WOGL Philadelphia Big Ron O'Brien 2002 California Aircheck Video

No matter what format it was, Big Ron O'Brien was a master. Here he is from 2002 playing Oldies on WOGL Philadelphia. Full video available from California Aircheck on Video #93 californiaairch...

[@BartlettTFD]

Young people today have no clue just how great radio was back in the day. Some DJ’s were as great as the music❗️

[@yolandajohnson8685]

Beautifully said. I miss radio from back in the day.

[@boeing757pilot]

So true. Great times..

[@RailfanParadise]

As a teen at the time I write this comment, I can actually agree with what you’re saying via this solid proof through the DJ’s on this channel.

[@djwildbill2008]

I miss this kind of "in your face" radio! I realize programmers today want more conversational announcing but this kind of radio is exciting!!

[@paulwalker1443]

You could tell he loved what he was doing. And he did it well!

[@q95oldies57]

One of the greats. Worked all over.

[@louisb5563]

I am originally from Phila., raised in West Chester and I just LOVE this! I never saw his face so it's great seeing Big Ron "do his thing"! 👍😃👌

[@PaulOSteen1207]

Had the pleasure of speaking to him on the phone many times. Always a great guy to talk to and listen ...we will ALWAYS miss you Ron!!!

[@ChuckRowe]

That's a great video. Love the energy.

[@okguy1282]

Big Ron was funny and cool back in Los Angeles on 102.7 Kiss FM. Rest in Peace brother.

[@yolandajohnson8685]

Big Ron's very last song he played on air was "Go All The Way" by The Raspberries

[@vladilive]

Wonderful! R.I.P O'BRIEN.

[@johnstevens9978]

Big Ron had stops in NY, Chicago, LA, Philly, Atlanta, Denver, what a great career and a talented D.J. Thanks for posting it.

[@Channel-cm7yc]

John Stevens yep he started out life and began his great career in my fair and humble city Des Moines Iowa 👍👍 proud of his work!!

[@MegaRadio90]

Big Ron's impeccable timing served him VERY well through out his career!

[@will89687]

You can't be a jock in that era without the Sony MDR-V6 cans! RIP Big Ron...

[@fhowland]

Those are 7506 and they’re still omnipresent today !

[@ApartmentKing66]

He keeps a good eye on his levels. I saw him adjust his pots whenever the needles bounced a little too far to the right.

[@thewkovacs316]

the cool thing is to watch a dj work his own board...a craft now lost

[@Blogdeunoperador]

What a pro.

[@joeferaco9896]

This guy was everywhere

[@rickvia8435]

That GREAT AM sound - on FM..!

[@KDJW5]

God, I missed those days. Motown, Beatles, Beach Boys... Radio is never the same. David Washington-KDJW5

[@amfm889]

3:40 Love the head-bop to the Beach Boys intro!

[@philadelphiaman]

He came to WOGL on october 8 2001

[@jrvox]

The best !!!

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Poor old Ron, he just kept getting bigger and bigger as he got older, but still one of the greats!!! Though, he sure floated from coast to coast....

[@markcampbell9784]

I met Big Ron in 1967 as h worked at his high school station in Des Moines. He was good then & only got better. Heckuva nice guy.

[@MegaRadio90]

MARK CAMPBELL yep KDPS it was and is still here. He started to fly on 93.3 KYNA FM before he left Des Moines in 1972, to what most folks saw him as later in the rest of the country. Tremendous talent beyond anything!

[@markcampbell9784]

Actually, he was at Indianola, then went to KUDL in KC. KYNA, one of the least remembered radio stations ever. Way ahead of its time.

[@aaronkelly1008]

Love It

[@miketheshanmanmangan]

high Energy at it's Best The late Ron O'Brien was one of the best.Neverthelss No one and I mean no one can ever touch the greatest top 40 personality to ever work in Philly the late George Gimpel(King George Michael at WFIL Famous 56)

[@KCGeno]

Remember him well from Super 'CFL!

