890 WLS
Northeast Composite, 1967
Airchexx.com pays all fees associated with storage for more than 1,600 airchecks, streaming the Airchexx Live online radio station and hosting both associated websites. Won’t you consider a gift donation to help us defray our costs? Our income is still less than our monthly bills, and does not cover associated software and subscription costs incurred in media creation and archival. We thank you, and wish you a very happy holiday season! Courtesy of Contributor Frank Davis If I understand my source correctly, this Northeast radio Composite was ‘transcribed’ from the source reels to the Fuji DR 60 cassette used in this aircheck. This is a wonderful cross section of the AM radio dial from 1967. It is difficult to pin down an exact date, as there are multiple recording...
Airchexx Presents: The WLS Big 89 Rewind 2007B – Fred Winston
Fred Winston doesn’t skip a beat and he sounds like he just picked up where he left off during the MusicRadio years at WLS! Following Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards, Winston is just as funny as the first time! He weaves all the original WLS show elements together masterfully… but really, this is just Fred Winston being himself! You won’t be disappointed! Big thanks to WLS PD Kipper McGee for providing ALL the audio for Big 89 Rewind 2007 and 2008!
Airchexx Presents: WLS Big 89 Rewind 2007A – Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards
All files associated with the Big 89 Rewind were donated by former Mgr Kipper McGee, whose idea it was to do a reunion of the old 1970s airstaff in the first place! As Kipper and I exchanged emails regarding this event, he mentioned possibly asking other WLS personalities who were there if they would like to write a few words about their experience. As of this writing, we haven’t heard from any of them. Sadly, Larry Lujack is no longer with us to share his memories. Superjock passed away on December 18, 2013 at his home in New Mexico. Tommy Edwards is still around and perhaps we will hear from Little Tommy very soon. The way this is presented is by year, in scoped out sections. Here in section 1A, you’ll hear Ol’ Uncle Lar and Li’l Tommy’s three hour show, condense...
Airchexx Presents: The WLS Big 89 Rewind 2007 & 2008 – Looking Back at the MusicRadio Years, Part 2
“Here’s a Dropbox link to the WLS REWIND stuff. Feel free to use any part(s) of it which may service your purposes…. THANK YOU for all the hard work and sharing your curation with us fellow radio geeks! Here at Airchexx, it’s Memorial Day EVERY DAY! We look back and present to you radio exactly how it was as it was originally broadcast. Our esteemed Contributor naturally kept all the masters from the WLS Big 89 Rewind from both years that it aired. In upcoming presentations, you are going to hear the entire program – every hour – as it originally aired in both 2007 and 2008! You will also be treated to some of the comments of those who were there in person! Here in part 2, this is the second segment of “WLS, the Music Radio years” narrated by...
Airchexx Presents: The WLS Big 89 Rewind 2007 & 2008 – Looking Back at the MusicRadio Years, Part 1
This series is lovingly presented thanks to the generocity of Contributor Kipper McGee, whose idea it was to host these Memorial Day specials for both 2007 and 2008. In coming segments, you will get to read how this came to be, and what it felt like to be there, in the presence of such legendary personalities such as John Records Landecker, Fred Winston, and so many others who made WLS Music Radio 89 the legendary powerhouse that influenced others to become air talent and programmers all over North America! Now, on with the show! This, and Part 2, comprise what I’d call the Prologue of this entire series. Called “WLS – The MusicRadio Years”, each 30 minute segment is an overview of the evolution of WLS from its humble beginnings in 1960 to it’s transition to T...
Bill Bailey, 89 WLS Chicago – 1973
Recording Date: 1973 (corrected) Station: 890 WLS Chicago (Wikipedia) (Tribute Site) (Current Website) Currently Broadcasts in C-Quam AM-Stereo. Formerly tried broadcasting in IBOC HD from 2008-2013 but abanodoned it due to interference problems. You can listen live to their current News/Talk format HERE. Format: Top 40 Branded: “The Rock of Chicago” Ownership: (then) The American Broadcasting Company (now) Cumulus Media Featured Air Personality: Bill Bailey (WWDJ/WLS/WLHT/WHYI/WDRQ) Contributor: Sandy Bailey (Widow) Associated Air Talent: Larry Lujack, Joel Sebastian, Ron Riley, John Records Landecker, Jeff Davis, Fred Winston, others Total Time: 2:05 Aircheck #1,589 A lot of perspiration went down on the court… Curator’s Notes: One of the shortest airchecks on our...
