Your Memories of KQV - Page 10
"Hey, Jeff --
 
I really enjoy your site, but help me out here.
 
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, until my family moved to Cincinnati in January, 1965 when I was 13. We always came back to visit family, and one time it was at either Thanksgiving or Christmas in 1965. My sisters and cousin and I went to the Shower of Stars that year, but I have seen no mention of the particular line-up in your summary of the shows. The year we went, the show opened with Simon and Garfunkel, followed by (in order) Chuck Berry, Lou Christie, and closed with The Four Seasons. There may have been one or two other acts that night, but I doubt it.I see some of these acts listed for other Shower Stars shows, but not all together and not one listed for holiday time in 1965. I know I didn't imagine all this. Can you confirm that show?
 
Thanks!
... Mark Hassler, Jackson, Wyoming (9/2/2008)
... Mark, I don't have any details on that show. Jeff

"I get a kick out of checking around for radio lovers. I have been one since I've had ears. SO I check back with your site from time to time and find out what's goin' on.   Since last we swapped email spit I have retired and now live in my hometown of Chattanooga Tn. Keep up the good work.....
 
Allen Dennis (8/28/2008)

"Jeff what an outstanding website. I happened to record the 3 hour special that was played on XM radio with KQV of the late 60's. Although it is on my pioneer Innos XM radio, I was wondering if you could purchase that special anywhere?  We had our Class reunion last week [Gateway class of 1968] and I was playing some of it. People told me they were in heaven listening.
...Thanks so much...Jimmy McDonald, Turtle Creek (7/25/2008)
... Try Art Vuolo at www.vuolovideo.com ... Jeff

"Dear Jeff,

   My association with KQV as a rock station spans a 10 year period of between 1965 and 1975. 
   My parents are originally from Pittsburgh, but my dad worked for Westinghouse, and was transferred to Connecticut for a number of years. That is where my sister Cindy and I were born.
   Our family moved to Pittsburgh from Connecticut in October of 1965. I had two older sisters. One who was a year older than me (Cindy), and one that was in junior high school at the time (Monica). I can remember Monica walking around the house with a transistor radio, tuned to KQV. I can remember her making reference to jocks like Jim Quinn and Chuck Brinkman. She made some recordings of them too, but those tapes aged badly and the audio was quite poor.
As I grew older, KQV was the cool station in town to listen. Even WIXZ didn't make much of a dent when they came along. In fact, you were considered a "weirdo" in our school if you listened to them (or anything other) than KQV. I do remember the transition WIXZ made when they were no longer WMCK, and there was that robot that was their original voice. I also remember those cool "peace sign" bumper stickers they had. I think they called them WIXZ fingers? Their nighttime signal was horrible though.
   The KQV Hit Parades were pretty cool. 
   For a while, KQV kind of won out of default. FM really hadn't caught on yet into the early 1970's. The sound became more mellow, less rock-like. I know they were trying for a more mature audience, but they alienated people my age by playing songs like "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" by Donna Fargo, "For the Good Times" by Ray Price, "Theme from Love Story" by Andy Williams, all the songs by the Carpenters, ect, ect. 
... Ed (5/20/2008)


"Jeff: 
Fantastic work on your KQV tribute site.  It is truly an indispensable wealth of information. 

I am doing research for the 40th anniversary of Night of the Living Dead, and am interested to interview Bob Harvey as he appeared in the film along with KQV's helicopter pilot.  If you could put me in touch with Mr. Harvey or pass along my contact information to him, I would appreciate it.
... Jim Cirronella (5/11/2008)


"Hi, Jeff. I have been enjoying your KQV Tribute Website. Thank you for your work on that. I have always been a fan of the KQV jingles, so I appreciate you including them, and of course 
it's interesting to read the stories that you provided. There's a wealth of information there. Thanks!
...Jon McGrew (5/08/2008)
"Looking over you KQV page today I noticed Rod Roddy there in 1961. Is that the same Rod Roddy from Soap?
... Thanks, Bob 
... Yep, same Rod Roddy from Soap and The Price Is Right ... Jeff

"Hi Jeff,
  I love your website.  This is definetly a keeper so i have it saved on "my favorites."  How i came about your website is because i wanted to see if i could find something on my uncle Henry Dabecco when he worked as a DJ for KQV radio in the 1960's. So I typed in KQV in the search engine and voila' your website came up! I found info on my uncle Henry and so much more. Your website brings back so many good memories.
Sincerely,
... Jaye Marie Raffaele (3/20/3008)
... Glad we could help ... Jeff

