barney Pip, and that's who it sounds like, for sure. We only have about 2 minutes and 20 seconds of his show, which we guess was broadcast in early 1963. The remainder of the exhibit was recorded in October, 1963 (best guess), on the Saturday evening NightBeat show. Can't identify the jock, though he offers his name twice - (Dave Ford? Abe Fohr?) He sounds like a young guy. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (14Khz)
Marc Avery, Clark Reid WJBK Detroit August 1963 (28:33)
. . . M.A. in the A.M. . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] Marc Avery was M.A. in the A.M. on WJBK between 1961 and 1965. Contributor John Quincy says this aircheck comes from the personal collection of the late Herb Oscar Kent of Lexington, KY. Most of Mr. Kent's airchecks were from FM simulcasts, as is this recording. For 1963, the fidelity is exceptional. This exhibit seems to include three days in August, 1963. Thursday, August 15, Friday August 16, and Monday August 19. One set from midday mainstay Clark Reid on 8/16 appears around 13:35, before we jump (without any warning) to the following Monday and Avery's show from 8/19. And even though it's loosely 'scoped, there's a nice selection of classic commercials, jingles, and pieces of popular music. Altogether, a terrific sample of 1963 Motor City radio. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (8.5Khz)
Buddy Carr, KAAY Little Rock AR, October 1963 (14:37)
. . . At street level, I have 82 degrees . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy]
There's one incompletely 'scoped song we have to report, but otherwise, this 'scoped exhibit includes some fabulous commercial jingles, and it sounds really nice, despite the infrequent atmospheric crackles and squelched whistle. It has some excellent samples of what made KAAY in Little Rock, Arkansas, a remarkable and memorable Top 40 radio station in the golden age of appropriately regulated radio. It's the 5PM hour, and
Contributor John Quincy says this aircheck is from the personal collection of the late Lexington, KY. broadcaster How about that nearly mystical "bumper" jingle under and after the hits? Really works here, best use of this technique I've heard. And who remembers those record offers for albums featuring soundalike performers? Tonight is Halloween, the Great Pumpkin is out and there's an invite to the KAAY Holiday Haunted House. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (10Khz)
Big Hugh Baby Jarrett, WPLO Atlanta, December 1963 (19:10)
. . . puttin' some words on ya, and talkin' that trash . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy]
Contributor John Quincy says this aircheck is from the personal collection of the late Lexington, KY. broadcaster
In this rare FM simulcast recording, you'll hear Jarrett literally yelling into the microphone, and then jump between his music show and the news. His original presentation of the latest R&B and rock 'n' roll music was irrestible for a generation of Georgia teens and young adults. This was the coolest radio in Atlanta. Big Hugh Baby was The Man. Hugh Jarrett passed away on May 31, 2008. He had been hospitalized for two months after being critically injured in an auto accident. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (10Khz)
Bill Ward, WPLO Atlanta, December 1963 (RESTORED) (31:11)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (13:11)
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] This exhibit is a partially edited recording of the FM simulcast of WPLO-AM (590 Khz) from the personal collection of the late Lexington, KY. broadcaster Herb Oscar Kent (WLAP, WVLK). Eight musical performances have been restored by REELRADIO. Atlanta was a hotbed of Top 40 in 1963, and WPLO had formidable competitors in WAKE and WQXI. Little bits of the actual event are missing here and there, but this restored exhibit is a delightful half-hour for everyone who remembers 1963.  Bill Ward, decades after this aircheck Program Director Bill Ward is efficient, friendly, and on format with lots of weather, goofy promos, and a couple of bits on this very early 6AM-ish morning. And, there's a Top 40 playlist that favors Pop and Country. When he flubs a promo, he quips "Welcome to 'You Bet Your Job', friends!". Mr. Ward had no trouble finding a long career in programming and managing stations that he flipped to the country format, in Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Twenty years after this aircheck, he was GM of KMPC and President of Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters. Bill Ward passed away July 31, 2004. Best bet for the actual date of this broadcast is December 18, 1963, based on the Ken Wilson Headline News report of a missile launch from Vandenberg AFB, which occured on December 18, 1963. Also, we know Mr. Kent recorded WPLO on December 17. The classic ad for Budweiser — first spot in the 6AM hour! — is a tasty treat, and the spot for the Wollensak tape recorder confirms that we have crossed over into the Sixties Zone. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (10Khz)
Red Jones, WQXI Atlanta, January 4, 1965 (35:30)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (23:07)
. . .
a lot of just plain old lousy feeling - especially after the holidays
. . .
