What are your favourite time periods at a Western Washington radio station? As a listener, as not many of us had an opportunity to work there.
Although I wish I could remember more of the KTW Top 40 experience, so I could comment intelligently on that, KOL Seattle from their return to Top 40 in the mid-1960s until Robert O. Smith's move to KOL-FM in 1971 has to be mine. Within that fairly long time window, two periods really stand out:
- A month or so after Dave McCormick became Program Director, and had all dayparts delivering a consistent format, as what I believe was the Pacific Northwest's first Drake style (Dave worked for Bill Drake in Fresno, coming directly to KOL from KYNO in Fresno) Much More Music formatics. With a low spot load, they really did cram a lot of songs into each hour, without drowning the personalities of the DJs, each assigned to 3 hour weekday shifts, except overnights. Dave and Dex Allen were my favourites, but they all really adapted well to the change.
- The Lan Roberts AM Drive/Robert O. Smith PM Drive time period that began in about October 1969 and lasted until about mid-1971. Personality Radio at its best. There were actually three DJs doing voice characters. As well as Lan and Robert O., Terry McMannis had a few, too.