Thursday, November 04, 2021

RADIO: Up all night


A year or two after American Airlines ended Music til Dawn on powerhouse CBS radio stations, my college roomie and I thought it a great idea to do an all-night show on a local FM station.

We did this two years. No money. No glory.

We were paid in scrip, promo loot and burgers.

It's amazing how many media folk have similar connections to radio's up all night gig. 

Each night at 10.30, me or the roomie would grab the #4 bus downtown, to front the midnight-to-six a.m run that began with this theme. At dawn, we'd scoot back up the hill for our nine o'clocks.

The musical posts are at :04, 01:12 and 2:20

At :04, "It's midnight ... and this is ... Music til Morning."(out by :08)

At 01:12, improv a 32-second welcome, tease a few upcoming faves (out by 01:44, hitting violin-into-orchestra swell)

At 02:20, talk-over lingering guitar riff and into first tune. Pick a good one.

As any radio guy knows, hitting the posts perfectly is almost as satisfying as a pay check. (Yeah right, idiot.)

Fortunately, YouTube supplies a running clock above, so you can practice.

As a callow youth, I was a fan of Farnon, Riddle, Evans, Mandel and Quincy. If the theme seems a tad schmaltzy, this was the era of CHFI's Candlelight and Wine.

Good luck in your radio careers.

As if there were such a thing.... 

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