Johnny Driscoll, WCFL Chicago | 1974

AM 1000 Chicago WCFL The Voice Of Labor John Driscoll Dick & Doug Larry Lujack Federation of Labor WLUP ESPN

John DriscollEnter John Driscoll (Jock, Consultant & Airchexx Contributor). Talk about HIGH ENERGY! Driscoll easily gives John Records Landecker over at crosstown WLS a run for his money.

This is 1974. WCFL was owned by the Chicago Federation of Labor. I always thought it interesting that a labor union could own a radio station. Actually, WCFL had a very storied history promoting blue collar workers in Chicago going back to the 1940s, but that’s another story. By the time the 1960s & 70s came along, WCFL was solidly onboard the Top 40 train.

AM 1000 Chicago WCFL The Voice Of Labor John Driscoll Dick & Doug Larry Lujack Federation of Labor WLUP ESPN





11 Comments

  1. Steven Green

    Thanks. I worked with JD at WMYQ prior to his arrival at CFL. His name in Miami was Bob Shannon. That was 1973-1974. By the summer, he was on the Big Ten in Chicago evenings.

  2. Mark in Auburn, New York

    Judging by the hits and “The NEW CFL” jingles, I think this was more like April or May 1975.

    What is that bed under the “Where the music counts for cash” promo? Wasn’t it a TV theme? I believe it also turns up in a scene from one of the “Kill Bill” movies.

    I’m repeatedly listening to the end of “Shining Star”. Really playing loose with the letters!

    Love it! Great 70s radio!

  3. Mark in Auburn, New York

    This airshift starts at 6 O’clock. I remember Driscoll coming on in late evening after Doctor Brock.

  4. Peter

    Always great to hear top 40 radio with the big ballsy radio voices!! Smoking. Not like what passes for CHR now where all the jocks want to sound like Ryan Seacrest with the “natural sound”.

  5. radiorob

    “Wildfire”, “How Long” and “Shining Star” among others indicate this is actually summer of 1975.

    • This actually happens a lot. I post these based upon the information given by the contributor, or whats written on the tape. But you guys out in listener land… you are the ones that often nail down the exact date. As always, a big help!

  6. Mark in Auburn, New York

    Mystery solved The bed under “Where the music counts for cash” is the “Ironside” Theme. Listeners were asked to count how many songs were played in a certain period.

  7. In the night time

    I worked for John at WZuu in Milwaukee. He was a great PD, but was a real prick after 11pm when he’d call on the hotline. Overall good experience, but he could have been nicer. Great Jock and aircheck though.

  8. Tossman

    Driscoll has always sounded best when he has copy or a script in front of him. He’s really not bright enough to work without a safety net. Big voice, big coke habit, but negligible personality — unless it’s written down in front of him. I worked for him at Y108 in Denver and he was a hotline freak…much of that was chemically induced.

  9. Bob Barbanes

    In, oh, ’74 or ’75 I was working the 6 to midnight “progressive rock” shift on a small FM in upstate NY. A friend turned me onto Johnny Driscoll and whaddya know, we could pick up WCFL (at least at night) on a regular ol’ AM radio all the way over in Elmira. Many a night I’d play long uninterrupted sets – uninterrupted because I was listening to Driscoll on my AM in the studio. What a voice! What timing! He was probably one of the best Top-40 jocks I’ve ever heard.

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