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Saturday, February 26, 2011

BOSTON RADIO: 1920-2010 by Donna Halper is a must read

BOSTON RADIO: 1920-2010
Author: Donna L. Halper

ISBN: 9780738574103

# of Pages: 128
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
On Sale Date: 02/21/2011


I saw this book at the Harvard Coop last night and it is a trip back into time when radio was a much bigger part of our daily life than it is today.

When I was a teenager I would listen to stations like WMEX and WBZ as often as I could and for sports WHDH was the home of the Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins. DJ's such as Arnie Ginsberg, Bruce Bradley, Dick Summer and others became 'close' friends. In sports I would live and die listening to Curt Gowdy, Ned Martin (Red Sox) Fred Cusick and Bob Wilson (Bruins) and Johnny Most (Celtics).

I learned so much listening to talk shows from hosts such as Jerry Williams, Bob Kennedy, Steve Fredricks and Jim Westover. Talk radio then was not filled with the hate that we have today. A host may not agree with a caller but they would debate them rationally.


Book Description:
Boston's radio history begins with pioneering station 1XE/WGI, one of America's first radio stations, and includes the first station to receive a commercial license, WBZ; the first FM radio network, W1XOJ and W1XER; and one of the first news networks, the Yankee News Service. Nationally known bandleaders like Joe Rines and Jacques Renard were first heard on Boston radio, as was one of the first weathercasters, E. B. Rideout. The city has been home to a number of legendary announcers, such as Bob and Ray, Arnie Ginsburg, Dick Summer, Dale Dorman, and Charles Laquidara; talk show giants like Jerry Williams and David Brudnoy; and sports talkers like Eddie Andelman and Glenn Ordway. Many Boston radio personalities, such as Curt Gowdy, "Big Brother" Bob Emery, Don Kent, and Louise Morgan, found fame on television but first established themselves on Boston's airwaves. Since 1920, Boston radio has remained vibrant, proving that live and local stations are as important as ever.
The pictures I have added are from various internet sources but if they bring back memories then you MUST buy this book. A big thanks to Donna Halper who obviously loves radio and the history behind it.


Jerry Williams WMEX - WBZ - WRKO

Larry Glick WMEX - WBZ - WHDH

WBZ lineup 1967
WBZ staff - mid 1960s
Bob and Ray WHDH 1950

Jess Cain WHDH

Norm Nathan WHDH - WBZ
Norm Nathan CD Cover Image
The Sports Huddle - WUNR -WBZ - WEEI - WHDH
Jim McCarthy, Eddie Andleman, Mark Witkin

Johnny Most - The VOICE of the Celtics

Glenn Ordway WITS, WRKO, WEEI

WBZ Music Survey 1965

WMEX Music Survey 1966

WRKO Music Survey January 1968

Ken Mayer WBOS-WUNR WO9-8989


WBCN 1968-2009


2 comments:

Bob Drake said...

Ah, back when radio had thoughtful, interesting people.

I loved the photos, the young Jerry Williams and Larry Glick and especially the audio of Ken Mayer.

With the exception of NPR and some college stations, commercial radio gave up the ghost years ago with lowest common denominator programming and talent.

HarryFromMA said...

NPR? Yeah - really interesting & colorful. Comatose radio. Snoozeville, man.
As exciting as watching wet paint dry.