Lord Jeffrey, (Jeff Diamond) came to work at KUXL in 1967, when he was about 15 years old. Clockwise from Jack are Bill Diehl, Don Kelly, Dan Daniel, Stanley Mack, and Ramsburg. In August 1927, WDGYs transmitter was moved to Superior Blvd. But then on May 2, 1988, new life came to our little station in the form of KMAP. Some jingles too. Music consultants included folks from the Minneapolis Symphony orchestra, Schmitt Music, and Leigh Kamman. Zingale urged the Tedescos to change the stations format to all R&B, and they considered it, but since they were only a 1,000 watt daytimer, they figured that a more powerful station would just steal the format and leave them hanging. Tune in, now . Disc Jockey Fat Daddy (a/k/a Jimmy Smith) cited statistics that out of 32,000 blacks in the potential audience, between 10,000 and 15,000 listened to the station. During the next two years, U100 quickly became the most talked-about and Number one rated radio station in town. Jimmy also tries to give away WDGY Fortune Phone Cash to the Williams family. Jimmy also worked at KDWB-AM and KRSI prior to this gig. Bad news from Wikipedia: Despite receiving positive reviews in some mainstream publishings, Purple Haze was a flop. One day the station was just there, offering gimmicky, women-slanted programs, not attracting much attention. Secret Stash, Volume 1, Issue 1 (September 25, 2012), says that Kosofsky was the Chairman of Universal Broadcasting, and that his brother-in-law, Howard Warshaw, was the President. The owners brought in Robert Purcell to inject life in the station, and a friend who booked Country & Western touring shows told him that the area was one of the top in the country. Heres a story from Rod, taken from Bullerdash, the newsletter for KSTP Pioneers: I ran the mid-day shift from 10 AM to 2 PM. Each one of these selections was especially chosen by the WDGY All-Americans, and is performed by the original recording artists. The 9-tower array beaming 50,000 watts was used to produce one of the most restrictive signals in the USA. They also reported that people were buying tickets for 50 cents entitling them to buy drinks. Now Im back to tell you about a product, guaranteed to cure an even bigger problem. The manager was Roger D. Wilson, and in an ad for sales people he called the station Katy Radio.. The term we are using to describe this particular form of AOR is Coloradio. Our research and general observations indicate that this is the direction of AM Top 40 radio, so we may as well start now.. In 2014, the station began broadcasting in HD. Email : Jane@wdgyradio.com. Except that police reported that the incident only involved several youths. With a constant bombardment of loud jingles, the jocks would scream YEEEEWWWW ONE HUNDRED! and BOOGIE! when they werent giving the time, temperature (its 72 degrees in Frriiidleeeeey!) or bad jokes. Contributed by John Pratt 12-6-07. It's the music that stands the test of time. To protect stations also on 1130 to the south and east, most of the power was directed north. The format on the 500 watt station was folksy to the point where it may have out-folksied WCCO. Bill Hartman, as promotion director, convinced Rob and Mike that it was very important to launch the new station at the Minnesota State Fair, exposing the new format to 1.3 million people that attended the fair for 12 days at the end of August to Labor Day every year. In addition to this web site creator's recorded aircheck collection, there are also manyairchecks that were recorded and submitted by friends and acquaintances, or contributed by other collectors. Alan Freed points out that the 1982 film, Purple Haze, shot in the Twin Cities, used the mighty KDAN 1370 South St. Paul for a scene. WDGY was the Twin Cities' first full-time Top 40 station, going on the air with its new format on February 6, 1956. More great stuff is on http://twincitiesradioairchecks.com/wdgy1130tapes.html. I always respected his unusually creative approach to all things radio. Its first owners were John Devaney (Minnesota Supreme Court Justice?) Eventually we had to accept the reality of what had happened. The shooter was never identified. An October 1949 ad in the Trib called it The Northwest Empire Station and morning shows featured Irene and Lou, hillbilly favorites; Sschunemans Red Rooster Hour; and Johnny Aarthun, popular singer of old-country songs. In September 1956 a Will Jones item in the Trib referred to WMIN as the anti-Presley station, with a DJ called Alice Presley playing Benny Goodman records. Big Time TV left Chicago and so did Skotch, going out to the West Coast and working as a director until he decided to get out of the rat race and become his own boss. The epic blizzard of March 1965 prevented Bobby Blue Bland from making a KUXL-sponsored dance at the Marigold, but a local musician was found to substitute, admission price was lowered, and the event still drew 2,600 people. The most interesting thing about working there at the time was feeling the surge of relevance the station had regained on since taking on the Country format. The station was also still playing Fibber McGee and Molly and The Lone