The Big 89 of 1969 Comments

Wow! Thanks, Unc….what a great interview with John Rook. So much insight and common sense. Really enjoyed it, and hope it lands in the repository. And to you, Mr. Rook, if you’re reading, THANK YOU. What you contributed to my life and the lives of countless other loyal listeners cannot be overstated. The Big 89 was my life and pulses through my veins yet today. Radio may never be this BIG again, but thanks to this website, its glory days continue to endure. Best wishes for a successful 2010 as you bring Hit Parade Radio to life.

Ditto Mr. Price’s commnt above. I just left a similar observation on General Comments before I realized there was a comment place here for this stream. Looking forward to enjoying this.

What makes this aircheck interesting is the fact that is still sound fresh after 40(!) years! To compare, if one was listening to a forty year old aircheck in 1970, one would be hearing what radio sounded like in….1930!! And even in 1970, music of the 1920’s pressed on 78 RPM disks, were considered as “ick”! (Al Jolson or Paul Whiteman anyone..?) One again, it’s great to hear radio coming from the city ruled by Richard the First! (Or as Ernie Banks would comment, “The Cubs will glow in Seven-Oh!”)

“Ick”? In 1970, I loved the music of the 1920s and I’m glad I loaded up on 78rpm records then, when they were plentiful and cheap. I also loved the music on WLS – it was the soundtrack of my teenage life – and I bought many of the records played in this aircheck. Thank you Uncle Ricky!

I hope “hit parade” comes to Seattle radio.

I hope the diagram above isn’t too technical. It demonstrates a method by which you can listen to AIRCHECK CHANNEL on a crumby old radio. The FM adapter for the iPhone is $29. Be sure to use strong rubber bands so the iPhone doesn’t fall off the radio antenna while you are frolicking at the beach or Starbucks.

I’ve touched on it before, but just heard “Black Pearl” by Sonny Charles, one of my favourite of any year, let alone 1969. From the WLS weekly chart action, it should not never have made the Big 89, but there it is (#77?), and I’m very thankful it did. Peaked at #13 on the weekly WLS chart. Listening to the songs so far, it almost sounds like they were programmed to sound good in the sequence they were played. Which would make a lot more sense than worrying about some statistical analysis of weekly chart action.

The last editorial from the general manager of WLS mirrors the problems 40 years later–Inadequate education (budget cuts), health care (health care legislation) and the list goes on and on. Its interesting that I heard Rod Serling’s PSA about Marijuana. 40 years later there is a push in California and other cities to decriminalize Marijuana and the dispensaries in the major cities. 69′ was a good year for music, believe me…

Speaking of Rod Serling…if you were to walk down the street with Uncle Ricky’s well-designed contraption blaring out the hits of 1969, some people might think that they’ve been sucked back in time (cue “Twilight Zone” theme).

Growing up in Northern Indiana WLS was my inspiration to get into radio/TV communications. I remember that day in 1972 at when I was 16 and taking my 3rd Class RadioTelephone Operators test in Chicago. We stopped by “The Big 89” to watch the DJs in action. It was Fred Winston’s 26th birthday and he came out from behind the glass to meet me in the observation room. Thanks for a great day and encouragement to continue with my dreams. Now at age 54, after years of DJing and working in radio and TV sales, I enjoy being the National Sales Manager and the host of the weekday morning Business Break on TV in South Bend.

Hey Unc, any chance for a repeat of the John Rook interview for those of us who were unable to hear it first time around?

I don’t have a problem with making that interview a permanent exhibit.

Also find it interesting, and Great Radio!, to hear WLS has made the year-end countdown into a mini-Grammies. With Best New Artist of the Year (Oliver) and Best Artist of the Year (Beatles, for the third year in a row). Larry doesn’t even give his Klunk Letter a day off for New Years.

Lujack also doesn’t give his sardonic personality a rest, or leave any of that nasty lingering suspense over the # 1 record! Par for Uncle Lar…and a really neat program!

