<VV> AM radio (NO CORVAIR)

Wed Aug 3 01:18:21 EDT 2005

Actually when Dick returned to Chicago in the 80s he came back to WBBM-FM and an atrocious attemp 
at oldies radio... just hideous.

It was about a year later that WJMK went on the air and had the smarts to put Dick back on nights and
he along with some other well known Chicago jocks created a great sounding station. The one gripe I had
was their short playlist.

I played the kick off dance for the Vietnam Vets Welcome Home Parade in 1986 with Dick. It was fun and
we have been friends ever since. Great guy and one of the nicest people I've known in radio.

And once  a Corvair owner as I recall.

Tim Abney
IECC

-----Original Message-----
From: J R Read_HML <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>
To: rt66vairs at aol.com
Sent: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 00:06:04 -0500
Subject: Re: <VV> AM radio (NO CORVAIR)

Chuck Kubin sent me this... 

Hey JR, 

Must have heard him on WJMK and picked up the other when scanning around for old rock. Just before I opened you letter I went to the Radio Hall of Fame and found this: 

  DICK BIONDI 
  Known as the "Wild I-tralian," Dick Biondi began his broadcasting career in Corning, New York at station WCBA. Biondi spent two years with WKBW/Buffalo before moving to WLS/Chicago in 1960. 

  Thanks to WLS' powerful 50,000-watt signal and his own exuberant personality, Biondi quickly became one of the nation's top disc jockeys. His show introduced rock and roll to listeners in nearly 40 states and parts of Canada as well. His own fame led to his recording a novelty record, "On Top of a Pizza," which sold over 11,000 copies. 

  In 1963, Biondi left Chicago for KRLA/Los Angeles. The following year, he joined the Mutual Broadcasting System for a syndicated program heard on over 125 stations. During this time, he launched the Dick Biondi Road Show, bringing young acts to local schools throughout Southern California. 

  Biondi returned to Chicago in 1967 for a five-year stint at WCFL/Chicago and headed to South Carolina in 1973 for a decade at WNMB/North Myrtle Beach. Biondi returned to Chicago once more in 1984 to help launch WJMK, the oldies station where he is still heard six days a week. 

  Dick Biondi was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998. 

>From what you've said and what's on the record (pardon the pun) at the RHofF, it appears the robber barons realized they needed the expertise of the old guy as a foundation for doing what they wanted, worked a modern plan for the product, shunted the old guy aside, and then realized it wasn't going to work without him and the DJs that made rock great. 
I certainly understand how your loyalties align with what the station is (or isn't) doing. Doing what you want sounds like a lot of fun, but they have to remember, doing what your customers want is the basis for every business. There's a few companies out there (ATA, United Airlines, State Farm) that will get as much bad rap out of me as anyone is willing to hear. 
While painting my way through college I learned a valuable lesson: you can only kill a man once. 
My folks are originally from Daley's neighborhood and 56th and Ashland, and have been out in Burbank since the late '50s. I left Chicago to join the Air Force in '75. Where are you? 

Chuck 

Attachments (if any) are scanned with anti-virus software. 

Later, JR 

----- Original Message ----- From: <rt66vairs at aol.com> 
To: <rickjanet at charter.net>; <dreamwoodck at yahoo.com>; <virtualvairs at corvair.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 11:58 PM 
Subject: Re: <VV> AM radio (NO CORVAIR) 

> Dick was on WLS on a few occasions and also on WCFL in Chicago at one > time. 
> 
> His first stint at 'LS was in 1961-63 or so. and he was fired and re-hired > at least once after that. 
> 
> His last on air gig that I know of was WJMK an FM oldies station. 
> 
> WLS could be heard in West Virginia at night as could WCFL. 
> 
> WLS was non-directional but CFL was directional to the east so you could > have heard either. Both 
> were 50KW day and night. 
> 
> Tim Abney 
> IECC 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Rick & Janet Norris <rickjanet at charter.net> 
> To: Chuck Kubin <dreamwoodck at yahoo.com>; virtualvairs at corvair.org 
> Sent: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 16:34:57 -0400 
> Subject: Re: <VV> AM radio 
> 
> 
> I used to listen to him here in the mountains of West Virginia but it had > to be late at night and the atmospheric conditions had to be right also. > None of our local DJ's was anything like that!! Was it on WLS?? 
> 
> Rick Norris 
> 
>> 
>> Hey gang, 
>> 
>> This'll slay those of you who grew up in the Midwest in the '60s. While > >> visiting Chicago last summer, I tuned into WCFL and heard...ready for > >> this? Sitting down?...Dick Biondi, still > >> broadcasting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
>> 
>> Not sure without hitting Google, but I don't think he was that young when >> > I listened to him in high school. What is he now, about 80? 
>> 
>> Chuck Kubin 
>> 
>> Class of '69 
>> 
>> 
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