This is the first time Your Leeeeeeeeder has been caught using his real name (at least here at Airchexx), but that’s how it was back in ’65 at Big WAYS in Charlotte. Larsh is holding down the overnight and there’s been bad weather… as the headlines of the lead story in his FULL newscast, which starts off this recording attest. Yep, this overnight show has the jock pulling news duties, jock duties… doing everything, and he pulls it off flawlessly.
Listen to the incredible amount of what programmers today would call clutter in the format. Sound effects between each news story, echo and reverb used to excess in promo and announcements… but, gosh, didn’t it sound fun?
Yes, this is unmistakably THE one in the same late Jackson Armstrong whom we loved so much at KB in Buffalo and elsewhere, and now you’ve heard another place that got to be graced by his personality.
Just as noteworthy as Jack Armstrong is the PSA featuring legendary radio/TV personality Bud Collyer–the voice of Superman on radio, and the original host of both BEAT THE CLOCK and TO TELL THE TRUTH.
And he was only 20 years old in this aircheck! What a legend!
John Larsh aka Big Jack was the definitive top 40 DJ of the ’60s. Not that he was the absolute best but he had a mixture of all the best qualities of the great DJ’s. He could be fun, serious, laid back and completely off-the wall depending on the station/program format and situation at hand. He is one of my all-time favorites and his talents are sorely missed and fondly remembered all across the USA.
BTW- This is the first newscast I’ve heard him do and remembering his antics, I got in a SNL Weekend Update state of mind at first. That shows the power of wonderful memories of the late, great John Larsh!