Bill Virgin's Radio Beat - April 12, 2007

Includes archive of Bill Virgin's columns fromJ une 2006 - March 2009

Postby radiofan » Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:48 pm

On Radio: Northwest's golden era of radio in the '50s-'70s will live again
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER


Radio had not one but two Golden Ages.

There's the better-known era of national radio shows from the '30s and '40s such as Jack Benny, "Amos & Andy" and "The Shadow." That era is well preserved in thousands of hours of recordings of the classic comedy, drama, variety and news programs.

The second Golden Age, from the 1950s through the 1970s, might not be as well known, but it "had more direct impact on people's lives, it was more local and regional," says Ross Davis. The audio record of that era and its personalities is far more fragmented.

Now Davis is trying to compile an audio archive of recordings of Northwest radio so that people can understand why that era is considered golden.

Davis is himself a Northwest radio veteran, having worked at such stations as Seattle's KING-AM. Today he's the general manager of Seattle Community College Television.

Davis also has been working to build an Internet radio station and training facility at North Seattle Community College. That work, his own small collection of audio material and reading legendary programmer Pat O'Day's book "It Was All Just Rock 'n' Roll" (in which O'Day suggests the idea of a second Golden Age) got him intrigued with a new project: "To archive Seattle's and the Northwest's (radio) history before it gets lost and the tapes deteriorate."

The concern about lost history is well-placed since recordings of radio broadcasts were made and saved haphazardly. One reason that as much audio material of Edward R. Murrow's work for CBS during World War II still exists is that KIRO happened to make transcription discs of the broadcasts, and those were found years later at the station's Vashon Island transmitter site.

Davis' project is Rainier Radio, which will culminate in a Web site, to go live later this year, in which listeners can sample recordings of Northwest radio from across the decades. Listeners can search for specific material by decade, let the site itself randomly select files or listen to a schedule picked by the station's operators.

Davis is starting with material contributed by O'Day. Also helping with the search for material is John Maynard, of "Robin & Maynard" fame. (Those with material should contact Rdavis@sccd.ctc.edu). Once the recordings are transcribed into electronic files, the original material will be donated to the Museum of History and History.

For those who lived here in that second Golden Age, the recordings will be a chance to relive those times. "I just love to listen to the old jocks in the '60s and '70s," Davis says. "Those are pretty neat to me."

In other radio notes:

KMCQ-FM (104.5), the station that is moving from The Dalles, Ore., to Covington, has officially signed off in its old locale, according to The Dalles Chronicle. The last song played was Tom Petty's "The Last D.J." Dates haven't been set for KMIH-FM (presently at 104.5, eventually to move to 88.9) or KASB-FM (now at 89.3, eventually to move to 89.9) to make their moves or for KMCQ to begin operations in this market.

Comedian Paula Poundstone is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Friday on KUOW-FM (94.9).

Don Riggs' guests on "Introspect Northwest" at 7 a.m. Saturday on KPTK-AM (1090) and 7 a.m. Sunday on KMPS-FM (94.1) include Ken Alder, author of "The Lie Detectors."

Author John Allen Jr. discusses 10 trends affecting the Catholic Church on "Conversations With Father Bob" at 8 a.m. Saturday on KKNW-AM (1150) and 5 p.m. Tuesday on KBLE-AM (1050).

The Metropolitan Opera performs Puccini's "Turnadot" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING-FM (98.1).

Tom Lanier, supervisory deputy U.S. marshal and head of the Pacific Northwest Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, is the guest on "Cop Talk" at 6 p.m. Saturday on KVI-AM (570).

The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM (880), includes a new Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Coll Thrush, author of "Native Seattle: Histories From the Crossing-Over Place," is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Tuesday on KUOW-FM.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.

Bill Virgin's Radio Beat .. Thursdays in The Seattle P-I
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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