Courtesy of Big Apple Airchecks, here’s an original tape which took quite a bit of time to re-master. Dick Heatherton is upbeat and fun, and the music spans three decades! At this point in the ‘Golden 101″ era, CBS-FM is playing everything from the 1950s to then-current songs, with an emphasis on late-50s and early 60s music. Interestingly enough, CBS-FM plays enough current music to do a music survey!
The historic nature of this aircheck becomes readily apparent as soon as the first newscast, read by Bill Gillian, begins. President Richard Nixon has announced he will resign at noon the following day, and he will hold a news conference shortly to tell the American people of his plans to resign. That news conference may just be one of the most famous presidential news conferences in history, unfortunately, while WCBS-FM did carry it live, the news conference took place after this aircheck is over.
Its another ORIGINAL aircheck which you’ll find nowhere else except right here, at Airchexx.com!
Wow, a blast from the past! I question the date though. Nixon announced his resignation the evening of August 8, 1974, effective August 9, 1974. Assuming the August date is correct, this was recorded when I was a 12-year-old Boy Scout at scout camp in the Catskill Mountains. We were all huddled around an AM radio in the woods that night listening to history being made.
By the way, the hit that week in August was “The Night Chicago Died” by Paper Lace. You could not listen to a music station without hearing it as least once every half hour. On the ride home from scout camp, it seemed to be constantly playing on 77 WABC for the three hours it took to get home.
Very Bad Quality Sound Not Good His Tapes Have It Clean Tapes From High Quality Sound Better! ON WCBS-FM July 29, 1974
This sounds like a combined aircheck from first August 8, 1974 which was when Nixon announced his resignation speech would be that evening following the meeting with Congressional leaders but the second newscast is clearly from July 29, 1974 as it is discussing the House Judiciary Committee impeachment proceedings which were going on at the time.
Where to begin? I’d say after the WHN February 9, 1976, marathon, this is my favorite. I was 11 when this ‘check was made; of course, living in West Virginia, there was no way I could have heard it as it happened. I never knew CBS-FM played current hits, namely “Waterloo” and “Please Come to Boston”. The Rolling Stones’ cover of “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” was entering the charts about this time. Also, Trent Lott, who later would become Senate Majority Leader, was at the time a first-term US Representative. He was mentioned at 16:32. At 15:40, we hear George Hamilton IV, from 1956, who would later become a huge country star. Also liked the DR. Pepper spot at 7:15, and AMC spot at 11:00 brought back memories (the See AMC) campaign.
The July 29, 1974 date of the aircheck is CORRECT. The second newscast anchored by LEE JORDAN includes a story of “Mama Cass passing away today” — which was July 29, 1974.
Thanks for the clarification. I knew that as of July 29, 1974, that the process of Nixon’s resignation was well underway, as he’d make it official as of August 9; therefore, he’d have to prepare well in advance. I also knew that Mama Cass died in ’74, but didn’t know exactly when.
The July 29 date is correct for the second newscast but the first newscast is from August 8. Nixon did not prepare his resignation ten days in advance because July 29 is when the House Committee was still voting on impeachment articles and this was before the release of the “smoking gun” tape on August 5. The meeting described in the initial newscast took place on August 8 and the announcement of his speech which took place later that evening was on August 8. Somewhere along the line this aircheck has been combined from two different dates.