DJs and radio stations

You're right Freddy, most of the morning team: Dale Dorman, Jimmy DelPonte and June "Miss Kiss" Knight (that's everyone except Mauzy Stafford). Afternoon host Karen Blake was part of Kiss before the now-defunct Star 93.7 and overnight host JJ Wright was on Kiss for many years, but I remember when he was on WRKO when they played MUSIC! Oldies 103.3 is my top favorite station but currently they're playing nothing but Christmas songs, so I flip around to WROR, WZLX Classic Rock, the new 93.7 Mike FM (they play everything) and even AM 740 WJIB (a wide variety of big band, singers & standards, easy listening and soft rock oldies)! Hey, I gotta have my oldies! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Christmas songs, but I don't want to hear them all day and night every day.

Sorry, didn't mean to get off the topic. Anyhow I did a little more holiday shopping at the Burlington Mall yesterday and got another Canobie pass. I recognized the two people at the booth, I think they said their names were Ray and Barbara, they usually work the entrance taking tickets and stamping everyone's hands as they pass the turnstyles.


Steve

Steve.... I used to be a big Kiss 108 listener, but somewhere along the line jumped to Star 93.7, I hung on during the switch to Mike 93.7 because like you said they play everthing. I have to agree with Christmas songs while I to enjoy them, I don't want I steady diet of them starting before Thankgiving. If you like Oldies 103.3 you'll love 104.9, it's a small home town station based in Gloucester, Ma. Steve do you remember before Oldies, 103 it was WHTT, and the hits just keep on comin?.....Now back to our topic........ F.M.

Freddy, YES I remember WHTT!! I was in high school when it was on the air, they kept playing the same top 40 songs over and over and over!! Don Henley's DIRTY LAUNDRY (which should be the theme song to Fox News), Irene Cara's FLASHDANCE WHAT A FEELING, The Stray Cats' SHE'S SEXY AND 17, Michael Sembello's MANIAC.....they played nothing but the Top 40 and it wore thin.

Your right about the play list on WHTT, just brought it up as a blast from the past . Heck when I was in high school, F.M. played concert music, WBZ played music, my station in that time was WMEX 1510 AM, Arnie Whoo Whoo Ginsberg. ....FM.

I only have the radio on when im in my car. I play kiss108 most of the time but I get pissed off at all the ads so I pop in a CD.

I'm with you Sky Rider. I have five stations on my car's pre-set: Oldies 103.3, 105.7 WROR, WZLX CLassic Rock, 93.7 Mike FM and AM 740 WJIB and I can't tell you how many times I flipped around betwen those five stations and they're either all playing commercials or songs that I don't care about! Radio ads are worse than TV ads because they're longer and it's the exact same ones over and over and over again! My Bob's Discount Furniture (his voice is SO annoying!!), Mattress Discounters, Ernie Boch Junior Come On Down, 1-800-East West---

I tend to pop in a CD myself. Sometimes I listen to the radio at work (always Oldies 103.3) and I make a point to listen to THE LOST 45s WITH BARRY SCOTT on Sunday nights where the focus is on "forgotten" oldies--mainly the 70s with a few 60s and some 80s thrown in. This is where you can hear SEASONS IN THE SUN, RUN JOEY RUN, BILLY DON'T BE A HERO, UNDERCOVER ANGEL, THE NIGHT CHICAGO DIED and most of the songs by ABBA, TONY ORLANDO & DAWN, THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE, THE CARPENTERS, HELEN REDDY, THE OSMONDS, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY, THE COWSILLS, THE BAY CITY ROLLERS, ANDY GIBB, BOBBY SHERMAN and MAMA CASS ELLIOT (after The Mamas and The Papas broke up).

I found another oldies station on the FM dial, WBOQ-FM 104.9 in Gloucester, better known as North Shore 104.9. They play a lot of the oldies that WODS 103.3 used to play (late 50s/early-mid 60s) and they refer to their music as "good time favorites". They also broadcast Celtics games and Little Walter's Time Machine, which had been a Sunday night staple on WODS in the 1990s.

I like Mike FM

That's another station on my car preset, except when they play songs from the 1990s and beyond. I have 6 stations on my car preset--Oldies 103.3, 105.7 WROR, WZLX Classic Rock, 93.7 Mike FM and North Shore 104.9 on FM and AM740 WJIB (a mix of big bands, singers & standards, easy listening--what some people call elevator music--and vintage oldies).

