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1960's US Radio Stns & Charts


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One of the reasons for the rise of soul music in the 60's was the effect of some US radio stns ...

Much like the DJ's on the NS scene, American radio jocks would make their names by picking obscure local label releases to push, making them sought after 45's and helping them gain national distribution deals THUS going on to become national chart hits. They'd also flip a 45 and plug the B side, again getting listeners attention and promoting an obscure cut into becoming a hit. They'd also reactivate non-hit tracks from months / a year or so earlier and again push the 45 back into the spotlight.

Most times, they'd be doing this to help progress their own careers, though some had a deep love of the music & just had to push neglected tracks they loved. If a radio jock picked winners on a regular basis, he'd build up a dedicated band of regular listeners & get offers of better posts on bigger stns. Some jocks on pop stns would pick many soul sides to spin (especially in the 1963 - 1968 period) when soul was becoming hot on the charts. They'd be playing soul sides that became popular and entered their stns charts, even when many of the other things given heavy airplay on their stn were by the likes of the Beach Boys, Beatles, Monkees, Bobby Vee, Lovin Spoonful, Frank Sinatra, etc.

So, by viewing old US radio stn chart run-downs you can get a feel for those time and the way in which soul music was surging in popularity ...

I'll start by posting bits from a pop stn down in Durham (Carolinas) ...  WSSB ....

  

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WSSB1967Nov10.jpg

Edited by Roburt
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Next up is a REAL soul stn, Memphis's finest R&B outlet ... WDIA ... a ground breaking stn started up in 1947. Played tunes aimed at a black audience from day one & even featured black presenters (many soul stns in the 60's still employed mainly white staff & DJ's) ..

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That's a cracking write up Roburt great article, I can relate to all that music in the  American soul and RNB charts at the time, it was my growing up music, We were lucky enough to hear a great deal of it on the fairgrounds in the north west which I worked on where we would buy the imports from the back street record shops in Manchester, especially for the waltzer S and Speedways at the time the machines and music at the time seemed to be joined at the hip , fantastic times and memories, 

ML

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Fascinating stuff.

When I'm in the US, I always try and tune into the oldies stations, and it's amazing what gets played. Not super rare Northern, but plenty of lower national chart tracks, and local chart hits of the day.

Probably all mp3 or cd tracks though!

Ed

 

 

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That's wonderful stuff Roburt. Thank you for posting. It's fascinating to see what was being played where and when in the states and link it when I first heard stuff over here. Lots of the slightly more mainstream tunes could be heard on Radio Caroline and Radio Luxemburg in the mid 60's but there's plenty of stuff that took a long time to reach my ears.  

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Onwards & upwards then ... over to St Louis ... from when Jimmy Bishop was on the city's airways till Bernie Hayes was on & simply a radio jock ....

Back in 1962, look who was No.1 on their chart ... don't think the lady lasted long in the biz !!! 

 

 

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Not heading off to Chicago area stns just yet ... staying in the New York thru to Baltimore area for this post ....

Schaefer Beers ran a radio jingle contest in the 60's / early 70's and lots of soul acts made & submitted their efforts for consideration. The beer company turned it into an annual contest and announced the top entries each year. Lots of these were then aired on radio stns and a winner chosen.

Would love to get to hear at least 8 of them (if they still exist that is) ...

SchaeferTalhunt1.jpg

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Edited by Roburt
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13 hours ago, the yank said:

I would be interested! Would love to see any 60's surveys from Chicago stations (WVON, WGRT) or from the suburbs (WBEE or WMPP). 

Have fun! Nice collection of WBEE, not as many for the others, although I recall seeing a bunch of WVONs somewhere, they were a big station.

https://www.las-solanas.com/arsa/station.php?&it=31&s1=-1&q=chicago&ix=19&rs=1320

https://www.las-solanas.com/arsa/station.php?&it=31&s1=-1&q=chicago&ix=9&rs=2055

https://www.las-solanas.com/arsa/station.php?&it=31&s1=-1&q=chicago&ix=8&rs=2248

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2 hours ago, Roburt said:

...  in the New York thru to Baltimore area for this post ....

Schaefer Beers ran a radio jingle contest in the 60's / early 70's and lots of soul acts made & submitted their efforts for consideration  ....   Would love to get to hear at least 8 of them (if they still exist that is) ..

A compilation of Schaefer Beer TV ads from the old days ... none of the many soul versions though (think they were mainly the radio ads) ...

 

Edited by Roburt
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  • 2 weeks later...

Even US Top 40 stns featured a whole load of soul cuts from the mid 60's thru to the late 70's .... Long Island's WBAB for instance ...

.......... AND ...... on many occasions, it wasn't all the most obvious tracks that got featured (for a pop stn that is ) ...

WBAB1970july9.jpg

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Roburt, allow me to congratulate you, your posts in these forums are an absolute joy!

Two of my favourite films, 'Vanishing Point' and 'Play misty for me' both based around a small-time Radio jock/station, great insights into how it was.

Again fantastic input, thankyou, I won't clutter it any further, a really good read as always from you! :hatsoff2:

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