Radio Stations

WABC 77AM – Wikipedia

http://youtu.be/J5tbovndVg8

Bruce Morrow (born Bruce Meyerowitz on October 13, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American radio personality, known to many New York metropolitan area listeners as Cousin Brucie. – Wikipedia

Daniel Trombley “Dan” Ingram (born September 7, 1934 in Oceanside, New York) is an American Top 40 radio disc jockey with a forty-year career on radio stations such as WABC and WCBS-FM in New York. – Wikipedia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7773uRUFg0k

November 9, 1965 Northeastern Seaboard Blackout – Wikipedia

Area affected by the 1965 Northeast Blackout – Wikipedia (click for larger image)

It’s funny where my searches will take me when I put together a blog posting. In researching WABC’s theme song on YouTube, I found two great clips (both recently deleted) of two of my favorite DJs of my youth Bruce Morrow and Dan Ingram. The one with Ingram featured the moment the 1965 Blackout began in NYC. I remember I was watching I Love Lucy on our two-toned green Zenith black and white TV when the lights began to flicker.

1957 RCA two-toned green Portable TV

It was late autumn and the sun was already going down. My mom Willy was on the phone with her friend Barbara who lived a few doors down in our Laurelton Queens garden apartment. Then the TV tube gave one last gasp and the screen shrank into a glowing dot as the lights went out. Before I knew it, Barbara and her three kids – Dawn (my first girlfriend) – and her fraternal twin brothers David and Lester, crying from down the block – were in our apartment. I was hungry. I found a flashlight and got some candles and our camping stove. I lit some candles and started to make some Campbell’s Tomato Soup. I was five years old. I have since always done well in emergencies.

Campbell Soup Co. envelope – Brass Dragon

Campbell Soup postage meter slogan – Brass Dragon

Campbell Soup Company envelope – Brass Dragon

After the 1960s, I became a fan of the WNEW DJs since I was by the early 70’s an AOR (Album Oriented Rock) listener and we had moved to Howard Beach to escape the oppressive “bussing” experiment implemented to racially integrate NYC schools. Jonathan Schwartz, Vince Scelsa & Alison Steele were my favs. I remember calling Alison Steele regularly to request Yessongs. She got to know my voice after a while. “Hey Frank,” The Nightbird would say with her breathy, smoky voice – “Wanna here something from Yes?” “And here is Heart of the Sunrise for Frankie in Howard Beach.” I was listening to Alison Steele during the 1977 Blackout. She had just announced that Yes’ Going for the One album was going on sale with an early NY release when the lights went out.

Going For The One – Yes – 1977

It was the day before Bastille Day, hot and sticky. I worked a 48 hour shift at JFK that day and the following day I drove to Sam Goody in Green Acres to buy the album. I drove there in record time on South Conduit without any traffic lights. I miss you Nightbird.

Alison Steele – The Nightbird – 1937-1995

Alison Steele (born Ceil Loman on January 26, 1937; died September 27, 1995) was a pioneering American disc jockey in Manhattan at what would become the archetypal progressive rock radio station in the United States, WNEW-FM. She was commonly known as “The Nightbird“. She also became a writer, television producer, correspondent, and an entrepreneur. – Wikipedia

Ron Lundy, Harry Harrison Cousin Brucie- these were the most influential voices of my childhood. These men were the DJ’s of my era.

My fondest memories were those sunny days when mom said, “Pack up a pail and shovel, we’re goin’ to the beach. And don’t forget the transistor radio!”

The Sounds of Motown filled the salty air of the Rockaways. And the Beatles, Beach Boys, and all of those fabulous hits we now call classic oldies flew over the radio waves and floated above the surf. I can still hear the roar of the rollercoaster of Rockaway Playland.

Maybe I’m just getting old but they don’t make ’em like that anymore. – Fading Ad Campaign 1999