Blog
Phil Nee
WRCO FM 100.9 signed on the air in 1965. WRCO AM 1450 had already been serving the southwest corner of the state since 1949. The FM signal did not make much of a splash at first since all cars only had AM radios and many homes did not have a receiver that picked up both frequencies. That began to change in the 1970’s. In the mid-sixties AM radio was king and Top 40 channels from all over the country would fade in and out at night. You could hear a great song for a few minutes until the signal came and went. Sometimes stations from Canada would skip in and it was possible to hear a French speaking announcer introduce a song sung in English. In November of 1965 there was a great combo of American and British bands on the chart. Some of my favorites are, Get Off My Cloud-Rolling Stones, 1-2-3-Len Barry, Just a Little Bit Better-Hermans Hermits, Hang on Sloopy-McCoys, I’m a Man-Yardbirds, Rescue Me-Fontella Bass, Steppin Out-Paul Revere and the Raiders, Everybody Loves a Clown-Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Positively 4th Street-Bob Dylan, and Keep on Dancin-Gentrys. These are all songs that were playing while I was playing my first gig on the linoleum. This week’s Those Were the Days radio show will feature highlights from the November of ’65 chart.
I hope you will give us an ear on Saturday night. We will be playing all of your favorite records from the fifties through the early nineties on WRCO FM 100.9, WRCO.com, and on the Civic Media app. There will be prizes to win if you take the trivia challenges. Listen for the magic cowbell!
Phil
