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Mad Daddy Pete Myers WINS New York, 1964 (0:44:26)

The Bill Tash Collection
… boppin’ and blastin’ funny-farm broadcastin’ …

Pete Myers’ first New York City appearance as Mad Daddy lasted one night on WNEW in 1959, after which “Mad Daddy” was asked to go undercover as mild-manned Myers, a straight-laced WNEW MOR jock.

He did much better in 1963 when he began a two-year run on rival WINS. In this aircheck, we hear much greater “Top 40” influence than we heard at WJW and WHK, though the WINS playlist must have been broader than that of WABC and WMCA at this time. Mad Daddy was singin’ and swingin’ (straight jacket and all) from “Sponge Rubber Tower” until WINS changed to news in 1965.

Following WINS, Myers returned to WNEW. He took his own life on October 4, 1968.

[Thanks to The Hank Hayes Collection for background.]

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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.

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North Carolina Broadcast History Project