One great thing about WCBS-FM has always been the incredible consistency about their programming. This sounds much as CBS-FM does today – and perhaps it’s because at this time, in 1978, CBS-FM was formatted more like a Gold-Based AC instead of a pure Oldies station (although, I don’t believe Tavares “It Only Takes A Minute” was ever considered to fit the old AC format back then). To be sure, CBS’s Oldies format was still much in its infancy and was tailored to New York City. But it sounds GREAT here! Dick Heatherton, the “Leader of Lasagnaland” makes for one great personality (and was fondly remembered recently at CBS-FM’s 40th Anniversary celebration).
Newscasts here are done by Bill Gilliam and Hal Simms
This appears to have been recorded in January or February. See if you can pin down the exact date.
Great airchecks as always. Now I may very well be wrong but I would put this air check at 1976 or early 77. New Kid in Town by the Eagles was from Hotel Califonia 1976 and refered to as future gold and Abba’s Dancing Queen was refered to as #15 on this weeks charts. New Kid was # 25 and Dancing Queen #27 for the year on billboards top 100 charts for 1977. Thanks for listening and I love this site– Craig
I REMEBER DICK HEATHERTON WHEN HE WORKED AT WFIL IN PHILADELPHIA 1969-1970. I WONDER WHAT HE’S DOING RIGHT NOW? i HAD A THING FOR HIS SISTER, JOEY. IN FACT I STILL DO!
For 1976, the station didn’t sound that “old” –almost contemporary at times. The “oldies” almost seemed to be just a flavor for the station.
Jim, to answer your comment,. CBS-FM was a Solid Gold station. The term oldies was not used in the seventies. In addition to their songs from the fifties to the early seventies, they played two Future Gold songs per hour. One at fifteen after and one at fifteen of. I do not have a pie chart near me, but I think they also played one or two Recent Gold songs per hour. So every hour they played no more than five songs released in the last three years or so. Everything else was older.
Dick Heatherton is my all time favorite CBS-FM jock. He had a quick tongue-in-cheek wit, but he did not get in the way of the music. He entertained me for over ten years during the best years of CBS-FM.
Ten years ago, I heard him on a satellite broadcast of Standards. He was being underutilized. I kind of remember someone saying that he had a behind the scenes job in some media company in Los Angeles. But I am not sure of that.
Enjoyed Dick Heatherton on WCBS FM from 1978. A great air talent who inspired me as I drove to New Haven to do my on- air shift at 13-WAVZ, New Haven’s Constant Music Station. I also took many of the great tips from Heatherton and applied the at 14-NVR in Waterbury , CT which was programmed by Joe McCoy formerely of 66 WNBC. Joe would soon program CBS-FM. This is one polished Jock at 101 FM! Enjoyed hearing this airchex and the jingles were great too!
All at WCBS -101.1,
Thank you very much for being there during the 2005 New York City marathon. I grew up in the Bronx and this visit was just more than running, it was visiting my home. The City looks great, the people are fabulous, and your music is the best. I snapped my fingers and danced all the way to the finish line with you and your music.
Ivan
It’s a shame that CBS radio ruined WCBS-FM, I don’t know why the WCBS-FM calls are still on 101.1 FM?
Dick Heatherton was also a sub-announcer on The Game Show “The $20,000 Pyramid”
I’d have to concur about the 1976/77 timeline for this aircheck. I think it was about 1978 or ’79 that ‘CBS-FM went away from having CBS staff announcers (such as Bill Gilliand and Hal Simms as heard here) do top-of-the hour news updates and towards actual newscasters, including the now-legendary Al Meredith and others such as Deborah Wetzel.
i was one of those actual newscasters. i knew and worked with Dickie (as i called him) and he called me “Scooper”. i was there when the blackout occurred in ’77 and when Elvis died.
I love wcbsfm and im glad its back but its not the sane without the 50>s music please bring it back love ya fran
The best biography that I have seen on Dick Heatherton is here.
//www.wdrcobg.com/wpop_hk.html#
It includes a link to his current website.
Dick, at the start of your show you called NYC the “greatest city on the planet.” I’d go one step further: it’s the greatest city in history, made that way not only because of its fabulous port facilities and access to a great river but because its settlers had to find and use a common language to engage in trade and the conduct of their lives. This forced commonality helped break down the boundaries of race and nationality that often keeps people apart and leads to fragmented social structures. I’ve lived here for 65 of my 67 years and this is the place to be!
Great show!
Apparently, Dick would add the name of whomever he was talking to on the phone when he came out of a song. I had reason (for business) to be talking to him and he made me a member of Chicago. I later told my partner (a man) who said, “You lucked out. He made me a member of the Supremes!” A great personality – one of the best ever!
Dick was one of the absolute best in New York. I should know, he kicked my butt over at 99X/WXLO multiple times while I worked there. 99X, CBS-FM and WPLJ were all the top FM’s at the time. I am sorry to say that AM erosion took place at about the same time. I was honored to be among them, but truly, they were tops in my book. I didn’t always agree with what Joe McCoy did with the station, but there was no disputing the result. Bill Brown, Harry Harrison, Don K. Reed, Cousin Brucie and a host of others were the people I listened to coming in to NYC, along with Al Bandiero, Bumpers Morgan and Dick Sloan. What a great era in radio!
Lee
I too listened to all the BY stations. Brucie is still on air on Sirius. Dick is still in the air at Crn1.com. Great guy great friend for over 4 decades. We talk every week. Listen to him Saturday at 1 pm est on Crn1 or a local radio station from Maine to puerto Rico to California