"Hi Jeff.  Merry Christmas.  Thank you so much for all the info on your web page.  It was really nice to go back and see and listen to my past.  I worked at KQV from around 1971 to 1974. I was 16 when I started there through a school-work program and continued after I graduated high school, mostly as a go-for, but wound up in the traffic department and on the phones for the Sunday night talk shows.  I attached the link from your page of the one picture that I was in (I'm the one in the hat).  I was looking for more pictures of the staff.  I know we had a picnic at West View Park one year.  The production staff also recorded audio clips that were never aired but poked fun at the staff, in particular one done in Poseidon style.  Have you ever come across any of this stuff?  I know Chuck Brinkman took many pictures, especially when new acts would come into town, including Rick Springfield.  Thank you again and I wish you and your family a great new year.
... LuAnn (12/25/2007)

"I was reading the archives on your KQV site, and noticed a couple of posts about the time tone. The post suggested that KQV had been invaded by a jock from another radio station, and that the KQV jock sounded the time-tone for an extended period, to drown out the voice of the invader.
As it happens, I was there when one of these events occurred, and can describe what happened. It is no where as interesting as the posts would have it.
It was in the fall of 1963, October or November, and it was, I think, a week day. I worked 4-12 those days, so it would have happened between 4 and 6 PM. That was Dave Scott’s scheduled show time, but I seem to recall that Dave was off that day, and I do not remember for sure who was on.
I was in the engineering room, the middle section of the showcase studios. Bill Gilmore, the chief engineer was there too, and some others were also in the same room, discussing some production work that was going on in studio B. It was an unusually busy moment. The monitor was on, so we could hear the show, but it was almost drowned out by the conversations going on. The KQV format at the time allowed the use of the time tone once between any two records, and also used the time tone at the top of the hour. (Earlier formats allowed time tone only on the hour. I preferred having the time tone on the hour because I thought it cheapened the tone to use it frequently.)
At the moment the incident occurred, the jock pressed the time tone button on his console. The button stuck in the pressed position, and the time tone box began emitting a stream of time tones. Bill and I noticed the event at the same time, and both of us leapt toward the rack-mounted time tone generator, as Bill shouted “Kill it.” My hand reached the switch first, and I batted the switch to the off position. The incident was over. Altogether, the time tone sounded maybe for two or three seconds, tops.
At the first opportunity, I took a small oil can into the studio, opened the console, and oiled the actuator. The button that had stuck was a Western Electric heavy duty operator’s button with a wood actuator, and had been known to have stuck in the past.
The time tone generator was a vacuum tube device that looked home-made. It had an electro-mechanical timer that made the time tone uniformly long, regardless of how briefly the jock hit the button. That was pretty sophisticated for 1963, but it should have had another timer to restrict the output to one tone per button press. Surely we would build it that way today.
Sorry to rain on anyone’s parade, but the time tone incident was equipment failure, plain and simple.
ps- Thanks for your stewardship of all these memories. Listening to KQV and the radio in general was indeed an important rite of passage for many of us.
... Paul Carlson (12/7/2007)

"Jeff, Great!  I wish I had some of those photos, but everything I had was ruined in a flooded basement in Bethel Park back in the 60's.  
 I feel like a part of the old KQV team, I spent so much time with them - I know we sure got drunk a lot after those "basketball" games!
 I had forgotten about "the corner of walk and don't walk" until I saw it on the website.  
 I found that old KQV license plate on your site - I lost mine a long time ago - don't know where it vanished to - so many moves, so many cities later.
... David S (12/2/2007)

"Jeff, I just found your wonderful KQV website, and the memories it brings back of my teen & early 20 years in the 50's & 60's.  
I remember sitting with Larry Aiken in the glass studio listening to the reports from Dallas that fateful day in 1962, and also "sub" playing with the High Hoopers, with Rod running around with his little black bag with a small bottle of whiskey (Jim Beam, I think) inside.
I also remember going backstage with Dave Scott (what has happened to him?) at the Talkie Temple in West View Park (is it REALLY gone?) for a WQED benefit concert and meeting all the stars, then having a date with Marcie Jo afterwards, having ridden downtown in the Temptation's Chrysler Airport Limo!  I was sad to learn that Henry & Larry had passed away, they were dear friends, as were all the KQV DJ's of that era. You didn't mention another old friend in your obituaries, Rege Cordic, who I just learned about the other day on another website.  The Skyliners were friends, also, I grew up with Wally Lester, and for a short time I was their road manager.  
Again, thanks for the memories.
... David S (12/1/2007)

