Greaseman Goodbye, WPOP Hartford, 1975 (0:24:39)

… I apologize for fillin’ the water cooler with gin …
[Description by Bob Radil] This is an aircheck of Greaseman’s last half hour on WPOP, June 27, 1975. He started at WPOP in early 1974. His identity was kept top secret. At 4:48 he did a spot in character, and at 16:44 he presents a going-away song that he produced. This was the start of WPOP’s last weekend as a music station. You’ll hear some of the (PAMS) jingles that they played in the mid ’60s. The weekend that followed featured a retrospective of their previous top 40 years. After the Greaseman section there are a few breaks by Dale Denver, Ric O’Conner, & Jack Carney. Dale has since been heard in Boston as Mike Adams. As of March 2001, Jack Carney was heard on WDRC AM & FM. At 19:20 there’s a promo for their new news format. I originally stopped the machine but then apparently decided to let it run. The voice is that of Charles Steiner who later was with ESPN. At 20:03 they played the “Joey Reynolds theme”, and at 22:35, Scott St. James talks via phone about former Hartford mayor (the late) George Athenson. Scott did PM drive starting in Oct. 1970 calling himself simply “St. James”. He later went to AM drive.

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!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum