Larry Lujack, Chris Shebel, WLS 1982 (0:21:02)

… How come you never play the middle of the records? …

[Description by Uncle Ricky]

Our late friend Tim Benko sent this tape to me in October, 1998. I’m happy to share it with REELRADIO visitors as we begin our seventh year online (February 12, 2002.) Tim wanted you to hear this.

It’s kind of sad to hear Superjock Larry Lujack just playing records back to back (without even an ID! – and the reverb was still on!) but that’s what WLS was doing in 1982. On the other hand, Uncle Lar’s “interview” with “teenage” DJ (new WLS employee) Chris Shebel is classic Lujack. Larry plays Shebel’s aircheck from Columbus, Ohio (WXGT) and asks lots of “very personal and embarrassing questions”. Tim wrote (in 1998) that Shebel had just left WVTY-FM in Pittsburgh. Not everyone gets an interview with Superjock, but we are unsure if Lar’s interest advanced Mr. Shebel’s career.

Lujack also announces new schedules for Animal Stories. Please, no comments on that; Tim tried to get permission to put that online here in 1996 – Little Tommy said no, no, double-damn and call the lawyers NO. Fortunately, no one prohibited Tim from sharing this great WLS Lujack Moment with REELRADIO.

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