demise of AM radio stations (reply)

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I just finished Bobbe's newsletter. I never had the chance to hear those stations he mentions.
perhaps being a northener and a little kid in the 50's I missed out.

I am happy that I can find that music and players on, of all things, youtube.com.
being in touch with that wonderful music is thrilling.
I remember watching TV shows after saturday night bath.
I found Ernest Tubb recently performing. the fake barn decor, girls in tight sweaters and guys all looking like James Dean is precious.

the stations may be dissappearing but the music is still around.
thanks Bobbe.

Blake Hawkins · From: Florida

I did listen to most all of those stations.
As a kid in the '40's I discovered radio and country music at about the same time.
I'd stay up late listening to the programs from the different stations.
Later in life, when I used to drive across Georgia and Alabama late at night, those same stations kept me company and gave me weather and road information as well as the music.
I know we have newer technology now, but I still miss the high power clear channel A.M. radio stations.

Pete Young · From: Quebec, Canada

I can remember taking a baby champ radio to my room at night to listen to WWVA and also when I was older and had a car, I used to take a girlfriend of mine to a high hill in the country so we could get WSM on the car radio. Those were great times. The music was good as well

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

As a kid in Eastern Oregon between 62 and 65 I listened to the skip from S Calif every night. I'd listen to Ira Blue on KGO until Cousin Herb and the "Big O Tire" show came on. Lots of Buck, and the show that had Merle's "Strangers" song as the anthem. MH, Tommy Collins, George Jones and others were the fare, and I listened every night.

I miss those days to be sure. It was an old bakelite RCA with the gold fabric replaced by some cowboy print cloth my mom helped me with.

EJL

Garry Vanderlinde · From: CA

Here in the Los Angeles, Orange Co. area of Southern Calif. we lost our last Country Music (?) radio station a few months ago.

An independent station, A.M. 540, is taking up the slack on 10/28/06.

I will listen to it and wish them the best. Maybe it's the wheel turning as they say.

[This message was edited by Garry Vanderlinde on 19 October 2006 at 09:17 PM.]

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

I didn't read Bobbe's newsletter, for some reason I no longer get it and my email requesting to be re-added to the list has gone unanswered and I guess I've not been re-added. Oh well.

Anyway, I grew up in the late '50's-'60's, and I guess the golden age of radio was already over, but I still had a very keen interest in radio and since I was 5 years old have had a radio on the nightstand beside my bed, if I didn't have a nightstand or headboard with space for one I'd set the radio on a chair next to the bed.

Yeah Eric, I remember Ira Blue on KGO, used to listen to him while I worked late nights in my Dad's cabinet shop in Lincoln City, Oregon, my favorite time to work, there's something special about listening to a radio show late at night, at least to me, but I'm a hopeless romantic type I guess.

At that time I was 17 years old and living alone in an 8X32 foot old Spartan trailer in the woods on some property owned by my dad and stepmom, didn't have heat or a TV. The radio was my companion and entertainment, along with my Sho-Bud and Gibson Super 400.

F.M. with it's higher-quality sound and other advantages due to characterisics of F.M., such as lack of "heterodyning" - the squealing sound you hear when two A.M. stations are too close to each other, have killed A.M. for playing music.

Any SWL's out there (shortwave listeners) will also know that the shortwave bands are now a desert where once they were full of life. Along with A.M. broadcast band radio, I've always been a shortwave nut. When I was a kid, especially at night when signals would skip on the lower frequencies, you couldn't tune anywhere without finding hundreds of signals of all kinds.

I always had old lousy radios then so had to stay on the lower frequencies...too insensitive and unstable above them.

There was the international ships distress frequency at 500 KC (KHZ nowdays), where you could listen in on emergencies at sea, and a few KCS below that were ship to ship communications and weather transmissions, all of it was in Morse code. I used to copy it on a Mackay 10B, a big old superregenerative ship's radio.

I liked listening to the hams "ragchewing" on A.M. on the 160 meter band (1.8-2 MC) and dreamt of the day I'd have a ham license too (and I got it at age 13).

