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In the early 60's, WLS
was running jingles created by Anita Kerr and her 4 person vocal group.
The sound was soft, well-blended and distinctive. If the voices sound
familiar to you, it's because they were used on countless Nashville recording
sessions over the years. You've heard Anita Kerr sing background vocals
on hits like Big John (Jimmy Dean), Jingle Bell Rock (Bobby Helms) , Forever
(by Pete Drake and his singing guitar) and dozens of others. |
At some point WLS approached PAMS (or vice versa) and the goal was to make
a jingle package that sounded like Anita Kerr's material The same
distinctive 5 note melody was used for the call letters ... and after a
few auditions and false starts, a package was created which aired for a
few years. Then PAMS kicked in Series 18 (Sonosational) which started
WLS on a PAMS track which lasted through 1976. Here are some of the
highlights of their PAMS jingle packages:
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1962: Custom package (like Anita Kerr) |
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1963: Series 18 (Sonosational) |
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1966-1969: A capellas (male, mixed group, with and without guitar
slides) |
1968: WLS also purchased PAMS Series 34, which included some
"Music Power" cuts. A few custom
(non-syndicated) jingles were also recorded which never appears on any
demos. (They do appear on
our WLS: The 60's CD.) |
1970-71: A very unique unnamed custom package referred to
as "WLS Custom 71."
Some of these cuts were ultra-short with vocals extending beyond the end
of the band tracks. They
used a 7-voice vocal group (4 guys, 3 girls) and were used by many rock
and MOR stations of the day. |
1972: Solid Rock - This package used a younger rock-oriented
vocal group in the style of "Jesus Christ
Superstar" which was popular at the time. The style was copied by the other
jingle companies, but
PAMS was very successful with this series. |
1973: Solid Rock II - Like most sequels... not so hot.
PAMS then cut a small, unmemorable "traditional"
package for WLS. Also in 1973, one of PAMS writers defected and started
his own jingle company,
bringing WLS with him as a client. This lasted one year. The
jingles were widely considered to be not
wonderful. |
1974: Back to PAMS for another custom series. Also in 1974
and 1975, WLS aired some packages created by
Tanner (and their on-paper sister company, Thunder Productions) in Memphis,
although the jingles
were cut in Dallas with Dallas writers, musicians, singers and studios.
This scheme lasted about a
year. |
1975: Another PAMS custom series... this one pretty hot.
Mr. Boogie-check was on board at this time and his
cut appears in this series. (John Records Landecker) |
1976: The "Windy" custom series began to show touches of disco.
PAMS was on the brink of collapse for
many reasons, but these jingles weren't too bad. |
By this time Jon Wolfert,
a former PAMS and TM employee, had begun his own company (JAM, started
in 1974) and began picking up big clients such as WABC and soon WLS.
PAMS continued to record experiments and custom jingles, but WLS chose
to stay with JAM for many years to come. (With good reason... JAM
jingles were, and are, excellent and are currently heard all over the world.)
The PAMS/WLS affiliation
lasted about 15 years and brought many very unique and powerful IDs into
the world. The era between 1962 and 1976 was really considered to
be the peak of WLS's reign as the midwest's #1 Top 40 station.
Ken R.
Ken R. Inc. |
