Get ready to be entertained. Go pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down and listen! Here’s an hour and a half of Country legend 1050 WHN.
The first voice you hear is that of a relatively unknown Country Music singer known as Barbie Benton. She was better known for her appearances on Hee Haw, and even better known in her four separate appearances in the buff in Playboy magazine. She definitely leaves a lasting impression – at home behind a microphone, and although not polished for radio, she’s a natural communicator. She was a guest DJ this particular night.
Next up is someone named just Jessie. She IS polished for radio and compliments Benton quite well. Or perhaps its the other way around!
The biggest ‘treat’ here is listening to Alan Colmes! For those of you who might be thinking that WHN had a talk show, no, Colmes was a Country music DJ and he fits right in here – although hearing that voice, its tempting to think he’s going to bash the president or someone political! Nope! That would come later, even after his stint at WNBC, where his was the final voice heard before NBC signed off 660 AM forever!
Rounding out the last third of this aircheck are Bobby Wayne and Del Demontreau, two very well known personalities known during the Country music period on WHN.
#AlanColmes #DelDemontreau #WNBCRadio #1050NewYork #ESPN #WHNRadio
How can I EVER thank you enough for this aircheck? WHN was only my favorite radio station of all time, and Bobby Wayne, who’s on this ‘check, was from my home county, namely Marion County, West Virginia. I’ve lived my entire life (51 yrs. and 4 months exactly) as today is October 10, 2014 (so now you know to the day how old I am), in Marion County. Also, it’s somewhat ironic that this aircheck was posted on 10-10, as that’s WINS’ frequency. WHN was down the dial from WINS, and I’m pretty sure right down the street, as both were on Park Avenue. I used to call Bobby Wayne when he worked at Long Island’s WHLI, and he seemed pleased to hear from someone from his home county. Gotta go now, and again, thanks a trillion!
Thanks for the composite of 1050 WHN.
Barbie did a good job even though she never jocked before that.
In addition to working at WHN, Jessie also was heard on WNBC.
WHN lasted as a country station for 14 years because it related to New York and had great personalities like Bobby Wayne, Lee Arnold and others.
Nash doesn’t relate to New York but that’s a different topic.
Again thank you for posting a good sample of how WHN sounded when it was a full time country station.
Larry, Jessie worked at WKTQ (13Q) in Pittsburgh before WHN. As you may know 13Q, though not being a 50,000-watter, was one of the premier AM Top-40 stations from ’73 to about ’77.
The aircheck seems to have stopped abruptly at the point where Barbie was about to say Rangers (introing the record by Blue Ridge Rangers). Did anyone else have this issue?
Still more kudos. I’m only 41 minutes into this aircheck, and I was just bowled over by the variety of music that was played. Is there anything WHN didn’t play?
Bobby Wayne, what a great, personable talent- really enjoyed hearing the Wiz again. He was also quite a top 40 jock at KDWB and KCBQ in the 60’s.
Dave, as I mentioned earlier, Bobby Wayne was from my home county. He died at age 48 in 1990, owing to a wild and crazy lifestyle. I used to call him when he worked at Long Island’s WHLI.
Yet more comments. WHN played “Phantom 309” by Red Sovine. It originally charted in 1967, and I read in a Joel Whitburn book (he compiled several books pertaining to the Billboard music charts) that the song re-charted on December 27, 1975. I thought maybe it did, as WHN played it several times during this aircheck. Red Sovine was afellow West Virginian,, having been born in the capital city of Charleston. I was amazed at all the songs WHN played; was there anything they didn’t play?
Bought a book last week by Ed Salamon, entitled, “WHN: When Country came to New York City”. I highly recommend it to anybody who was a WHN junkie from 1973-87.
BTW, I read in the aforementioned book that WHN had 2000, no fooling, 2000 song sin its rotation, so I guess I was right when I said “Was there anything they didn’t play?”
Last week, I bought a book entitled ‘WHN: When New York City Went Country” by Ed Salamon, who was program director or had some other high position at the station. I highly recommend it to anyone who was a WHN junkie from 1973-87. I asked the rhetorical question whether there was anything WHN didn’t play. In the aforementioned book, Mr. Salamon said WHN had 2,000 (no fooling) 2,000 songs in its rotation.
Was that Dan Taylor doing the WHN top-hour IDs? It sounds like him, but I don’t see how, as he didn’t come there till late ’79.