Friday, June 1, 2018

50 Years Ago June 1968 Motown to Prog Rock


>>BFYP BULLETIN 06/26/18: In case you were under a rock recently, rather than listening to Rock, you may have missed more sad news. Pioneering WABC DJ Dan Ingram rose to R&R Radio Heaven, Sunday 06/24/18. Though he isn't one of our BFYP DJs (we have other big names like Cousin Brucie, Ron Riley, Jim Stagg and more), Dan was mentioned and revered by many in their interviews, as a dynamite DJ who made an enormous impact in the early Rock & Roll Radio world. RIP, Mr. Ingram. (Pictured right, at WABC, July 27, 1961.)

   06/11/18: News quickly circulated in the broadcast industry about the rise to Rock & Roll Radio Heaven of “Uncle Ricky” Richard W. Irwin. The ReelRadio.com* founder, pioneering DJ, PD and audio geek, succumbed on June 7, 2018 after a prolonged illness. As a longtime member of RR, I and BFYP books owe a great debt to Uncle Ricky. ReelRadio allowed me to hear, experience and read about the vibrant voices of pioneering Radio DJs, which made my telling of their stories richer. Thank you m’dear. RIP. *The RR site is archived for now but its longevity is tenuous. Go while you can … it’s a #RetroRockRadio treat.
And now, as we honor Uncle Ricky, let's flip on the mic, and Rock On back to 1968 …

Motown Surrenders to Prog Rock 

Were you suffering a sunburn from your day on the beach 50 Years Ago this Month? Or hiding in cool, dark movie theaters, peeking through your fingers at the horrors of Rosemary’s Baby, or equally horrific Vietnam war film, The Green Berets

Radio to the rescue to lighten the mood and cool our red faces, with nighttime Rock on the radar 50 Years Ago this Month

June 10th: Tom and Raechel Donahue ended May 1968 with KSAN/San Francisco fans and owner, Metromedia, lovin' their format style. So they spread the love to its KMET station in Los Angeles. Tom’s progressive rock format began with a meager four hours per night. But not for long. “The Mighty MET” soon broke through the underground to full time Rockin’!

June 20th: A stellar appearance at the famed Copacabana on this day in 1968, gave Martha Reeves & the Vandellas’ new single “Forget Me Not” a fighting chance on the charts. It debuted on KISN/Portland OR Good Guys Survey for June 25th at #47. Alas, this tribute to long-distance military love failed to impress, and dropped off the following week. They had hit their peak on a great run through the 1960s.
 
Featured Radio Survey: As a beacon of Rock & Roll in the Pacific Northwest, KISN/Portland, kept its listeners tuned in to the in-crowd, 50 Years Ago This Month. Swim in the cove, have a snack in the grove … Recall that awesome day when …

Celebrate JUNE 1968 and … Rock On! 

Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon, … The Psychedelic Seventies!

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Tuesday, May 1, 2018

50 Years Ago Yummy KSAN May 1968



KSAN Ate Up the Competition
 

Ya just gotta love our innocence of the 1960s. I mean, how ugly and mean-spirited could we have been then, to push a song title like “Yummy Yummy Yummy” (The Ohio Express) up to the top ten?! It landed at #2, week ending May 23, 1968 at WCFL/Chicago. Enjoy the memories in this month’s Featured Survey. “I got love in my tummy” … for 50 Years Ago this Month

Snoopy captured our attention in 1950 & he's still a growing pup in 1968!
May 14th: With a lack of anything much radio-related to focus on this month, I found our popular cartoon pup racing for his house, following musical notes floating in the air. Did Snoopy hear his favorite song on the radio in the “Peanuts” May 14, 1968 comic strip? Nope … just his teakettle singing for attention.

KSAN in Playboy ad 1973
May 21st:  Finally, it’s official! Back in March we chatted about famed DJs Tom “Big Daddy” and Rachael Donahue and their “Great Hippie Strike” at KMPX/San Francisco. After two months of negotiations with nothing resolved, the Donahues joined forces with new KSAN’s owner, Metromedia, and set up shop with most of their former KMPX crew at the innovative FM station.
     “The Jive 95” (94.9, now KYLD) Rocked the bay for the first time on May 21st, with a freeform format. The Donahues led KSAN into the next decade, at top of the ratings. Rock On!

Must do a repeat of Raechel’s vintage KSAN promo, it’s priceless! She salaciously purred, “This is KSAN in San Francisco. Sometimes we do it fast … sometimes we do it slow … but we al-ways do it!”

Featured Radio Survey: WCFL/Chicago led with top ratings in May 1968, featuring one of BFYP’s fab DJs, Jim Stagg, at the mic. Enjoy this aircheck from 1966. The whole crew of “Yummy” DJs adorned the cover in a mini-poster for fans, 50 Years Ago This Month. Recall that awesome day when …

Celebrate MAY 1968 and … Rock On!
 
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon, … The Psychedelic Seventies!

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