"I’m looking for any info concerning Chuck Dougherty (Chuck Darty), morning DJ on KQV broadcasting in the late fifties.
Chuck had released two records; one during the time of his stint at KQV.  Released on the Roulette label, “Lumberjack” was the “A” side and “Reluctantly” the B side.   Any news of his employment following KQV or his current whereabouts would be appreciated.
Thank you,
... Fred Cramer (5/11/2007)
... Check out the knew Chuck Dougherty page on the website... Jeff

"Hi Jeff,
I was glad to see Perry Marshall on your site. He was a very kind man and a friend for a while, around 1970ish, when I was a pimply teenage kid and radio talk host wannabe working at the old Horne's department store downtown. He invited me into the studios, and he was always totally accessible to me. I got to know a few other air personalities at the Pgh. stations, but "The Ol' Pear" is the one who stands out as a great gentleman. It's been such a long, long time, and I hope he is doing well.
... Regards, Kevin (3/1/2007)

"Jeff,
I've visited many times over the years.  Like any Pittsburgher born around 1947, KQV was in my ear for my entire adolescence, even long before I thought about working in radio. I was in 7th grade at Shaler when Chuck Brinkman hosted a record hop in the gym. 
... Trevor Ley (2/17/2007) Dallas, Texas (Trevor used to work in Pittsburgh at WFFM)

"Harry & I worked at WARM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA when he told me "I have an offer to go to KQV, what do you think"?  Without hesitation I said "what are you nuts"? Of course you should take it, it's a major market and if you don't like it you can always come back here! Incidently, the "Harry West, the Harry West show" jingle I'm proud to say is something I did one day in 1965. Everybody still remembers!!
... Bill Stuart. (2/15/2007)

When John Gibbs wife passed away, the Gibbs family was kind enough to share more of his pictures with the website. Here is a note I received... Jeff
"Terrific shots Jeff!  Thanks so much.  I know Mom and Dad would love it.  The whole family owes you a great debt of gratitude.  We'll share with friends and fellow KQV-niks for years to come"
... Nathan Gibbs (1/31/2007)

"Hi Jeff
 Thanks for a great tribute page to the old KQV.  I went to Mt. Lebanon High and hired Dave Scott (an alum) to DJ some dances while I was on the Rec Committee.
After a stint in the Marines I went to Point Park College and buddied up with Jay Davis (real name Alan Jay Davis).  He used the name "Dave Allen" on the air in Greensburg at at the Point Park student station.  Many, many great memories. 
... Mike Brady (10/29/2006)

"Jeff,
Thank you for your hard work on the KQV website.
You have done an outstanding effort of keeping the memory of KQV music alive with so many people. Thank you. I lived between Shadyside and East Liberty during the 60s and spent many hours outside the widows of walk and don't walk.
The call letters for the microwave TSL are and were WJV34 and SLT (WJV35).   Here is a link to the FCC website.
http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProULSLookup.php?tabSearchType=UMIB&tabTextBox1=987097
The five tower arrangement that they used during the nights was highly directive.  In 1968 the engineer once told me that the AM effective radiated power to the south east was greater than the FM (55KW) power.  I moved to central Virginia in 1970 and could still hear KQV in the evenings better than KDKA.
... Regards, Paul Bosak (10/16/2006)

"Hi Jeff,
Last week I had breakfast with Chuck Brinkman and Dex Allen, the two KQV deejays who often hired my band “The Headliners” for their record hops. Dex and I were in Dallas to attend the National Association of Broadcasters’ convention. We shared some great memories of KQV.
Dex owns a weekly newspaper in the San Diego area, but is considering getting back into station ownership. Chuck is still afternoons at KAAM. I am still in Nashville at the Country Radio Broadcasters. I was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame earlier this year. I haven’t played or sang since the 60s.
... Ed Salamon (9/27/2006)
This page updated on January 27, 2009 .Personality Profiles