Here’s one that will make you go WOW!… Terry Knight on WEAM!
**2021 Update** – This post has been viewed over 12 thousand times since first posting in 2014! That’s pretty amazing considering the station has been gone since 1984. Our viewers have long memories!
A few notes. You’ll notice there are no ‘jingles’, but there are some produced liners and sweepers, such as sweepers sounded in the 1960s. By 1968, WEAM was using jingles from PAMS. WEAM would later drop the jingles again in the 1970s during it’s progressive rock era.
View this from our official Airchexx Classic Radio YouTube Channel:
**2014 Update** – Thanks to comments from those who were there, we can post some corrections and updates.
WEAM was 5,000 watts 24/7, whereas it’s competitor, WPGC was 10,000 watts. But WPGC was daytime only.
John Guntner (below) writes: Terry Knight was Jack Fisher renamed by station manager Harry Averill. Jack apparently lives in Roanoake, VA, and you can read up on is whereabouts at the WROV tribute site, //www.wrovhistory.com/ Read more comments about WEAM below.
Apparently pulled right off the master reel, this comes to you in stunning audio quality for such an old aircheck. Runs about 5 minutes.
How i miss WEAM radio. I grew up in Alexandria Virginia and WEAM radio was the one. I well remember the Jack Alex and Terry Knight show. Radio today, at least for me, has lost the flare of exiciting radio of the 50’s and 60’s. Many years ago i bought the full set of different radio shows on LP albums starting with 1956 to 1964. Like to have a CD of WEAM radio. Thanks for you site.
In Our Lords Service
John
Yes, at Fairfax City Town Hall, Live Band The Aristocrats and Jack Alex
Yes, Jack Alex dance at Glen Echo Amusement Park with The Aristocrats! Outdoor concert!
Live at The Rocket Room – Rock and Roll Band The Aristocrats!
Yep been there played that, Skeeter Boswell, Vaughn Howard, Roger Easterling, Keith Edwards! The Aristocrats
I went to Yorktown with you guys. Probably knew Keith Edwards best. We double dated for the senior prom. I heard that he passed away. What has happened to the rest of you guys? “Skeeter Boswell, Vaughn Howard, Roger Easterling, Keith Edwards”
John, ditto for me. I lived in Alexandria from 1961 thru1964. Taylor Run Pkwy. near the Masonic Memorial. attended Frances Hammond High. WEAM and WPGC ruled.
WEAM was indeed a great station. There is also an aircheck of WEAM on ReelRadio. I was stationed in D.C. in 1964-1966, and we listened to WEAM all the time. Thanks to Airchexx for a great aircheck!
Richard
The WEAM “1964” aircheck is interesting. However some correction is in order. First, this recording is from January 1965, not 1964. The “flea-powered” reference is not in order. The station operated with 5,000 watts day and night on two direectional patterns and placed city grade daytime over all of DC and most of the suburbs. Nights the lobe shot over DC as well and placed city grade over most of the city, with a null to the north. it was not 1,000 watts!
Agree with Rob Norton. I lived in Silver Spring “back in the day” and listened to WEAM….especially at night. I was gone by ’65, but listened from about ’57 to fall of ’62 when I went away to college. Back then, WPGC, WDON, and WAVA (780) were all great DAYTIME stations. At night it was WINX, WEAM and WCAO in Baltimore plus WABC, WKBW and WLS from out of town.
WEAM’s 4 towers were just inside Fairfax County about a quarter mile west of where Powhattan drive crosses the line from Arlington. While we weren’t in the absolute null, the night time WEAM signal wasn’t too good where we lived. Someone mentioned a “whistle.” Yeah! Maybe they were off frequency a bit??
But what the heck, these were the golden AM days! EVERYTHING sounded good on the old ’59 Ford radio!!
Great! Love to hear these old tapes!! Anyone have any Jack Fisher on WEAM? He was there in ’64…
Again, Thanks!
WEAM interviews Klaatu (Carpenter) in The Day the Earth Stood Still
Was this the same Terry Knight who worked in Detroit later this same year?
WEAM was the only AM station in DC in the 60s that ran all night. Good sounds!
