Two Vastly Different Radio Shows, Film Narration, and More!

 Howdy, folks, 

I'll start with two lengthy radio recordings, representing vastly different eras and programing. The first, and by far the more interesting of the two, is a nearly complete recording of an episode of The Grand Ole Opry Radio Show. There are some huge stars of the day (and some huge country stars of all time) represented here: Marty Robbins (the "star" of this episode), Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, and Lonzo and Oscar, among others. 

Best of all - to me at least - are the commercials for Lava Soap, specifically the jingle. But I'm a sucker for jingles. 

Perhaps someone out there can date this better than me. It's certainly from late in the year, what with the repeated mentions of Christmas, and can't be from earlier than 1965, as that's when the religious album that Loretta Lynn mentions was released. I've dated it as being from December, 1965, but wouldn't mind being corrected. Also, I can't tell if this is from a broadcast on WSM in Nashville, or if that's simply where the broadcast originated. Regardless, this seems to be a line-in recording, perhaps from the station itself. The quality is excellent.

The tape concludes with a Christmas tree safety PSA, followed by the opening 90 seconds or so of "The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree", with an indication that maybe these actually ran on Christmas Eve. 

Download: The Grand Ole Opry Radio Show, December, Possibly 1965 

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Switching genres, eras and towns, here's nearly 45 minutes from the waning days of the Chicago Top 40 / Album Oriented Rock station WDAI. More than half of this recording is the final segment of the station's "Top 20 Album Rock Countdown" 

I find a couple of things interesting here. First, one of the promos mentions that they don't play too many commercials, yet the segment captured here is positively larded with commercials. Also - presumably because one of the hit albums of the day was the "Sgt. Pepper" film soundtrack - a track from the original "Sgt. Pepper" was played, and the choice was: "She's Leaving Home". Imagine an AOR station making that choice today. 

The countdown ends at about the 30 minute point, so for the rest of the segment, you get to hear the regular programming on WDAI. For me, the commercials are by far the most interesting part. A real time capsule. 

By the way, this is from my own collection - this is a tape I made, probably in August of 1978, but possibly September. My mother later erased the earlier portions of the countdown. 

WDAI was in it's last days as a rock station. On 1/1/79, they switched to an all disco format, leading directly to the later decision, by Steve Dahl (who lost his job due to the format switch) to host "Disco Demolition Night" at Comiskey Park. 

Download: WDAI, Chicago, Album Rock Countdown, circa August, 1978

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Now, here's a peculiar tape which has been in my collection for over 30 years. It contains six pieces of music, all but the first instrumental (and that first track contains no lyrics - just a mixed group doing a variation of the sort of horrid scatting that "The Swingle Singers" polluted the airwaves with in the sixties).  

The tape is labeled "Octet II" on the side of the box. The back of the box looks like this: 

This is not my sort of music, but I'm guessing there are those out there who will find this interesting. So I'm sharing it. 

Download: Octet II - Six Songs

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Next up, yet another tape featuring narration of a presentation. But unlike the previous items I've shared of this type, this is not a slide show narration, but rather, narration of film - movies, filmed in 1963 - as can be seen in the sticker affixed to the tape: 

 

The "JWG" is the narrator, who is John W...... something. I cannot make out the last name. It sounds like this gentleman took his son and another boy, likely a close friend of his son, on a trip from Chicago to the American southwest. The label leaves no doubt anyway, but it's clear that this summer trip could have taken place no later than 1963. The story begins with a reference to the Northwest Expressway - which would be the Kennedy Expressway by the following summer.  

I'll let this play out for you, and won't spoil the story, but I will say that this is the most professional home recorded narration that I've ever heard, and this guy clearly worked to make it just about perfect. Oh, and there is one experience recounted here, in fairly gory detail, that I wouldn't wish on anyone, particularly not a teenager or pre-teen on vacation with his father or friend's father. 

I will say no more. 

Download: Slide Show Narration - Jack, Floyd and John Tour the American Southwest

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And finally, our very short reel. This five inch reel contains three 1968 commercials for "The Thunderbird Lounge", an "After midnight groovy place to go" in Las Vegas  - it was open all night! 

There is still a business by that name, but I have no idea if it's the same business that existed in 1968, or if it is, if their activities and offerings are still the same. 

These are all interesting, and definitely give up a vibe that there was something very interesting that went on at the Thunderbird Lounge, but it is the third ad, with great voice performances by Gary Owens and Stan Freberg, among others, that stands out. 

Download: Geyer-Oswald, Inc - Three Thunderbird Lounge Ads - 4-23-68

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"Acetate of the Month" will return next time.