The Real Don Steele, KTNQ Los Angeles, May 16, 1977 (1:16:46)

Unscoped
… to serve the public interest as a public trustee …
As if the screaming and screeching of dozens of teen-age winners wasn’t enough high-frequency high-energy, The Real Don Steele becomes the Real Don SQUEAL about halfway through this one, where we suspect a headphone malfunction occurred. What’s funny is that Steele enjoys it, actually pausing a bit to savor the feedback between sentences. Indeed, he must have had steel(e) eardrums!
TEN-Q was loud, and unfortunately, this recording was a little too loud. The distortion is part of the original recording. This aircheck also includes something you don’t hear very often anymore: The mandatory license renewal announcement. Back then, stations had to renew their licenses every three years.

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