1969 was a good year for Top 40 radio in Los Angeles. KFWB was still around, albeit more like a Middle of the Road station, 93/KHJ was at the top of it’s game, and then there was KRLA. Never the powerhouse hit station that other AMs were, past or future, it was a warm and cozy station that played current music and featured warm personalities. You’d probably call it your parent’s music station.
Russ O’Hara is filling in for Rob Foster (KFRC) here. Russ is a laid-back jock, one you’d perhaps find on a late 70s/early 80s Soft Rock FM station. Its a cozy aircheck, and shows that KRLA was certainly not going to try and beat KHJ at its own game.
Russ is filling in for Reb Foster (a Los Angeles legend at KFWB and KRLA), not Rob.
The KFRC jock was Bob Foster.
And, during this period, summer and fall 1969, KRLA came the closest to beating KHJ that they ever did.
CalRadioPD, can you get back to me, please? I have some KRLA audio I’d be willing to share with you. Thanx, Timmy at: TICDS@SBCGlobal.Net
PS: KFWB switched to all-news in March, 1968. In 1969, it was KHJ, KRLA and KDAY. KHJ was #1, KRLA #3 and KDAY unrated in the fall Pulse numbers.
He sounds a lot like Lee “Baby” Sims with the reigns pulled in tightly!
You can hear the influence of Lee Baby Simms on Russ O’Hara at this point at KRLA , Old Doc Frail was his alter ego during this regime , Russ O Hungry was very sharp in the more upbeat format , here he sounds like he is adapting to all of the influences of a stoned station , I was at KCRW FM as a student during this Russ O’Air-a
Doc Frail was a bit later after We both worked WMYQ
MIAMI , I’m guessing he went back to KRLA with Shadow
in 1974? Lee worked many stations on multiple tours , miss Lee, Russ was in Palm Springs last I heard on an oldies station , was also involved in a Bob Morgan Vegas Internet radio show.
KRLA DID beat KHJ in 1965 and 1966. It wasn’t until early 1967 that KHJ finally passed KRLA in ratings. Then KHJ dominated until 1975, when KMET-FM took over
Chris: Wrong. KHJ was number 1 by fall of ’65. Took ’em six months. In the fall of 1966, KHJ was #1 with a 9.0. KRLA was tied for 4th with a 7.0. Fall of ’67, KHJ #1 with a 9.0—KRLA #5 with a 6.0. Fall ’68, KHJ #1 with a 13.0, KRLA #8 with a 4.0.
KMET was #19 with a 1.5 in the fall of 1975. KHJ didn’t lose overall to another contemporary music station until 1977….and it was KLOS that beat them. KHJ had fallen to 8th place with a 3.5. KMET still had a 2.8.
It was 1978 that was KMET’s year. Fourth place with a 4.9. KHJ was down to 12th with a 2.7.
I have to disagree, in 1971 under programmer Shadoe Stevens KRLA was nipping at KHJ’s heels.