Late night surfin' .........

So there I was, realizing that I haven't posted much here as of late, so I thought I'd play with some different keywords and do some Googling and see what came up. Came across alot of somewhat interesting websites, and saved tham for another day maybe.
I did find an online manual dealing with (I just skimmed it to get an idea of what it was related to) what appears to be a piece of computer equipment involved with streaming audio files in a high quality manner. Or as it says on the cover page "Audio Streaming Encoder for Windows® 2000 / XP / 2003 Server." But what caught my eye was, the dedication of it in the forward:

Several years ago, one of the most successful radio stations in North America was CKLW in Windsor/Detroit. Innovative, technically superb audio complemented “The Big 8”’s excellent execution of their Top 40 program format to give the station a big signature sound that I have never forgotten. Its striving for perfection has been an inspiration and has influenced the goals, designs, and sounds of many Orban Optimod products to this day.
If it weren’t for CKLW’s innovative audio texture and the chances that it took to expose the world to many great artists, these discoveries would never have become part of the radio and music history that they now are. Just as many of these great artists have moved on from creating hit music to fusing their old styles with newer forms such as smooth jazz, Orban is evolving by giving the world new viable broadcast technology that build on its legacy.
I dedicate this technical manual to CKLW and those who made it the reality it once was, and to Leo, my faithful dog, who was beside me, night after night and day after day in the long process of preparing this document.
As the world moves on embracing innovative ways to deliver audio to an audience,
“ladies and gentlemen, the beat goes on…” – Bill Drake, radio programmer

– Greg J. Ogonowski

CKLW's impact still being felt today, in many ways.

The manual can be found here for those of you who might have an interest in this area.

Power for the Tower

Here's a news item I found on the web awhile back, about CKLW's old Gates MW50 Transmitter. The story here is that back in 2004, CKLW replaced it, and the one they replaced was subsequently bought by WQTH, AM 720 out of Hanover New Hampshire which was just coming online. You can read the whole story here.

I'm pretty sure that this transmitter isn't the same one that powered CKLW back in the "Golden Years" (No Jay, not a reference to you) but rather it is probably the one that replaced it. Which begs the question, whatever happened to that one? I'll have to do some digging and see if anybody knows the story. Maybe Jay (Golden) knows.

Stay tuned.

Contests

Remember the great contests? "Beat the Bird Time", "Location X time", "Mission Impossible Time", "Miss Whisper", "What's Inside The Black Box"? Contests were a staple on CKLW in the late 60's. Forty years ago (give or take a week) it was "What's Inside The Black Box" It even made the cover of that weeks survey. Here it is for your viewing, along with the inside.

"Showtime" by the "Detroit Emeralds" is in at #3. I still find it amazing as I look at alot of these surveys, the "Detroit Emeralds" were constantly charting, and charting very high. "Showtime" made it up to #2. "Take Me The Way That I Am" made it up to #8. "If I Lose Your Love" peaked at #3. "Do Me Right" shot to #2. "You Want It You Got It" levelled off at #7. You get the idea. But for the life of me, I don't ever remember, and I mean ever, hearing one of their songs on the station.

Maybe they charted so high due to local buying patterns. Or maybe I was just listening at the wrong times.

Something pre-Drake.

The Beatles, Motown, The Beach Boys, the Four Seasons, Elvis, Aretha ................... that's a mix that's hard to beat at any time.

RKO was in charge, notice the General logo in the upper right hand corner.

Looks cold......

You can almost feel the cold air. Anybody know the story on this pic?

First of the "modern" surveys

Shortly after RKO decided to implement the Drake "Boss Radio" format at CKLW, with Paul Drew as the first PD, CKLW put out its "Hit Parade" Issue #1 dated April 4th 1967. It featured "The Monkees" on the cover. This was similar to the "Boss 30"s that station KHJ was using, and the surveys would stay this style until August 15, 1967 (side note, collectors concur that due to the riots in Detroit, no chart was issued on July 18 1967, Issue 16) when they switched over to the long used "psychadelic" style that was used at most all of the RKO stations. An example of this style can be seen in my blog entry below, showing Issue 140. This "psychadelic" style was used from mid 1967 all the way to the middle of December 1969. From Issue 20 all the way through Issue 141.

(Scans courtesy of Mr. Tom Howard)

Hooked

I remember CKLW fondly, from my youth. My listening began pretty much at the same time that CKLW began using the "Drake Format" around 1967 or 1968. And it ended for the most part around the same time that CKLW started to decline some as well, (due to a variety of factors, the CRTC, the increasing popularity of FM with it's inherently better sound, etc.) in the late 1970's.
My re-interest began a few years ago. Actually, around 2002. That is when I stumbled across a set of CKLW jingles. But my interest hit a whole nuther level when I found a December 1st, 1969 "Big" Jim Edwards aircheck on WinMX. I think I knew every song on that great hour, and once I heard it I was hooked. So, in honor of that momentous moment, (momentous moment?) I present the survey from that week, # 140 featuring, yup, none other than "Big" Jim Edwards. Click on the scans for the full size version.

(Scans Courtesy of Mr. Tom Howard)

Beginnings

Well, ever since the old CKLW forum on “thebig8.net” went away a few months ago, I have wanted to get another place devoted to CKLW online, and I thought that maybe a Blog would be the ticket. I can post pic’s, surveys and other items, and talk about them a bit. Maybe add some small sound files as well. What I hope to see happen, is to have some of the ex jocks contribute stories and recollections also. A few of them found their way to the old CKLW forum, hopefully I can entice some of them to share some info here as well. Looks like I had better get to posting some content so that when I have Tom Howard (Tom does stay in touch) contact them, there is something here already.

Ted “The Bear” Richards is back in the Motor City at WOMC, Dick Purtan’s there as well, looks like a mini revival is happening already……

Here we go!

And the hits, just keep on coming!