Dick Summer reveals the REAL father of classic rock radio inBoston

[A. Joseph Ross]

On 31 Jul 2006 at 15:09, Rick Kelly wrote:

> "Here's a quick summation of my experiences in New York State's fabled
> Capitol District, beginning with being a listener of a fellow named
> Earle Pudney (!) who played the piano and did mornings at WGY, which
> was the only station we could get in North Creek NY in the
> Adirondacks, where I spent my soph & junior HS years.  This was in
> 1948-49 when I was 14 and 15.  

I remember Earle Pudney in the morning in the mid-1950s, when I was 
in grammar school.  He also had a regular show on WRGB-TV.  

> In 1951, WTRY was the hottest radio station in the Tri-cities
> by far.  They had CBS radio, which meant Arthur Godfrey, who was as
> hot then as Oprah is now.  They had a first-class news operation,
> PLUS, the announcers came to work in business suits (there were no
> women on the air) and TWO count 'em TWO guys did the 30 sec break
> between net shows.  One did the station ID, the other guy read the
> spot.

Sometime around 1955, or maybe 1956, there was a major shift of radio 
network affiliations in the Albany area.  CBS went from WTRY to WROW, 
leaving WTRY without a network affiliation.  ABC went from WROW to 
WPTR.  And Mutual went from WPTR to WOKO.  The only network that 
stayed put was NBC on WGY.

> Paul Flanagan was a painfully shy guy, I tried unsuccessfully (by
> annoying the hell out of him with constant phone calls)to mentor me
> but he just wouldnt.  

I remember Paul Flanagan on WTRY, and then he moved to WPTR sometime 
in 1956, I think.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
 15 Court Square, Suite 210                 Fax 617.742.7581
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