WWTC 1280 (The Fiasco) For the full story on the fiasco, check out Jeff Lonto's book "Fiasco at 1280" at his web site: www.Studioz7.com
This Site Primarily Contains a Collection of Airchecks of Numerous Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) Radio Stations, Some Recorded Off The Air by Rick Burnett and Many Others Recorded or Provided by Other Contributors to This Site (see footnote at bottom). The Contribution of Recordings and Materials are Greatly Appreciated and Have Made this Site a Bookmark for Those Interested in Radio From this Era. Explore the many recordings on this site by using the menu at the left side of the screen. Should you have material to contribute, Please Email: Rick1031(at)HotMail.com Note: Substitute @ for the "(at)" when typing email address
WWTC - Ray Erick (Currently at KQ) and The Magical Mystery Tour Show 1988
Back when Ray Erick was at WWTC 1280, (now at KQRS-FM), he did a Sunday evening show called the Magical Mystery Tour. Although Ray did not stay and the show did not last, Jeff Lonto kept some recordings of a few of the shows. They were recorded off the air and you will hear some minor AM interference on occasion, but still very "listenable."
Jeff Lonto joins Ray and Mike about 22 minutes into the August 21st, 1988 recording as Dr. Timothy Treeman. He got into the mood be taking some Excedrine PM, burning incense and turning the lights down low. On the Augest 28th, 1988 recording you will hear Ray ask Randy Steele also of WWTC (a/k/a Randy Randall, formerly of KTCR-FM) if he ever smoked a Houka. You will also hear the singer Donavan, do a promo for the Magical Mystery Tour show.
Take some Excedrine PM and turn the lights down, burn some incense and sit back and take the journey with Ray, Mike and Dr. Timothy Treeman.
Contributed by author Jeff Lonto, who wrote "Fiasco at 1280" and "It Happened on the Air" His Web site is www.studioz7.com
On the June 1979 tape you will experience WWTC's Monday Night Extended Blend with Dena playing the hits. Dena also worked on the FM band at the Twin Cities first FM country station, KTCR-FM (now KTCZ-FM). The commercials are left in and you will hear a spot for the Black Angus, a place to go after work, and the late Howard Jarvis of California Prop 13 fame, endorsing a government watchdog magazine. About 5 minutes into this aircheck, there is a network news story about the death of the last surviving child of Casey Jones. Not the one on WTCN, the real one.
Contributed by Jeff Lonto and posted 8-23-09 & 8-31-09
From: Deanna Love Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:30 AM To: Rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: A Blast From The Past. . .A former radio announcer from WWTC
Dear Mr. Burnett, I just visited your website and was tickled to hear ME "on the air" again!Thank you for the bit of background about me and the example of my on air work for WWTC in 1979.I tried to call you but, alas, directory assistance did not have a listing for your number.
I no longer live in Minnesota since having moved to the deep South in 2005.My husband and I purchased an 1856 antebellum Greek Revival mansion in the historic town of Americus, Georgia.It was refurbished by the architect who owned it for seven years and has all the bells and whistles of a 2009 construction while preserving the incredible beauty of the original construction.We love it here!If ever you find yourself near Atlanta and can drive a few hours to come visit, I would enjoy chatting about the "old radio days" specially since you are so versed in the subject.I can send you a photo of me during that time, too, if you like.
Thanks again! Regards, Deanna Love ______________________ Deanna,
Thanks for the update and the photos. Good to hear you are living the good life in Georgia. I will see you next time I travel to the area.
Rick Burnett Posted 9-30-09
Lonto Finds Old WWTC Studio Photo
From: JEFF LONTO Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 10:16 PM To:Rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: Ray Erick photo
Rick:
I just dug up a photo of Ray Erick from the summer of 1988, right during the "Magical Mystery Tour" days that you might care to post with those airchecks.
Talk to you soon.
JRL
Check out The Jeff Lonto Collection Page on this Site
This should bring back memories for WWTC fans. Check out Jeff Lonto's book "Fiasco at 1280; The Rise And Hard Fall of a Twin Cities Radio Station." www.studioz7.com/fiasco.shtml
Acquired from Aircheck collector and contributor Matt Seinberg of Big Apple Airchecks www.BigAppleAirchecks.com
WWTC Dick Driscoll, August 16th, 1971 - "Radio Twelve Eight Oh" Lot of testosterone on this aircheck. I am not sure if Dick is still alive. Let me know. Dick starts off with a discussion on song titles, group names and record label names being similar and confusion to tell which is which. There is a classic Weather ball Weather (provided by the man with a big set), sponsored by Northwestern National Bank. He reads a spot on Northwestern State Bank of Osseo and then closes with the Jingle "May we help you today." You will hear the "WWTC Radio Twelve Eight Oh" jingle also.
