K-tel Records Were The Best!

I have written about K-tel records many times on this blog.  For a farm boy on a budget, these albums were gold.  Even though some of the early ones crammed 22 songs on one album and cut most songs down to about 2 minutes a piece.  A song that was over seven minutes such as Layla by Derek & the Dominoes was only a minute and a half!  It did not make a difference to me.  Other generations can relate with the Now series of greatest hits cd's or spotify. In the 70's and 80's, K-tel was all that we had.  My mix tapes were awesome! There were so many songs that I had never heard before and would have never have bought (especially on side 2 of those greatest hits comps).  Many of those tunes have become favorites of mine thanks to those budget albums.  During this weeks Those Were the Days radio show on WRCO FM 100.9, I will play a few highlights from some of the most memorable K-tel releases including 1975's Out Of Sight,  Disco Mania, and Music Express and from 1980  Rock 80!   There was nothing like putting on a K-tel album and sitting on the front porch at the old farmhouse in the Summertime.  Saturday night I will be back there in my mind.  Perhaps you can contribute to the playlist?  We will spin the best music from the fifties through the eighties between six and midnight Saturday night.  It wont even cost you $4.99 for the record or $5.99 for the 8 track tape!  It is free....but wait there's more.  You could be the winner of fun prizes when we play trivia.  WRCO will leave the light on for you and the phone will be answered.  We are live and local on Saturday nights.  That is hard to find on local radio these days.

It has been a sad last week here at WRCO.  Saturday we will say goodbye to Ray Schroeder.  I have followed his Rem. With Ray program all of these years.  He has been a mentor,  father figure,  partner in crime,  and willing participant in many on air skits.  He was still driving himself here to record his programs until recently.  To be able to do that for 57 years and still be broadcasting at 95 years old was simply amazing.  I will always remember Ray and the laughs that we shared.  WRCO will feature archived shows Saturday afternoons for the near future.

Phil