Courtesy of longtime Contributor Robyn Watts, Here’s something from her collection of California Aircheck tapes. Tape #152 includes things from all over America and various formats. Towards the end of side one, this crystal clear recording of the former “Oldies 104.3” WJMK features a Chicago legend – the great Dick Biondi! Most will remember Biondi from AM 89 WLS in the early days of the station’s Top 40 format. Most recently, Biondi was on the current incarnation of Classic Hits 94.7 WLS-FM.
This was recorded during a promotion called the American Bandstand weekend. Lots of mentions of Dick Clark but nothing heard from America’s Oldest Teenager.
The air date of this, we estimate to be sometime in 1993. There are clues in this aircheck for those who are from the Chicagoland area so perhaps someone can pinpoint the date.
Dick Biondi! Incredible! In the summer of 1964, my mom, her sister Ruthie and I drove from Roswell New Mexico north into Colorado so I could get my 3rd Class FCC license in Denver. What a trip! We stopped in Colorado Springs so I could tour the KPIK studios. KPIK (K-PIKE) was a famous Country Music stiation. I was on the tour when Jim Reeves plane crashed in Nashville. They had audio of Marty Robbins, outside, washing his hair in the rain; Marty looked up and saw the plane go down, it was quite a historic moment! The music in the summer of 64 was something! “My Boy Lolipopp” Millie Small, “I Get Around/”Don’t Worry Baby” Beach Boys, lots & lots of hits! Dick Biondi had a nationally syndicated Radio show. It was something. A station in Colorado City ran the show. Biondi was on fire! He did so thing on this show I’ll never forget; he had a “question of the day”, ‘How to you feel about peanut butter?’ He recorded lots of answers, THEN he changed the question! ‘How do you feel about kissing?’ It was hilarious!! “It’s tacky!”, “It sticks to your mouth!” And on & on. The Hits, Dick Biondi (he was awesome!) the ‘question of the day, summer, the beautiful mountains of Colorado that trip had it all. Very special days. John Mack Flanagan
One of the dates, Saturday, October 3 (at 3:25), would have been 1993, but the other one, Saturday, September 26 (at 5:31), would have been 1992. Could this perhaps have been 2 or more different airchecks?
Both of the dates mentioned; Saturday October 3rd and Saturday, September 26th place it in 1992.