Other longtime DJs who carved out unique niches in local radio included Gene Shay (Ivan Shaner, 1935-2020), who hosted folk music shows on a number of different Philadelphia radio stations from 1962 to 2015 (and who helped found the Philadelphia Folksong Society and Philadelphia Folk Festival); Sid Mark (Sidney Mark Fliegelman, 1933?-2022), who featured the music of Frank Sinatra on various local stations since the 1950s; and David Dye, a veteran of Philadelphia rock radio who since 1991 hosted WXPNs World Caf, a daily alternative music show syndicated to over 250 stations nationwide. Dhol Players; Dancers; Lighting; Musicians; TVs & Projectors; Custom Music Mixes; Photo Booths; Rentals; Network, Address: 1010 N Hancock St, Philadelphia, PA 19123 [46], The practice of dancing to recorded music at record hops hosted by radio DJs in the 1950s influenced the emergence of the discotheque and modern club DJs who would later specialize in mixing a continuous flow of recorded music for live audiences. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_radio_disc_jockeys&oldid=1118888265, This page was last edited on 29 October 2022, at 14:40. Many wrote and delivered the commercials themselves, talking the place of advertising agencies who formerly executed these responsibilities. The station is known for the wide variety of music it plays, including adult alternative and singer-songwriter styles, as well as folk, jazz, avant-garde, and new music from artists across the country and around the world. Georgie Woods. Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio. Phone: (267) 614-1895 Miss P went on to the be the first reggae DJ on Radio 1. Joe and the rest of the band were so wonderful and easy to work with. Specializing in all things modern, RhythMix offers customized lighting options, drapery, and creative dcor concepts. Listen to radio stations from Philadelphia PA, from a wide variety of genres like Oldies, Pop, RnB, Rock and Top 40. We booked lighting, musicians and drapery through them and helped transform our reception space! It was not common knowledge that WLAC DJs were white until the mid-1960s. Here are my top 14 Philly DJs to watch for: Michael The Lion. . 10 1. "One of America's two great radio stations!" May 2nd, 1960. DJ Diamond Kuts is a radio DJ, tour DJ and producer from Philadelphia. Kat sang during our cocktail hour and I cant say enough about her! But the decline of local media changed the face of Black Talk . Its the smiles and gratitude from the crowds they entertain that motivates them to provide exceptional service time and time again. . Sid Mark first began airing his Friday with Frank show for WHAT-FM in 1957 focusing on the music of Frank Sinatra and in 2016 continued to host the show on WPHT as Sunday with Sinatra. 17 reviews. We had trouble picking songs and he guided us through and made it so easy. The long-time shock jock, Don Imus, is worth an estimated $35 million. Oct 28, 2016. Phase 2 DJS. Jack McCarthy is a music historian who regularly writes, lectures, and gives walking tours on Philadelphia music history. Gene Shay started his career at WHAT in 1962the same year in which he founded the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Kids all over the Midwest left their radios on 890, turned them on after school, and waited for darkness. [36], In the 1950s, radio disc jockeys from local and regional radio stations took advantage of their popularity and augmented their income by playing records and performing as master of ceremonies at teen dance parties called sock hops or record hops. They reflected national and local musical trends, exposed audiences to new music, and in some cases produced records and managed artists. Half a century ago, the transistor radio was a teenager's lifeline to pop music. And just an overall great guy as well. To be fair to Murray, who became Brucie's main competition in New York, he had close ties to John, Paul, George and Ringo. We got an affordable dj AND photography package here. 11. with Nestico DJ-ing as Lady Prowl and holding a radio show on underground station RWD.FM, . 7. Once upon a time, radio DJs were influential tastemakers in the music industry who chose all of the music for their own shows and could break an act into the mainstream with a few spins of the turntable. Most radio stations had an orchestra or band on the payroll. [60] Most major U.S. cities operated a full-time rhythm and blues radio station, and as African Americans traveled the country they would spread the word of their favorite radio personalities. A-Trak. DJ Ravi Jackson. Greater New York City Area. Ramon Bruce became a prominent DJ at WHAT (AM) in Philadelphia. The disputes were settled in 1944.[21]. Labels turned to independent promoters to circumvent allegations of payola. Then to WWRL the Big RL. Disc jockeysDJs who play music on the radiohave had a key role in shaping Philadelphia musical tastes since the 1950s. Their team has years of experience in the industry planning events and packing dance floors. My new husband and I used Rhythmix Entertainment for our Brunch Wedding on 9/15/18. While radio station WHAT never achieved the ratings of WDAS, Sonny Hopsons energy and enthusiasm were well-appreciated. 