Rock Radio 50 Years Ago ~ APRIL 1975

APRIL ’75 Brought Freedom & Spring Alive!   

I have often mentioned how similar the 2020s are to the Rock and roil of the 1970s. This month, we find personal freedoms, political upheaval, irreverence and patriotism in both decades, all wrapped up in Peace and Love while Spring showers bring May flowers. A country and the ages bathed in contradictions.

But we’re talkin’ ‘bout Rock & Roll, after all—music that soothes the troubled soul—today, as it did yesterday. The only thing the Psychedelic Seventies decade really has over the current decade, is a catchy title! So let’s Rock On in 1975, looking back, from the Twisted Twenty-Twenties! Alright … I’ll keep workin’ on it. In the meantime, enjoy life … 50 Years Ago this Month …   

º APRIL 1975 Radio News & Muse ♪ 

April 3^rd or 4^th: Details are a little fuzzy 50 Years later. Now, be honest, as you’re reading this, you’re thinking you’ve either done it, or wished ya had at some point in a relationship … Steve Miller, yes THE Steve Miller, was apparently not happy in his relationship with Benita DiOrio. At least, it appeared that way to the cops who arrested him for setting her clothes and other items on fire—oh, and resisting arrest. No worries. The contentious Miller was released the next day when DiOrio dropped charges against him. Maybe he was bored ‘cause he hadn’t had a big hit since ‘73’s The Joker? The travesty of fame is everyone thinks your business is their business too. It made the news and here we are, fifty years later, still talking about it. Shame on us. 

April 28^th: Were you watching The Smothers Brothers Show on NBC this night when Ringo Starr and the comedy duo claimed they didn’t do drugs? Their fun, tongue-in-cheek (or fingers crossed) performance of Ringo’s “No No Song” delighted fans of his recent February hit. Whether they believed its premise or not. 😊  

♪ On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪  
Where were you dodging APRIL showers in 1975? Boise, Houston, Chicago? Here’s a sample of what and who you were listening to …    

If you found KFXD in Boise, Idaho, your go-to station 50 Years Ago, it’s a good bet you listened to the offbeat antics of DJ Drew Harold who wasn’t “…just another pretty foot.” It wasn’t only their DJs who were different … their survey style was also unconventional, with the “Boise Valley Music Survey” Issue No. 576 for April 30, 1975, listing your fave tunes as Hot / Moving / Warm and Night … and not in sequential order.
       Skewing the list, for instance, in the Hot category, the first five top tunes were: #1) “Wildfire” (Michael Murphy); #3) “Autobahn” (Kraftwerk); #4) “The Bertha Butt Boogie” (The Jimmy Castor Bunch); and #8) “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (John Denver). See if you can figure it out at ARSA, my fave vintage surveys site. 

Then we mosey on down the road and flip the radio dial to Houston’s KILT for the same date and find DJ “Catfish,” the big guy at Big 610. Their chart sports a readable Top 40 with lyrics to their #10 standout tune, “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind and Fire. About the most funky, upbeat song I’ve heard in a long time … well in 50 Years!
       With some sketchy research, I believe I discovered The Catfish’s off-air name was Jim Prewitt; please feel free to correct me, if wrong. I did learn, however, that KILT was only his second radio gig in the beginning of a long career.  

And if you were in the Windy City, you must have heard the crusty but affable DJ Larry Lujack (1940-2013) on air at WCFL/Chicago. The venerable jock was a popular force to be reckoned with, and still a fond memory today. Profoundly present in our teen lives, Rock radio stations and their best DJs (like “Uncle Lar”) were often involved in our high school activities. Life was more innocent and enjoyable then, as we chatted with our radio idols at a school dance or special event.
       The Eagles* were riding the popularity wave with “Best of My Love” topping charts back in February. WCFL took advantage of their success, booking a school spirit contest to win a concert with them, emceed by Lujack. Dan Fogelberg (1951-2007) toured with Eagles in ’74, which likely got him on the school concert bandwagon too, as he navigated his solo musical footing. What a fun event that must have been for one lucky teen! 
       *A version of the Eagles with Don Henley in the forefront is still flying high in a Las Vegas Valley show this month, with added September dates because … well … their music is still a part of our souls, don’t ya think? More WCFL action in the Featured Radio Survey. Let’s keep Rockin’ On through April 1975 …

♪ April ’75 Song of Note ♪  

Let Freedom ring and April showers sing! Free your soul* and add a spring to your step as we celebrate Spring and our April Song of Note! *A little Rock & Roll meditation might help you remember or want to learn anew how a “non-political” song championed up to #3 by Chicago’s WCFL radio fans, became a patriotic anthem of the decades. Oh, and did I mention it was penned by two Brits?!  
       I kid you not … who doesn’t know “Philadelphia Freedom,” an iconic tune still in play today? If you’re an Eagles football fan, you’ll likely remember their ecstatic win over Kansas City Chiefs  in Super Bowl LIX just last month … let Philadelphia Freedom ring as it hit the charts again in celebration.
       Simply by virtue of its title, the song’s iconic nature reaches back 50 Years Ago this Month as it energized radio listeners prepping for America’s 1976 bicentennial festivities. And now, 2026 will host our country’s Semiquincentennial—250^th— anniversary of American Independence.  
       Then, as now, politics were a hot button of patriotism and controversy, in life and in music. Master Brit musician, Elton John, asked lyricist, Bernie Taupin, to write a tribute tune for famed tennis champ, Billie Jean King. It’s reported, however, Taupin had no interest in that topic and penned the enigmatic song we’re still singing. One must wonder, though, how did it get from tennis to patriotism? According to Taupin, it didn’t … he insists it has nothing to do with tennis, King, or even patriotism—huh—ya coulda fooled me. For a non-patriotic song, it sure inspires freedom-loving loyaty!  
♪ … 'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom | From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag … ♪ 

