Rick Burnett's Twin Cities Radio Airchecks

WYOO

There are airchecks of WYOO below.  For some history on the station, go the the following web site by clicking on the following address: http://www.danceage.com/biography/sdmc_KKMS   Scroll down a few paragraphs to WYOO.

WPBC-AM Switch to Oldies WYOO Friday November 3, 1972

From The Rick Burnett Collection, recorded directly off the air.  This was a big day for beautiful music station WPBC and Bill Stewart of WYOO (Fairchild), as station WPBC-AM 980 plays a goodbye song "May The Good Lord Keep You," or should we say YOO.  WPBC was started by the former WCCO morning man Bill Stewart in 1947.   Bill Stewart and his wife. Becky Ann, started WPBC (The Peoples Broadcasting Company) with $100 in cash and some home equity they had of less than $2,000.  The offices were located at 133 Stinson Boulevard in Northeast Minneapolis.  Due to the government administrative process, WPBC did not get on the air until October 18, 1949.  Bill Stewart says so long for WPBC on this day.  At the change, they announce the new call letters and the power of 5,000 watts.  The concept of "Nostalgia" radio that will now be aired on WYOO is described.  You will hear the new (and very long) WYOO "Twin Cities is a Great Place to Live" jingle which is followed by what sounds like a documentary.

WRAH-FM 101.3 First 10 Minutes on The Air

At Midnight on January 1, 1973 Nostalgia radio makes it to FM.  Bill Stewart states the station will play no more than 7 minutes of commercials and will have 5 minutes of news each hour with an accent on sports.  To kick things off, Tommy Graham does the news.  The top story is Nixon announcing the Vietnam War is over this day.  The truce is to begin on Saturday January 27, 1973.  Tommy Graham attended Brown Institute (now Brown College www.BrownCollege.edu ).  Tommy's first job was at KTCR-FM in 1972 just out of Brown.  Tommy was also a singer and actually has a release on Capital Records, but it did not become a hit.  Tommy was a hit with Bill Stewart and was groomed by Stewart at WYOO. Tommy had a routine where he would sing into the intro of some songs he played on the air (he also was a DJ).  Bill thought this was great.  Unfortunately, I do not have an aircheck of Tommy.  I would like to hear from anyone who does: rick1031@hotmail.com

Sweet Michael O'Shea March 8, 1973

Michael does afternoon drive this day and this tape starts with a story on the Minnesota Northstars hockey game win.  The WYOO-AM emphasis on sports is evident.  Michael dose a live commercial for the Hide-A-Way and promotes Ladies Night there and he also promos the Tuneful Tommy Graham show with a mention.  Unfortunately, I do not have an aircheck of Tommy.  Someone told me he passed on, but I found him alive and well on 1-24-07.  Tommy a has interesting and varied background.  You can learn more about it at his web site: http://www.tommygraham.net/  Tommy was a singer and had a great voice for a DJ.  He was unique at WYOO.  He sometimes sang in the intro of the song he played, that was different from the typical DJ patter everyone else did.  I think Bill Steward loved him.

Doug McKennin Undated form 1973

This is the Doug McKennin "Radiola Program."  You will hear Doug do a live spot for Richfield Bank & Trust, promoting auto loans at a low 8% interest (remember when 8% was low?).  You will also hear the beginning of an old K-Tel oldies record commercial.  Music and most commercials were edited out.

WRAH-FM 101  Automated in 1973

Short clip of the automated sister station of WYOO-AM.  Sports and news were simulcast and you will hear the long WRAH jingle leading up to the top of the hour Sports/News.

According to Robert Hall, this is the very first hour of summer 1974.  He plays a series of hits with summer in the song title.  WYOO was the 1st major station to play all oldies (formerly WAYL, an elevator music formatted station).  Robert talks about the 412 foot Minnesota Twins, Tony Oliva, hit in last nights game.  Gary Wilcox does the news and his top news story is the Democrats calling Nixon's tax returns lies.  You will also hear in the background the prehistoric newsroom printer, know as the teletype machine (most likely a recording of one).  You will also hear a unique requirement to request a song; a caller has to sing the title of Seals and Croft's Summer Breeze to get his request played.  Hall also promotes the drawing for the WYOO Patio Parties that listeners can win to have the WYOO DJ's over to their house.  He talks about how good the last party was.  He also promises to leave some good summer songs for Jerry Brooke to play.  Jerry follows Hall in the line-up.

(From the Rick Burnett Collection)

The "Jerry Brooke Affair" lived on at WYOO-AM.  On this recording, Jerry continues to play summer theme music begun by Robert Hall on this first day of "The Summer of 74."  You will hear that Jerry has a problem starting the cart machine for a commercial, stating that was his favorite one, and then moves on.  Brooke also mentions that the new population numbers show 2,025,000 people and that Dakota County was leading the southern suburban growth.  He states that he drove by an enty lot on Hwy 13 one day, and the next there was a new building on it.  Gary Wilcox does the news with the top story that a judge ruled the Boston Public Schools were desegregated.  After playing a Buddy Knox song, Jerry informs the listeners that Buddy went into the lumber business (Knox Lumber).  He also discusses the cost to the Vikings of keeping Fran Tarkinton with Gary Wilcox.

I remember listening to Jerry when he did mornings at KDWB-AM while on my way to high school.  One of his regular on-air guests was St. Paul Mayor George Latimer.

(From the Rick Burnett Collection)

Bill Lake (also know as Carl Lensgraf) did the Mid-night to 6 AM shift at WYOO.  During his reading of a PSA spot for homeless kittens, Lake professes his love for kittens.   Since he is the overnight guy, he reads the new himself.  Lead story is about the Pentagon Papers.  Carl Lensgraf had a stint at WCCO-FM later in the 70's.  When I Google Carl's name, the most recent Gig I see that he had was at KBUR-AM  in Burlington, Iowa in May of 2004 (not sure if it is the same Carl)

(From the Rick Burnett Collection)

I was at U100 for the entire duration of the format, mostly as promotions director, but somehow, after pleading with Rob Sherwood, was "allowed" to be on-air weekend overnights for the year before it went to Doubleday as KDWB.  This was not my strength, and now have been in radio sales and sales management for the past 31 years.

My sales management time was at WJON/WWJO in St. Cloud in the late 70's, WLOL-AM, KEEY/KLBB as National Sales Manager during most of the 80's, GSM of WAYL, then KLXK for 3 years, KSTP-AM for nearly two years, Station Manager at WZEE/WTSO in Madison for a couple of years, and KOOL 108 as LSM in the early 90's for a year.

I since have enjoyed selling as Senior Account Manager at KOOL 108 until 2002, and now am the Senior Account Manager at Hubbard Radio's WFMP/FM 107.1 as the original sales hire for the past six years, and I'm only 53!"