Fred Winston, Dick Saint & Doug Dahlgren, 890 WLS Chicago | March 12, 1976

Courtesy of Big Apple Airchecks - Thanks!

…There’ll be no high today, sorry…. I’m high… no no no… I’m kidding. I wish I was high… no haha just kidding…

If we had a ratings system, this would get four stars! Wait! Actually, we do! Try it.

This aircheck comes to us from Ira Menacker via Matt Seinberg. Thanks to both of them.

Now, the story behind the story… so to speak on this bitterly cold March day, is that Dick & Doug had been fired from crosstown rival WCFL. Many of you who come to this site probably already know the story, but for the benefit of those who don’t, here it is in a nutshell. WCFL was changing formats from Top 40 to Beautiful Music (Elevator music, Easy Listening… whatever label fit at the time). D&D were being blown out along with most of the staff, EXCEPT, Larry Lujack who would continue doing afternoon jock playing Chicago’s most beautiful music.

Apparently, the morning team was given an opportunity to do a ‘last show’. Well, they spoke a little too much about the impending format changes, and about mid-way through the show, management arrived and took all the microphones, and politely escorted the two out of the station!

What you hear on this aircheck is a hilarious morning show. Fred Winston invites Dick & Doug to appear on his show and what follows is anarchy. The duo even lock Winston out of the studio at one point!

This is what radio used to be like. Spontaneous and enormously funny! Seems like yesterday.

wls.jpg





10 Comments

  1. MIKE FRAKES

    TOTALLY AWESOME SITE!! THIS 1976 AIRCHECK IS FANTASTIC!! THANKS A MILLION WHO-EVER RECORED IT!!! FRED WINSTON WAS ONE OF THE VERY,VERY BEST AT THE BIG 89..WLS!!! WHERE IS HE TODAY???..HEY JEFF DAVIS! IS THAT YOUR COMMENT ABOVE??? U WERE ONE OF MY VERY FAVS!!!

  2. Bill Cooper

    This is indeed a classic! Its the way radio is suppose to be! FYI, Doug Dahlgren is now hosting a morning show on a country station in Olympia, Washington, enjoying life and still sounding great!

  3. Daryl Bolton

    WLS is the 70’s rules! Please keep these airchecks coming! This one was recorded by a pro! Highly recommended website. Fun stuff, and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you!!!!!!

  4. diana

    I love it !!!! I have been a radio junky since the age of 4…I used to record all the wls montages from 1975-1984…it was a tradition for me and my sister vickie to listen to the great wls countdown for new years eve!! Thanks diana

  5. glen ashworth

    Fantastic!!!!!!
    I love it.
    I’ve a fan of Doug Dahlgren since his days at
    KUPL Portland.
    Keep up the good work.

  6. Carrie

    I grew up in Central Illinois and spent the late 70’s and 80’s listening to WLS – I was just sitting here being nostalgic and looking up some names that I remembered and rememberd how nice Jeff Davis was to my friend and I when we were totally obsessed with him LOL. Fred Winston was pretty great dealing with me calling in daily for Raspberry Beret! HAHAHA I was big dork huh?

    I wish I could find an old WLS Tshirt though.

  7. steve brill

    sure miss listening to WLS with Winston,Lujack, and Landecker

  8. Peter

    To those who wanted to know where Fred is now. He’s still here in Chicago and works at Oldies WLS FM.. I saw him at a Seminar in Chicago a few years ago along with Dan Ingram and John Records Landecker. At time he was in his 60’s and had some type of minor stomach issue he was recovering from what I remember. Anyway, I miss the big voices like his .

  9. Neil Leibowitz

    As a “displaced” sailor in Great Lakes, Illinois (courtesy of the US Navy) & missing my “hometown” WABC, I found WLS (ironially their “sister” station) to “fill the gap”–little did I know I’d be chortling in the morning to Fred Winston. Fred was truly HILARIOUS–I remember listening to this show LIVE. Ahh the days of WLS with Winston, Sirrott & Landecker!!!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.