I just loved WEAM , I tuned it it from about 1958 till it went off. Tuned in WPGC,WINX, and WHMC as well, but liked WEAM the best as they played more hits. I lived in Bethesda/Chevey Chase, the station came in ok ther but I remember it had a wissel is the back ground, but this was the old AM days so it did not matter vary much. Would like a cupple houres of the old radio broadcast, it would be nice to lissen to. Thank you for this web sit, it meant so much to me.
Bob
I loved WEAM, tuned in around 1958 and till they went off the air. Loved Jack Allex, Terry Knight, Russ Wheeler ETC. Boy, do I remember The “Rocket Room” Add.
This web site just took me back to better times, lived in Bethesda/Chevey Chase at the time. THANK YOU for this nice Site.
Bob
Remember WEAM very well. Listened to it starting in the mid – late 50’s (even recall the “listen to the NEW WEAM contest”). The best jocks from that era in DC were Bob Rickman (RnB Special) & Don Dillard (played great rockabilly & RnR) from WDON. Of Course JA the DJ & Harv Moore from WPGC were great for the more top 40 pop sounds. Also dug the RnB dj’s like Rockin’ Robin in Baltimore, Hopalong in Annapolis & Moon Man & Al Bell in DC. Plus many fond memories of the Rocket Room, Rands, Benny’s, Hayloft & definitely the Howard Theater.
At last, someone who remembers Bob Rickman besides me. After he was drafted into the Army in the mid-50’s, Jay Perry (Perri) pretty much took over as the better known DJ at Weam. I recall Rickman emceeing a number of sock hops in Arlington. His siter was two years behind me at Swanson Jr. High. I don’t believe he ever had a career in radio but it would be interesting to know what did happen to him.
Could it be the same Bob Rickman that worked at WISP in Kinston, NC 1956 to 1957? Told us (mostly high school DJ ‘wantabees’) he had worked with WTOP. In 1958 he was doing transcriptions for VoA. While at the 250 station he did not drive and tooks cabs every where he went. Great voice.
Hi,
I am trying to find out about my father. I believe he was general manager of WEAM sometime late 1950’s to mid 1960’s. His name was Kenneth Wood. I still have some of his 45 records that were radio station copies. If anyone can help me with this I would appreciate this. Thank you
I was a WEAM D.J. from 1961 to 1965. My “station name” was Doug Vanderbilt. I remember Ken Wood well. Responsible for the distinctive WEAM sound which included lots of reverb. Your dad was always in motion, walking around the station and chain-smoking. His P.D. was Mark Holiday (real name, John Michaels), who taught me a lot about production and news delivery. There was no news department; the jocks were “rip and read” right off the news printer. Ken left around 1964 to buy a station in Richmond; Mark Holiday went with him. I ended up at WPGC as Sales Manager, then G.M. Started buying my own stations in 1981; live now in Salisbury, MD. The “WEAM Team” identifier that came along after Ken left was never as exciting as the original sound of WEAM from the late fifties into about ’64.
Hi Bill,
I am one of John Michels’ sons, who you worked with at WEAM. Wow! It’s really interesting to have stumbled across this site! Dad always talked fondly of his days at WEAM with Ken Wood and the great team of professionals they worked with there. Our family moved from Richmond to the Wichita Kansas area in 1968. Dad stayed on the air, program directed, and sold “air time” in Wichita Kansas, and ultimately went into the advertising agency business. When he retired, he kept some of his best clients and kept on coming up with great ad ideas for them right up until he became ill with complications from diabetes. He was always an idea man!… still had a smooth voice for doing voice overs too, for radio ads right up to the end of his full life. Dad passed on Oct 1, 2005, and we all miss him very much. I still have some of his old “demo” tapes, and some promotional pictures as well. I’m glad I was able to find this site! It’s good to know that John Michels, radio name Mark Holliday, lives on in the memory of those who knew him!
I remember your Dad’s name being on some old documents and paperwork around WEAM when I worked there — but he was long gone by my time. I was associated with the station starting in 1975 and was chief engineer from 1978 to 1984.
Kevin Strom.