♪ April ’75 ~ Quirky Band Name Award ♪  
Every now and then, another genre makes a statement in Rock & Roll. Such was the case in April

1975 when Country artists, Pure Prairie League made a crossover hit out of “Amie.” After sitting in their 1972 album line-up, it was finally released as a single, and just getting started up the chart with WCFL listeners, at #35.
       Their ultimate success wasn’t just a fluke. Their original group began in 1970 with Craig Fuller, Tom McGrail, and John David Call. Pure Prairie League’s name was McGrail’s idea, emulating a temperance union in 1939’s Western movie, Dodge City with Errol Flynn. Though the band’s members have come and gone over the years, with guitar icons joining in, like Vince Gill, Gary Burr and Curtis Wright, they’re still around and proudly celebrating their 50^th anniversary. ♪ … I can never see what’s right | or what is wrong … ♪  

♪ April ’75 ~ Quirky Song Title ♪   
A couple of tunes on this month’s music chart from 50 Years Ago, caught my eye for this category. I thought you’d be learning more about “Remember What I Told You to Forget” by Tavares, just hitting the survey at WCFL’s #40. It reminds me of a question I might ask a close friend … however, it didn’t have a verifiable back-story. But that’s okay. I found the month’s perfect match … 

       Back to our running theme of patriotism, a surprising title was enjoying the top twenty for the month, pleading with the spirit of long-passed US President, Harry S. Truman to return in our hour of need. Yup, “Harry Truman” by Chicago, was a hit with 1975’s radio listeners as they grappled with the aftermath of Richard Nixon’s resignation. We could use his down-to-earth wisdom and trustful demeanor today, too. So tell me, do these lyrics speak to you, too?
       ♪ … America's wondering, "How we got here?" | Harry, all we get is lies | We're getting safer cars | Rocket ships to Mars | From men who'd sell us out | To get themselves a piece of power … ♪ Click the link to hear the campy tune …  

♪ April 2025 Music Events & More ♪    
It’s obvious we don’t want to let go of our vibrant retro Rock, as we keep finding ways today, to keep it movin’ on down the road …  

Crank up your tweeters and woofers, it’s International Guitar Month! Although the sponsoring site hasn’t updated its Guitar Month page since 2016, they’re johnny-on-the-spot with 2025 articles to sell you the latest equipment. Ok. Their prerogative.
       However, this site (albeit an old post) not only has histories and other fun info, but, “Watch 100 Guitar Riffs (A Brief History of Rock N’ Roll). Even if you don’t play guitar yourself, you’re sure to get a kick out of watching this clip. In just one take, Alex Chadwick, from The Chicago Music Exchange, chronologically plays 100 famous guitar riffs giving you a 12-minute history of rock n’ roll.” Now that’s cool …

Friday ~ April 11^th: What do you listen to your music on today? Your phone? Your computer? Some other fancy gizmo from the 21^st century? Welllll, today is 8-track Tape Day! I heard that … “Huh?! What’s that?” Oh, you are so spoiled. An 8-track tape player was a clunky portable radio-type music player, sometimes combined with our radios that then became our traveling music-maker. The “tapes” were about as clunky as the player. Nevermind, ask your grandparents while I go dig my tapes and player out of storage … Rock On!  

Friday ~ April 11^th: Sooooo, what did we play on our ol’ players? Get your party hat on, today we’re celebrating International "Louie Louie" Day, on whatever we can find to play the iconic 1963 party tune! There hasn’t been an official sponsoring link for several years, but no worries—our link above tells the story of BFYP DJ, Ken Chase of KISN/Portland fame, producer of the most popular version by The Kingsmen. Enjoy … reminisce … and party on!

April 20^th: Now, you know, among some folks of our generation (well, my generation), 4:20 p.m./April 20 is a holiday, right? Then you won’t be surprised to learn that the ever-high Cheech & Chong duo are releasing their authorized documentary today! First in a limited release, then we can all watch and reminisce in its nationwide release, April 25^th. The poster urges, “Bring a bud.” It should be a hoot! As AMC Theatres says, Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie is “The result is an unlikely story of friendship and fame, turmoil and defiance, rebellion and ultimately - redemption.” Ummm, what they can remember of it … 

April 20^th-26^th: Just because there’s no sponsoring link, doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate National Karaoke Week! No sponsor link, and more frustrating, no related current events. However, I did find us an older link that offers great tips for having karaoke fun. Give it a look-see for “Kamikaze Karaoke” and “Dress-Up Karaoke.” And btw, “Louie Louie” sounds great whether you’re warbling into your home karaoke machine or regaling the local pub with your party tunes prowess … have fun!

♪♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪   
April 19, 1975 ~ WCFL/Chicago, Illinois … “Lady Marmalade” was still hanging out on top of their chart, but coming up fast was Ringo’s “No No Song” and B.J. Thomas’s “Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.” But WCFL’s big attraction was DJ delinquent, Larry Lujack and their “… win a concert” contest! 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate APRIL 1975 and … Rock On!  

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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?!

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