Rock Radio 50 Years Ago ~ February 1975

When Beauty & Rock are in Eye of the Beholder  

Happy Love Month Rockers! You know, the more I dive into the music, artists, and DJs that brought us the dynamic music of the 1970s, the more I realize I truly had not been paying attention back in the day. When it came to music, if I could dance to it, I loved it. If it had cool lyrics, that was a bonus. But rarely did I question their meanings.

My quest this month for a simple love song to honor February’s status as the “love month,” turned into an “I didn’t know that!” moment. Hint: you’ll love the vintage Song of Note. Explore and enjoy … 50 Years Ago this Month …   

º FEBRUARY 1975 Radio News & Muse ♪ 

February 17^th: There wasn’t much music news-of-the-day, but I found an endearing album released on this day that went even further back in time, to the 1950s and ‘60s. John Lennon (1940-1970) released the album, Rock ‘n’ Roll, on this day 1975, giving his personally preferred Oldies tunes another life.
       John enjoyed tweaking and tuning them to his style, and included some well-known tracks, like “Be-Bop-a-Lula” (Gene Vincent, 1956), “Ain’t That a Shame” (Fats Domino, 1955) and “Do You Want to Dance” (Bobby Freeman, 1958).
       But when it came to a love song, I picked up on “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King; this version by John Lennon), a longtime favorite since 1961. Fun radio trivia fact: John hooked into a slew of radio stations simultaneously, to turn them on to his new release.

♪ On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪  

Where were you braving the winter with Rock & Roll in February 1975? Eugene, Oregon, Louisville, Kentucky, San Antonio, Texas, or were you ridin’ high in El Paso? Here’s a sample of what and who you were listening to …

Starting with the Pacific Northwest, you might not think Oregon was a hoppin’ place to be 50 Years Ago … but where do you think all the hippies went when their craze faded? Just kidding (sort of). For the most part of the 1970s, KZEL/Eugene, Oregon, operated as a progressive free-form album station and boasted a full schedule of charismatic DJs like Stan “Harry ‘Til 6” Garrett, Gary “The Wasted Potato” Palmatier, and Magic Mike. What’s #1 on their February 15^th chart? David Essex’s self-titled album hit the top with the theme song to his movie, Stardust, which likely spawned the biggest same-name hit from the album, for the handsome UK artist. 

Moving down and over to WAKY/Louisville, Kentucky, “The Big 79,” listeners are jammin’ with its Top 40 format and bouncy DJs. Do you recall Dude Walker, Gary Burbank, or our own BFYP, saucy Bill Bailey (born Bill Boahn), better known at WAKY as “The Duke of Louisville”?
       I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Bill for the BFYP series (available on Amazon), who had this to say about being a Radio DJ and marriage, “My best days on the radio was in the Seventies (WAKY). All of the Seventies—right on up to ’81. I had a good time, ‘cause I always had a good life. I should be ashamed of that, but I’m not. Married three times-did I say three? Make it four! Oh, my last one was unbelievable—I’m trying hard to forget that one.” (1930-2012)
       WAKY was known for being wild an’ crazy—largely due to the country’s top DJs they attracted, astutely recognized by program director, Johnny Randolph. He made the station a force to be reckoned with. And what tune were Bill’s fans pushing to #1 this month? Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop.”

Strolling into San Antonio, Texas, KTSA “550 AM” wowed its fans with Top 40 hits, and I know this, despite a lack of current history about the station, in the 1970s. Apparently Gordon McLendon transformed the sleepy station with hip hits in the ‘60s, but except for music charts, it’s left to our imaginations for a decade, until it switched to adult contemporary in the 1980s. We’re in February 1975 though … so, were you there when the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” topped it off at #1? KTSA wasn’t the only radio station in Texas …

Finally, I’ve reached our destination station … boot-scootin’ on over from San Antonio 550 miles west, to El Paso, Texas, we mix it up with border blaster, X-ROC 80! Technically transmitting from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (Mexico), it entertained as a triple-threat, serving Chihuahua, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and El Paso. Much like Wolfman Jack’s XERB south of the California border, the station’s format for years was Spanish-language and religious programs by day, and targeting U.S. Rockin’ listeners by night. But by 1972, it flip-flopped the format and became X-Rock 80, “The Sun City Rocker” (referencing El Paso), or as its 1975 survey says, X-ROC 80—scroll below for this month’s Featured Radio Survey.

