WLS 89 Chicago – Larry Lujack – September 9, 1970
Chicago’s 89 WLS had so many legendary personalities that grace the microphones there. Fred Winston, John Records Landecker, Tommy Edwards, Jeff Davis, and may others. But for many WLS fans, there was one name that was above all others. Super Jock, Uncle Lar. Yes, the one & only Larry Lujack.
Moving from Boston’s WMEX in 1967, Larry landed an evening shift at WCFL Chicago, beginning a relationship with the midwest that would last for decades!
Larry crusty & cantankerousness, and the listeners loved it! Lujack influenced many present-day radio personalities, like Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern.
Larry bounced back & forth between WCFL & WLS, until 1976, when he made WLS his home. He spent many years waking Chicago every morning, until 1987 when he moved to New Mexico.
After 2000, Uncle Lar returned to the airwaves for a few years on WRLL.
Larry Lujack was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2004. He was one of a kind. -Ellis
From the Ellis B Feaster You Tube Radio Aircheck & Classic TV Channel.
I had fun with this one. I grew up and still live in Milwaukee. We had AM 920 (WOKY) and AM 1340 (WRIT) Not to much of a twist of the dial to catch AM 890 (WLS) Or AM 1000 (WCFL) IF you had your antenna oriented properly.
It was the time of FM infiltrating the Pop/rock and our WRIT went on to be the first to simulcast on FM. THAT was a big deal! Soon after that the FCC mandated that such stations could only simulcast a maximum of 12 hours per day. This new mandate opened a door to some great alternative/underground programing
Yes indeed it did. Unfortunately, a decade later, in 1980, the FCC still had a policy of promoting FM ahead of AM, thus one reason why as AM Stereo developed, the commission refused to endorse a standard, which would have put AM on par with FM… something the FCC did not want happening. When the commission finally approved AM Stereo – and not selecting a standard, it was already far too late to help AM, and by then, there were few contemporary music stations left on the AM band.
I recall hearing WLS in AM Stereo in 1985. I had a Stereo receiver. Motorola C-Quam system. Driving across North Carolina to the western part of the state to see an old friend from high school and WLS was coming in loud and clear. I was blown away by how good WLS sounded. While some AM Stereo stations sounded muddy, WLS had a sound very comparable to FM Stereo, but without the picket fencing or fading out behind hills and in valleys. I was on I-85 in the middle of NC and it was mostly flat land there, listening at night and there was virtually nothing to block the AM signal, except for under bridges during a signal fade as happens with nighttime propagation.
Lujack was as good in 1986 when he retired the first time, as he was in 1970. Maybe a bit more irreverent. It was a joy posting this one. Thanks for your comments!