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] Red Jones was named one of America's top PDs by the Gavin Report while working in Houston for Gordon McLendon at KILT. Red started at KILT in 1956. Here, he is heard as Assistant Manager, Program Director, and morning man at WQXI, Atlanta, on January 4, 1965. Red is a 2008 Career Achievement Inductee at the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame. It's the original Atlanta Tiger, with the Money Match game and the Animal Crackers game, and lots of chances to win! George T. McIntire is featured with both news headlines and a slightly truncated ten minute newscast that swept the 8AM hour from 7:55 to 8:05. The first three songs were restored. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (10Khz)
Sam Hale, WQXI Atlanta, January 4, 1965 (34:33)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (13:25)
. . .
This is the way I make my living
. . .
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy] It wasn't too difficult to date this one. In addition to lots of classic PAMS, there's a custom jingle for the date! It's the first working day of the New Year of 1965, and Sam Hale is playing the hits on Quixie in Dixie while taking votes for the Housewives' Hit Parade. George T. McIntire offers sports and news. There are a couple of musical rarities and the aircheck concludes with the perfect "last word". WQXI is giving away an outhouse, but there are two additional contests underway, a New Year's Resolution contest, and a Money Match game. $79 seems like an appropriate prize from Audio 79. And it's a shame that cigarettes turned out to be so deadly. There are two Winston spots and that jingle is one of the best, ever. Sam was a 2010 Career Achievement Inductee at the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame. He passed away in August, 2015. He was 78. Two songs were restored. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (10Khz)
Bill Bailey, WKLO Louisville, KY July 25, 1969 (55:21)
. . . the sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home . . .
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by John Quincy]
 Bill Bailey back then Senator Edward Kennedy has pleaded guilty to something involving a pretty blonde secretary, and Bill Bailey, The Duke Of Louisville, is packing his bags for WLS/Chicago. The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has just given Bill the key to "his old Kentucky home." This is his last hour on WKLO, a studio recording with excellent fidelity. Bill Bailey suffered a stroke in 2004 which left him partially paralyzed. He passed away at the age of 81 on January 14, 2012. In 1998, newsman Allen Bryan contributed a short portion of Bailey's last hour. That exhibit includes many interesting comments. This complete version includes a happy exchange between Bryan and Bailey and important information about collard greens. It's the full hour (minus 5 minutes of news) with lots of Bailey, classic spots and music that is not standard Top 40 fare. Contributor John Quincy has more at his WAKY Bill Bailey page. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (10Khz)
Barney Pip, WCFL Chicago, July 25, 1970 (01:04:17)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (21:51)
[Description by Uncle Ricky. Contributed by John Quincy] This must have been close to the end of Barney Pip's long tenure at WCFL. Obviously spooked by WLS, Big Ten was tightening up — so much so, that Pip sounds like he "phoned this one in". There's no trumpet playing or clever patter, just lots of live spots. Barney gets in and out quickly. And, even though it's nearly 2AM in the morning, there are two newscasts, delivered by John Ganas. This is another high-fidelity studio recording of WCFL made by the station's Production Manager, Tom Konard. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (10Khz)
Jerry Kay, WCFL Chicago, May 5, 1972 (58:23)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (19:28)
 Jerry Kay Another wonderful high-fidelity sample of The Voice Of Labor, featuring Jerry Kay, who passed away on September 25, 2005. Kay (real name Jerry King) also worked at KOL and KJR in Seattle, as well as WLS in Chicago. On this Friday, May 5, 1972, Jerry is smooth and friendly. This is another studio recording of WCFL made by the station's Production Manager, Tom Konard. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (10Khz)
Kris Stevens, WCFL Chicago, August 23, 1972 (58:36)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (18:43)
[Description by Uncle Ricky. Contributed by John Quincy] This crystal-clear hour of the Chicago Federation of Labor's WCFL features "Summertime Vacation Fill-In Freak" Kris Erik Stevens subbing for Larry O'Brien. As a bonus, we get one of those multiple-voiced Big 10 newscasts, featuring John Ganas, Jim Frank, Bob Christopher and others, plus the late Richard Nixon accepting the nomination for his second term. But maybe the best surprise is Dan Ingram and Woody Allen in a spot for Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (But Didn't Know Who To Ask). Nearly all of the high-fidelity studio recordings of WCFL from this era were made by the station's Production Manager, Tom Konard. |
