Scott:

Growing up in the 70's WLS was a big part of my life I still think about things as a youth and WLS Radio was a big part of that and I'm glad it is. Thanks for making memories for a life time.

 

-James Dime


   

Scott,

WOW! is all I can say.  Thank you for the wonderful WLS history website!  I started listening to WLS in 1962 when I got my first transistor radio (with the dial in the center!)  I especially love the sound clips--being able to listen to those moments frozen in time. I still have many of my Silver Dollar surveys in my scrapbook. Thank you so much for telling the great WLS story--I did not know precisely when the station started playing rock and roll.


GREAT-THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

-Peggy Gacke
(now a FL resident)

 

 

 
Scott,

I worked at WLS AM & FM on the air for a brief time between 1981-82.  I worked with Susan Platt, I knew Jeff Davis, Art Wallis very well.  I was hired by Ric Lippincott from WISN in Milwaukee.  Slim replaced me on WLS-FM.

I was deemed the person to call Uncle 'Lar to wake him up at 3:30am.  Mind you, I'm all of 24, my 1st major market station...and I have to call and wake up a radio legend!  Yikes!  He was always so grumpy...He come shuffling in right before he went on the air...cowboy hat, windbreaker, ripped jeans...

 
So, one morning he said "are you the one that calls me? (I was in talking to the engineer) "Grab cart #blah blah blah," and I fired back, "I'm sorry, I'm off the clock...get it yourself"  Lar:  "So we've got a smartass in the studio, I like that in a girl!"   After that he was much friendlier on the phone in the morning...a little!

Thanks for remembering me....

-Laurie Sanders
now at KOIT-FM San Francisco

 

 

   

Having just celebrated my 40th anniversary in broadcasting, it is interesting to know that WLS AM usually shows up in OUR Arbitron book, 180 miles from Chicago in Terre Haute, Indiana, a city that has NINE of its own radio stations.  As I've said for the last 30+ YEARS, it's NOT the medium, it's the MESSAGE

-Jerry Arnold
Terre Haute, Indiana

 

 

 

  

Scott, 


Great job on the site and its great that two Chicago legends such as Eddie Schwartz and Snot Nose Tommy Edwards had great things to say too.  I listened to WLS on my way to school from '79 to '87 so Uncle Lar was the one sending me off to school. Aah great times and sending me home was Brant Miller. I see him now on Ch. 5 and think something's missing ... ah yes a radio. 

Excellent job on the site Scott

-Kelly

 

 

   

Hi Scott,

Your space is funny, sad, and full of my youth with your station, WLS. A long time ago one of the djs came out to Marengo for a fund raiser of sorts and to host it at the Cloven Hoof Restaurant. Nobody from our group went to work the next day. I think it was Clark Weber, but whomever it was, we all had a great time.

There is nothing like WLS any more; it went the way of the cave men

-Karen Kaufman

 

 

 

 

  

Scott:

Such a great history WLS has. I live in Calgary, Canada so I didn't know anything about the radio station when I joined the listener club. At first I subscribed so I could hear the Kim Komando Show on Saturdays, then I got the weekly newsletter which I found very interesting, then I surfed the history of WLS from the beginning to now. 

You have put  a lot of hard work into this I can see, and kudo's to you. Great Job. Thanks For The Tour. 

 

-Len Agnew.

 

 

   

Hello Scott,

WLS was great as a Top 40 station. It shopuld have stayed that way and went the 70's - 80's Oldies route.  After all, that IS WLS. Thanks to Dick Biondi , Art Roberts and I cannot forget Joel Sebastian for being my mentors and got me into radio. After 29 years in radio (technical and programming), the jobs for live and local have become a thing of the past.  Stations need to get back to the WLS, WIFE, CKLW type stations.  People do not need stations for the music, but for jocks like Dick, Art Joel, etc, to make us feel good when we listen.  After all, it is a radio show!


-Cliff Edwards

 

 

   

I grew up listening to Art Roberts at night.  I listened to Peter Fugitive every chance I could.

When I went into the Air Force in 1971, I always kept one button on 890 so at night I could here my 'local' station when the time was right.  I heard it in Texas, in Southern California high in the mountains and while driving at night going from one assignment to another.

It was always a taste of home for me.  Then when I could pick it up during the daylight hours, I knew that I would be at my folks house soon and all would be well.

-Ward

 

 

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