First published on this website eight years ago.
An original recording obtained by contributor Daniel Coulombe, here’s the great Dr. John Leader… on KHJ! 1977 was still a good Top 40 year for the AM band, and KHJ was still in contention, even if K100 was the hot FM at the time, and with KTNQ was about to hit…
Leader was also heard at WQXI Atlanta (See graphic) and KSTP in the Twin Cities, but surely never better than here on KHJ!
Nice check !! I heard John on a 1968 aircheck at WLAV Grand Rapids and he was great from the beginning. Heard him on Quixie 79 WQXI from 1971-1972 and he was at the top of his game then too …..
Very nice addition, Hey Karl do you have the WLAV aircheck of Leader? He was there starting in late 69 or early 70, He would have still been at WGRD in 68. I am looking for Grand Rapids Stuff.
Karl,
I’ve heard that QXI aircheck too… If you have it, please contact me…
KHJ was promoting The Firecracker 300 on this aircheck. The following year the countdown would be moved to sister KRTH where it would be heard every Independence weekend until 2009. KRTH didn’t do the countdown this year, instead opting for “An All American Weekend.” But who knows, maybe it will return in 2011.
KTNQ hit six months before…first day was December 26, 1976. And I think that aircheck is on this site….so that shouldn’t be news.
The short check of John Leader was on a tape I heard titled Shelby Singletons Aircheck or something like that and featured some of the top jocks….about 40 of them if I recall. I’ll bet you can find it somewhere.
Karl
Listen to the end of the newscast for the N.O.W. PSA: It’s Rude for a Man to Call a Woman a ‘tomato’ It’s better to call her by her real name…
Wow ! Only in the 70’s…
Hello All – I am afraid I do not personally have any airchecks of John Leader on WQXI or anywhere else. – Boy I wish I did. If I did you’d hear it right here !!! He is posted with one on the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame website //www.grhof.com in the audio section.
Karl
The ultimate Top 40 sound of Dr. John Leader! John gave me my big break in 1973 hiring me at WQXI Atlanta while I was still attending U of Ga. This will compliment all my airchecks I have of John doing middays on WQXI…. But as you know, there is that special something that KHJ and West Coast Radio has.
Ron, this is amazing. I remember John Leader very well at WQXI; even his last day when they announced his departure for KHJ. In addition to WQXI, I also remember you at WRFC in Athens when I went to UGA and recall a newspaper interview in the Red & Black where you said your idols in radio were Dan Ingram and Charlie Tuna. Are you still on WCBS FM?
Yes Bill, I still work at WCBS-FM here in New York City. Wow, would I love to see that Red and Black article.
But I am excited about heading back to UGA this weekend to watch the DAWGS play Vandy…
Hi Ron. Sure wish I had that article too! I’ve listened to you on line and it’s fun for me to follow some familiar voices through the years. You are very natural and easy to listen to. Was Don Cox at WQXI when you were there?
You saw a good one in Athens. Aaron Murray looks like the real deal!
I remember hiring John as a recent graduate of GVSU. We worked together until I was drafted in 1968
wGRD
Jim Francis
Let’s not forget John Leader’s long service as an editor at Radio & Records newspaper and for the past few decades, one of THE top voiceover artists in Hollywood. Enjoy “Five Men In A Limo” —> //www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAnq10BBvvs
KHJ went country in 1980, I believe it was October. Their slogan was “We all grew up to be cowboys”. KLAC (570) was already country, so there was some competition on the AM dial for the ears and hearts of country fans. I got into country around mid-’78. I’ve lived in West Virginia all my life. I was into Top 40 (now known as CHR) when this aircheck was made, so had I lived in L.A. or the vicinity, I may well have listened to KHJ myself, and, if so, probably would’ve alternated with KTNQ (Ten Q), 1020 on the dial. During my country phase I may have gone back and forth between KHJ and KLAC. KLAC is now all-sports and is the Dodgers’ flagship. The Dodgers are the defending NL champs, and KLAC was the Angels’ flagship when they won it all in 2002. Thanks for this aircheck.