I was incredibly blessed to grow up in Chicagoland and listened to WLS everyday. The talented men and women of that glorious station molded and steered me into this crazy business for over 35 years. Uncle Lar, YOU were my hero and and part of me died when I learned of your passing on 12/18. God Speed and thank you so very much for your uncompromised style and wit.
Oh yeah ..... hunkered down in bed under the sheets with a transistor radio. Grew up in southern Illinois, but could only get WLS at night because my hometown stations position on the dial caused interference during the day. Riley, Roberts and Biondi were fantastic! Great memories!!! I later lived in mid- Illinois and got to experience the morning and afternoon DJ’s. Fred Winston and Larry were my favorites. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.(so to speak)
In the Spring of 1964 I was the guest DJ with Art Roberts at 10.00 pm on a Saturday evening. I was just 17 yrs old from London Canada. It was my 15 mins of fame. Got to play the top 3 hits which were all Beatles tunes and my choice, Forever by Peter Drake. I had been listening to WLS for 4 yrs and wanted to be a radio DJ. I was told after my show that I had the highest rating of any guest jock with a listening audience of 3.5 million. I went on and enjoyed a fabulous broadcasting career in the Ontario Canada market. Thanks WLS.
This was AWESOME!!!!! I am 53 now. Graduated in 1986 and we ALWAYS has WLS playing over the bus radio! I can remember "Animal Stories" with Uncle Larry and Little Tommy, I remember hearing the breaking news of John Wayne Gacey on WLS one morning on the way to school, Jonestown (the same) in '79'. WLS was an integral part of MANY kids lives growing up in east central Illinois, during the 1970's-1980's. It's VERY VERY SAD to see what it has become now........ Long live WLS of the 70's-80's! Patrick Rothermel (Champaign County Illinois)
I lived in Southern Indiana and grew up listening to WLS. It was there when I first started listening to music around 1963. It was there in mid 1960's when I first started playing guitar. It was there when I had my own garage band 1967 - 1970. It was there when I started college 1970 - 1973. It was a big part of who I was during those years.
For someone who lived in Chi-town and loved WLS from the late 60's thru the 70's, but was unable to take it with me when I left town, I am so grateful for you havng shared this video!!!!! TY so very much, carvcom1. 7
Oh yes, I'm digging this like nobody's business, Datsun not Nissan, I'm back in the sixties listening to WLS, music is out of sight, life is good, the world is changing, but who knew what would happen at that time, I can freely admit I also listened to WCFL, they had contests I would have entered, but I was too young, but then I'd listen to WLS after that, that was my station of choice, the DJ's were a riot, I once met John " Records" Landecker at the Chicago auto show & said I used to listen to his show, he enjoyed that, but now radio in Chicago isn't the same, but at least I have Sirius XM radio so anytime I hear oldies it just makes me warm all over, I also enjoy the book on WLS I came across on the internet, so that's as close as I'm going to get to a throwback to the past
Ah man...I was thrilled to be working in the same building with Larry. Damn I am shocked at his passing. Wow... RIP Uncle Lar and thanks for showing us all how it was done....
I almost died the nite Art Robert's came on, no mention of Dick Biondi at all, next day he announced Dick had a "disagreement" with management and basically was fired. I listened to Dick Biondi every night in ROCHESTER NY, Absolutely loved him. Had a Dick Biondi sweat shirt, autographed picture, everything. Many years later I moved to Ohio and my girlfriend was the lead news anchor at WFMJ TV. I was there many nights and somehow started talking about Dick Biondi AND FOUND OUT THE LITTLE STATION HE STARTED AT WAS WFMJ IN YOUNGSTOWN. ONE OF THE OLDER GUYS THERE SAID DICK SAT IN THE VERY CHAIR I WAS SITTING IN! COMPLETELY BLEW MY MIND! Wow, what a guy! BEST DJ EVER!
The report of the Hindenburg was not live but recorded on disk and flown to Chicago for playback the next day..only WLS had it and all the other networks/stations wanted to get their hands on it.
I lived in Kansas City and could get WLS on AM late in the evening when they bumped their signal up. I listened to a show called "Sex Talk" on Sunday night which was pretty entertaining
WLS could reach at night on a regular radio to Tucson Az. and to Ontario Canada probably places even further than I realized so it was not only the big 89 but the STRONG reaching 89 besides always being my favorite radio station.
Can someone jog my memory, I was driving up towards kankakee one day and I believe Larry lujack was talking to a kankakee county sheriff on air about a cow being shot in town ! 😂it was the funniest damn thing I've ever heard
I am saddened by the news of the passing of Larry Lujack. Please enjoy my posting of this video that shows off the talent and legacy of "Super Jock" Uncle Lar. RIP.
At night in the Nashville, TN Market, I'm sure that WLS had higher ratings that 1510 WLAC, that was a 50 KW Blowtorch that played Top 40. 1300 WMAK couldn't be picked up in the suburbs at night, and that hurt WMAK after Scott Shannon left there. You could travel anywhere in Tennessee and WLS came in with a hard signal that really never faded at all, especially in the Nashville, TN Market.