Tuning between 2-15 megahertz at night brought in everything from ship-to-shore phone calls, military communications, shortwave broadcast with all kinds of interesting programming, mysterious "numbers" stations, lots of morse code and voice transmissions, and odd-sounding beacons, and of course hams yakking in morse code or A.M. or S.S.B. voice.

Now the bands are dead. Morse code is gone except for a relatively small and diminishing number of hams still using it.

The international shortwave stations are all religious broadcasting. The utility stations have moved to digital communications on the VHF/UHF bands.

The ham bands are still there, but it doesn't feel the same and it isn't. The newer hams complain about interference and too many signals in the ham bands, but the number of signals doesn't even compare with the earlier days.

Inbetween the foreign broadcast bands' religious programming and the ham bands, there is now a desert where once was a forest alive with signals of every kind imaginable.

I do miss those days, and I feel sorry that the younger ones will never know or feel the excitement and mystery of listening to a radio station or mysterious signal, wafting though space to their old Hammarlund, Hallicrafters or old tube table-type radio like Eric mentioned. The static and fading of the signal even added to the mystery, knowing that that signal flew through space for hundreds or even thousands of miles until it reached your antenna.

The internet, instant satellite communications and cellphones have made the radio all but obsolete and taken the mystery and excitement out of radio.

Sad, but I suppose all things must change.

My Hammarlund HQ-180 sits here on the bench just to my left, but now it is silent.

It still works perfectly, there's just not much for it to do.

- Jim, U.S. amateur station K7JAZ. Yes, that JAZ is for JAZZ.... (and not "smooth", either...)

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 19 October 2006 at 10:53 PM.]

Perry Keeter · From: Hemet, CA, USA

Garry, Try tuning to 95.1 FM KFRG out of the Riverside / San Berdo area. I am sure that you can pick it up in Garden Grove. Good country station, new and old.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Sometime after midnight, I heard the anchors as our troop ship slipped into the harbor at Seattle in June 1954. I climbed out of my bunk and made my way to an outside deck, where I could see the beautiful Seattle lights across the water.

I had brought my battery operated radio topside with me so I started hunting for a nighttime station and I found KVOO, Tulsa, Oklahoma, coming in clear as a bell, and playing the country music that I hadn't heard in a while.

I was still a few days away from getting back to Oklahoma City, but from the deck of that ship, listening to a familiar radio station, I knew I was back home!

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www.genejones.com

Ric Epperle · Posted 20 Oct 2006 3:04 am

Hello Jim.. It's good to see another ham on here. I also got my first ham license at age 13 (1966). I grew up with radio since my dad was a radio operator in the Marines. I sure miss some of those days of SWL and AM. My current call sign is KE7MK... BTW, I'm still active on 20 meter CW and SSB on 40 and 75. I am also on the local 2 meter and 440 repeaters. On SSB and CW, I'm still using my old Drake TR-4. What a rig! 73's .. Ric
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MSA D12 Vintage XL

[This message was edited by Ric Epperle on 20 October 2006 at 04:22 AM.]

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

in my college days when we'd take all night road trips duialing in AM radio was always a treat.
fading in and out crossing counties and states at 3 AM kept us alert and glued to the music and chatter on the air.

I do wonder how we can replace that 'excitement and mystery'.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

The beauty of AM radio was driving at night in open country, listening to stations far and wide.
KOMA (Okla. City) was staple fare in Abilene, TX, and we could hear Wolfman Jack clearly at night.
Woody Herman's 'Blue Flame' heralded the late night jazz program.

I loved it. It was America to me.

Buddie Hrabal · From: Arlington,Texas USA

I too miss radio as it used to be,however, in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area we have a few that are pretty good, 1190AM is playing what they call "Classis Country" 1390AM plays "Classic Country" after the trade fair, But the best one of all is KAAM 770AM.
They play what they call "The Legends" and it is just that. Pop,Country,Big Band,Doo-Wop-Nothing but the best of these. It is also available on the Web @KAAMRADIO.Com. The also broadcast in High Definition. The best part of KAAM is that they play some patriotic music and the take a stand for AMERICA. I don't work there or have any connection to KAAM I just love what they play.

