Scott, What a FANTASTIC tribute to WLS. I'm only 30-years-old, but I remember listening as a kid -- especially to Animal Stories and Cheap Trashy Showbiz Report while getting ready for school. Now my husband and I are mega-fans of Roe and Garry. The Abbey Road picture holds a place of honor on my wall at work. My family and I all have very fond memories of WLS even though we're about 3 hours south of Chicago.I even worked in radio for a while. I made it as far as the Decatur market (WEJT/WYDS-FM), but had a baby and decided on a career with a more normal schedule. Still, listening to WLS, I have times when I really miss it, and wonder what it would have been like to have stuck with it. Who knows? I could have made it to WLS, and certainly did think about it quite often. Once again, thanks for a job well done! -Cheri Coffman
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Hi Scott, I really like your site on the internet and I'd like to give you some background that eventually altered some of the history of the 70's. WCFL did beat WLS in the ratings: once! (Summer, 1973). After that, WLS came in with the highest cume in its history using a "Gotcha" character (based on Groucho Marx) who introduced the "What's your favorite radio station" game that carried the station through most of the 70's and made it so dominant that WCFL was forced to change format. When WCFL beat WLS it was during a time that Larry Lujack left WLS and went to WCFL. There was so much hype over this that WCFL actually beat WLS during that summer. But it was very short-lived. I sincerely think your tribute is very special!! Best wishes, -Tommy Edwards
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| Hi, Scott... Just checked out your site after it was mentioned in a post on Richard Irwin's "Reel Radio" site. Fantastic! I am one of the thousands of Illinois boys who grew up with the rock-era WLS; for me, it was between 1968 and 1974 (my "Wonder Years"), and when my family relocated to the southwest, losing access to WLS and WCFL was devastating. But life went on... Now with the Internet, though, I am discovering that so many others share my fond memories of those classic Top 40 stations, through sites like yours and aircheck trading. Three years ago, I picked up a tape of Larry Lujack from 1968 and when I heard those jingles kick in (for the first time in over 20 years), it was an epiphany. Now I'm building a decent little aircheck collection from those two stations during those years, and it's become a great hobby. Plus, Uncle Ricky's site has introduced me to the many other legendary talents from Top 40 radio history. What a blast! Lujack was, for me, head and shoulders above anyone else I've ever heard in radio. I thought every market had somebody like that, but when I moved to Phoenix, I quickly realized that wasn't the case. I'm still waiting to hear somebody better. It was great to see the snapshot of old Lar posted from Jeff Hendrix's retirement party. (Although he's probably not crazy about having it out there.) He was absolutely the best, and creatively, was a real influence on me. Maybe one day I'll run into him in Bumblebee, Arizona and wave... Anyway, thanks for all the work you've done on this site. Folks like you, Jeff Roteman and Uncle Ricky are providing a great public service to those of us out here in radioland who love to go back and revisit those glory days, when time allows...THANKS! -Rob Price
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Scott, Absolutely incredible! ... Your site has it all... I'll be doing a few pages for WLS and your site is more inclusive than we will be able to do. -Jeff Davis
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| Scott: I just spent about 20 minutes at your web site. I am really impressed! Having been born and raised in Illinois farm country, I am an OLD WLS fan, back from the days of the National Barn Dance. I had a brother who was born severely crippled and he had a special relationship with Jenny Lou Carson, as did hundreds of other "shut-ins" as they were called in those days. My brother was even invited by Jenny Lou to a N.B.D. show, along with other shut-ins, sometime around 1942-43. Jenny Lou Carson was a saint in our house!! She died in 1978, at the young age of 63 and without ever receiving the recognition due her (in my opinion). By the way, a fellow named Arnold Rogers in Nashville has a book on Jenny Lou and the N.B.D. at the publishers now and I look forward to it. -Francis Nolan
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Scott, Reading through your WLS web site brought back a flood of memories! I am extremely proud to say that I was a part of the station from 1980-87. I loved every day I worked there ... even the days Steve Dahl would roast me on the air. I wish I could re-live those days again. Tons o' fun! It was such a rush to kick the mic open and say "AM 89 WLS" over the lip of a record. I produced most of the personality vignettes that we used during the 25th Anniversary in 1985. Thanks for keeping "The Rock of Chicago," "The Big 89," and "Musicradio" alive! -Rich McMillan
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| Hi Scott, Just finished your breathtaking retrospective of WLS and am still soaking it all in! I moved to Chicago in 1990 and still remember Stacy Taylor, Bob Lassiter, and Wayne Messmer. Kudos on your informative page...and I do remember you being on WLS, believe it or not! -Michael Shoshani
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