Whistle Is Your Work

88-year-old Earle Hagen died on Memorial Day.

Hagen's name may not be well known, but he's responsible for the theme songs of many of TV's biggest shows, including two of the best sitcoms of the 1960s, The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Dukes of Hazzard which ran from 1979 to 1985.

In case you were unaware, Hagen was the whistler on the Griffith Show theme. Did you think it was Ronny Howard or Otis The Drunk?

Jeff over at AM, Then FM has a more detailed tribute to Hagen. Check it out.

The Big 89 Rewind 2008: Records Truly Is His Middle Name

John Records Landecker was once one of the top jocks at WLS. I was able to record his entire 4 hour show during the 2nd Annual Big 89 Rewind, but edited it down to 1 1/2 hours. The only song I kept in its entirety was "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide" by The Kings, which reached #43 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1980 and is one of my favs.

You can hear Boogie Check during the last 30 minutes of the aircheck, but no Americana Panorama. At the beginning is the last few minutes of Bill Bailey's show and the start of Jeff Davis' show is featured at the end.

The Big 89 Rewind 2008: Uncle Lar & Lil Tommy

I was able to record the last 20 minutes of Uncle Lar & Lil Tommy on The Big 89 Rewind 2008. Included is a segment of Animal Stories, along with the beginning of Fred Winston's show.

Fast Trax 11

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 10:

1. I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats
2. Drive – The Cars
3. Juke Box Hero – Foreigner
4. Lovin’ Every Minute Of It – Loverboy
5. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
6. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? – Shania Twain

The winner...Shark. He got 5 out of 6 correct. I guess he LIKES Monday's. :)----------

In honor of The Big 89 Rewind on Memorial Day, this week's contest takes on a different twist. You have to name the jock, the station, and, if possible, the year of the aircheck. If you can't guess #6, your 3rd Class Ticket is revoked.

Fast Trax 11

Who says you can't go home again...and again?

Some of the greatest stars of the Top 40 heyday of WLS are returning for the 2nd Annual Big 89 REWIND. Set your alarm clocks for 5 a.m. in the Midwest or 3 a.m. in the Valley of the Sun on Monday, as the Citadel Broadcasting station will host a 19-hour Memorial Day flashback to its pre-talk era.

Guest jocks include Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, Chuck Knapp, Fred Winston, John Records Landecker, Bill Bailey and Jeff Davis. Returning news anchors will be Lyle Dean, Catherine Johns, Karen Hand, Jeff Hendrix and Gil Gross, along with sportscaster Les Grobstein.

What? No Turi Ryder? I am shocked and outraged!

(Thanks to Bob Feder of the Chicago Sun-Times for the scoop.)

Fast Trax 10

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 9:

1. Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor
2. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) – Sly & the Family Stone
3. War – Edwin Starr
4. Gypsy Woman – Brian Hyland
5. Love On A Two-Way Street – The Moments
6. Love Land – Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

The winner was Shark, who got 4 out of 6 correct. The last two were challenging, to say the least.

This week, we give a listen to a six pack from one of the greatest record producers of all-time, Robert "Mutt" Lange. Sadly, his wife decided to end their marriage after 14 years. Happily, she's one of our featured artists.

Fast Trax 10

Fast Trax 9

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 8:

1. Pain – Type O Negative
2. Anesthesia – Type O Negative
3. Give Me Novacaine/She’s A Rebel – Green Day
4. Pulling Teeth – Green Day
5. Tooth, Fang & Claw – Ted Nugent
6. Yank Me, Crank Me – Ted Nugent

The winner was Noah Body. BTW, my oral surgery was successful. I really enjoyed my prescription for vicodin.

This week, we visit the Super CFL charts of 1970. Good luck!

Fast Trax 9

2008 National Radio Hall of Fame

Voting is open for this year's crop of nominees hoping to gain induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame at a gala on Saturday, November 8 at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel. For the first time ever, voting is free to the general public at http://www.radiohof.org/ and lasts until Tuesday, July 15 at midnight (EDT) with winners announced shortly afterwards. In 2004, I had to buy a membership to the HOF just to vote in Larry Lujack.

Here are the 2008 categories and corresponding nominees:

National Pioneer Category
Art Bell
Ralph Emery
Barry Farber
Gang Busters

National Active Category
Bob Costas
Focus On The Family (Dr. James Dobson)
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Howard Stern

Local Pioneer Category
Gary Burbank
Harry Kalas
Charlie Tuna
Jim Zabel

Local Alive Category
Howie Carr
Steve Dahl
Bob Grant
Ronn Owens

Without revealing my votes and influencing the outcome, I feel the need to point out some interesting tidbits about this year's cast of characters.

In the National Active Category, you've got NBC's Bob Costas, turned down by Keebler during his elf audition, up against a supposed doctor, Laura Schlessinger, battling against Howard Stern and his Private Parts. Do you think Focus On The Family stands a chance? Maybe next year, Dr. Dobson.

If Stern and Steve Dahl both win induction in 2008, is the dais large enough for their massive egos together in one room? I don't think so.