[This message was edited by Buddie Hrabal on 20 October 2006 at 05:32 AM.]

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

The "Big John" Trumble show was still happening from WRVA, Richmond, Virginia, int the '80's. Listened to it often when makin' the trip to across Pa. to NYC. Big John even played "My Shoes keep Walking Back to You" for me one night...

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 20 October 2006 at 06:25 AM.]

Ray Riley · From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Don't get me started on this one! In the 50's Id listen every night to XERF,DEL RIO, TEXAS--WHO,DES MOINES--WLW,CINCINATTI--WLS,CHICAGO--WSM,NASHVILLE--WWL,NEW ORLEANS--WRVA,WHEELING,WEST VA. AMONG MANY OTHERS. i HATE CLEAR CHANNEL RADIO AND WHAT THEY AND PREMIER RADIO HAVE DONE TO THIS NATION. HAVE A GREAT DAY RAY

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Sad that WCMS one of the first totally country stations in Norfolk, Va. went off the air a couple of years ago. The morning DJ (Joe Hoppel) had been on the station over 35 years or more.

When I was a kid in Southern California we could hear the station XERB (I think that's the call letters) in Del Rio, Texas which had it's 250,000 watt transmitter in Mexico. We'd hear those old shows like Wayne Raney & Lonnie Glauson with the "Hound Dog Talking Harmonica" and all those adds trying to sell you baby chicks and such.

Later in High School and after I got out of the Army, there was the giant KFOX in Long Beach, California which featured DJ's like the following:

The Squeakin' Deacon.....he also hosted a live radio show on Sundays from the Southgate Eagles Hall which I had the pleasure of playing on a few times. It was also where I met the late great guitarist Clarence White while he was with the Kentucky Colonels.

Dick Haynes (AKA Haynes at the Reins) He had a lot of alter egos such as "Chester Drawers", "Wilemena Mildew" among others.

Biff Collie....moved to Nashville to bigger and better things. His wife Shirley was a country music singer who Willie Nelson stole from him and later married.

Lee Ross (Ross's Roundhouse)...He was also a former vocalist with Bob Wills Texas Playboys and a song writer of note with tunes like "Heart to Heart Talk" "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" and others. I had the pleasure of working with him some when he was doing some club work.

Charley Williams.....A very funny guy who'd sometimes open his shows with "Howdy Freigbors, that's a combination of Friends and Neighbors". Also a song writer of note who was a cohort of Bobby Bare when Bobby was on the west coast. The wrote a lot of famous tunes together but I can't remember what they were now.

Bill Patterson.....Flew his own airplane from Apple Valley to Long Beach every day to work his radio show. I worked some live shows with him when I was with the Johnny McKnight band as he and Johnny were buds.

KFOX also had a lot of live broadcasts from time to time. Danny Michaels and the Rebel Playboys did a nightly show from George's Roundup in Long Beach for a while.....JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Ed Altrichter · From: Schroeder, Minnesota, USA

Does anyone remember Pappy Earl Davis ?
He was a DJ in Little Rock, Arkansas in the 1950's and I would listen to him up here in Minnesota about 2 a.m. Country music stars who were on the road would stop in at the station from time to time and he would visit with them on the radio.

Dennis Coelho · From: Wyoming, USA

In the late 40's there was a powerful station out of San Mateo, California with the call letters KVSM. They had "country" personality named Cottonseed Clark who had a daily country show and a strong following among the pre-war migrants from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and the rest of country and western swing fans. I got my parents to take me to a local supermarket opening to actually see Clark and a live show of country players. I wonder if any else remembers ol' "Cottonseed."