Ranger.. The Wolfman died on July 1, 1995. To celebrate its first anniversary, WDGY is happy to present this album of YESTERHITS FROM YESTERDAY. It includes a collection of twelve of the greatest hits from the last year. Unlike most metropolitan areas of our size, the Twin Cities did not have a black radio station until December 1964 when KUXL changed its format from jazz to R&B. Format was Urban and they were targeting inner city Minneapolis. The station began broadcasting on July 1, 1965, as WMKT. WDGY 1130 AM MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA Week: 1963-03-18 Format: T40 WDGY 1130 - MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL TIGER TUNES WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 18, 1963 TW LW 1. Those songs were not rock n roll. Meanwhile, here are some of the dances the station sponsored. Preacher Paul (nee Ralph Hull) had come from KDWB and it appears that he was working at both stations until June 1965. Quick installation and adjustment. Secret Stash indicates that Bob Smith arrived in January 1965. It was taken with one of those Mid-1960's Polaroid cameras. Also my parents listened to WDGY in the mid to late 50's and on the long drive to the lake as well. Skotchs idea was to create something new. The ad pointed out that the stations news came not only from AP and UPI but also from Zodiac and Earth News, and provided exclusive perspectives on ecology, abortion, drug use, and consumer protection. It also aired sports talk at various times as well as leasing time to two groups that eventually purchased their own full-time frequencies: "Straight Talk Radio" (later on 950 KTNF) and "Relevant Radio" (later on 1330 WLOL). As part of the anniversary celebration, listeners were urged to send the station a birthday card with a favorite song from the last year, and if it was drawn the listener could win the Yesterhits Souvenir Album and a chance of winning one of six Hondas. My DJ page tells me that Ronn the Rajah of Rhythm & Bluess real name was Ron Samuels the one who married Wonder Woman? Did the snakes and ticks take over the studio? There is a promo of Jim Dandy announcing he was returning to WDGY (to fill the shift left by Rob Sherwood when he went to KDWB). KDWBs listeners were gradually migrating to the FM signal. It was Percy Faith type music. But the Country format was gaining acceptance among older baby-boomers and melding that growth with WDGYs big 50,000-watt signal gave new purpose to the station and validation to a growing, willing audience that perhaps Country musics time was coming. The situation was very ironic when he talked about the flash success of KUXL in the jazz field. The first lineup of DJs was Hall Murray, Phil Page, Sam Sherwood, Bob Chasteen, Bob Friend, Randy Cook, and Dick Halvorson John McCrae was the first General Manager, and Sam Sherwood held that position throughout the 60s. And when youre there, youre a celebrity. The Twins management got riled at the implications that its star catcher and other players were hanging around a saloon, and protested, so the Preacher toned it down. Kamman also hosted the Swing Club Program. Scads of airchecks and music surveys are posted at, http://twincitiesradioairchecks.com/kdwb630tapes.html. 1 tune was Ernie Ford singing Mule Train, and can you imagine me calling from home on the phone that we werent playing Mule Train often enough? . In the main studio, there was a sticky sap-like residue on everything. The Big 5 jocks were Bob Bradley, Leigh Kamman, Don Kelly, Steve Cannon, and Jerry Cunning. No electricity. It was fun, and by then, Charlie was on the mornings, and I did the news and the bits. The control board (using slider pots) was in the left middle of the shot and two reel to reels in the middle right. Photo courtesy St. Paul Police Historical Society. Todd Storz was an heir to the Storz Beer Co. out of Omaha, Nebraska. As part of the anniversary celebration, listeners were urged to send the station a birthday card with a favorite song from the last year, and if it was drawn the listener could win the Yesterhits Souvenir Album and a chance of winning one of six Hondas. It was automated country with a Schaffer pegboard sequencing unit when I was given the duty of being the stations Program Director in early 1975 added to my duties of being production coordinator for the short-lived Viking State News Network. WDGY 1130 Tapes This Site Primarily Contains a Collection of Airchecks of Numerous Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. KTCR signed on on April 5, 1962, as a Country station. Standing from left to right: Steve Shannon and Ed OBrien. July 30, 1965: Talkative Tina Turner, who interrupts her love songs to give long, impassioned discourses on life and love in the middle of rhythm-and-blues records played mostly on KUXL, will be at Minneapolis Auditorium Sunday night. internet settings, will start streaming the file once the link is clicked, Some files are large and may take time to open. Jeff Lonto: The ratings started to go up and so ownership and management had the bright idea of pulling the plug on the whole thing, changing the calls to KJJO-AM, and