Contributor Robyn Watts struck gold sending these countless editions of “California Aircheck” tapes to us here at Airchexx!
Featured here is a QuickCheck – under five minutes scoped of the late Chuck Leonard (WABC, WRKS, WBLS, WQEW). Chuck is so comfortable doing this format its as if he totally belongs here among the WBLS family.
Recorded in 1989, this was a time when the station was competing directly with 98.7 WRKS for the Urban audience, and to a small degree except WRKS was skewing older, Hot 97.1.
Chuck Leonard would wind up on 1560 WQEW playing standards as one of his final gigs.
Our thanks to both Robyn Watts and California Aircheck for providing this aircheck on tape.
It’s good to see the legendary Chuck Leonard in his later days. I grew up on WABC and while I remember Dan Ingram and Ron Lundy a lot more, recently hearing a bunch of old shows with Chuck Leonard on Radio Rewound reminded me I definitely heard Mr. Leonard in his hey day….
Thanks for posting! (What a voice!)
Andrew,
Chuck Leonard WAS great! He was an incredibly talented and very intelligent man. His career certainly ventured outside the world if AM Top 40 radio after WABC. He spent time at both WBLS and WRKS, but how many, do you suppose, remember him on 1560 WQEW? Yes, Chuck worked alongside Mark Simone, Stan Martin and others playing American Standards. Chuck Leonard could do any format and fit like a glove. Sadly, he joined an ever growing list of those we ham radio people call ‘silent keys’. We can only hope that heaven has radio stations, because our favorite deejays would make up on heck of an airstaff!!
I the late 60’s early 70’s, Chuck Leonard, was one of the weekend DJ’s on the great WABC, 77, New York,N.Y..
Not only that, Rich, but he was also the night (late-evening) deejay on WABC during the week.