I really don’t think Lujack was giving away any State Secrets, since most listeners would have already known what #1 was. Even if they didn’t have the weekly WLS printed chart with the Big 89 on the back, they likely heard all or part of the Big 89 the evening before. Even in Vancouver, I was listening. Ron Smith’s WLS chart book lists the top songs of each year based on their success on the weekly charts. #1 on the Big 89 of 1969 only ranked #6 by Ron’s calculations. As a victim of CanCon for the last 38 1/2 years — the Canadian requirement that music-based radio stations play a lot of “Canadian Content” — I find it amazing how many CanCon songs made the Big 89 in 1969 BEFORE CanCon was required in Canada. I have long argued that CanCon regulations have resulted in, yes, more Canadian musicians with Canadian hits, but less hits in the U.S. and around the world. Did anyone catch the chimes in some of the recorded Sears commercials? Very clever way to remind listeners of being inside a Sears store (during this period of history). In case you don’t recognize them, they are the chimes used for paging staff over the speakers in the store. If you worked there, you had to listen for “two longs and three shorts” and then phone the Operator.

…and who can forget those suction tubes for moving paperwork around! ;>)

I haven’t been able to pull myself away from the computer today. Thanks Uncle Ricky for kicking off the new year in style! 40 years ago, KHJ didn’t have their usual Big 93 countdown of the year. Instead they did the Top 100 of the 60s, so I never got to hear Sugar Sugar as the number one song of the year. It’s also azazing how much hasn’t changed in the last 40 years (as referenced above). Happy 2010!

love the John Rook interview. Would love to hear more interviews with the personel that made the magic happen in front of or behind the mike.

this ’69 trip is like far out man –

Thanks Uncle Ricky for this wonderful site! What a great soundtrack for New Year’s Day 2010. It will be a pleasure to sign up again when my subscription comes up for renewal. And Happy New Year to all listeners.

You got to be kidding! Out of all the great songs and bands from 1969 the Archies are the top. That was a surprise.

I’m still laughing about the WLS Bridal Fair announcement being followed by Tyrone Davis’ “Can I Change My Mind”. A rare opportunity that Lujack missed.

Funny bit of trivia about the WLS Hit Parade Awards for 1969…I’ve still got my original year-end ballot, on the back of the 12-8-69 survey. As Chuck states, Evie Sands won Best New Female Vocalist (“Any Way You Want Me”) but there was only one other “new” female vocalist listed on the ballot: hot young rising star Peggy Lee (!), who had scored a hit that year with “Is That All There Is?”…not to mention hitting the national Top 10 eleven years earlier, with “Fever.” I guess “new” was a relative term that year—I’m sure she was “new” to the majority of WLS listeners. (But I still voted for Evie.)

Great to hear Biondi in his prime. I close my eyes and I picture myself as a twenty-somthing parent of young kids stuck in a small starter home in the Chicago suburbs having friends over to play cards and the radio playing in the background and waiting for the New Year to come in.

This Biondi show is the “reel” thing in more ways than one. It was pre-recorded and I guess we can reasonably believe it was broadcast. You’ll notice the lack of news, and each “hour” runs a few minutes short. I think Biondi did the “celebrity greetings” for a number of years. There’s an aircheck of a New Year’s show on KRLA in Los Angeles where Biondi is also playing celebrity greetings. He must have built a library of these over the years.

Marvin Gaye sounded like he was close to his mother. He said that “Thank the good lord that you are alive.” Its a shame we lost him so early because he could been proud of some of the newer R&B artists such as Anthony Hamilton and John Legend, who benefited from his influence.

I’ts weird to hear Donny Osmond as a teenager. Years later, he won on a reality dance show.

