ReelRadio-Default-01

Magic Chris Connor, WNAP Indianapolis, IN December, 1968 (0:04:44)

… 1937 was the year …
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Art Vuolo] Magic Chris Connor has a full rack of drop-ins and effects, including a personal manservant named “Howard”, on this rare aircheck of high-energy Top 40 on WNAP-FM, Indianapolis. And speaking of drop-ins, Connor uses one of the Super Wonder Dog Blue recordings, which was also in use by Long John Silver at WAYS in Charlotte, N.C., at the same time. That dog sure got around! The station went through some significant changes in the years that followed. This exhibit survived as a scoped, fluttery reel recording, made after Christmas and before New Year’s Eve, 1968. In addition to Connor’s upbeat delivery (inspired by Barney Pip a few years earlier?) there are PAMS jingles, not the custom Heller tracks heard on WNAP airchecks from 1972-1975.

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!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum