SEPTEMBER 1940 ...70 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH
SEPTEMBER 1950 ...60 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH
SEPTEMBER 1960 ...50 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH
SEPTEMBER 1970 ...40 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH
Comments by TIM HOLLIS are in black (2006-09 pages) and red (2010-).
Comments in blue are by webmaster RUSSELL WELLS.
RADIO CLIP OF THE MONTH

"Oh, the record's melting!  Wow....."
For over three decades, country music has been playing at 104.7 in Birmingham.  But before the present-day WZZK made its bow in 1977, it was another - completely different - sound at this location. 

The original call letters were WJLN, and it was co-owned with WJLD-AM 1400.  During the day, they mostly simulcast the AM's rhythm & blues/"soul" music programming.  However, at night the FM was Birmingham's outlet for progresive rock, also referred to as the "underground" format.  Or, as some called it, "that @#$% hippie music!"  It was the forerunner to Album Rock, which stations like WERC-FM "Stereo Rock 107", WRKK "K-99" and later WAPI-FM "95 ROCK" would play ... and represents the roots of what we know today as "classic rock."

WJLN was the first station in Birmingham to play this music, and in the late '60s a guy who went by the name of 'Father Tree' is regarded as the first "underground" jock in the Magic City.   There are no recordings I know of with Father Tree (if you have any ... please let us know!), but we do have a nice run of tape from September of 1973, featuring Wayne Braden.  This month, we rock out to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Buckingham/Nicks, Savoy Brown, the Allman Brothers, and others. 

Commercials are included, and they are priceless!  Z Z Top was going to be in town the next day playing a concert at Boutwell Auditorium.  There are also spots for the Stray Cat Lounge in Hoover, Cliffdweller magazine, and the requisite "head shop" advertiser: Angry Revolt!

Enjoy, but remember: drugs are bad, mmm'kay?

WJLN 104.7 ... September 27, 1973: Wayne Braden
(7.97 MB - MP3 format - length: 17.01)



PREVIOUS RADIO CLIPS:
August 2010: WSGN 610 - May 2, 1973; June 23, 1973: John Bass
July 2010: WYDE 850 - October 3, 1967: Duke Rumore
June 2010: WSGN 610 - June 29, 1964: Jim Taber
May 2010: WAPI 1070 - assorted aircheck clips, 1949-1965   rundown
April 2010: WAQY 1220 - March 12, 1966: Layton & Charles show
March 2010: WYDE - early 1960: Sam Hale "House of Hits"
February 2010: WSGN - Bill Bolen newscast, 06/16/1964 - 10:55 a.m.
January 2010: WERC 960 - August 22, 1973 (debut of top-40 format)
December 2009: WKXX 106.9 - 1978 Profile / WKXX 106.9 - 1979 Profile
November 2009: WVOK 690 - 10/28/1949: Joe Rumore & Jean Foster
October 2009: WSGN 610 - 09/30/1949: "Quiz Man" w/Pappy McDonald
September 2009: WVOK 690 - 10/03/1949: "Hi, Neighbor Time" with Joe Rumore
 

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