As the 80s drew to a close, I stopped following the Top 40. It just didn't interest me anymore. Of the very few songs since then that I actually like: Pretty much anything by Enya especially ORINOCO FLOW (SAIL AWAY), EVERYBODY DANCE NOW by C&C Music Factory, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS (that song used at many sporting events), WICKED GAME by Chris Isaak, AM I THE SAME GIRL by Swingout Sister (which uses the tune of SOULFUL STRUT), MAMBO NUMBER FIVE by Lou Bega, THINGS HAVE CHANGED by Bob Dylan and ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID by t.A.T.u. (only because it was used as the entrance music for WWE Diva Victoria). Oh, and of course, Cher! DO YOU BELIEVE, STRONG ENOUGH, TURN BACK TIME and I'VE FOUND SOMEBODY NEW TO TAKE AWAY THE HEARTACHE.

A few radio tidbits.....


Former WODS morning show host Paul Perry now does afternoons (3PM to 7PM) on their chief competitor, 105.7 WROR.

WODS has brought back Wolfman Jack Sunday late nights from 11PM to 2AM. His estate has repackaged his old broadcasts for syndication.

WODS afternoon host Karen Blake used to be on JAM'N 94.5 before she moved to Star 93.7.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Oldies 103.3 and they've already thrown out a teaser promo for this summer's free concert series at the Hatch Shell, they are looking to make this year their biggest ever. I've been to 2 of them (The 5th Dimension and Tavares/KC and the Sunshine Band). A few years ago the Monkees played there and the Esplanade was almost as packed as the 4th of July concert!

Taveras and K.C. that's a show I 'd like to see make a return. They always promoted Tavares as being from New Bedford Ma.
You can almost watch Karen Blakes career grow before your eyes, or should I say her music tastes change.
Do you remember Charlie Wilde, Karen Blake, and Heather, on the morning show on Star 93.7? This is before the obnoxious Ralphie Marino took over to lead the team. Heather(her last name I can't remember) got married and left, and Ralphie brought some of his JAMIN buddies over to STAR, namely Fast Freddy in the morning, and the real Lady D. Diana Steele, in the afternoon.
Ahhh. The Wolfman a true classic .I definatly will have to check him out on late Sunday nights
Did Paul Perry get booted in favor of Dale Dorman, or am I confusing him with someone else?
....F.M.

I do remember Charlie, Heather and Karen and then Ralphie came out of nowhere. On my rides home I passed by 93.7 while flipping through the presets.

Yes, Paul Perry was replaced by Dale Dorman on WODS. When I first started listening to that station in the early 1990s, Mike Addams was the morning show host, he was replaced by the late Austin "of Boston" Davis and then Paul Perry took over. The only things I miss about Paul Perry's morning show are Michele With One L (Michele Hughes), The Captain's Cupcake (Mark Mamone) and the Spinback contest, where they would play part of a great oldie backwards and we had to guess the song. Question Mark and the Mysterians' 96 Tears sounds the same backwards as it does forwards!!

The most famous of all was Joshua B who played reggae music on WERS 88.9 FM...around 1992-1995. But the great news is that he is back on the air! Well, not really, but he does a great podcast. He calls the reggae music he plays "music for big people." You can read about it, hear the music, subscribe to the podcasts, etc. here: www.rhythmupdate.net

This morning, Oldies 103.3 announced their free summer concert lineup for 2007 at the Hatch Shell.....


June 16 Frankie Valli

June 23 Johnny Rivers

July 14 The Grass Roots with special guests John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band (they did that song "On the Dark Side" from EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS)

July 28 70s Soul Explosion with The Stylistics, The Chi-Lites and Harold Melvin's Blue Notes

.....and saving the best for last (and to celebrate WODS' 20th anniversary):


August 11 THE BEACH BOYS


Freddy, you'll want to go to at least one of these shows, right?

Both Frankie Valley, and other favorite Johnny Rivers. I have seen Frankie Valley, all I can say is you get a chance to see hai show, don't miss it
It was strange to hear you have to explain who John Cafferty, is and the song he his famous for. Eddy and the Cruisers, great movie. ....F.M.