It hasn't been that long ago that the 50,000 watt clear channel AM stations dominated the night time. Merle Haggard's song "Movin On" makes a reference to truckers and how "...all night country music keeps 'em going." Driving across the USA in the mid 60's you could hear stations from Ft. Worth and Chicago, and Kansas City, and Wheeling, and Nashville. But the economics of radio station ownership changed as FCC rules changed and by '78, local FM stations had taken over music and were mostly being nationally pre-programmed and run without any human presence in the control room at all, just lots of 15 inch reels on Ampex machines fitted with timers.

There were exceptions. In '77 and '78 I played live Sunday morning bluegrass gospel for an hour-long show on FM station WSLM in Salem, Indiana. The studio looked just like the one where they recorded "Man of Constant Sorrow" in "Oh, Brother, where art thou?" (I know, I know, it was just banjo, but the singing was beautiful.)

Good to see some fellow "hams" on this Forum.

Dennis Coelho, Cheyenne, Wy. K7OAA

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Ray Riley · From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA

It could very well have been. I thought wrva was Richmond, Va. Speakin of age i'll be 66 in March . I accept all presents.

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Sho-Bud S-12 and a brand new N112

James Marlowe · From: Florida, USA

Brings back many memories thinking of the old AM days. I grew up in Hopewell, Va. Dad and I use to get up about two in the morning on Sat. to make the trip through Richmond to get to the river near Williamsburg. Had to got that way 'cause the ferry crossing the James River didn't run until six am. We'd tune in Waterloo, Iowa, or Del Rio many times. 'Course Wheeling and Cincinatti was always on the agenda. WXGI in Richmond was a long time country station, but not clear channel so it went off the air at sundown.
Nope, not much left on AM anymore......mostly Spanish stations here in central FL.
I sure remember those "red top baby chicks" etc. and Wayne Rainey and Lee Moore the coffee drinking nighthawk! THOSE were the good ol' days!
jas.

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I really enjoy reading all these posts.
seems we have enough people here to start our own station.
gee, I wonder how difficult that would be.?
keep these great stories coming.

and to keep it legit I'll mention Steel Guitar.

Kevin Macneil Brown · From: Montpelier, VT, USA

Late nights in northern New England, 30 years ago, I would tune in the drifting signal of WWVA. I got a good part of my musical education that way. Late night jazz from Boston and NY was magic, too. And before that 60s top 40 pop and rock pretty much startred my journey.
I still think music on AM radio-- with its frequency limitations and crazy compression-- can have captivating sonic qualities; I've even mixed some of my own recordings to get "that sound".

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

When I listen to AM Radio here in Nashville, it's to much bluegrass for my taste. Not enough country with steel.

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

Excellent post, Jim Phelps! I've drifted off to sleep many nights in the past, listening to WWL out of New Orleans. Charlie Douglas, Dave Nemo, and their all night Road Gang shows. Also, WSM out of Nashville was always a favorite too.

Lem K5WSM

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Looks like Iv'e touched a nerve with this last news letter, but this is what we need, some thoughts and memories to keep us grounded and remembering the great things that made us what we are.

Jerry Hayes in Norfolk mentioned WCMS, I remember in 1953 when this station was WCAV, the great Sheriff Tex Davis (Steel player "Mike Duchette's father") was the prime DJ, later to discover a band I was in at forteen years old and make us all stars! He wrote "Bee Boop a loola", I left the band just before it was recorded and it sold over a million, Gene Vincent was the artest. (I was the first "Blue Cap")

AM radio? Yep, I miss all those 50.000 watters. And you guys are all wonderful for throwing more coal on the fire of my memories. Looks like I'm not the only guy here with a soft spot for Americana.

Isn't this what steel guitar is all about? Most of these great players that I admired as a kid on the radio have now been my friends for many years. Many of you can make this same statement.
The guys you grew up listening to are only an email away from you now, see them at the next steel show, some you can call them on the phone, but alas, some are gone forever, now we only have their wonderful memories,,,,, and what they recorded before they left us. .
Over all, steel guitar has been a incredible path for our lives to have taken, I wouldn't have traded my life for Hugh Heffners. ...........................(let me rephrase that, I----------------> well, never mind)

Bobbe Seymour

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