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
Larry Lujack, Tom Murphy, WCFL Narration, 1973 (8:05)
. . . This is really a rather dull film, isn't it? . . . Larry Lujack and "World Famous" Tom Murphy narrate a WCFL film prepared for the Bob Hamilton Report Convention. It's likely this was in 1972; Murphy left KRLA in 1971. Wouldn't it be great to find a copy of the film? Even though it's just the audio track, it's still fun to imagine what these guys were looking at. This rarity is courtesy of Tom Konard's Aircheck Factory. |
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
Larry Lujack Birthday Klunk, WCFL, June 1973 (5:24)
. . . Since it's my birthday, I can do anything I want . . . This begins as Larry Lujack's Klunk Letter of the Day on WCFL, June 6, 1973 (Lar's birthday). It's courtesy of Tom Konard. This might have been on a Programmer's Digest LP, but it never sounded as good as this. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (11Khz)
John Driscoll, WCFL Chicago, 1976 (01:11:07)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (09:42)
Introduction by Uncle Ricky This is a GREAT aircheck of John Driscoll on WCFL - early in 1976. We all know 'CFL was gone as a Top 40 station on March 15, 1976. He's having a lot of fun on this one. Did he know the end was near? Contributor John Quincy labeled this contribution as "1976", and, the last song on this aircheck didn't debut on Billboard until February 7, 1976. Otherwise, most of the music is from late 1975. But, there is no mention of any holiday, so it's obviously several weeks into 1976. This studio recording originated from Tom Konard's Aircheck Factory. |
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
Jim Channell (Captain Whammo) WMET 1977 (6:49)
. . . Whammo! . . . Here's Captain Whammo (Jim Channell), smokin' on WMET (FM) in Chicago, 1977. I was introduced to the good Captain by Dave Kohl, sports director at WBLG in Lexington, KY when I worked there in the late 70's. Dave worked at WMET when it was WDHF and Captain Whammo sent him this aircheck, and I got a dub. I later got a chance to go up to WMET's studios and watch Whammo work. It was the dead of winter in Chicago, but he was on the air barefoot in a t-shirt and Bermuda shorts sweatin' his butt off. I remember being especially impressed with their phone system where the jock talked into the microphone, but the caller was heard out of a speaker. Pretty much the norm today, but where I worked at the time it was radical technology. |
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TOP STREAM 32 Kbps (14Khz)
WLS Chicago Composite, 1978 (27:07)
. . . this is not an actual radio program . . . I worked with Tad Griffin at WSSX in Charleston in the early '80s. Tad requested a WLS aircheck from John Gehron in the late '70s. John sent him this composite. Tad gave the original reel to me in early 2005. Included: Larry Lujack, Jeffrey Hendrix, Kathy McFarland, Tommy Edwards, Bob Sirott, John Records Landecker, Jeff Davis, and Yvonne Daniels.
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
WAKY, Louisville, KY., 21st Birthday Vignettes (11:04)
. . . after an intensive survey, I concluded that Louisville had more piano bars than happy marriages . . . I heard these on the air in what was probably 1978 or 1979 — they must have run them every hour. I called up their production director, Bill Purdom, and asked if he'd send me some. (I had worked with Bill at WEKY in Richmond, Kentucky in late 1972.) Bill did the "narration" as he played the carts onto the reel for me.
Featured: Gary Burbank,
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
WSGA Savannah GA. Composite, 1979 (8:55)
. . . Everyone out of the way, there's a lobster on the loose . . . This WSGA (Savannah, Georgia) composite from 1979 features morning guy Chris O'Brien, who was doing mornings at WKRQ/Q102 in Cincinnati before coming to Savannah to be with his ailing father. He later went back to Q102. Quite a catch for WSGA. The rest of the staff ain't bad either: David Blair, Jim Lewis, Jerry Rogers, Chuck Cannon, Dennis Reid and Dave Miller. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (14Khz)
WTMA Charleston, S.C. Composite, 1969-1979 (28:21)
. . . In fact, South Carolina's Number One Station . . . [Description by Producer John Burwell]
The 1969 introduction was voiced by PD John Trenton as a sales pitch to Eastman Radio, a national sales rep. My favorite line is when he speaks of five resident newsmen and one full-time news specialist. The "five resident newsmen" were actually the jocks!
