New York’s WABC-AM (770 kHz) will sound different next Monday, Memorial Day, between 6am and 6pm local time (1000-2200 UTC). The station will present its annual “Rewound” special, 12 complete hours of original programming from the 60’s and 70’s when WABC was America’s, and the world’s, number one Top 40 station. Everything will be played back just as it was, including the news and commercials.
Special guest for the day is Dan Ingram, one of the DJ’s who helped create the special sound of “77″. Between 6 and 8pm local time (2200-2400 UTC) he will join current WABC program director Phil Boyce to talk about the station’s heritage and take phone calls.
The special programming has been put together by WABC personality Johnny Donovan, who stayed with the station after it switched to a talk format in 1982. The good news is that Donovan says he has enough material to present these specials for the next ten years, thanks to the help of aircheck collectors.
The first hour (1000-1100 UTC) will be a real treat for those who remember WNYW, Radio New York Worldwide. It’s a show by Les Marshak from 1970. Marshak was the presenter of WNYW’s Worldwide Hit Parade.
on May 26th, 2004 at 10:24
I can highly recommend this. I taped the whole event last year. But do check the WABC tribute page for EVERYTHING you want to know from this fine radiostation.
If you are interested in other vintage recordings I suggest
http://www.reelradio.com
on May 26th, 2004 at 12:12
WNYW! As a spotty youth, when the world was a bigger place, I wrote letters to Jim Aylward’s “Very Big Hit Record Hour and a Half”.
The joy of hearing them read out was unsurpassed, and this has always reminded me how important is listener interaction. I’ve still got his signed photo (I thought it was only listeners who wrote in green ink) and it’s not for sale!
on May 26th, 2004 at 16:45
The good old days. I still have a membership certificate from WNYW. It was always great to tune in even though they cut down in hours and eventually went religious …
on May 26th, 2004 at 17:11
Well, our own Lou Josephs, who also did some work for them, is considering setting up a tribute site on the lines of the WABC one. I also have some WNYW memorabilia which I must dig out. DXing Worldwide was a must-listen show on a Saturday at, I think, 1735 UTC (or GMT as we called it in those days). Happy Days! Hey, that would make a good title for a TV show…
on May 27th, 2004 at 01:25
I actually have that Les Marshak overnight show, scoped from the man himself..have to digitize it and put it on the web..
Also have found a couple of hours of Worldwide Hit Parade from 1969 July and August..
WABC is streamed using Real..
on May 27th, 2004 at 01:27
of course you will hear the famous Dennisons live spots..the place where money talks and nobody walks on Route 22 in Union NJ..( I grew up nearby, it’s a dive) Les was doing overnight so it’s no surprise that this starts at 5 am edt.
on May 28th, 2004 at 01:59
and Johnny Donovan is an SWL. Used to send emails to me about the voice stuff Jim and I were doing on the radio show.