Hi Risa,
I am one of John Michels’ sons, who was your fathers program director and friend. Dad always talked fondly of his days at WEAM with Ken. He always said your dad was a genious when it came to radio, and I think he missed their friendship after we moved to Kansas. Dad stayed on the air, program directed, and sold “air time” in Wichita Kansas, and ultimately went into the advertising agency business. When he retired, he kept some of his best clients and kept on coming up with great ad ideas for them right up until he became ill with complications from diabetes. He was always an idea man!… still had a smooth voice for doing voice overs too, for radio ads right up to the end of his full life. Dad passed on Oct 1, 2005, and we all miss him very much. I still have some of his old “demo” tapes, and some promotional pictures as well. I’m glad I was able to find this site! John Michels, radio name Mark Holliday, lives on in the memory of those who knew him!
Hi, I have a Weam aircheck from January 1, 1968 ,with johnny Rouge, Will trade you for a Wpgc aircheck, Unscoped please, Thanks,
Terry Knight was Jack Fisher renamed by station manager Harry Averill. Why Averill decided to do this is unknown but he did it. Jack Fisher was a well known and well liked dj at WEAM. As a teenager Jack was one of the kids who danced every afternoon on American Bandstand. Jack had been one of the four djs from Washington Top 40 stations who emceed the FIRST Beatles concert in Washington in 1964.
Jack and Harry Averill did not see eye to eye on this or anything else and Jack was fired in early 1964. Jack landed at a very successful top 40 station WROV in Roanoke were he stayed until about 1971. Jack left WROV to work in advertising in Roanoke and then came back to WROV from 1981 until 1991. He is now retired.
I grew up within sight of the 4 WEAM towers and used to ride my bike there before I was old enough to drive. I got involved with various of the djs while still in Jr High. I always like Jack Fisher the best. I dragged equipment and took money at the door for many sock hops and battles of the bands for a number of years. After high school I had to choose between radio and news photography and chose photography. But I have fond memories of WEAM and Top 40 AM radio.
I knew Jack when he worked with the advertising agency handling McDonald’s. Anyone know how I can cotact Jack?
I understand he lives in Roanoke. There is a very good website for WROV where Jack worked for years //www.wrovhistory.com/ which may be useful. The station is gone but they still have reunions.
Isn’t that Barry Richards doing the Rocket Room ads? I know he worked on WEAM for a while as well as many other stations in the DC area. One of the all time great DJS ever. Check out the new Barry Richards website for some great stuff.
First of all, you’d think that with the corrections to the header that have been mentioned here, it would be corrected! Oh well…
Jack Fisher was told to change his name to “Terry Knight” before he left in about September of ’64 to go to WROV. It is definitely true that he and Harry A. did not see eye to eye. Not many did!
This “Terry Knight” was someone else.
WEAM’s studios were at their transmitter location on Crimmins Lane.
A book could be easily written about WEAM!
This aircheck gives me goose bumps! I lived in No. VA. in the 60’s and remember Bob Parkinson on WEAM. I remember him congratulating the new Miss Washington DC, Diana Batts before he married her and we all know Diane Parkinson from The Price is Right! Would love to know Bob’s whereabouts now.
Russ Wheeler is actually Richard Sher who later teamed with Oprah Winfrey on People are Talking in Baltimore on WJZ TV.
I believe Jack Alix passed away a few years ago in Richmond, VA.
I lived in Annandale in mid-50s, remember WEAM and Bob Rickman well. (Kid listening under the covers with a transistor kit radio, could hear WHBQ in Memphis too.)
Small world, I was back in DC stationed at Arlington Hall in 1969 and somehow wound up escorting that year’s Miss Universe to a US Olympics benefit hosted by Bob and Diana Parkinson.
It is my recollection that WEAM was ten thousand watts in those days, not one thousand.
WEAM was 5,000 watts, WPGC-AM was 10,000 watts but it was daytime only.
Boy! do I remember Jack Alex. I played in a band “The new Del-Phonics” and he hosted many of our events. I have nothing but good memories of those times……….
Anyone remember The Aristocrats? A very popular band in the DC area from 1963 to 1967? A great band. Only Roger and Vaughan are known to be left. The others either passed away or went away. God’s blessing to the late Maria LoBianco……a great friend of The Aristocrats. We all loved you Maria. I’m sure you are enjoying Heaven.