WLS 25th Anniversary Broadcast | April 08, 1985
Recording Date: 04.08.1985 Station: 890 WLS Chicago (Wikipedia) (Website) Format: Top 40 Ownership: (Then) The American Broadcasting Company/Cap Cities / (Now) Cumulus Broadcasting Branded: “The Rock of Chicago” Featured Air Personality: Various Contributor: Michael J. DeLaRosa Original Post Date: 12.29.2009 Original Notes: Available in parts elsewhere, the complete, unedited broadcast as heard on WLS 890 Chicago as recorded by new contributor Michael J. DeLaRosa. He writes: Hope you are able to use this. I cannot believe we are coming up on the 25th of the 25th. I recorded this as it aired at 6:00pm April 8, 1985. I have heard similar pieces voiced by Jeff Davis and played at various WLS parties…but this is the original voiced by Tommy Edwards. Running over an hour in le...
Bill Bailey, 970 WWDJ Hackensack NJ | 1971
Date of Recording: 1971 (Exact Date Unknown) Station: 970 WWDJ Hackensack NJ Format: (This aircheck) Top 40; (Now) Conservative Talk Radio (WNYM) (Wikipedia) (Website) Featured Air Personality: Bill Bailey (WWDJ/WLHT/WDRQ/WLS/others) Contributor: Sandy Bailey Associated Air Talent: Larry Lujack, Joel Sebastian, Ron Riley, John Records Landecker, Jeff Davis, Fred Winston, others Total Time: 5:08 Dean used to be a dentist before he got into radio… Curator’s Notes: From the master reel (shown above right), Bill Bailey rocks the tri-state on 97/WWDJ, the station which inspired the NINE! parody so many years later.
Bill Bailey, 890 WLS Chicago | 1972
Recording Date: 1972 (Exact Date Unknown) Station: 890 WLS Chicago Format: Top 40 Branding: “The Big 89“, “The Rock of Chicago” Ownership: The American Broadcasting Company; (Today) Cumulus Featured Air Personality: Bill Bailey (WWDJ/WLHT/WDRQ/WLS/others) Contributor: Sandy Bailey Associated Air Talent: Larry Lujack, Joel Sebastian, Ron Riley, John Records Landecker, Jeff Davis, Fred Winston, others Total Time: 4:06 (Telescoped) You’re so vain, you went and named an album after yourself.. Curator’s Notes: What can a mere disc jockey such as myself write about perhaps the most awesome, legendary Top 40 radio station in all of the storied history of AM radio, and not be redundant? Probably nothing, which is why this will be short. Donated to this website b...
Joel Sebastian, Final Show, 890 WLS Chicago | February 26, 1972
Date of Recording: 02.26.1972 Station: 890 WLS Chicago, Illinois, USA Format: Top 40 Station Slogan: “The Rock of Chicago” Featured Air Personality: Joel Sebastian (WXYZ/WLS/WCFL) Contributor: Jim Hampton Total Time: 31:14 Airchexx Entry: 1,518 …You’re not gonna hustle chicks here! Curator’s Notes: Mastered from the original reel, Contributor Jim Hampton sent us a real gem here! Now, admittedly Joel Sebastian didn’t have the longest of stays at WLS. However his resume shows his longest gig in Chicago to be across the river at WCFL, “The Voice of Labor”, where he was both on air and Program Director. Sebastian was from Detroit, where he came from (and went back to) WXYX. Despite that, Joel Sebastian sounds fantastic here. Now, this was his fin...
Ron Riley, 89 WLS Chicago | October 11, 1968
Date of Recording: 10.11.1968 Station: 890 WLS Chicago, Illinois, USA Format: Top 40 Featured Air Personality: Ronald Riley (WLS/WBKB (TV), others) Contributor: Jim Hampton Airchexx Entry: 1,487 …10:31 LS most music time Ron Riley feelin outta sight baby! How ’bout YOU?! Comments: From the era before John Records Landecker & Fred Winston, the Big 89 had the edge in Chicago music radio. Here’s America’s number one Batman fan Ron Riley talking between every record and doing what so many jocks imitated over the years (to their detriment) – ‘puking’… But this is Sir Ronald Riley doing what he was best known for. There are two (incomplete) newscasts featuring WLS News Anchor Jerry Golden. Listen for a story by reporter John Schubeck (sp). New...
Jim Hampton’s Radio Recall Featuring Kris Eric Stevens
Date of Recording: Unknown Station(s): 104.3 WOMC Detroit, Michigan, USA; 890 WLS & 1000 WCFL Chicago, Illinois, USA Format: Oldies Featured Air Personalities: Jim Hampton (WXYZ/WOMC, others); Kris Eric Stevens (WLS/WCFL) Contributor: Jim Hampton Airchexx Entry: 1,486 Comments: Described as perhaps one of the youngest jocks ever on WLS, Kris Eric Stevens is featured in this interview on Jim Hampton’s Radio Recall show. In it, they talk about Stevens’ career at WLS and at WCFL, as he was one of a few jocks who worked both sides of the river in one of America’s closest Top 40 battles in the early 1970s. Radio Recall was a Podcast featured on the Motor City Radio Flashbacks website, which also airs on Classic Hits radio station 104.3 WOMC Detroit. The program has itR...