That Beatle greating was lifted from a Beatle fan club christmas message disc. (shame, shame.) lol

The thing that bothers me about these special programs is what happens AFTER they are over. There are always a percentage of listeners that just stay connected, to dead air, or our “test tone”. Some of them just won’t disconnect until I turn off the server. And that says to me, “These people just got a nice recording of your entire stream.” I just hope you plan to renew and renew and renew… otherwise, you WILL be the reason this site can’t continue. I hope everyone who listened for the purpose of listening enjoyed the stream. Those that connected just to make a recording – well, you better renew. You better throw in some extra dollars.. I’m not going to keep doing this just so you can have airchecks to trade and sell.

…completely stopped the stream. Still 27 connections. Listening to NOTHING. Listening? Sure…

Listening all the way to the end of WCFL’s New Year’s Eve program, I guess I closed down the Aircheck Channel Bar! Thank you, Uncle Ricky, for your efforts to present another great exhibit. I don’t recall hearing this when it originally aired, which made it all that much more special now. Though there weren’t as many ‘CFL jingles as you’d expect, probably due to the artist interviews, I especially enjoyed hearing a couple of “lost” recordings — “Big Brother” by Rare Earth and the New Colony Six with “Long Time To Be Alone.” Again, thank you!

Ooops…sorry. I was one of those still connected, but not for recording reasons. I was focused on writing my comment. Sorry again.

Pete, you are one of our most generous contributors, and I have no questions about your use of the site… it’s when things turn up on eBay or on “Collector” sites and I *know* they came from here… it’s just so damaging to our entire concept. And for what reason? Would those who take advantage be happier if there were no REELRADIO at all? It’s difficult to build a stable group of supporters when our content is repeatedly copied and distributed. It is inconsiderate of me, and wonderful friends like you. These pirates have violated the first rule of the Repository: Don’t copy, Don’t trade, Don’t sell!

OOPS sorry for me too….I fell asleep!…but I loved what I heard, especially those artist call in’s!!

Unc, I’m one of those set it and forget it streamers, I have a speaker system that provides sound to my whole home, so I don’t sit by the computer every time it’s on. Sometimes, especially late at night, I might be asleep when the stream ends, but I assure you, I’ve never copied and exhibit here.

I ditto Cris’s comments exactly. I listened all day, right up til the minute I fell asleep about 90 minutes into Dick Biondi. Thanks for a great New Year’s Day. Once again, more interesting than the bowl games.

So, 15% of the streams that did not end when the Aircheck Channel ended have now stated why. Very often I leave streams from various sources (including RR) up and open on my PC while I go to bed, move on to something else, or give up my PC to one of my kids who takes over on their own account (with neither of us bothering to “tidy up” anything). I mean who cares? I’ll clean things up later or never or whatever but to jump instantly to the conclusion that those open ports are evidence of the most egregious violations by the very folks who are supporting this site is a bit much, isn’t it? I like what is offered here but the constant air of suspicion is tiresome, honestly. Sure, the copiers, traders, sellers, and posters are never going away. End of that story, donâ€™t you think? I say find the fun in what you are doing, and encourage and bless those willing to fork out the cash required and maybe things will all work out. If not, well youâ€™ve done a yeomanâ€™s job here, Unc and everyone knows it and every time we open our wallets, hopefully, weâ€™re saying it with flowers!

Mark, I’ll keep your thoughtful comments in mind when I dig into my own wallet to help pay our music licensing fees this month. 🙁

To think that I fell asleep several times while listening last night when I could go all night 40 years ago. It’s always great to hear Uncle Lar’. . .I no longer feel guilty about once owning a naugahyde suitcase. . . And thanks a million for the added Biondi WCFL bonus! It has truly been a long strange trip, indeed. I still listen to Dick Biondi here in Chicago on 94.7 WLS FM and the man will always be tops in my book.

Unc sorry I missed the playing of this. From the comments sounds like it was great. Thanks for this awesome site where we can escape back to our youth any time we want. Happy New Year!!

Hope you run this one again and give us plenty of lead time! Thanks for all the great sounds!

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