Hi Vaughan. It’s only been 48 years. I hope you’re doing great. Was talking about Skeeter with Tony Jordon who played sax in The Jazzmasters, and we couldn’t remember all of Skeeter’s bands. Was he in Natty Bumpo? The only ones we had were The Jazzmasters, The Minutemen, The Aristocrats and Clean Peanuts. If you know any others would love to hear them. I saw Roger at a Yorktown reunion, and really enjoyed talking with him. Maria’s illness was very sad. We had reconnected about 5 years before she died, and my wife and I did some fun things with her and Rick including a great cruise from Barcelona to France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Croatia and back to Venice, Italy to head home. Would love to hear from you. All the best, Jody.
Hey Jodie,
Yep Skeeter had many bands per his wife they ran from The Frantics later to be The Aristocrats, US Male house band at the Ambassador opened for Jimim Hendrix, Clean Peanut toured several years, early thru late 70″ Skeeter was the contract lead for The Steve Miller Band, after return to Arlington off the road acquired a Master Electricians License but continued to play thru the early 2000’s with many different bands in Baltimore that would call upon him to play lead, bass, keyboards, or drums.
Take Care See U at Patriots Meet Up
Roger
Hi Jody: Boy it sure has been a long time! I remember doing a party once that you, Terry Tannen, Skeeter and myself played at. Must have been around ’63. You were terrific on that electric piano…I’ll never forget that!! I was back in VA on vacation a couple of years ago. Roge and I got together and played together for a few hours. He’s become a heck of a guitarist. I’ve become pretty bad! Just for those you, or others who may liked to know, Jack Alix passed away not too terribly long ago. I was a DJ in the ’90’s in Tucson with a friend who moved to DC to do mornings on a country station there. He called me, wanted me to move back and do afternoons at his station, which I didn’t do. He told me Jack, at that time, was a Program Director at a station in DC. Don’t remember which. I just heard a year or so ago from another old radio friend that Jack had passed. He was a great guy. Did a lot for The Aristocrats. My wife and I moved back to Southern Arizona, permanently, last October. Sure is great to hear from you. You are one of the several Williamsburg, Yorktown friends I have thought of over the years. I moved away from the DC area in 1971, and other than a couple of quick trips, have never been back. Still miss it sometimes. I hope you’re doing well. Vaughan
Hey Jody,
Glad you’re still alive and well. I remember you growing up around the corner (trying to remember your younger brother’s name) and later on that you had a lawn care service. I remember Bruce & Steve (last name?) across the street from you (associate fence climbing beagles, black snakes, firecrackers and coin collecting). What are you doing now? After reading the other posts, now I do recall hearing the sound of keyboards coming from your house. Regretfully, I don’t think I ever saw you play in your band(s). I was probably a couple years behind you.
I grew up around the corner on Rockingham St. just across the county line in Fairfax/McLean. So, I was oriented more in that direction and Bishop O’Connell HS.
In Jr. High and HS, our main band composed of classmates my year and the year ahead, was the Axemen … Bob Whyte, talented lead guitar and vocals lived down on the corner of Rhode Island and Kensington Sts. in Franklin Park. Drummer is now the head chef and operator of L’ Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls which his parents founded and ran for many years.
50th Anniversary of that band is coming up in Sept. playing at the K of C on Little Falls Rd.
So, I sure remember WEAM towers and studios off of Powhatan St. We rode our bikes down there but were a little shy on intruding. I know we knocked on the door and spoke to someone there at least once. Before they built the nursing home on adjoining property, there was a big field with a shallow muddy pond there, where we caught two large catfish on a hot summer day in less than a foot or two of water. Remember High’s Dairy (5 cent ice cream cones), the Williamsburg Pharmacy (snowcones, cherry, lime or lemon cokes, rickeys and my first beer: real imported Lowenbrau from the upright cooler), and Acme grocery store (powdered Jelly donuts) and of course Top’s Drive-In (Home of the Sirloiner and Gifford’s Ice Cream on Lee Highway.
