WMAL Radio 63 Washington DC February 3, 1971

[@halgreen85]

What a kick! I was GM at WMAL, 1970-1974. We just had a reunion at the WMAL-AM transmitter site. Little changed. Frank Harden was there at age 91 and so was Tom Gauger and Len Deibert. Had a great time. I am 87 now.

[@thespeez]

From what I understand, Frank Harden is now almost 95. He left the station in 1998, so I'm told.

[@kathleenblack9735]

I grew up on WMAL. As a kid, had to be out of the house for school by the time the march came on at (I think) 7:25 am. I have a 20 minute recording of some of WMAL's theme music that I got off the Internet somewhere years ago. Every so often I still listen to "That's why we like to be in Washington, DC." Thanks for this.

[@gigyoung1983]

Identical to the time I had to go out to the bus stop for school…FORWARD MARCH!!! I’m 54.

[@sharpasaneraser]

Thanks a ton for uploading this classic piece of DC radio nostalgia. Those were the days.

[@WSenator1]

Brings back a lot of good memories. Coincidence: I had thought about WMLA back in the 70s, and their lineup. A few years later, they added sports talk show host Ken Beatrice, and made the station even better! Thanks for the post.

[@steveember8972]

Thanks for this rich time capsule. I remember WMAL from this era - indeed from 1965 onward when I moved to Washington for university. You salvaged well from your deteriorating tapes. BTW, ABC certainly had some great sounding newscasters in the day - good to hear Bob Windsor again. Classy gal in the Bayer Aspirin commercial!

[@JohnKelm]

Glad you enjoyed it, Hal! My listening years were 1968-1979 - MAL was simply the best! Thanks!

[@michaeljudge5027]

So wonderful, thanks for the memories!

[@JaxAunt]

Thank you and please post more! :)

[@JohnKelm]

You're welcome. I wish I had recorded a lot more back then!

[@gjsherr]

From back in the day, right before my household moved from NYC. The news of the war in Viet Nam hit a little close.

[@EnergeticWaves]

Great Stuff!! I remember that place and that radio station.

[@nickellodeon55]

Bob Windsor...a name I'd forgotten from the Information network.

[@WindySphere]

I would be very grateful if there were any recording made of the shows, like Harden and Weaver, during that time. Is there any old library or such, or are there any recordings held by an engineer at home?

[@JohnKelm]

If you haven’t already seen them, I have a few others here on YT. Here’s one that includes Harden & Weaver from 1970. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHq6kqStmKt8bLc

[@samglass2004]

When people were alive no cellphones real news and every read books and were close to their family’s great times

[@samglass2004]

T

[@randymillhouse791]

I love you MOM!

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

This was a few years before ABC would buy WMAL. I believe it happened in 1977.

[@USNAVDC]

Great to hear this again. Does anyone remember "Felix Grant in the Evening?" Anyone remember WPIK/WXRA Country Radio?

[@rockvilleraven]

It was after Sportscall with Ken Beatrice, I can't believer that Bernie Streeter'ss Arby's restaurants sales went up even when Ken used to say (for health reasons) "I don't like curly fries, I don't eat curly fries, I heard they're good" Felix's show was known as the "Album Sound".

[@USNAVDC]

Felix Grant and a million-dollar voice for radio! Smooooooth.

[@robinkeiger2208]

I sure do!!! Thanks so much for this!!

[@ChrisSpil]

Absolutely. I think Felix Grant moved over to WRC AM 980 around 1984. And, yes sure - WPIK 730 in Alexandria (WPKX, effective 1980)

[@thespeez]

@21:23 Could we get a list of names - left to right?

[@Jetman737ER]

Does anybody have the WMAL station identification songs of the '70's and '80's?

[@MCJC8226]

Programming at it's best.

[@mooseriddle]

This the radio station Mom had on in the kitchen every morning growing up. Morning March meant get your asses outside, so you don't miss the school bus.

[@stevenking2980]

Plante the Truth!

[@thespeez]

I didn't realize the MOR-formatted stations of the day played more cover-versions like the easy-listening stations of the 1970s and '80s. I thought more of said stations would play more music by the old crooners (Sinatra, Como, Ames, Damone, Martino. etc.) and 'croonettes' (i.e. Patti Page Rosemary Clooney, Vikki Carr, etc)

[@JohnKelm]

Two weeks ago I was in Northern Virginia and punched up WMAL while on the Beltway. Totally un-listenable garbage now. A typical shouter and ranter station that has grown all too prevalent. Listening to this vintage broadcast reminds us of what a "uniter" WMAL once was, attracting a broad audience. Now, however it and its ilk only serve to artificially divide us - we are truly the poorer for it. We need to turn this crap off.

[@thespeez]

They still have listeners. Do you REALLY think a Full-Service/Personality-MOR formatted station could reemerge in today's day and age?

[@greggsheaffer2521]

The music is awful

[@libertyann439]

This was before music got loud, unmelodious and sounded like people throwing car parts against a garage door.

[@normrosen9404]

What a ridiculously unhip, boring, sleepy station

[@JohnKelm]

Yeah, it was great! Thanks!