1. Veteran Philadelphia DJ; Mel 'Toxic' Taylor (WPST, WIFI), was the first DJ hired for the only 2 local shows, that would be live from Philadelphia each week. Robert Weston Smith created such an out-of-this-world persona in Wolfman Jack that he was practically a superhero of rock & roll. One of WMMRs veteran DJs, Pierre Robert, achieved local celebrity status, known not only for his music-industry experience but also as a supporter of charitable causes. . Our day was perfect and I couldnt be happier! Sarah Fuller, RhythMix worked with us throughout the entire wedding planning process and had all of our friends and family on the dancefloor all night! A triple-threat performer of song, dance and comedy, Thomas . Okay, there had to have been at least ten "fifth Beatles." Hy Lit. on The Most Influential DJs of All Time #5 . Can you recognize these stars on the cover of TV Guide in 1970? Amazing pictures. WXPNs David Dye began his career with WMMR before hosting WXPNs Sleepy Hollow in 1989 and World Cafe from 1991 to present (as of 2016). WFIL switched to rock and roll in 1966 with Boss Jocks such as Jay Cook (c. 193899), Jim Nettleton (19402009), and George Michael (19392009). They are DJs and record producers who ranked in the top 5 DJs by DJ Magazine no less than six times. John DeBella, who began his career with WMMR in the 1980s, also achieved local celebrity and a reputation as Philadelphias classic rock radio personality. Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. Sharon's expert tip: With "Chopped" winner Mackenzie . In 2005, WXPN moved to a shared space within a 40,000 square foot factory building at 3025 Walnut Street, hosting live music events inside a full-service restaurant and bar. From meeting the staff at a bridal show we knew this was gonna be the group to meet our wedding needs. [75][76], DJ Karen Begin (aka Darien O'Toole) is credited with being the first female shock jock. They welcomed my dad, a bassist his whole life, to play a few songs with them during the wedding. Flickr / Eva Rinaldi. . [14][15] The Federal Communications Commission also clearly favored live music, providing accelerated license approval to stations promising not to use any recordings for their first three years on the air. . He too would introduce a Beatles gig, at Candlestick. Cousin Brucie, Doctor Don Rose, Ron Riley, and Jim Stagg, are just a few who keep the turntables spinning through 1960s musical history. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2011. As he was quite chummy with the British quartet, he often interviewed the band, and recordings of these chats were released as records. Indeed, in July 1960, two Radio 99 DJs, Harvey Miller and Jerry Stevens, battled it out on the . 1 . Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore. [56], In 1939, Hal Jackson was the first African American radio sportscaster at WOOK-AM in Washington, DC, and later hosted The House That Jack Built, a DJ program of jazz and blues. Age: 30. DJ Dick Clark also testified before the committee, but survived, partially due to the fact that he had previously divested himself of ownership interest in all of his music-industry holdings. View history; Help. They could also negotiate which sponsors would appear on their program. 5. Stations adopted narrowly focused formats aimed at specific target audiences, with playlists that were tightly controlled and driven by market research and advertising revenue. He is also the subject of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game. Bob & Sheri. Holiday was still on the air in the early decades of the twenty-first century, as was another white DJ who regularly featured Black music and whose career was still going strong after over fifty years in Philadelphia radio: Jerry Blavat, the Geator with the Heater (1940-2023). By then, the rebellious youth market made the nightly rhythm and blues station the one they tuned to for rock and roll, as atmospherics carried the signal enabling the station to be heard throughout much of the North American continent and Caribbean islands. This photograph, published in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in 1970, captures the DJ known as The Mighty Burner behind the audio controls during one of his shows. WFIL was formed in early 1935 by the combintaion of two existing radio stations: WFI, which was placed on the air March 18, 1922 . 115 reviews. Weve received so much feedback from our guests telling us how amazing our band was and how much fun they had! This famously rowdy comedian and actor was born and raised right here in Philly! OUR GOAL: That YOU and YOUR GUESTS have a "Good Time" at Your Ev. We only had to do a simple phone call to discuss details two weeks before the wedding to finalize everything (Even though we bugged him probably 20 times throughout our two year engagement with random questions). Philadelphia: Running Press, 2011. HisHall of Fame show onWIBG dominated the Philadelphia / New Jersey area with a whopping 71% market share. While radio DJs, also known as RJs, mix and play music for their live radio audiences, club DJs perform at parties, nightclubs or music festivals. 39 verified bookings. WIFI-FM experimented with the new format briefly in late 1967, but it was in 1968 when WDAS-FM, the sister station of WDAS-AM, and WMMR adopted the style, also known as album-oriented radio, that it gained traction in Philadelphia. Website: www.gooddjscheap.com, We got an affordable dj AND photography package here. Some of the DJs included: Joe Bonadonna, Ed Sciaky, Anita, . DJs were less consequential in this new environment, exercising reduced control over what they played and how their programs were structured. The term combined "disc", referring to phonograph disc records, and "jockey", denoting the DJs practice of riding the audio gain, or alternately, riding a song to success and popularity. Of Greek origin, the two brothers grew up in the Flemish town of Willebroek. Record hops were often sponsored by radio stations as a way to promote their disc jockeys, or by record stores to promote the sale of records. Lit also lent his voice to other stations, including WDAS and WOGL, from 1989 until 2005. Phone: (215) 488-5898 5 Best Carpet Cleaning Service in Las Vegas, NV, 5 Best Delivery/Takeaway Restaurants in Detroit, MI, 5 Best Italian Restaurants in Fort Worth, TX . Thanks so much. Amazing from start to finish! Freed's career ended when it was shown that he had accepted payola, a practice that was highly controversial at the time, resulting in his being fired from his job at WABC. Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Original home of WFIL studios and American Bandstand TV show (now the Enterprise Center in 2016), Follow The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Instagram, Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Philadelphia, the Place that Loves You Back, Rock Music and Culture (Late 1960s to Present), Tuning in to the story of Philadelphia radio (WHYY, July 21, 2011), Blavat, Lamaine return to radio in South Jersey (WHYY, July 29, 2011), The 52nd annual Philadelphia Folk Festival focuses on 'Philly-centric' acts (WHYY, August 19, 2013), Growing up in love with Philly's soul radio (WHYY, February 13, 2014), Avalon, Blavat each kick in $5K to help find new home for South Philly mural (WHYY, June 11, 2015), WXPN morning host signing off after nearly 30 years (WHYY, June 24, 2015), "What is Philly without the Geator?" The urban legend was that he told an obscene joke, but the likely reason was a dispute over the advertising on his show. Phone: (215) 634-7700 Anele Mdoda. Chris Evans. Listen to Power 99; Recently Played; Get the iHeartRadio App; . Holliday oddly not the next entry on our list was also the announcer on the TV show Hullabaloo. Their goal is to work with you to create an amazing, personally crafted event that will be energetic, classy, and fun. Many Philadelphia DJs became celebrities, actively engaged and influential in the local music scene. Jonathan Simon - DJ Gatsby. Grace Kelly. Many wrote and delivered the commercials themselves, talking the . 1. While WDRE never became a true mainstream radio station in the Philadelphia radio market, the station gained a . Hopson, Sonny. They are the best! Michael Waks. Ranked 1 of America's Top DJs / RealDJVybe com. For this, he is yet another to have earned the title "fifth Beatle." During the Vietnam War, United States Air Force sergeant Adrian Cronauer was a notable Armed Forces Radio disc jockey whose experiences later inspired the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam starring Robin Williams as Cronauer. Kae Williams hosted shows on WDAS, WHAT, and WCAM, and also wrote for the Philadelphia Tribune in the 1940s. Mentored by the acclaimed DJ Lisa Love, he knew he found his calling the first time he scratched on a turntable. ), Hy Lit and Joe Niagara on air for WIBG's Nostalgia Kick, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. WHTZ 100.3 FM (New York, NY) 6. A certified archivist, he directs a project for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania focusing on the archival collections of the regions many small historical repositories. To help you find the best DJ located near you in Philadelphia, our team at Kevs Best put together our own list based on this rating points list. #15. We had such an exceptional experience!! Famous philadelphia radio djs. He would later relocate to Los Angeles and introduce the Fab Four at their Hollywood Bowl gig. gonna post one here. Go beyond the typical Top 40 . "[82] Such format changes as well as the rise of new music distribution models such as MP3 and online music stores led to the demise of radio DJs reputation as trendsetters and "hit makers" who wielded considerable influence over popular music. Band Leader Corey and the Pop Philly band were so professional and went out of their way to make our reception perfect! [41][42], During the 1950s, Cleveland radio DJ Bill Randle personalized his own style of record hops called "Randle Romps" which he used to gauge the reactions of teenagers to new records he wished to promote while on the air. Which disc jockey did you listen to? The first major United States Senate payola investigation occurred in 1959. The top rated DJs in New York are: DJ Dave Swirsky - Expressway Music DJ NYC. Its your engineer, Jocko, your Ace from Outer Space, way up here in the stratosphere, we gonna holler mighty loud and clear. This photograph captures the disc jockey duo at the Blues Music Associations Awards Presentation at Philadelphias Union Hall in 1984. Can you fill in these blank classic TV episode titles with the correct foods? In the early radio age, content typically included comedy, drama, news, music, and sports reporting. We were concerned about how to balance out a brunch mid afternoon wedding with music, but Brandon handled it all. From meeting the staff at a bridal show we knew this was gonna be the group to meet our wedding needs. Programming decisions became the responsibility of station program directors. However a combination of financial pressures and new technology such as voice tracking and the Portable People Meter (PPM) began to have negative effects on the role of radio DJs beginning in the late 1990s, prompting one radio program manager to comment, "There was a time when the top 40 format was ruled by legends such as Casey Kasem, or Wolfman Jack, and others who were known for both playing the hits and talking to you. Q102 is Philly's #1 Hit Music Station: With Elvis Duran and the Q102 Morning Show, Rach on the Radio, and Bex & Buster! In today's world, with streaming services and digital music, an ocean of music is at your fingertips. [29], Bob Smith (aka Wolfman Jack) began his career as an announcer on XERF located in Mexico and became an influential DJ who advocated for African American music on his long running rock and roll radio show. 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