Take care. My mom died a couple years ago (I took care of her) and our house was crushed, hauled away and a $2.3 McMansion now stands in its place.
Take care, God bless, Steve L. (later AKA SLY)
(Howard, his wife and Bob their son was your uphill neighbor.)
I recall The “Aristocrats” Quite well, with “Skeeter Bozwell” R.I.P. He and I also played in a band called “The Penny Arcade”. Those were really good times.
Joe, I was just reminiscing about the New Delphonics and Skeeter Boswell, too. Only to read that he passed a few years ago. I’ve also wondered what became of J.B. Alden or Bobby Sorber. Don’t know if you kept up with either of them or not. There aren’t a lot of us left anymore…
Hey Carl, I rmemeber you! Bobby lives in Front Royal and J B is in Bristel va, I think. You can reach both on Facebook. I’ve sent both messages but no feedback yet. I’m in touch with Corey and Wayne both via facebook. I’m sure they would like to hear from you. How have you been? Are you still playing music?
Thanks, Joe. No, not playing anymore but I spent many years having a blast doing great r&r with friends. So glad to hear that Bobby’s still around, so many of the Northern Virginia music crowd is gone now, Skeeter, Keith Edwards, Steve Croson, etc. Can you drop me a line at cw.zitzmann@gmail.com so we could pursue this a bit? And please share my address with Bobby, especially.
Thanks for remembering us Joe. Skeeter was our lead guitarist and friend. He went on to play lead for The Steve Miller Band and session lead for the likes of Smokey Robinson plus several others. He, Roge, and I hooked back up about a year before his death. We wanted to put a band together again. Never happened. Old fabulous guitar playing “Skeet” found out he had cancer in July and passed on in September. I spoke with him several times before his death via phone (I am in Colorado) and respect both the man he became and the musician he always was.
Through most of high school I played in a McLean-based band, the Crypt Kickers and was in awe of The Aristocrats whenever I could see you play. Eventually I became a good friend to Keith Edwards and played for a brief spell with Skeeter in a R&B/Soul band we called U.S. Male. After heading off to Photography school in California I lost touch with both and only learned of their passing recently. I hate like hell that I didn’t have the opportunity to say “thanks and goodby” to both these beautiful souls, so I’m trying to catch up with as many of the Old Timers as I can before it’s too late.
Carl,
I saw the Crypt Kickers! I am David Kee’s brother. You used to practice at our house sometimes. You guys were wonderful.
How kind of you, Mr. Moose. We can chat about the Golden Era of Old McLean: The Crypt Kickers, The Organic Cavemen, The Muddy Waters off-line…
Any of you know what happened to Carl Grossman. It was his guitar Skeeter borrowed at Williamsburg Jr High talent show that really got Skeeter started. Then Skeeter’s Dad bought him his first Strat. Skeeter told me (2004) he had originally asked for a Jazzmaster.
Hey Vaughan, get to practicing!
Roge
Sadly, Carl passed away from an asthma attack a few years ago, after being victimized by Don & Mike who accused him of stalking… check out his channel on YouTube to see the master at work…
I used to listen to WEAM every afternoon/evening in the late 50s. I’m trying to remember the DJ who was wildly popular and who was fired or left probably around that time (late 50s). He announced that he was leaving; it wasn’t that one day he just wasn’t there any more.
JA the DJ! Anybody remember him? Who was he? He was good. I listened to him 1963-66 when I was a kid in Arlington. Still hooked on all that 60’s stuff, black and white, all good.
JA was Jack Alix, DJ on WPGC-am. Frequent teen dance and concert personality. Pretty “commercial” and not extremely popular with the British Invasion crowd who migrated from WPGC to WEAM (and eventually to underground oasis WHFS).
I remember the new weam with Jonny Dark in the late 50s, he would bring a moble unit to TOPS DRIVE IN on Lee HIghway. Great station, great memories.
