JC Golden Oldies

[Don - N9IZU]

I was doing some research on my deep dark past and ran across this 
thread.  I was an engineer at WLLH/WSSH from 1974 - 1977 and had the 
extreme pleasure of working with JC at the 4 Broadway studios.

Lots of stories from then but since Ron Gitschier mentioned the old Gates 
turntables I'll comment on those first.  Those were indeed Gates sixteens 
and when I arrived in the Spring of '74 those guys couldn't get the platter 
to speed in less than one revolution, let alone slip cue.  I spent more 
than one Sunday maintenance period working on those beasts and finally got 
them to factory spec.  One of the DJs at the time, Dave Bailey, was so 
excited that he started slip-cueing ALL of his records just because he 
could.  As I recall, JC was pretty happy too that the records would start 
when he wanted them.

JC was hugely popular in this period -- the ONLY DJ I've EVER known who 
could pack a place on a Monday or Wednesday night.  I saw him do it more 
than once.  Jimmy was rather irascible until you got to know him but once 
you and he were friends he'd turn the earth over for you without 
question.  I remember him telling me stories about his earlier days at WPTR 
in Albany, New York and his move to WFEA in Manchester, NH where he was 
program director.  He was most proud about taking WFEA to the #1 spot in 
Manchester in the '60s by beating the pants off of WKBR.  A couple of of 
his great bits were to use jingles recorded by none other than the Quincy 
Jones orchestra and inserting news at five minutes before the hour.  The 
newsman would finish the newscast by saying, "This news is now released for 
use by other local stations." WFEA would then power back into music on the 
hour while all other stations started their news break!  What a great bit!!!
The only failing JC ever admitted to was that he, as well as a lot of other 
PDs, figured that the Beatles were a just flash in the pan...



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73,
Don Hlinsky - N9IZU
Downers Grove, IL. 60515
EN51xt
Trustee - DuPage ARC W9DUP
VE Liaison
Repeater Chair
Phone/FAX: 630-964-6258
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