♪ February ’75 Song of Note ♪
You would think, with February 1975 radio chart lists full of “love titles” … “My Eyes Adored You” (Valli), “Best of My Love” (Eagles) and “Lovin’ You” (Riperton), among others, that it would be easy to find a love song to honor with our February Vintage Song of Note. Ha!

Although love is Rockin’ on the airwaves, I had to look deeper to find a tune that didn’t end in heartbreak. I scrolled further down X-ROC 80’s chart to find an “obvious” love song, “You Are So Beautiful,” by Joe Cocker. Sitting at #18, it easily made its way up to the Top Ten by March, giving every guy a way to sing himself into a girl’s heart, right? Well, guess what … 50 Years later, I’m just learned that this “simple little love song” is actually a tribute to the writer’s mom …  
       Billy Preston was mortified when he heard that artists and fans were crooning the sweet song to their lovers—but he created it as a tribute to his mother!! I love the discovery part of my work. Back to it … what more Rockin’ fun is out there from 50 Years Ago? 

♪ February ’75 Quirky Band Name Award ♪  

Here’s what happens when a radio station publishes a skinny music chart … I didn’t find any Quirky Band Names on this month’s Featured Radio Survey that we haven’t noted here before. But X-ROC 80 gave band names their own little twist that at least once or twice, made me scratch my head and look up the songs. The survey lists several bands that may test your Oldies music acumen. Do you know who these awesome artists are just by their initials?
       O.N. John; A.W.B.; J.C. & Sugarloaf; B.T.O.; O.M.D. … scroll to the Featured Radio Survey section below to check your answers! 

♪ FEBRUARY 2025 Music Events & More ♪    
Just one fun music-related special day, but with history and artistry, you can enjoy it all month! 

February 11^th: Well, sadly, there is no sponsor for today’s Get Out Your Guitar Day. But never fear, you know I’m here with something to click on as you drag your ol’, neglected guitar out of the closet. First, a little guitar history for the soul—and trivia for your next party!
       Do you know that stringed instruments showed up in cave carvings more than 3,000 years ago? You can read the full history, or enjoy an accounting of 50 Guitars that Changed the World with a fun story about famed Country artist, Chet Atkins—often referred to as “Mr. Guitar.” Want to learn about the history of the electric guitar and how to play? Even you could play the delectable intro to the “Best of My Love,” Eagles’ Top Ten hit for February 1975!

♪♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪   
February 26, 1975 ~ X-ROC 80/technically South of the Border in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (Mexico), but entertaining U.S. border listeners in a far-reaching way as a high-powered “border blaster.” Did you guess all the survey’s “initial” bands? From the beginning: Olivia Newton John, Average White Band, Jerry Corbetta & Sugarloaf, Bachman Turner Overdrive and last year’s May QBN Award winner: Ozark Mountain Daredevils … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate FEBRUARY 1975 with Love … Rock On!  

BFYP Book 1 (1954-1959) on Amazon         
BFYP Book 2 (Swinging ‘60s) on Amazon 
Blast from Your Past Gifts 
Share your Golden Oldies R&R fun on “X”: @BlastFromPastBk 

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three planned) are published in her Blast from Your Past^TM series, available on Amazon: Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959^TM (eBook only; coming soon in updated print edition) and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties^TM (eBook & print). Coming soon-ish … Book 3 – The Psychedelic Seventies!^TM 

Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. Occasionally, since I often feature real people and/or singular sources there may be an unsecured link. As with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion and risk. This site is wholly owned by LinDee Rochelle & sponsored by PenchantForPenning.com^TM. No compensation is received for any mentions of businesses, products, or other commercial interests. *All holiday and special event days are found at Brownielocks.com’s calendar site. Enjoy! 
            01/01/25: The Blast from Your Past site has never and will never (knowingly) be written or assisted, by Artificial Intelligence. It’s just stupid ol’ “I” and I enjoy writing these articles. They soothe my soul. So why would I hand that indulgence over to an artificial, soulless entity that can’t feel pleasure?!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