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Art Roberts, WLS and The Beatles, 1964 and 1974 (0:12:26)

Golden Gifts
… they performed to just a crowd screaming instead of a crowd listening …
[Description and online production by Uncle Ricky] Ron Riley opens this composite mini-special and introduces Art Roberts on WLS in Chicago. Riley and Roberts interviewed The Beatles by telephone in 1964, prior to the completion of A Hard Day’s Night. (Only Roberts’ questions are heard.) The second portion jumps forward to 1974. Roberts had left WLS by then, but was interviewed by phone for a WLS Tenth Anniversary Beatles Special. Included are portions of the WLS narration and Roberts’ comments, excerpted prior to any WLS production.

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Welcome to the new ReelRadio!

This site is now operated by the North Carolina Broadcast History Museum. 

We want to thank the board of ReelRadio, Inc. for their stewardship since the passing of the founder Richard Irwin in 2018.  It has not been easy and they have maintained the exhibits for future generations to enjoy.

I met Richard Irwin, aka Uncle Ricky, when we were freshmen at East Carolina University.  We both had worked at local stations in our hometowns.  No one was more passionate about radio, especially Top 40 radio, than my friend Richard. 

Our goals with this site are to preserve the exhibits and make them available free of charge for people to enjoy.  Over time, we hope to add some airchecks to the site.  This will not happen immediately.  Time and resources will determine the future of new exhibits. 

Many thanks to the web folks at the Beasley Media Group for countless hours of work.  Again thanks to the board members of ReelRadio, Inc. for their faith in us. 

Richard Irwin’s hope was that his site would live on long after his passing. He said, “I hope REELRADIO will survive as my contribution to the ‘radio business’. The business is allowed to forget me, but the business should never forget the great era of radio that we celebrate here”.

We remember Richard and we thank him. If you enjoy this new site, we would appreciate a contribution. We hope you enjoy the new ReelRadio!

Board of NCBHP
North Carolina Broadcast History Project