Charlie Tuna, KROQ 1500 AM Los Angeles | June, 1973

A slice of L.A. Radio history is heard in this rare recording of the legendary Charlie Tuna (left) on KROQ-AM. A time before the now-legendary K-Rock on FM, this station started out as an original Top 40, KBLA, and after a number of format changes, returned to Top 40 from the ashes of Country station KBBQ in 1972. The next year (around the time of this aircheck), the former KPPC-FM 106.7 was added, and today’s KROQ-FM was born.

This is so unique. A tradtional, 70s-style, Rock-based Top 40 station on AM, with news and other full-service elements not found anywhere on music radio today. You will enjoy. You WILL.

Above: an old KROQ AM 1500 poster featuring Paul Oscar Anderson

Scott Fybush took this photo of the old KROQ-AM Antenna Array in 2006 during one of his antenna site trips.
Copyright 2006, Fybush.com

Charlie Tuna on KRTH K-Earth 101 Los Angeles | February 11, 2008

This article on the OC Register really says it all:

There was good news and bad news at CBS Radio Thursday. The bad news: there were budget cuts and the elimination of jobs across the U.S., including Los Angeles. We’ll have more on that in a moment. The good news: Charlie Tuna is on board at oldies KRTH/101.1 FM to do weekends and also fill-in for the other personalities.

Tuna was the “Mystery DJ Voice” heard on K-Earth until he was identified and introduced to listeners on the Gary Bryan morning show.

Starting Feb. 9, he will be on K-Earth 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. His first fill-in assignment: replacing Joshua Escandon 1-4 p.m. weekdays for a week starting Feb. 11.

One really doesn’t have to know the storied history of the many legendary west coast stations Tuna has worked at to recognize his name – he’s been on television and even had a syndicated weekly top 40 countdown show in the 80s. Said Tuna about his new gig:

“I am so thrilled to be playing ‘The Greatest Hits on Earth’ on K-Earth 101!,” Tuna said in a press announcement. “This is music I played on Top 40 stations in Los Angeles for many years, and I love the station and its tremendous listeners. It’s an honor to be here.”

The fact that we have audio of that first afternoon show is a tribute to a fan who remembered to hit the record button and save it for us.

One audio aspect amazed me – after all those years of listening to Charlie Tuna on KHJ, you’d think his voice would DROP an octave or two with age, not rise…. nope, it was the incredible processing. And you all wondered why the voices sounded larger than life on the old AM top 40s… now you know.