I would definitely enjoy lineup the best.

Let's have a little fun with music trivia.....Freddy, you'll love this!

1. Which of the following is NOT a girl group?

A. The Marvelettes
B. The Ronettes
C. The Rubettes
D. The Chordettes

2. Which song was recorded by Robert Knight in the 1960s, Carl Carlton in the 1970s, U2 in the 1980s and Gloria Estefan in the 1990s?

3. Which of the following actors did NOT have a Top 40 record?

A. Richard Harris
B. Michael Landon
C. Bill Cosby
D. Lorne Greene

4. TRUE OR FALSE: Frank and Nancy Sinatra once sang something stupid together.

5. Which singer was NOT part of USA For Africa when they recorded "We Are The World"?

A. Tina Turner
B. Diana Ross
C. Cher
D. Kim Carnes

6. Who recorded the controversial "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)", a song about interracial love, in 1967?

A. Janis Ian
B. Janis Joplin
C. Bobbie Gentry
D. Mary Hopkin

7. Before recording "Hello It's Me" as a solo artist, Todd Rundgren performed that song as a member of which of these bands?

A. Quicksilver Messenger Service
B. Meat Loaf
C. The Mojo Men
D. The Nazz

8. Which 80s band covered the Strangeloves' "I Want Candy" in 1982?

A. Culture Club
B. Eurythmics
C. Bow Wow Wow
D. The Go-Go's

9. Who recorded "My Ding-A-Ling" in 1972?

A. Little Richard
B. Fats Domino
C. B. B. King
D. Chuck Berry

10. TRUE OR FALSE: Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' STAY (1960) is the shortest number one song ever recorded.

Today (Monday, November 12--Veteran's Day), Oldies 103.3 began their all-holiday format Their home page reads:

Due to popular demand ( I seriously question this) starting TODAY Oldies 103.3 is all holiday, all the time with "Christmas Oldies and Holiday Favorites". So be sure to tune all of your radios to Oldies 103.3 and join our giant holiday party now through Christmas Day! Oh, and if you can't get to a radio, no worries just catch our online live holiday music stream.
This could not wait until after Thanksgiving??

Here in Maine one our big Oldies stations is Frank FM, which is based in Portland. They play mostly Classic Rock, but also some other such oldies. They have a good mix of bands and songs. My favorite is on weekends when all weekend they'll play two songs in a row from a certain band (i.e. Beatles: Hey Jude, then Yellow Submarine).

105.7 WROR jumped on the holiday bandwagon as well. So now we have two major FM stations in Boston playing nothing but Christmas songs.

Answers to trivia questions below (I typed them in yellow, to see the answers just highlight the area below--I didn't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to take the quiz):

1. The Rubettes, a British guy group whose only hit was SUGAR BABY LOVE in 1974.

2. EVERLASTING LOVE

3. Michael Landon (Richard Harris did MacARTHUR PARK, Bill Cosby did LITTLE OLE MAN and Lorne Greene did RINGO)

4. Depending on how you look at it, this famous father and daughter hit #1 in 1967 with a song titled SOMETHIN' STUPID.

5. Cher

6. Janis Ian

7. The Nazz

8. Bow Wow Wow (remember the girl with the mohawk??)

9. Chuck Berry (this was an actual question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire)

10. True, the song runs one minute, thirty seconds.

Here it is a few days short of Thanksgiving and WODS is already playing Christmas music. The ghosts and goblins have just left my yard, and the turkey has yet to be shot (only kidding) and already we're being blasted with Christmas.
If you have or know anyone who has XM satelite radio, check it out, no commercials, and they play more than cover songs. Each era has it's own station. F.M.
P.S. Mike FM, is even becoming stale.

Freddy! Long time no hear!!!!!

WODS started playing holiday music on Monday morning, but they're not alone--WROR is doing it too. I just sent an Email to WODS program director Pete Falconi and asked him if the weekend specialty shows would be affected and he replied that THE LOST 45s will do two weeks of "Lost in Christmas" and ELVIS ONLY will do Elvis Christmas songs, but all other specialty shows are suspended until after the holidays. I complained about this two years ago and he insisted that their ratings more than double when they play all-holiday music. This year the website states "due to popular demand". I swear their so-called ratings system is rigged by a special interest group.