Jay Perri! How I loved his unique program. I was devastated when he left and could never find him again. He brought music to me I never would have known otherwise. I had a lot more to learn and he was gone from the station too soon!
i PRAYED to WEAM !! it “blew away” any other station in the area !! the only problem was, i was in takoma park, and WEAM’s signal didn’t always come in STRONG! i remember checking my radio to see how strong the signal would be coming in on any particular night. atmospherics AND weather played a big part in messing with the signal, too; besides the 5,000 watts!
kind of got away from them when FM took over (WHFS 102.3 bethesda, md) next thing i knew, they were ‘DEAD’ !! (R.I.P !!)
how i miss them, as well as tops drive in, ginos AND the SIRLOINER ! things of HOLY WORSHIP for ME !!
And of course, WEAM went on to be a longtime simulcast of Country 98.7 WMZQ.
“Pizza by the slice, pizza very nice, c’mon and get your Mario’s Pizza ” Remember ?
I was in Arlington from 1963-65 and attended Jamestown Elemen. and Swanson Jr. High. A brother went to Williamsburg Jr. High and another couple of siblings went to Yorktown High. We all remember WEAM fondly. Did they have a contest called “Name It And Claim It ” ?
Anyone remember a band in Arlington called the Bushmen ? It had to be 1964-5.
Anyone remember Jerry “Holy Moly” Goodwin? He was a fast talking, crazy DJ evenings on WEAM radio in the ’60’s – ’70’s.
Wow, I haven’t been to this site since I left Vaughan a message 2 years ago. I’m live in Houston TX now, and still have 6 keyboards (including a Kawai baby grand, a Korg and a Hammond SK2 (a light and portable B-3 like the huge one I used to have when I played in The Yellow Brick Road, Plum Beach Incident and Virginia – Ted Bodnar texted that
Elliott Jagoda died. I worked with Elliott and Steve Roche in Virginia and always thought that was the best group I was lucky enough to play in). The leslie sound is built in to the SK2 and it’s a hell of a lot easier to get around and sounds great. Still love to play, but mostly just for me now. Several years back when I lived in Redondo Beach CA I was playing a couple of times a week in clubs with a great local L A group called Feed The Kitty. The drummer many nights was Jonathan Valen of Judas Priest. A lot of fun!
Hi Vaughan, Roger, Sly and Joe.
Vaughan, thanks for all the memories and kind words. What a great time that was. Hard to believe that both Skeeter and Carl Grossman are gone, and Keith Edwards who I played with in Plum Beach. The best drummer I ever worked with by far. J A the DJ was great. I’ve got a tape of The Jazzmasters playing Let’s Go on the WEEL radio show from the legion hall in Fairfax City in 1963. My Dad recorded it live off the radio. I still get to DC monthly, so let me know if you’re going to be there. All the best!
Hi Roger. Hey, who were The Minutemen? I thought that was Skeeter’s group that did the “America’s Answer To The Beatles” at Uline Arena, but talked to Terry Tannen he said it was The Aristocrats. Hope I’ll see you again soon.
Hi Sly. I don’t remember you, but remember how old we are now. Rusty is my younger brother, and I still own a business in VA that Rusty runs. Bruce and Steve’s last name was Hall. I remember The Axemen but not well. Thanks for all the memories. The first time we went into WEAM, it was an old shack with a control room and wood stove heating the place. Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue was just out and playing on the air. That was a real long while back. All the best.
I Joe. I don’t remember you but I remember your name. Who else was in The Penny Arcade.
Hope I’ll see some more posts. Does anyone know what happened to the guys in The Organic Cavemen and December’s Children? Rock on Dudes.
Hello all,
I don’t know if anyone ever checks this page or gets notifications from it so many years later, but I’m trying to find information about my grandfather, Art Lamb, who was a WEAM radio host in the late 40’s and a television host on WTTG-TV after that. I was hoping someone here might be able to ppint me in the right direction for where to look- I’m interested in articles, tapes or recordings.
Thanks!
I’m Bill Prettyman. Auditioned for your dad three times before he hired me! He named me Doug Vanderbilt, and I did air work from 1961 to 1965. Mark and Ken Wood had left by then for WENZ, Richmond. Mark bowled a great ten-pin “hook”.
To be precise…the date of this aircheck is Sunday, January 24, 1965 – the day Winston Churchill died.
I remember Mark, as well as Johnny Sharp, Jack Velvet, Johnny Dark, DJ O’Day, and others. I’d like to know what became of them.