WLS Chicago: Big 89 Rewind ‘08: 1-2PM Fred Winston

Hour two of the Fred Winston show is much like the first hour (12-1Pm) and features Catherine Johns with news, and by this time we’re all starting to get irritated with Les Grobstein’s sportscasts. What is it about this guy that grates on our nerves? There was a bit of negative reaction (based upon what we’ve read on the message boards) to Les’ sportscasts, which ran longer in many cases than the actual news itself.

Listen for the first appearance of Lyle Dean and a promo for “Choose your news” – a longtime feature of the old Fred Winston morning show back in the 70s and 80s.

WLS Chicago: Big 89 Rewind ‘08: 12 – 1PM – Fred Winston

And now, the real fun begins! Rewind, for the first 7 hours, was (IMHO), kinda boring unless you really loved hearing jocks just talk. Winston here is STILL funny, and able to quip a one-liner over a song intro just as good as the old days. And that voice is still as deep as ever, if not a bit gravely these days.

We still get hourly news, clips of the old WLS, and of course, steady reminders that this IS TODAY, Chicago’s Talk Station – 890 AM WLS!

WLS Chicago: Big 89 Rewind ‘08: 9:30-10:30 AM Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards

Lujack & Edwards make a great pair… were it not for retirement maybe we could get these two in syndication, no?

Listen for “Celebrity Worship”, Lujack’s “Commencement Address to America’s Youth”, news from Linda Marshall and Sports – including a long RANT about syndication in Sports Radio (taking direct aim at crosstown WMVP and ESPN) by Les Grobstein. This is another MUST LISTEN segment!

WLS Chicago: Big 89 Rewind ‘08 | May 26, 2008: 8-9:30 AM CST Chuck Knapp / Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards

Its the last hour of the Chuck Knapp show featuring a touching tribute to fallen soldiers in Iraq, and out-of-format songs by Toby Keith & Carrie Underwood. Reading about this on the ‘chicagolandradioandmedia.com message board, there were many complaints from listeners who, apparently didn’t understand that, while this is a tribute to WLS’s musicradio legacy, its just as much a tribute to the PEOPLE who were on the air, and their skill as communicators. The Knapper did just as a WLS jock would have done in the Musicradio years, buck the format and communicate a relevant topic to his audience. After all, Memorial day IS the day we remember those who served and still serve our great nation.

It’s on to news, traffic and weather, then Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards’ first half hour – and they’re “just as lousy as the last time they were on the air”, at least jokingly according to one caller. Remember, after all those years (okay, ONE year since they returned in 07 for the first BIG 89 REWIND), these two were ‘Back in the Saddle Again…”.