Until we get closer to Christmas, I'll tune in to North Shore 104.9. They play a lot of the oldies that WODS used to play.

One Christmas song they never play is Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians' version of SILVER BELLS and I can't find it anywhere. It was the first version I've ever heard and to this day I wonder why everyone else sings it so slowly! I had a vinyl album back in the 1970s that was half Fred Waring, half Nat King Cole (in my opinion, the King of Christmas music).

Radio legend Jess Cain passed away a few days ago after a battle with cancer at the age of 81. He used to do the morning show on WHDH radio. Back when I was a kid my mom would drive me and my older siblings to our respective schools and she would have Jess Cain on the car radio. As a former Star Market employee, (he was their spokesman for a time) I once met him in person.

He will be missed.

After 40 years as one of the most recognizable voices on Boston radio, Dale Dorman has stepped down as morning drive host on Oldies 103.3. Friday was his last day on the air. The station has yet to make this announcement or who will replace him, but his profile is already gone from oldies1033.com's Main DJ page. Article from bostonradiowatch.com:

http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/

He worked for WRKO (when they played music), WVBF (now WROR) and for many years at Kiss 108 before joining Oldies 103.3, but in the 1970s, kids used to listen to "Uncle Dale" as the announcer during Channel 56's cartoon lineup.

While listening to Oldies 103.3 today while driving, they announced that starting Monday from 6AM to 9AM, Bob Lobel and Karen Blake will replace Dale Dorman in the morning. There was no mention of this on the website so I did a google search and all I found out was what I just stated and that Dale will be doing weekends starting September 27. No information on who will take over the afternoon drive that Karen had been hosting. Also, the DJ on duty at that time today was the previously-fired Patrick Callahan! Something is seriously up over at WODS.

WODS has just lost a morning drive listener because I can't stand Lobel.

I bet that Loren and Wally gain about a thousand new listeners now!

Changes continue over at WODS.

Boston radio veteran JJ Wright now does the afternoon drive 2PM to 7PM, Tom "Hall of Fame Coast to Coast" Kent's syndicated show runs from 7PM to 10PM, Mike Finegan's shift now runs an hour later (10PM to 2AM), Dale Dorman will now do weekends (details pending) and the Top 20 Countdown is now exclusively Saturday mornings from 7AM to 9AM with Patrick Callahan returning as host starting October 4. It used to be Thursday nights 7PM to 9PM with a replay on Saturday mornings, it had been a staple on Thursday nights I believe since the station's inception in 1987.

The ax continues to fall at Oldies 103.3. All about cutting costs.

Bob Lobel's morning show gig came to an abrupt end (Thank God) and now Karen Blake has been joined by Chris Zito, a former WZOU personality. WBZ Radio's Deb Lawler now does the morning news, so June Knight--who had been part of their morning drive for some 10 years (and who I had the pleasure of meeting)--is gone. Mauzy Stafford no longer does traffic updates but still does DJ work on some Saturday afternoons.

After less than two months, Tom Kent's nightly syndicated show is no more. According to the station's website, it's Chris Zito & Karen Blake 6AM-9AM; Paula Street 9AM-2PM, JJ Wright 2PM-7PM and Patrick Callahan 7PM-12Midnight.

So this means that Mike Finegan--the only DJ who has been with the station since before it became Oldies 103.3 in 1987--has been let go. Not even established veterans are safe.

This is sad.

Ill stick with waaf there is no drama there

What exactly is their format? They're a hard station to get on a standard dial-knob radio as they are sandwiched between two strong signal stations (Magic 106.7 and Kiss 108). I don't listen to either of those stations if I can help it. Magic plays the exact same songs over and over and over and over again; and I haven't liked Kiss since the 80s (when I followed the Top 40). One of Magic's songs is Into The Night by Benny Mardones, a favorite of mine, but for some reason they always cut it off in the middle of the song.

If there is no drama at WAAF, that means that CBS doesn't own them, right? The cost-cutting is affecting CBS-owned stations like WODS, Mix 98.5 and I think WBCN. This is according to the Boston forum at radio-info.com.

I have no idea who owns it but i use the 97.7 station. I think you can only get it in southern mass. As for variety ive heard very few songs played more than twice a day