KOL Seattle Last Day Composite, 1975 (0:44:54)

… I’ve got country roots …
[Description by Uncle Ricky. Contributed by Bob Seamons] This exhibit is UNSCOPED, meaning that all the music is included. We are required to pay a fee for each listener for all musical performances on this recording. Plus, we must also pay the cost of Internet bandwidth to deliver it to you. We are a user-supported organization, and if you enjoy this exhibit, please say thanks with your support. Long-time Top 40 contender KOL/Seattle changed call letters and format over Labor Day Weekend, 1975. Mike OConner, Roger Dale, and Lee Chase are heard in this composite of the final hours from August 31, 1975. (Labor Day in 1975 was Monday, September 1.) Burl Barer, Bobby Simon and Lan Roberts are featured on the phone or in recorded flashbacks. There’s a brief montage of KOL jock acapellas (at 33:43) and two spots from competitors (genuine competitors, not the guys across the hall) KING and KJR, who welcome the new Hercules Broadcasting station to the market, and invite ex-KOL listeners to jump ship. Scotty Brink is featured for KJR. Technical notes: REELRADIO fully restored two songs and partially restored another two songs that were edited from the original recording. However, the top-end response on this exhibit is 8.5Khz, so even the restorations sound like a recording of narrowband 1975 AM radio – just the way we like it.

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