The Ron Riley Collection

[Description by Uncle Ricky] In 1961, Ron Riley first visited Chicago as afternoon driver at WJJD (50KW on 1160), an early contender for the Windy City Top 40 Crown. This aircheck features Ron and cuts from PAMS series 17, in March of 1962. Of particular interest is the produced weathercast (at 09:18), similar to the great produced newscasts of the era: The WJJD Radar Weather Eye Scans the Midwest! Since “Radar Weather Eye” was also used by WLS, we must wonder who borrowed from whom.

[Description by Uncle Ricky] Ron Riley writes: “Most of the WLS ‘checks that I have are (unfortunately) from my pre-taped Sunday night show, which I recorded at 7am each Thursday morning. The tapes were easily accessible as opposed to ordering up an aircheck, so that’s why I have them.” REELRADIO pays music licensing fees to present unedited music online. If you enjoy full-length airchecks like this one, your tax-deductible contribution to our operating fund will help keep this and other “unscoped” exhibits available. This aircheck, however, is from a Monday night – January 22, 1968, and with the exception of some drop-outs, (and the limitations of 1968 recording technology) the fidelity is outstanding. It’s very unusual to hear WLS prior to the audio chain (and 50KW of Amplitude Modulation.) This may be the Repository’s first WLS check “off the board”. There was little, if any, AGC or limiting on the original. (This exhibit, like all Repository exhibits, was lightly processed in real-time for levels and response consistency.) This was early in the “more music” phase of the WLS format. The PAMS acapellas were replaced later with different versions (the logo is reversed on these!) Bud Miller is heard on two WLS newscasts; John Shubeck and Don Gardner are featured with ABC Contemporary news. And Riley suggests that Paul Revere and the Raiders’ Too Much Talk (And Not Enough Action) sounds a whole lot like The Beatles’ Paperback Writer. A genuine treasure from 1968, excellently preserved for REELRADIO by The Ron Riley Collection!

[Description by Uncle Ricky] Johnny Hayes (at KRTH101) Johnny Hayes was working for Bill Drake at WAKE (Atlanta) when he was 21. Five years later, he arrived at KRLA, Los Angeles, after appearances in San Francisco at KYA and San Diego at KGB. Hayes won Billboard magazine’s Personality of the Year award in 1984. Johnny was on the air at KRTH in Los Angeles from March 23, 1992 until May of 2002. Also included in this aircheck from April 14, 1967 is a newscast with KRLA News and Program Director Cecil Tuck, remembered for his “crusading journalism” and The Credibility Gap, a fifteen minute newscast with skits and original songs. With partner Bob Eubanks, he started the KRLA Beat newspaper. Tuck went on to write for The Smothers Brothers, Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers TV shows. He also wrote campaign speeches for Pat Paulsen. This (clean but VERY narrowband) off-the-air recording even includes a pattern/power change (at approximately 23:10).

[Description by Ron Riley] This is an embarrassing tape! It was my first rock job at WOKY, and it’s pretty creepy hearing all those rhyming lines, jokes from a joke book, and the door bell chime. But this is vintage Top 40 radio from 40 years ago! (Break glass and use only in emergency..)

Danny Dark today (courtesy of L.A. Radio People) [Description by Uncle Ricky] As has been noted before, St. Louis was a very hot market for Top 40 in the early 1960’s. Smooth-talkin’ Danny Dark, who later went on to major success as the voice of NBC, Bonanza, Budweiser and Mazda was surrounded by some of the best of the era. Dark shared the spotlight on WIL with Ron Lundy (later WABC) and Gary Stevens (later WKNR, WMCA and President of Doubleday Broadcasting). Obviously, WIL (simulcasting with WIL-FM) was home to some very impressive talent. The production quality is very high, even if the fidelity of this particular aircheck is a bit lacking. It includes a “Blues Street News” feature with Nelson Kirkwood (who does the entire newscast without breathing – with a conservative serving of bells and whistles!) And how about that “WIL Weather Ball” Flashing Blue?! You will also hear some early and interesting jingles, a very stylish sports report, a pre-recorded comedy(?) bit, at least two contest promos, and some classic commercials for Budweiser, Westclox, Pepsi, and a bunch of once powerful and profitable corporations, regional and local businesses. This is some generally hard-core big-time 1963 Top 40 in one of the most competitive markets in the country. Danny Dark passed away on June 13, 2004. His family invites friends and fans to sign The Danny Dark Online Guestbook.