By 1985, most major stations on the AM dial that had played Top-40 music in the 1950's, and/or the 1960's, and/or the 1970's had given up on that format. If my memory serves me correct, WLS managed to hang onto Top-40 through the end of the 1980's and was still quite popular until a year or two before the end.
I have to laugh at Bob Sirott and Tommy Edwards calling the 70’s a bad decade for music because I thought it became total crap about 87 and actually went back to the 70’s for good music lol!
Dave Wollenberg Don't know about 890 but the 94.7 FM is Classic Hits. Brandt Miller, former jock on the Big 89 is still the morning man on the FM I think.
Ironic that Larry Lujack could've done the 50th anniversary in 2010. Grew up listening to these guys in the '80s. Thought it was cool that you could pick up a radio station out of Chicago from hundreds of miles away like I did.
The time they are saying had the worst music in history, was the exact same time when the absolute best rock records of all time were out. If they didn’t like what they were playing, why didn’t they play the rock album tracks instead? There were thousands of great songs out then that deserved the air play more than the “schlock” they complained about. Why didn’t they play Yes, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, etc, instead? CKLW played some of the rock records… why not WLS?
I was incredibly blessed to grow up in Chicagoland and listened to WLS everyday. The talented men and women of that glorious station molded and steered me into this crazy business for over 35 years. Uncle Lar, YOU were my hero and and part of me died when I learned of your passing on 12/18. God Speed and thank you so very much for your uncompromised style and wit.
Oh yeah ..... hunkered down in bed under the sheets with a transistor radio. Grew up in southern Illinois, but could only get WLS at night because my hometown stations position on the dial caused interference during the day. Riley, Roberts and Biondi were fantastic! Great memories!!! I later lived in mid- Illinois and got to experience the morning and afternoon DJ’s. Fred Winston and Larry were my favorites. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.(so to speak)
In the Spring of 1964 I was the guest DJ with Art Roberts at 10.00 pm on a Saturday evening. I was just 17 yrs old from London Canada. It was my 15 mins of fame.
Got to play the top 3 hits which were all Beatles tunes and my choice, Forever by Peter Drake. I had been listening to WLS for 4 yrs and wanted to be a radio DJ. I was told after my show that I had the highest rating of any guest jock with a listening audience of 3.5 million. I went on and enjoyed a fabulous broadcasting career in the Ontario Canada market. Thanks WLS.
I might have heard you back then on the air as a guest DJ. Thanks for the story Scottie.
This was AWESOME!!!!! I am 53 now. Graduated in 1986 and we ALWAYS has WLS playing over the bus radio! I can remember "Animal Stories" with Uncle Larry and Little Tommy,
I remember hearing the breaking news of John Wayne Gacey on WLS one morning on the way to school, Jonestown (the same) in '79'. WLS was an integral part of MANY kids lives growing up in east central Illinois, during the 1970's-1980's. It's VERY VERY SAD to see what it has become now........
Long live WLS of the 70's-80's!
Patrick Rothermel (Champaign County Illinois)
Thanks for the comments! Glad you liked it.
I lived in Southern Indiana and grew up listening to WLS. It was there when I first started listening to music around 1963. It was there in mid 1960's when I first started playing guitar. It was there when I had my own garage band 1967 - 1970. It was there when I started college 1970 - 1973. It was a big part of who I was during those years.
I must be getting old I remember all of this stuff. Living in Gary Indiana Thats all I listened to.
Rip Larry Lujack & thanks for the animal stories laughs to us then teenagers in the 80s who listened to WLS!!!!!!
Voices of my childhood!
That radio station was awesome 👍
Well done Doc of the good ol WLS. RIP Lujack.
For someone who lived in Chi-town and loved WLS from the late 60's thru the 70's, but was unable to take it with me when I left town, I am so grateful for you havng shared this video!!!!! TY so very much, carvcom1.
7
+Nurse Ratched Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching this somewhat historic video.
Oh yes, I'm digging this like nobody's business, Datsun not Nissan, I'm back in the sixties listening to WLS, music is out of sight, life is good, the world is changing, but who knew what would happen at that time, I can freely admit I also listened to WCFL, they had contests I would have entered, but I was too young, but then I'd listen to WLS after that, that was my station of choice, the DJ's were a riot, I once met John " Records" Landecker at the Chicago auto show & said I used to listen to his show, he enjoyed that, but now radio in Chicago isn't the same, but at least I have Sirius XM radio so anytime I hear oldies it just makes me warm all over, I also enjoy the book on WLS I came across on the internet, so that's as close as I'm going to get to a throwback to the past
Down here in Springfield I listened to Uncle Lar and little Tommy and Animal Stores, every day.
Ah man...I was thrilled to be working in the same building with Larry. Damn I am shocked at his passing. Wow...
RIP Uncle Lar and thanks for showing us all how it was done....
I almost died the nite Art Robert's came on, no mention of Dick Biondi at all, next day he announced Dick had a "disagreement" with management and basically was fired.