[@prestongaylor1232]

This is super awesome indeed :-)

[@adriancressy8363]

that was long ago. Today's kids don't even know what a radio is!!!!!!!!!!

[@HeadsetGuy]

Anyone know what jingle package(s) this station used? The weather jingle was famously used for WCBS-FM New York, and I also remember it from WJMK Chicago. I'm pretty sure it was from JAM, but I don't know the package name. I also heard a few jingles that I don't remember hearing anywhere before.

[@ApartmentKing66]

WOGL, formerly WCAU-FM.

[@yolandajohnson8685]

I miss talking to him over the phone

[@RandyOnTheRadio]

I have to laugh. Not at Ron, but the equipment. This was 2002, and PHILLY was still using carts, etc.? I did a year at Oldies 106 in Mobile, Alabama, (way smaller market, than Philly), and that was in 1998, and all of our on-air stuff was from computer. No carts, no CD's, no records, but it was still a fun-in-your-face format. I worked there for a year, and got a job in Pittsburgh next. I move to Pittsburgh, a much larger market than Mobile, Alabama... and I was back to using carts and CD's on the air. I thought, what gives? It took forever for the bigger cities to catch up technologically.

[@jonandrew52]

I was fortunate to have worked briefly with Big Ron at KKBH all 70's, no disco The Beach in San Diego. Jon Hoffman AccQTraffic. on the beach. What a nice guy and gay like me.

[@Channel-cm7yc]

Have you ever listened to him when he was on the air in Des Moines Iowa where he grew up? Late 60’s early 70’s. A total natural and pro at his craft even as a youngster. He and a group of youngster’s put a dark bankrupt FM back on the air in 1971 and that station kicked butt, but unfortunately the market wasn’t ready just as FM hadn’t quite woke up yet in Des Moines and they ran out of money, but this station was one of maybe a few that was broadcasting in Stereo back in the early 60’s so they had a hook when they put it back on the air in 1971 as a top-40.

[@boeing757pilot]

Can we verify this video is from 2002? By 2002, most major markets were no longer using carts, but they are being used here. Sure this isn't '92 or earlier?

[@georgejunak7466]

Yes, it actually was from 2002. WOGL was still using carts for several more years after that. I was told that the Chief Engineer at WOGL had to buy parts off Ebay to keep them running. It wasn't till they moved out of the TV building that WOGL went digital.

[@boeing757pilot]

Wow! That's wild. Thanks for the clarification. I thought carts were long gone by then. Great video!

[@josephthornton4206]

I was still working on carts at Clear Channel New Orleans in 2000. Many stations didn’t want to spend the money for a Scott Studio back then.

[@boeing757pilot]

@@josephthornton4206 Thanks for that info!

[@b5Bartender]

Reverb!

[@harry5352]

listen to the "Big Ron O Brien" jingle at 3:23, sounds like the same one from his KFI days !

[@detroitjack0325]

Is this the same Ron O'Brien that went by the name "Biggy" O'Brien? I remember "Biggy" O'Brien worked at WCAR in Detroit back in the '70s

[@46monkeyes]

RIP-- Ironic that his lungs were involved in his passing. How could he die from pneumonia at such a relatively young age?

[@vladilive]

Some people are prone to lung disease. And flu can cause death.

[@ramirobarajas5978]

Bad microphone covers.. I'm sorry, but it's true!!.. I dj in radio and you breathe and smell other djs crappy bacteria 🦠🧫

[@JSwan-bd1tc]

It appears he has some kind of tremor, but his voice is smooth.

[@cyrilsmith5706]

Ron woks ! $^

[@Jaime5331]

it sound like the johhny mann jingles

[@glenlilley4757]

Ron's barrd up ard

[@Underhills]

When did he go and what was the cause?

[@StephenWilson55]

2008 - pneumonia.

[@ninjask8ter]

He seemed like he was coked out or some kind of shaky disease or something.

[@edfryer8057]

what are you talking about? his hand? not even worth an explanation if you don't know why he did that.