simulcasting FM sister station KJJO-FM (104.1). Its billed as the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, complete with nine-piece band, singers Bobby John and Jimmy Thomas and a girl trio called the Ikettes. Croix Valley area on December 14, 1983. And he skipped out on the landlord, too. The music ranges from the swingtime of the late thirties to the jazz of today. Helen Reddy / I Am Woman: 1972-12-01: Albert Hammond / It Never Rains In Southern California: 1972-12-08: Albert Hammond . Note the article actually prints his home address. The show was to start at 8 pm and take place at both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Auditoriums at the same time, with the stars shuttled by helicopter between them. Theres a ton of stories circulating about Top 40 began inspired by an Omaha tavern juke box, developed by a college statistical department, guided by BBDOs Hit Parade formula for Lucky Strike you name it. We looked at each other for a long time. A moment later we were both rolling on the floor, rocking with laughter. NIS ended in May 1977 but WWTC continued the all-news format with its own staff. In summary, it was a conservative, white bread market with only a handful of stations in those days., Although many give Storz the credit for inventing the Top 40 format, Haines asserts that it was already in place. Fire trucks are on the scene and well up-date you as additional details come in.. In a column dated January 24, 1954, Will Jones of the, Merle Edwards was at WMIN from 1949 to 55 and had shows like, Michael Scroggins, General and Program Manager, Program Director, Jean Myts, Commercial Manager and News Director, Al Alonzo, Vice President and Program Director (also identified as General Manager by the, Mornings featured DJs Larry Fitzgerald and DonOvan Staar Johnson, formerly of KMOJ. In 1933, Dr. Young was granted a license for W9XAT, an experimental mechanical television station. His shows were variously called Diehl n Music, Diehls Caravan, and Its Your Diehl., Steve Cannon was at WMIN from 1949-54. At about 9:30 pm, someone with a shotgun wounded three police officers who, with about 20 others, were trying to break up a crowd of about 200 who had gathered at the site of a firebombing. Glory of Love by the Four Knights. Although we think of WDGY as the Twin Cities first rock n roll station, it was not at all clear at the time. It has been my opinion that a big lightning storm in July 1989 was an excuse for the station to shut down operation. It had only 250 watts. Now, were not trying to put down all-news radio stations. The new owners immediately requested permission from the FCC to change the call letters back to WMIN. Ill tell it right when I find it again. 3 Beds. The slogan was 15 KSTPTHE MUSIC STATION., The Insider made note of the change to a rock format, playing a mix of current and older top 40. Due to the re-heightened awareness of HD broadcasting on AM surrounding the October 27, 2020 FCC vote to approve voluntary all-digital broadcasting by AM stations, WDGY resumed an HD Radio signal on November 17, 2020. The agency negotiated non-cancellable contracts with all eight of the Twin City Stations. . The station finally landed at the great 1130 on March 24, 1941, when all of the local stations were repositioned. Storz also ended the affiliation with the Mutual network. In 1973-75 Chuck Knapp and Charlie Bush in the morning, Machine Gun Kelly and others livened things up. WDGY- Don Martin contributed this undated photo from late 60's - early 70's, Don Martin contibuted this October 16, 1974 article on Twin Cities morning radio shows. We were on the air. On October 16, 1964, Will Jones announced that: Jazzman Rio Pardo has undertaken a new KUXL show, heard at 10:30 am each Saturday and Sunday, called Flying Along With Rio. He stresses soul-jazz and airs a bulletin-board feature for the Negro community. They built their studio on Stinson Blvd. She was awarded a free turkey along with the very important can of cranberry sauce. So stunned were most of us, the gravity of situation was difficult to grasp. The baffles failed. One more testament to the sheer effective radiated power in WDGYs nighttime lobe. The music was my kind of music, actuallyother than classical music. This aircheck in two parts is presented un-scoped. Two of them, a married couple, were from Minneapolis, and they had a loaded submachine gun in the trunk of their car and a .45 pistol under the seat. If he had opened that door, the back draft would have engulfed the engineer in flame. But that was overnights (considered a throwaway daypart by management) on a 50,000 watt station that reached from Canada to Cuba. Bob Short bought the station from Buckley Broadcasting in early (in or before March) 1978. The mother of all remotes was when several people from the station took over the Ebony Lounge, which was located in St. Paul over Roadbuddys Barbeque. Soon they added Monday Night Sports Talk with Reusse and Soucheray but continued to play music until news and talk completely took over in August 1981. ( Minnesota Supreme Court Justice? 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