Date of Recording: 12.26.1983
Station: 107.3 WRQX Washington DC, USA
Format: Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR)
Featured Air Personality: “Uncle Johnny” Walker (WWCO/WRBQ-FM/WRQX/WZOU/WXXL/WSHE/WQJQ/WMGF/WSIG)
Contributor: Robyn Watts
Comments:
Back to the day after Christmas, 1983 for a great, original recording of Uncle Johnny (WZOU) at play on Q107. Listen for plenty of overplayed CHR stiffs, like Shannon’s “Let The Music Play”, Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” and more… only the intros, gang, to keep us out of hot water with the copyright police.
Neither Q107 nor it’s competitor 105 WAVA survived the CHR format. WRQX went in an Adult Contemporary direction, and WAVA was sold to Salem some years later, and left ‘secular’ music altogether.
Unique, if not plastic sounding jingles, dead segues and the talent of Uncle Johnny… A real mix of music on a station that today blandly calls itself “Mix 107.3”. In so many ways, a breath of fresh air from today’s sameness… from 1983, HitRadio Q107!
So, it’s a quiet Wednesday afternoon. The wife is at work so I start surfing. I need to hear some airchecks. Jeezawee! My past is smacking me in the face! I’m glad the statute of limitations is up.
Peace,
UJ
Now that is radio! Great job by Uncle Johnny and Q107.
You did good Uncle Johnny, thanks for “providing the entertainment”.
Incidentally, the Billy Joel and Shannon “stiffs” were big hits at the time, going to #3 and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart respectfully.
Speaking of music, it was also great hearing the original intro to Naked Eyes’ hit “Always Something There To Remind Me” (the one with the cathedral bells, minus the drum machine).
Robyn
It had to have been BETTER THAN than Jack Diamond. Jack’s chosen format of laugh-at-every-word the host says, kiss every b-list interviewee’s rear-end, and feature as many bobbleheaded sidekicks to agree agree agree. “You’re right, hahaha” “WOW, Jack!” “Oh yes, absolutely! You are soooo right.”
If Erika didn’t laugh at EVERY joke or agree with EVERY word Jack uttered the show would be less predictable, but not by much.
The result is a morning show that’s the cotton candy of radio, only less filling. …If that’s what you’re into.
Back then it seemed all the popular kids in school listened to Q107. A Q107 bumper sticker on your car was kind of a symbol of coolness. If I remember I think Q107 ran a campaign in ’80 or ’81 where they would randomly stop a car with a Q107 bumber sticker and give them $107.00 cash. I remember a lot of Q107 stickers all over the place.
I remember driving all over DC, Maryland and Virginia bumper sticker spotting. We never had to wait very long to find them. People would see the van and race to get in front of you. I wore out a set of brakes trying to avoid rear ending people.
UJ
Uncle Johnny In this era, is awesome omg they even played already gone from they Eagles. i was 10 yrs old 1983.
I have some recordings of Uncle Johnny from around December 1980 if you guys are interested (if I can locate them).
I was totally into Q107 back in the day–Jr High at the time–and when the movie St Elmo’s Fire came out when I was in college I almost had a heart attack when I saw that bumper sticker on the wall in the bar. I was convinced St Elmo’s was a real bar!
Man, I loved Uncle Johnny. I was just wondering where he is nowadays and found this.
The clip brings back so many memories; I can even remember calling Uncle Johnny to make requests. He was pretty cool to the kids (like I was) who called. And not all DJs were cool to callers.
Best morning show they ever had 1987-89
was Marc Ross and Rick. And traded in for Diamond? jeeeezzz
Q107 was a fantastic radio station!
It was filmed at The Tombs at Georgetown University…36th and Prospect.