On a more serious note, the Local Pioneer Category was the most difficult choice for me. You've got Cincinnati's favorite son, Gary Burbank, matched against Harry Kalas, whose voice evokes memories of the late John Facenda, pitted against the legendary disc jockey Charlie Tuna, who has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, going up against the former long-time voice of Iowa Hawkeyes football, Jim Zabel. Kalas and Tuna remain active, full-time broadcasters, while Burbank retired from radio at the end of 2007 and Zabel is still on WHO in Des Moines during the football season from his home in Arizona.

After the vote is in, I may tell you who I voted for. Then again....

Uncle Lar's NAB HOF Acceptance Speech

Here is Larry Lujack's National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame acceptance speech, courtesy of John Rook and The New Radio Star. Typical Uncle Lar.

Brett Favre - Tribute To A Legend

I got this Sports Illustrated Special Collector's Edition "Brett Favre - Tribute To A Legend" Limited Issue #007470 in the mail on Saturday. I'll miss seeing him peform on Sunday's, but I'll never forget him.

Fast Trax 8

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 7:

1. Hot For Teacher – Van Halen
2. Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy – Bad Company
3. Something About You – Boston
4. Roll Me Away – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
5. Space Cowboy – Steve Miller Band
6. Train Kept A Rollin’ – Aerosmith

Shark got all five artists correct, but just missed songs #3 & #6. Nice try, buddy.

This week, in honor of getting all four of my wisdom teeth pulled, we've got 6 songs from 3 artists dealing with fun at the dentist. Bite me!

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Love & The Rocket

Mindy McCready was once a talented country music artist, who seemingly had her whole life ahead of her. She is the former, future Mrs. Dean Cain of Superman fame.

McCready's 1996 album, Ten Thousand Angels, went double-platinum and featured her #1 Country hit, "Guys Do It All The Time." The follow-up LP, If I Don't Stay The Night, was certified gold. Since then, her career has gone into a tailspin.

I won't go into all the gory details of her life, but now she is being linked to a long-term relationship that began when she was 15 years old with then 29-year old Roger Clemens when he pitched for the Boston Red Sox.

As if either of these two had enough problems in life. Next stop, court.

Fast Trax 7

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 6:

1. I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls
2. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
3. Venus – Bananarama
4. Shattered Dreams – Johnny Hates Jazz
5. She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
6. Shock The Monkey – Peter Gabriel

Bravo to Steed who got all 6 correct. I don't believe his first name is John nor does he have a consort named Emma Peel.

This week's feature is a dose of classic rock. Best of luck!

Fast Trax 7

Today, while listening to a radio station that streams on the Internet, I heard a friend doing vacation relief on a Midwestern Classic Rock station. This person has a great set of pipes and a tremendous passion for music.

Unfortunately, this aircheck would not rate a “Finest Hour” nomination. While attempting to record a phone call off the air, my friend must have thrown the wrong switch. You could hear a phone being dialed over top of the song being played and the recording on the other end, “This number is disconnected or out of service.” This was followed by my friend exclaiming, “Damn it!” and redialing the call with the same result.

I don’t know if my friend knew this went out over the air, but my friend will now. If only I had recorded the gaffe on my computer's hard drive.... Oh well, such is life.

(The person’s identity and station call letters are withheld to protect the guilty.)

Tomorrow is Record Store Day. Patronize your local independently owned purveyors of fine vinyl as they are "celebrating the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local communities and nationally."

Otherwise, you might get a visit from Deep Purple's Ian Gillian, who offers this cautionary note, "Buy real records in real shops, or I'll come round your house and scream at your mother."

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 5:

1. Xanadu – Rush
2. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
3. The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys – Traffic
4. Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield
5. Green Grass and High Tides (Live) – The Outlaws
6. Free Bird (Live) – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Unfortunately, no one guessed all six songs and artists. Shark came the closest with 4 out of 6, missing #1 & #5.

This week, we're going for some Brit Pop. Cheerio!

Fast Trax 6

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 4:

1. Betta Knock – Playaz Circle
2. Sexual Eruption (Sensual Seduction) – Snoop Dogg
3. Party Like A Rock Star – Shop Boyz
4. Yahhh! – Soulja Boy Tell’em
5. Take You There – Sean Kingston
6. Damaged – Danity Kane

The winner was Dee.

Our new six-pack includes the DJ's best friend--tunes over 10 minutes with one over 25!

Fast Trax 5

How should America eliminate illegals?
Ask Ted Nugent.

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 3:

1. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? – Shania Twain
2. Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love) – Waylon Jennings
3. Valentine – Martina McBride
4. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash
5. Fancy – Reba McEntire
6. She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy – Kenny Chesney

The winner was Noah Body, again.

This week features six urban hits.

Fast Trax 4

Another WLS-alum returns to the airwaves as Brant Miller is tabbed for morning drive at Chicago’s 94.7 FM, True Oldies. Starting Monday, the WMAQ-Channel 5 weather forecaster replaces Scott Mackay at WZZN-FM on the 6 to 10 a.m. shift.

Miller was at The Big 89 and its FM counterpart, which became WZZN, from 1977 to 1991. While still in radio, Miller segued into weather forecasting in 1989 at WFLD-Channel 32.

With two gigs, Miller will be a rock 'n' roll disc jockey by day and a TV weather dude by night.