WLS MUSICRADIO 89
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are your memories of WLS . . .
Jack Rinne, Marshall Missouri (4/05/03) Hi from Las Vegas. I grew up in Chicago and WLS was the only station I ever listened to. I loved Dick Biandi with "On top of a pizza". And in later years I loved Larry Lujack and little snot nosed Tommy. K Norton (3/21/03) I grew up in Indiana, and listened to WLS religiously in the 70s, when DJs were next to Gods, and vimyl still ruled. WLS truly played a mix of everything-a marvel to most of my friends, who wonder how I like such a broad range of music. I love music largely due to that unique time in radio, and was so surprised to find out, upon moving to Birmingham, Alabama, that many people here grew up listening to it also. They knew John Records Landecker, and Bob Sirrott, and knew what Boogie Check was! Amazing! Thanks for such a wonderful site, with all the sound checks and personality information. I doubt that such a time in music will exist again,even with the resurgance of vinyl and nostalgia. I just treasure the mania that was WLS. Undoubtedly, the radio jocks of that era set the stage for people like Bob and Tom and of course, John Boy and Billy, who often mention WLS on their program. Having all the available material to listen to is a little bit of heaven, and a reminder of simpler, happier times, at least for this listener. Thanks again Sundy Burton Montevallo, Alabama (2/21/03) I used to listen to WLS when I was a kid in Indiana. What great fun to hear those WLS jingles again. As well those air checks that are so reminiscent of my younger days. Keep up the great work and look forward to hearing more. Thanks for WLS - Music Radio, The Big 89! Regards, James Noll (2/05/03) Remember driving up to Chicago from Bloomington, Indiana, at Thanksgiving of 1975 and hearing the booming WLS reverbverating all over the prairie in Tippecanoe County. It was cold and dark out and they were playing Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing," The Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night," Jigsaw's "Sky High," and, of course, C.W. McCall's "Convoy." John Landecker was rippin it up as he talked over the intros with perfect timing. Gosh, was that a dream? How could that have happened? (7/4/02) I just wanted to let you know that growing up on the Wisconsin, Illinois border, that we got more Chicago stations than Milwaukee stations. WLS really rocked back then and it was all we listened to. Dick Biondi was so cool and we really loved him. Also, who could forget the adventures of "Chicken Man"? He's everywhere! We moved away several years ago and west coasters seem to think that the Midwest is nothing but cows and cheese. Obviously they've missed the best thing on Earth....the midwest where the music ROCKS! Thanks for being there for us babyboomers! Karen Eisel (6/05/02) Jim Dunbar was a name on WLS and I never herd or read anything about him. He had a great voice over the air waves. John Leone FT. Wayne, In. (5/17/02) I came across WLS as a teenager who at the time was somewhat disgruntled at WING, Dayton's signal fading in and out at local sunset and CKLW, Windsor shifting its signal in another direction also at local sunset. I remember listening to Kris Eric Stevens in the evening in 1971 playing "If Not For You" a Bob Dylan - penned tune sung by a young lady named Olivia Newton- John (who at the time I thought was somewhat related to Elton since both recorded for the UNI (and subsequently MCA) label. I remember that soft and gentle young voice and sweet sounding bluesy slide guitar sounding reminicent of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" recorded in late 1970 ... and that soft, gentle friendly "in 'yo face" cheerful voice!!!! James Lithicum (5/17/02) Holy Cow! I grew up 2 hours west of Chicago and listened to WLS from around 1977 through 1983. This site is awesome! In the fall of 1982 I was a senior at Princeton (IL) high school and had decided to enter the field of journalism and photography. I visited Columbia University in Chicago and saw that perhaps a photography career wasn't for me. Before we left for home we visited WLS. I wrote for the school newspaper and thought it would be cool to interview someone from WLS. After bugging Brant Miller over the course of several phone calls, we finally set up an appointment. We had a nice interview and I received a tour of the station. At the point of indecision on a career path, I was bitten by the radio bug at WLS. I went home and wrote a two-part article on WLS. Some of it was O.K. and some of it was pretty bad ... but hey I was only 17. I heard that Larry Lujack made fun of it on the air! At the time I was frustrated by the criticism, but now I think that was pretty cool. Slammed by the SuperJock. So to make a long e-mail longer, I spent ten years doing almost all there is to do in the radio business. I got chewed up and spit out by the radio business in 1993. I have many good and bad memories of the radio business. At times it makes WKRP look like a documentary. But I still get the itch to be on the air. All this thanks to WLS, the Big 89. Thanks for the site." ... Mark Silverberg (1/23/02) |
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