Almost 18 minutes of pure heaven. Thanks again to Matt @ Big Apple Airchecks, a huge slice of WLS!
Included: tons of early 70s commercials and those awesome WLS Jingles! J.J. Jeffrey would go on to station ownership later in his career. WLS would go on to number one status later that year.
When did Joel Sebastian go to WLS? I know he was WCFL in ’67. And catch United Artists Records promoting Don McLean in June (AMERICAN PIE–single and album–wouldn’t enter BILLBOARD until November).
JOEL SEBASTIAN WAS ENTERTAINING AND JJ WAS EXCELLENT AS USUAL. I LOVED LISTENING TO HIM WHILE GROWING UP IN CHICAGO.
Joel was my hero when I worked for him at WCFL in 1965-6. I want to commemorate his life in some way and would appreciate any comments! He died very young, age 54, of cancer and there is very little about him on the Internet….let’s rectify that! Thanks!
LOVED JJ JEFFREY WHILE GROWING UP IN PHILADELPHIA ON WFIL WHICH WAS KING IN OUR TOWN. WITH GEORGE MICHAEL, DAN DONOVAN, LONG JOHN WADE, JIM OBRIEN, JIM NETTLETON, DR. DON ROSE,DAVE PARKS AND ALL THE BOSS JOCKS IT WAS ONE’S BEST FRIEND. LOVE TO LISTEN TO THE SOUND TRACKS OF MY BOYHOOD HEROES. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.
great listening to JJ Jeffries. He was an early jock at Portland ‘s #1 top forty WJAB – later on he founded along with fellow JAB jockBob Fuller WBLM – the blimp – and now owns WJAB FM Sports talk station in Portland
Just wandering around here…wondering what ever happened to Joel Sabastian..WOW He died?…at 54…I worked with Joel…a nice guy in Detroit WJLB…Lee Alan also there same time…another announcer Les Martins…became a lawer I think…my e-mail is chfanncr@msn.com…
Wandering around here…wondering what ever happened to my fellow announcer Joel Sebestian at WJLB Detroit…in the 50’s…WOW He died???Lee Alan also there…Les Martins became a lawer I think…my e-mail is chfanncr@msn.com
Was there with JJ when he and “Doc” Fuller in Colo, when after the Blimp decided to talk Southern Colorado by storm with 100,000 Watt KCCY, (country-rock mix) wild format, but great FM, then traveled to Iowa to help with Original KJJY.
Fantastic hearing him again
I think this aircheck is from Labor Day weekend – around 9/4/71 – which would explain the Don McLean thing. Joel also plays “Peace Train” by Cat Stevens, which didn’t peak on Billboard until November 1971. Joel also mentions a “holiday weekend.”
Whatever the date, this is classic stuff!!
Now upon further review, it looks like early June might be right for JJ’s aircheck, since he mentions “Dad’s Day.”
This must be an edit of two different shows – it looks like the Joel Sebastian segment is from September 1971 and JJ’s stuff is from early June 1971.
Great hearing JJ Jeffrey again…he was so great on WFIL in Philly, where I first heard him…great delivery, great voice…a bit odd to hear him doing nights…wonder how that happened?
I worked with Joel in the mid 80’s at WJMK/WJJD
HE WAS WITHOUT DOUBT one of the finest people I have ever met in the business.
John Black
“The Groove”
Smooth Jazz
Palm Bay, Florida
//www.thegroove.org
Well joel was somthing./..was he not???
Lee Rengers
Bobby is right…the Sebastian part is from a different time but the holiday weekend has to be Thanksgiving, since there is a Montgomery Ward ad for a sale on November 18, 19, and 20.
I did like listening to JJ Jeffrey this is a great memory.
I only wish that the person who supplied this air check didn’t use a razor blade to edit they chopped the heck out of it.
I live in southern kentucky,Bowling green area.I just can’t say enough good things about WLS jocks.We all had our station tuned in every night.We miss all the old jocks,we feel like we were part of the chicago scene.In 1970 I was 19 years old.Keep the old times a-rolling.
Fun stuff! I was Promotion Manager @ WLS Radio during this time. Both of these guys were in their prime. Joel’s shift however, was a mid-day slot and is, as pointed out by Bobby, not from the June debut of the JJ show.
BTW-WLS was already #1!
Also, the logo used here is not from ’71. At that time we were “The Rock Of Chicago” not the flashback/italed musicradio deal shown here. I have many fond memories from those days. We worked hard and laughed a lot! We had a pix of Joel on our survey sheet banging on the closed ticket booth of the Wallenda boat rides-while standing knee deep in snow…also a ‘Nocturnal man’ JJ shot
/him looking ‘highly suspect’ with this huge live owl perched on his arm- seconds before it shat on him! Nice! That summer JJ, Fred Winston & Larry Lujack made wacky, weekly appearances all over Chicagoland in the WLS ToothMobile promoting Dick Orken’s Toothfairy episodes- & everything else!…wonder where that Newton Snookers guy is now?
Return to work!- the danger is over!..
I was a radio junkie back in the sixites. Yes, I had a life at 10-15years old. I met Joel briefly. The last time he was walking down the street in Winnetka , Illinois. I guess most of the DJ’s made the big bucks and lived up there. I get goose bumps reading all the name from WLS and WCFL. I also remember when WJPC came on the air. Heard a voice at a jobsite a few years ago and it was an old DJ from WJPC. Recognised his voice immediately after all there years. Thanks all for the memories.
Just played this for JJ–yes he still comes in daily and does spots on WLOB and JAB. What a great voice–they really knew what they were dong back in that day. Unfortunatley am old enough to recognize and know all the snippets of the songs. Brings me back to my college days.
Thanks for posting Joel Sebastian! It’s hard to find his airchecks. I was able to hear him in Chicago occasionally when I working in the Midwest doing mid-days. I loved his big sound, easy going style, and on-air professionalism. I remember when he died, but had to look up the date. Sebastian passed away in January, 1986. Someone else pointed out that he was 54 years old when he died from cancer.
Hey Ed. Gail Sikevitz, name from the past in Chicago. Saw this post. Where are you this century?