Monday, April 13, 2009

Greatest Disk Jockey Ever?

When I was a kid I remember listening to Jackson Armstrong on WKBW back when that station was one of the most powerful in the country (both in transmission wattage-- they could be heard all up and down the east coast-- and in breaking hit records). They had a lot of great personalities at the time, but maybe the best, and certainly the wildest, was Armstrong. A few years a go, after the station came back to music after years as all-talk (to which they've recently returned), Armstrong once again became their evening jock, and it was a kick to become re-acquaited with his unique style. This clip is from a return engagement with a station in Cleveland, but it's pretty much the same way he sounded in Buffalo (and I'm sure all the other places he stopped during his long, itinerant career).



I'd be interested in hearing your memories of the good old days of personality radio (which sadly doesn't seem to exist anymore in too many places), if you're inclined to share in the comments.

4 comments:

Lil' Sis said...

As you are looking for stories about the personalities of old... I remember this guy on WKBW (I think) who was their morning DJ playing top 40 songs. Unfortunately I cannot remember his name but he was always looking for participation and put out these "calls" for people to come up with the ideas that he then rated and gave the winner tickets to sports, concerts, dinner whatever.
I remember him because one morning he put a call out for the best personal ad.. I came up with one and actually got through to him, he liked it so much he read it out over the air. I didn't win but all day long at school kids were coming up to me to tell me they heard my "ad" on the radio and thought it was cool. The ad? As I remember it was "Local apple farmer looking for a wife to raise small MacIntoshes" Lame as I see it now but it made me a small celebrity for a day ;)
Lil' Sis

John Hajduk said...

Lil Sis,
Was it Danny Neaverth? He was the long-time morning guy on KB. Before that it was Stan Roberts (and this sounds a bit more like a Stan Roberts bit to me).
Dr. John

Lil' Sis said...

Yeah that's the one - Stan Roberts
Thanks
Lil' Sis

John Hajduk said...

I wonder if that was when Roberts was at WGR-- also a top 40 station at the time. He must've left KB around 1970 or 71, and came back to Buffalo a couple years later at 'GR. Boy, back then there were great personalities all over the dial!
Dr. John