I listened to Dick Biondi every night in ROCHESTER NY,
Absolutely loved him. Had a Dick Biondi sweat shirt, autographed picture, everything. Many years later I moved to Ohio and my girlfriend was the lead news anchor at WFMJ TV.
I was there many nights and somehow started talking about Dick Biondi AND FOUND OUT THE LITTLE STATION HE STARTED AT WAS WFMJ IN YOUNGSTOWN.
ONE OF THE OLDER GUYS THERE SAID DICK SAT IN THE VERY CHAIR I WAS SITTING IN!
COMPLETELY BLEW MY MIND!
Wow, what a guy!
BEST DJ EVER!
You were the best DJ ever, Larry Lujack. RIP
I lOVED listening to WLS! especially Landecker's boogy check. Miss that.
i used to listen to these guys after sunset when i could finally pull in their station here in Ohio. a great station!
WLS HEARD AMERICA STONG AS LOCAL DALLAS TEXAS NO 1 TILL 1965 WHEN WCFL LISTEN TO NIGHTS RON RILEY
Another radio Legend has signed off....
Thanks for posting this carvcom! LOVE this video!
Don Noel I'm glad you enjoyed it!
The report of the Hindenburg was not live but recorded on disk and flown to Chicago for playback the next day..only WLS had it and all the other networks/stations wanted to get their hands on it.
I lived in Kansas City and could get WLS on AM late in the evening when they bumped their signal up. I listened to a show called "Sex Talk" on Sunday night which was pretty entertaining
I don"t remember this being on but; I thought it brought back some great memories. This was a time when the music was so much BETTER! thanks!
I could listen to this station in East Tennessee on my pocket transistor radio. Where I got my taste in music
Trip back in time!
WLS could reach at night on a regular radio to Tucson Az. and to Ontario Canada probably places even further than I realized so it was not only the big 89 but the STRONG reaching 89 besides always being my favorite radio station.
Can someone jog my memory, I was driving up towards kankakee one day and I believe Larry lujack was talking to a kankakee county sheriff on air about a cow being shot in town ! 😂it was the funniest damn thing I've ever heard
I am saddened by the news of the passing of Larry Lujack. Please enjoy my posting of this video that shows off the talent and legacy of "Super Jock" Uncle Lar.
RIP.
You weren't a teenager in Chicago if you didn't know uncle Lar ❤️👍
I remember when you could go and stand outside the studio and watch Steve and Garry do their show.
At the zoo?
@@kennethcurtis1856 no at wls studios
Very true on the quality and freshness of the music from that era. Thanks for the comment.
At night in the Nashville, TN Market, I'm sure that WLS had higher ratings that 1510 WLAC, that was a 50 KW Blowtorch that played Top 40. 1300 WMAK couldn't be picked up in the suburbs at night, and that hurt WMAK after Scott Shannon left there. You could travel anywhere in Tennessee and WLS came in with a hard signal that really never faded at all, especially in the Nashville, TN Market.
...or Jackson, TN.
By 1985, most major stations on the AM dial that had played Top-40 music in the 1950's, and/or the 1960's, and/or the 1970's had given up on that format.
If my memory serves me correct, WLS managed to hang onto Top-40 through the end of the 1980's and was still quite popular until a year or two before the end.
WLS' Musicradio Legacy Lives At 94.7 A.K.A. FM 95!
What happened all those years of radio shows? I used to listen driving truck those characters were hilarious😅
I have to laugh at Bob Sirott and Tommy Edwards calling the 70’s a bad decade for music because I thought it became total crap about 87 and actually went back to the 70’s for good music lol!
Steve Dahl, Disco demolition at Comiskey.
I'll bet that WLS could turn a profit again as a '60s-'70s pop station.
Dave Wollenberg Don't know about 890 but the 94.7 FM is Classic Hits. Brandt Miller, former jock on the Big 89 is still the morning man on the FM I think.
If they only know what was going to happen to music 40 years later....
Ironic that Larry Lujack could've done the 50th anniversary in 2010. Grew up listening to these guys in the '80s. Thought it was cool that you could pick up a radio station out of Chicago from hundreds of miles away like I did.
In 2010 he was busy still doing animal stories on an AM station so far up the dial that most radios couldn't even tune it in.
Yeah, like Oklahoma. Did they have a 50th?
The time they are saying had the worst music in history, was the exact same time when the absolute best rock records of all time were out. If they didn’t like what they were playing, why didn’t they play the rock album tracks instead? There were thousands of great songs out then that deserved the air play more than the “schlock” they complained about. Why didn’t they play Yes, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, etc, instead? CKLW played some of the rock records… why not WLS?
I agree with you. Some of the finest album tracks came out during the early 70's. You can add Genesis, ELO, ELP, Cat Stevens, and more.
You weren't a teenager in Chicago Land if you didn't listen to uncle Lar n the rest
VeeJay Records was originally founded in Gary, IN, than moved yo Chicago.
Praise Jesus
You forgot Gary Gears
weird how they didn't give Yvonne Daniela her just dues...well, not weird considering...
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