The Roddy Freeman Collection
Roddy Freeman, 2006 |
Around the eighth grade, Roddy Freeman was seduced by the magic of Top 40 radio, specifically WCAO in Baltimore during the early sixties. He writes:
"That led to a fascination with all aspects of radio, including programming, music, signals and transmitter sites. I became hooked on the top 40 stations that boomed into Baltimore at night, including WABC, WLS, WKBW, CKLW and later, WCFL. I read everything about radio that I could get my hands on, including Broadcasting, Billboard, Record World and the Bob Hamilton Radio Report. And I loved listening on family vacations to out-of-town stations, such as WMCA in New York, which I always felt was one of the best top-40 stations ever.
My only brush with a radio career was in my college days, when I worked on-air at two college stations, WBJC-FM/Baltimore while at the Community College of Baltimore and WMUC, the campus station at the University of Maryland. I also handled a weekend air shift at a commercial station, WNAV in Annapolis, during that time.
My real career has been in the media planning and buying area at advertising agencies, which I have found to be an excellent vantage point for watching the radio business. My First full-time job was at W.B. Doner & Company in Baltimore. I have also worked at Ted Bates/New York, Cunningham & Walsh/New York, NW Ayer/New York and McCann-Erickson/Atlanta. Since 1996, I have operated my own consultancy here in Atlanta, Media Innovation."
The Repository thanks Roddy Freeman for sharing!
Unscoped
… put your teeth in and nail your wig on your head …
Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (11:45)
By the mid-sixties, the Washington DC market had sprawled to the point where the 1,000
watts-day/250 watts-night signal of WOL could no longer compete against WMAL and
WRC with its MOR format. Sonderling bought WOL in 1965 and introduced a soul
format that set Washington on its ear.
WOL brought in top-notch talent and presented a sound that was as slick as any Top-40
station. With Washington’s black population still residing close in, WOL rocketed to #1
within weeks and stayed at or near the top for almost 10 years.
Big Bill Haywood crossed town from WOOK to handle
mornings in the early 1970’s. In this period, WOL was in a finely-tuned-machine mode.
Notable on this aircheck is that WOL’s imaging and jingles sounded very “white”.
The station had a couple of white program directors in its heyday, Ted Atkins
and Dave McNamee.
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Scoped
… put your teeth in and nail your wig on your head …
Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (11:45)
By the mid-sixties, the Washington DC market had sprawled to the point where the 1,000
watts-day/250 watts-night signal of WOL could no longer compete against WMAL and
WRC with its MOR format. Sonderling bought WOL in 1965 and introduced a soul
format that set Washington on its ear.
WOL brought in top-notch talent and presented a sound that was as slick as any Top-40
station. With Washington’s black population still residing close in, WOL rocketed to #1
within weeks and stayed at or near the top for almost 10 years.
Big Bill Haywood crossed town from WOOK to handle
mornings in the early 1970’s. In this period, WOL was in a finely-tuned-machine mode.
Notable on this aircheck is that WOL’s imaging and jingles sounded very “white”.
The station had a couple of white program directors in its heyday, Ted Atkins
and Dave McNamee.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.
Unscoped
… the Boss Jocks versus the Boss Chicks …
Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (10:06)
[Technical Note: This exhibit has speed and pitch irregularities. The ‘scoped
version is recommended.]
When Jay Cook became an off-air program director at WFIL,
he had no shortage of candidates to take over his noon-to-3 shift at what many considered
the best Top-40 station in America.
He selected Tom Dooley from KRIZ in Phoenix, and Dooley did not disappoint.
He flawlessly executes WFIL’s format with high energy and congeniality. Fred Lowrey’s
newscast demonstrates WFIL’s commitment to excellence in all areas.
Tom Dooley passed away November 9, 2010, a victim of brain cancer.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.
Scoped
… the Boss Jocks versus the Boss Chicks …
Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (10:06)
[Technical Note: This exhibit has speed and pitch irregularities. The ‘scoped
version is recommended.]
When Jay Cook became an off-air program director at WFIL,
he had no shortage of candidates to take over his noon-to-3 shift at what many considered
the best Top-40 station in America.
