The David Chrenko Collection

David 1971 and 1981
David with The Bings at The Troubador in Hollywood, 1981. inset: David at 17, 1971

The Bings
The Bings

David and Mick Fleetwood
September 1981: The Bings were headed to Catalina Island for a weekend performance, and bumped into Fleetwood Mac on the boat. This is David with Mick Fleetwood.

with JJ Jackson
1989: Performing with J.J. Jackson, who recorded "But It's Alright"

David and Sheryl
February 12, 2000: David with his wife, Sheryl

David Chrenko grew up in suburban North Jersey, just west of Morristown, during the 1960s. He writes:

"Like just about everyone else I knew, the dial on my transistor was usually tuned to Music Power Radio. It's been thirty-some years, yet I still find myself humming the jingle as I type those familiar words... Seventy-Seven匴-A-B-C!

My radio and music industry journey began in September 1972. I more or less fell into co-hosting Little Eddie's Grease Machine on WRWB, the Babson College radio station in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The following summer, I moved to Southern California, joining an experimental station cablecasting over Long Beach Cablevision. Our station advisor was Danny Martinez of Boss Radio 93 KHJ. From 1976-79 I was heavily involved with the fledgling New Wave movement, working for Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records & Magazine. I joined a rock band, Shepherd, spending lots of time at Warner Brothers' Studios, recording lots of songs that didn't get us signed. The drummer and I left in 1980, shortly before Shepherd's notorious appearance on the tv show C.H.I.P.S., and founded The Bings.

The Bings became a popular New Wave pop group almost overnight, recording a single on the Babymoon label that got played on stations like KLOS and KROQ. We were performing all over Southern California ...even aboard the Queen Mary, and spent the next two years singing to screaming girls, signing autographs, and making pretty good money doing something we enjoyed.

After The Bings ran its course, I got a real job (I've spent a good deal of my adult life in the banking and insurance industries), and started writing-producing radio themes as a hobby, including several for KABC radio's Ken Minyard & Bob Arthur. I stayed busy recording, singing with The Volcanos at the Doo-Wop Society shows in Los Angeles, and performing live with J.J. Jackson, who recorded the soul classic, But It's Alright.

In 1993 I was offered the opportunity to work in Christian radio as a program and commercial writer-producer at KDAR-FM in Ventura County. I hope to resume my broadcasting career on the writing and production side of Christian media. Last year I married Sheryl, and we're busy enjoying our life as newlyweds. All in all, it's been a lot of fun."

 

The Repository thanks David Chrenko for sharing!

… . . . This is Sonny … and Cher… and I got Woo, Babe . . . …

Here’s a Christmas 1965 aircheck from the great Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsberg on Boss-town’s WMEX. Truly a legend in the annals of Boston Top 40, “Woo Woo” runs through the A Go-Go Survey on the Night Train Show.

Included: spots for Kemps and The Unicorn, accompanied by an array of bells and whistles – all coming direct from the home of The Prune-dential Center.

… . . . Sir, excuse me—you with the eggnog on your tie—you went to a party, right? . . . …

Bruce Morrow’s Christmas specials for CBS radio combined an imaginative mix of yuletide pop songs with plenty of Brucie mirth and memories. It’s almost like having Brucie visit your home for the holidays, Cousins — except you don’t have to feed him.

This Christmas Cruisin’ America was recorded from KODJ-FM in Los Angeles, December 23, 1990.

(Portions re-recorded by REELRADIO for this presentation.)

… right after I do this spot. God help this sponsor, another one who’ll go down the drain …
[Description by David Chrenko] Cousin Brucie at WABC(Courtesy The Hits Just Keep on Coming by Ben Fong-Torres) August 12, 1977: Cousin Brucie says goodbye to his WNBC radio audience with a gala special that covers a lot of Brucie history. Included are calls from Don Kirshner and Don Imus, plus an in-studio performance from The Four Aces. This is one c r a z y show, Cousins! The David Chrenko Collection has been a part of REELRADIO since December 16, 2001. Reel Top 40 Radio Repository ©1996-2016 REELRADIO, Inc.

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