WWTC Dick Driscoll, October 21st, 1973 Spectrum Radio - Sunday Night Version This aircheck starts in the middle of a PSA. He starts by playing The World is a Getto and then we are told We Will Never Pass This Way Again. Dick Has Only Just Begun and has many, many tunes to play for us at radio Twelve Eighty. Dick informs us the Beach Boys will be at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter on Nonmember 7. Big Daddy Glenn Olson is on deck. This is Spectrum for a Sunday Night
Tapes courtesy of Al Arneson of Edina, a/k/a/ Big Al Davis on U-100
From: Deanna Love Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:30 AM To: Rick1031@hotmail.com Subject: A Blast From The Past. . .A former radio announcer from WWTC
Dear Mr. Burnett, I just visited your website and was tickled to hear ME "on the air" again!Thank you for the bit of background about me and the example of my on air work for WWTC in 1979.I tried to call you but, alas, directory assistance did not have a listing for your number.
I no longer live in Minnesota since having moved to the deep South in 2005.My husband and I purchased an 1856 antebellum Greek Revival mansion in the historic town of Americus, Georgia.It was refurbished by the architect who owned it for seven years and has all the bells and whistles of a 2009 construction while preserving the incredible beauty of the original construction.We love it here!If ever you find yourself near Atlanta and can drive a few hours to come visit, I would enjoy chatting about the "old radio days" specially since you are so versed in the subject.I can send you a photo of me during that time, too, if you like.
Thanks again! Regards, Deanna Love ______________________ Deanna,
Thanks for the update and the photos. Good to hear you are living the good life in Georgia. I will see you next time I travel to the area.
Rick Burnett Posted 9-30-09
WWTC Spectrum - 1973
The October 1973 airchecks on this page (below), provide a good look at the daily programming of WWTC that year. Spectrum had a "Women's' Issues" slant. A few of the 'TC guys went on to WCCO-FM (wish I had some of those airchecks) in the Mid-'70's. There is a rare early aircheck of John Hines doing evenings. John went on to bigger things.
I would like to thank Al Arneson for his submission of the tapes on this page. You can hear a tape of Al as a very young man on his Pirate radio station on the Pirate Radio Page on this site, and an aircheck of him as Big Al Davis on U-100 on the Radio Tapes site.
WWTC John Hines Doing the Night Shift on October 22nd, 1973
This is a mellow John Hines doing the female oriented Spectrum format. In addition, at 10:30 PM Hollywood Radio Theater interrupts his show with an episode of Rod Serling's "Zero Hour." John is back with more music at 11 PM. Paid advertising is light this night. John reads lots of U of M Memos (PSA's).
WWTC Joel Larson Does The Early AM Shift on October 23rd, 1973
On this tape you will hear Joel keeping the Twin Cities awake in the wee hours on The Larson Affair; starting around 1:11 AM. After playing "Ain't No Sunshine," he mentions there is never any sunshine when he is on the air. This tape also has a promo spot describing the WWTC Spectrum format, which includes news every 20 minutes and a "Woman Viewpoint" during the day with Linda Morgan. Larson does a little adlib during a saving bond PSA. WWTC Jim Stewart Does Afternoons, as a Substituting for the Ailing Greg Gears on October 21st, 1973
Richard Wagner leads off with "TC Happenings." He play the score for the upcoming movie Johnnathan Livingston Seagul. Jim predicts that if the movie is done right it might break all box office records. Jim also passes along new about a spectator ramp collapsing at London's airport injuring Osmond fans trying to greet the group. Note the great fanfare on the correct time at 2:00. I do not remember Jim or Joel. They did not make the migration to WCCO-FM with Some of the others, like Dick Driscoll.
WWTC Jim Teeson on a Monday Afternoon, October 22nd, 1973
It 2:00 PM as you will hear by the fanfare of the exact time. Tom Wayne starts with news and offers a $25 Twin City Federal (TCF) saving account to those that provide a winning news tip to WWTC. More of the spectrum format. Teeson does a live Levit's Furniture spot. On this day, Jim has a little trouble with a PSA announcement.
Tapes on all of the above courtsey of Al Arneson, of Edina MN. a/k/a Big Al Davis on U-100
The airchecks on this not for profit web site were recorded off the air. The recordings on this site provide historical examples of Twin Cities radio and are intended for purposes of archival preservation and for research. Additionally, the recordings can be used by vision impaired visitors to get an audio perspective of radio history. These recordings are not intended to by used by others for commercial purposes.
Some of the airchecks are off reel to reel tapes that were recorded off the air by the web site creator. In May 2006 the recordings started to be converted to MP3 and shared here. In addition to this web site creator's recorded aircheck collection, there are also many airchecks that were recorded and submitted by friends and acquaintances, or contributed by other collectors. Sources are cited, if known. The contributed recordings from friends and contributors of both airchecks and other material are greatly appreciated. Without their help, the site would have many less pages of radio history. The recordings of the contributors to this web site who recorded them off the air may show up on other sites. This site does not charge any fees to listen to the posted recordings. The purpose of this site is to provide radio history and intended for purposes of archival preservation and research.
Windows Media Player works well to play these MP3 files, and depending on your internet settings, will start streaming the file once the link is clicked, Some files are large and may take time to open. Should you have any aircheck of Twin Cities radio stations, let me know and I may be able to include them at this site. Contact me at Rick(at)HotMail.com --- NOTE Replace "(at)" with @ when typing email address