[Description by Ron Riley] This is from the show that Clark Weber and I did for the troops in Vietnam. During the Vietnam war, we had dozens and dozens of requests from service people for WLS airchecks. It was ultimately expensive for WLS to send reel-to-reel airchecks, so they had Clark and I come in one day and wing a show. They had it cut to disc, and sent it out.

[Description by Uncle Ricky] Ron Riley joined WCAO in Baltimore, Maryland as on-air Program Director in August of 1971, and remained until 1982, when he went into television full-time. And Riley is rockin’ in this aircheck of his afternoon show from October 1972. There was a heavy spot load at this successful Plough station, and he was working a full log on this day, for sure. The few jingles and production elements were from PAMS. You’ll also hear segments of Don Bartell with news, and some classic, long-forgotten commercial moments: Canada Dry tastes like love, It takes two hands to handle a Whopper and George McGovern for President. And imagine, if you wanted to try that new ear-piercing fad, it would be supervised by a licensed physician! This one was taped from the station’s air chain. With the exception of some typically grungy vinyl, the fidelity is outstanding. Our thanks to Ron Riley for a trip back to Baltimore, 1972!

[Description by Uncle Ricky] We suspect this aircheck of Russ Weird Beard Knight on KLIF in Dallas was recorded for sponsor Gillette (Super Blue Blade). What we don’t know is if it was all actually broadcast as you hear it here. But wow, this was wacky radio in 1963. In addition to Knight’s messages to his employer, there are references to various governors and tobacco that may be addressed in COMMENT (below). Ron Riley’s contribution was on CD, with a 50 db range, quite obviously unprocessed (a bit distorted on peaks, at the original source) and more likely recorded in a production room *or* off the console (not the air chain.) It was processed here for online presentation, as are all REELRADIO exhibits. Stop picking at your beard, it’s bugging me! Frequent PAMS (mostly 18) and Tips for Teens – provided by Weird Beard, “Commander of Delinquents Anonymous”. Most interesting of all, KLIF DJ Trading Stamps, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, and how did Russ Knight get Gillette to sponsor a guy with a beard?

[Description by Uncle Ricky] Here’s Ron Riley on legendary WHK in Cleveland, on November 3, 1962. Riley was at WHK from late 1962 through early 1963 before joining WLS/Chicago in May of that year. This one is a real treat! You’ll enjoy the outstanding fidelity on this studio recording which includes a Bannerline News report with Bob Engel, a sports editorial bemoaning the cost of attending a World Series game, a couple of classic jingles, a promo for Election news coverage, and a traditional Top-40 mix of Pop and Rock ‘n’ Roll including Tony Bennett and The Cadillacs.

[Description by Uncle Ricky] It’s obvious that this unscoped recording of the 4PM hour and Mike Rivers on October 17, 1967 was made at some distance from the powerful CKLW transmitter. I removed a lot of static and crackling, but there wasn’t much that could be done about the high background noise level. REELRADIO pays music licensing fees (regardless of fidelity) to present unedited music online. If you enjoy full-length airchecks like this one, your tax-deductible contribution to our operating fund will help keep this and other “unscoped” exhibits available. So, depending on your system, this exhibit may be OK, or difficult to listen to for an extended period. I’m including it here because it *is* classic Big Eight, with all the memorable Drake-isms (Number One Then, Number One Now,) and the Johnny Mann acapellas. And what a playlist! Nearly half of what you’ll hear never cracked Billboard’s Top Twenty, and there’s a definite Motown/R&B influence with artists like Arthur Conley, Leon Haywood, J.J. Barnes and James & Bobby Purify (and more!) Mike Rivers (Ralph W. Wright, Jr.) passed away September 13, 2004. He was also known as Ed Richards at WIBG.