He selected Tom Dooley from KRIZ in Phoenix, and Dooley did not disappoint.
He flawlessly executes WFIL’s format with high energy and congeniality. Fred Lowrey’s
newscast demonstrates WFIL’s commitment to excellence in all areas.
Tom Dooley passed away November 9, 2010, a victim of brain cancer.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.
… Next thing I know, the Geator with the Heater will be on the line …
Description
[Portions previously featured on Z-100 composite exhibits.]
It was less than a week since Z-100 (WHTZ-FM)
and its Morning Zoo had signed on  and the day when its new antenna atop the
Empire State Building was put into service. The new site replaced
the “pea shooter” transmitter of Z-100’s predecessor station on 100.3 – WVNJ-FM.
The aggressive approach that would take the station “from worst to first” in four months is
evident here with a tongue-in-cheek guest appearance by Don Imus.
Scott Shannon is paired here by newscaster
J.R. Nelson, who was also the initial imaging voice of Z-100.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.
Description
This aircheck reflects the hot and heavy war between WPLJ and Z-100 (WHTZ-FM)
in late 1984. WPLJ is giving away money and warns competitors to “get out your
checkbook or get out of town.” WPLJ had slowly segued from AOR to CHR over the
latter months of 1983, with Larry Berger staying on as PD. A year later, Hit Radio 95
is starting to get its act together. But the station would not see its best ratings for another year, after it had been rechristened Power 95.
Since its August, 1983 sign-on, Z-100’s Scott Shannon had constantly attacked WPLJ on
the air, often making fun of Larry Berger. WPLJ remained quiet until late in 1984, when
its frustrations exploded with a parody of Z-100’s imaging. Z-100 threatened a lawsuit,
and WPLJ stopped airing the piece. But on this aircheck, WPLJ refers to Z-100 as
“Zit 100.”
Fast Jimi Roberts was a natural and always one of my favorites. I believe he came to
WPLJ straight from a small FM in Toms River, New Jersey. He was excellent on WPLJ
from his very first weekend and eventually replaced Pat St. John
in afternoon drive. He remained at WPLJ for 15 years. As of 2006, Fast Jimi entertains at
Mix 106.5 in Baltimore and does voiceover work as Robert
Jacobs Voice Overs.
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… Cousin Bruce Morrow wears Jockey Classic Briefs …
Description
This is a portion of an incredible piece of radio, put on by WNEW-FM during
the week that WABC ended 22 years as a Top-40 station. Producer Earl Bailey spared no energy to create this masterpiece. It included interviews, airchecks, stories, listener comments and music.
This exhibit opens with Bob Lewis, who is followed by Bruce Morrow, Dan Ingram, Scott Muni, Rick Sklar, Chuck Leonard and Herb Oscar Anderson.
Two of my favorite segments are an aircheck of the Brief Showers incident, and Chuck Leonard’s story about how he got hired.
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… Now, you’re probably saying to yourself, why can’t I be a hand, a nose, or some other part of the body …
Description
This is a rare recording of the late Rick Carroll on KKDJ, the predecessor to KIIS on 102.7 in Los Angeles.
KKDJ was a solid-sounding station that should have made it. Of course, Carroll was later to gain notoriety by creating the rock format at KROQ-FM that pretty much remains, to this day.
Some musical selections in this exhibit were restored.
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Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (07:03)
When I listen to this aircheck of KIMN, I am reminded of Bill Drake’s influence on virtually every Top 40 station in America. This early-seventies version of KIMN was a good one, with Chris Alexander moving through late morning nicely.
And while the station sounds up-to-date and pleasant, it does not have the competitive edge associated with stations in the heat of battle.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.
Description
This Exhibit ‘SCOPED (07:03)
When I listen to this aircheck of KIMN, I am reminded of Bill Drake’s influence on virtually every Top 40 station in America. This early-seventies version of KIMN was a good one, with Chris Alexander moving through late morning nicely.
And while the station sounds up-to-date and pleasant, it does not have the competitive edge associated with stations in the heat of battle.
THIS CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO REELRADIO EXCLUSIVELY. Duplication and/or distribution is a violation of our Terms Of Service.