September 6 Radio History

Morgan Beatty

➦In 1902...radio newsman Morgan Beatty was born in Little Rock Arkansas.

For many years in the 1940′s & 50′s in particular, he was a senior news broadcaster for NBC Radio based in New York. “This is Morgan Beatty speaking for Alka Seltzer bringing you news of the world! and the news tonight is…”

When TV arrived he became news anchor for the short-lived Dumont Network.

A great radio presence with natural gravitas in his voice, he died July 4 1975 at age 72.

➦In 1920...WWJ-Detroit became the first radio station to broadcast a professional boxing match. The bout was won by Jack Dempsey with a third round knockout of Billy Miske.


➦In 1959...the hit radio sitcom “Fibber McGee and Molly” ended after almost 25 years. The series was launched in 1935 in Chicago and starred Jim and Marian Jordan. For the final 2.5 years it was a series of 4-minute vignettes on NBC’s weekend service “Monitor.”


➦In 1965...Chuck Leonard started at WABC 770 AM.

From1968...

Chuck Leonard

He broke the color barrier for all who followed — the first African-American to cross over from black R&B radio to (then-mostly white) mass-appeal radio.

Leonard began in the 11 p.m. to midnight slot, and continued working late nights and Sundays at the station until November 27, 1979. He did the 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. shift following “Cousin” Bruce Morrow and later George Michael. He also gladly handled weekend and fill-in work.

Leonard was the host of "Sneak Preview," a five-minute Monday-through-Saturday evening program on ABC's American Contemporary Radio Network, which featured newly released songs. He stayed at WABC until 1979, before moving to WXLO and WRKS.

➦In 1975...Glen Campbell had the top song on this date with "Rhinestone Cowboy". Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds were still hanging around at #2 with "Fallin' in Love".  K.C. and the Sunshine Band's former #1 "Get Down Tonight" was at #3 with Janis Ian moving up three with "At Seventeen".  The rest of the Top 10:  James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", the Bee Gees with their former #1 "Jive Talkin'", David Bowie with his biggest career hit "Fame" at #7, the Isley Brothers and "Fight the Power", Barry Manilow's adaptation of Frederic Chopin ("Could It Be Magic") moved into the Top 10 and the former #1 from the Eagles--"One of These Nights" was #10.


➦In 1975...Red Octopus completed an amazing comeback for Jefferson Starship, rising to the #1 album.  Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy by Elton John fell to 2 while Janis Ian enjoyed the biggest album of her career with Between the Lines.  The Eagles held steady at #4 with One of These Nights.


➦In 1985...singer Johnny Desmond, who sang with the big bands of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa & Bob Crosby, and on Don McNeil’s ‘Breakfast Club’ show on ABC Radio, died of cancer at age 65.


➦In 1987...Pat St. John does last show at WPLJ 95.5 FM in NYC.

From 1984...



St. John is one of the U.S.'s preeminent and longest serving radio personalities and voice-over artists.

Pat St. John

Known as The Dee-Jay’s DJ, he began his radio career on Windsor, Ontario's CKLW 800 AM in 1969 and '70, followed by WKNR 1300 AM in late 1970 to early '72, followed by WRIF 101.1 FM to April 1973. Pat is best known for his work in the New York City market on WPLJ 95.5 FM , WNEW 102.7 FM, WAXQ and WCBS 101.1 FM.   He can also be heard on Sirius XM Radio 60's on 6 afternoons from 1:00PM to 5PM (Eastern), . Pat has done extensive television voiceover work, including announcing for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve from 2000 to 2010.

St. John is known for his conversational on-air style with interspersed bits of music trivia, along with "Collectible Cuts" from his extensive record library. Pat has been called a "walking encyclopedia" when it comes to his knowledge of music.

➦In 2013…Veteran radio personality Don Wade died of brain cancer at age 72.

He spent 27 of his 55 years in broadcasting at WLS 890 AM in Chicago, after stops in Seattle, Denver, Hartford, New Orleans, Buffalo, Boston, Dallas and Philadelphia.

Don Wade, co-hosted of the "Don Wade & Roma" morning show with his wife on WLS from 1989 to 2012.