John Driscoll, WCFL July 2, 1975 (1:00:22)

… help us paint the canvas of the New ‘CFL …

Johnny Driscoll is all over this aircheck, and why not? It’s him and his show. It’s him before and after the records, and during the commercial sets, mooning and laughing and belching and encouraging his engineer to drop it in the background there and wherever with 50 kilowatts at his command. Listen!

Casual and competent, it’s hot and happening Top 40 from The Voice of Labor, 1975, less than a year before it was all over. Driscoll was a practiced rebel – and he played it all the way out.

Notice that CFL’s special version of Kung Fu Fighting (at least on this aircheck) doesn’t include the verse referencing Chinamen – this is, after all, offensive to people of Chinese origin. Was political correctness already influencing what was broadcast in 1975?

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