Wolfman Jack, KXLY Spokane, WA 1975 (0:54:15)

… the Mint Julep of Soul, the Bloody Mary of Country Rock, and the Black Russian of Jive, the Wonderful Wolfman here …
[Description by Steve Sibulsky]

In the mid ’70s, KXLY AM (920) in Spokane, WA was an MOR station that did a oldies show middays from 10 to 3 and Sundays from noon ’til 6. The show was hosted by Boppin’ Bobby Boom-Boom Summers (Bob Wikstrom now lives in Seattle and teaches at The Art Institute, I believe).

The “World Of Wheels” Car Show was in town, at the Spokane Convention Center, and Wolfman Jack was one of the visiting attractions. “American Graffiti” was only a few years old, remember. We’d done a live remote from the show on Saturday, but the show’s promoters wanted more sizzle for Sunday. We couldn’t get enough staff together to take the station to the car show, so Wolfman Jack brought his show to the radio station.

He was gonna do the 4PM to 5 PM hour, Sunday, December 7, 1975. Our (stodgy) PD said we had to carry CBS news TOH at 4, and the format called for me to read 5 minutes of local news at 3:55! I was 24. This was my second “real” radio station after 3 years with AFRTS. My control room was full of show promoters, station staffers, other jocks from around town — and WOLFMAN JACK! I asked everyone to quiet down so I could read the news. I was a wreck. While I read, someone started rubbing my shoulders. I looked up during a recorded report — it was HIM!

After the CBS news, he took over the board (a Gates Yard, suspended over two turntables, three cart machines to the right…) He had a briefcase with maybe a dozen carts; sound effects and howls and a few signature songs. He tried to create the image that we were actually AT the car show and you can hear a few times where he wasn”t sure what radio station he was on.

He did his thing, the hour flew by — and by 5:06 — they were gone!

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