QuickCheck: The Real Don Steele, KHJ Los Angeles | 1971

“…You can trust your car to the man who wears the star”

So begins this all-too-short, rare recording of RDS on 93/KHJ. We join things right in the middle of a commercial break (Texaco). We’re listening to KHJ in ‘71, and while the Bill Drake era is all but over, the format is intact with all the familiar Drake formatics.

The Real Don Steele, KRTH K-Earth 101 Los Angeles | Date unknown

Thanks again to the massive Robyn Watts collection, the late Don Steele is featured in this 7+ minute scope of K-Earth 101 from sometime in the early 90s, we’re guessing around ‘91 or ‘92. Charlie Van Dyke’s pipes are lower than ever in the incredible imaging, and the jingles…. well, KRTH has used a variation of nearly the same jingle sing for well over 30 years now so what does that tell ya?

Very few radio stations have had the same format or call letters, especially on FM, and with the exception of a small stretch of time in the early 80s when it was AC, KRTH has been blasting Oldies to Southern California. As of this writing, it still is.

The Real Don Steele, 93/KHJ Los Angeles | Summer, 1967

One of the original Boss Jocks, the legendary Don Steele is heard puking his way through another fractiously tight show! Puking – thats what we in the business say about this kind of approach to 60s dj patter… you just have to listen if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Actually, its kind of a compliment used to describe RDS. Steele is remembered as one of the greatest jocks in L.A. radio history, along with Robert W. Morgan… together they helped propel KHJ to the top of the heap in 1967. Radio was just not done like this back then!

You get 17 minutes of pure KHJ heaven here, in an original AIRCHEXX recording you won’t hear elsewhere. It starts with a generous helping of KHJ news, a sports report.. and check out those car and Dr. Pepper commercials! They had Dr. Pepper in 1967? Who knew?