Re: First in FM Rock in Boston......

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

I have a very strong recollection of the old MIT station (which was called
WTBS back in the 60s) playing album rock long before any of the professional
stations.  Peter can tell me if it was ahead of Arko-matic... it had a
really great air-staff, many of whom ended up on WBCN... whatever happened
to "Uncle T" anyway??? He was one of the best college jocks I ever heard,
and lightyears ahead of his time... (Tom Gamache, I believe his real name
was.)  

As for firsts in Boston to play top-40, here as in most markets, my
recollection is that there was no *sudden* shift to top-40, based on what I
have seen from old playlists.  Stations cautiously and gradually added in
more and more pop, and let one d.j. test out the younger music.  That was
what Arnie Ginsburg did on WBOS.  Bruce Bradley played somewhat younger
music than everyone else at WBZ. WHDH avoided rock but did play some pop
that crossed over.  WTAO and WILD-- my recollection is that Sabby Lewis, the
first black announcer that anyone seems to recall in Boston radio in the 40s
and 50s, played jazz and some rhythm and blues, but I don't recall top-40 at
WILD till about 1958; WTAO, I absolutely recall Joe Smith playing top-40;
and on WILD, I recall a guy named "Wild Man Steve" who used to say something
like "Wind it up baby!"  Does this ring any bells for anyone who was here in
the 50s?  And yes, I do recall WVDA playing some top-40... looking back at
old newspaper articles reminds me of all sorts of folks I hadn't thought
about in years...          

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