Featured: Booby Nash, from January 1969. This aircheck was recorded on tape
supplied by the U.S. Navy. They would get us to record whole days of shows, and then they would play them on Charleston-based ships while the ships were out to sea, as a little reminder of home.
John Trenton was Program Director in 1972 when he was taken off the air and made
General Manager. You also hear "Big Boob" substituting for John Trenton, and newsmen
After that, Crazy Bob McLain, Tim St. George and a compilation of the on-air staff in 1979: Magic Mark, Ted Bell, Jack Lundy, JB, and Rick Tracy. Booby Nash was rehired as PD in 1979. As you can hear, his comedic wit in '79 was just as good as it was in '69.
"WTMA - always striving to be better!" That is the way that it was. |
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TOP STREAM 44.1Kbps (20Khz)
WAKY Louisville Remembered, 2003 (01:02:30)
. . . W-A-K-Y, or "wacky", as it was called, was just downright exciting . . .
Airchecks are included from Producer Quincy says, "A few of the airchecks came from the same sources as some of the WAKY airchecks on REELRADIO. What I did was contact the contributors and asked them for a copy. So, there's a little duplication, but the vast majority of the material hasn't appeared on REELRADIO." In addition, John's tribute features lots of authentic WAKY jingles, and Randolph's stories are typical of the realities of the "Glory Days" of medium-market Top 40, all over America. There's even an explanation of the audio processing. This is a very high-fidelity presentation and we are very proud to present this original production at REELRADIO. Our thanks again to John Quincy. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (8Khz)
Tom Dooley with John Quincy, 2005 (35:11)
. . . I got fired a lot because of my mouth . . .
 Tom Dooley, WAKY (c. 1974) And what about those thousands of jocks who wanted to work at KHJ? "I wanted to stand on top of the mountain ... and wave my arms and say, 'Don't Bother! Don't come this way!" warned Dooley. "There's no joy here. There's no love here." The infamous aircheck of Dooley demanding an investigation of President Richard Nixon is included in this exhibit. (It starts at approximately 15:36 into the interview.)
 Tom Dooley (c. 2009) During the last years of his life, Dooley was an active Christian, and returned to the air on a syndicated radio program titled "The Journey". Early in 2010, his friends and family noticed subtle changes in his behavior. Shortly thereafter, he experienced difficulty with balance and fatigue. Tests and a biopsy resulted in a diagnosis of aggressive brain cancer. A large tumor was removed on April 8, but some cancer remained and Dooley was paralyzed on his left side. Tom Dooley was born on January 18, 1947 in Chicago, IL., and was 63 at the time of his passing on November 9, 2010. |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (13Khz)
Bill Bailey: A Louisville Legend, Part One (01:15:36)
. . . almost clashed with Gordon McLendon . . . he was ruthless, he had a terrible reputation, I didn't want to work for him . . .
 Bill Bailey, with turntables
Bill Bailey was born William Clyde Boahn in New Bern, N.C. on December 18, 1930. Over nearly 30 years, he ruled the morning airwaves at Louisville's WKLO and WAKY, and
Bill Bailey: A Louisville Legend is an expansive and professionally-produced overview of the radio career of one of the most unique and unusual personalities of the Top 40 era. In addition to dozens of memories and jingles, there are aircheck excerpts including Bill Bailey on WKLO, WAKY, WCII and WVLK. This two-CD program is available from John Quincy's 79WAKY.COM website. |
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John Quincy on WEKY, Richmond KY, 1972 (Age 17)
This tape was originally put together for a WTMA New Years Eve staff party on
January 31, 1979. It was collected from bits and pieces of air checks lying
around the program director's office. Some of the quality is horrendous on
a few of the segments, due to the rather primitive machines we often used to
tape the air-checks.
At 20:30, you'll hear actual on-air profanity. (We didn't use a tape delay.) The idea of the
contest was to guess the name of a song. The "computer" — the Mighty TMA
Music Machine — would reveal more lyrics each time we didn't get a winner.
There were three carts involved in the contest 
This tribute to Louisville's WAKY was written, produced and is narrated by contributor 