Welcome!

Once again, I want to welcome any new readers to our happy little home on the web. Someone sent me an email 3 years ago telling me that one of the towers had fallen through the roof of the studios of WLBH AM & FM in Mattoon. This made me think of my days working for the Mattoon Broadcasting Company and so the Central Illinois Radio Memories blog was born.

We welcome stories about working for (clearing my throat...twice) Jim, how you eliminated the sheer boredom of automated FM beautiful music, exciting details of the Mattoon Country Jamboree or any other tidbits that will bring us all a good laugh.

Thanks again and we look forward to hearing from you!

We have a winner!

Anonymous is our winner correctly identifying John Doremus as the innovator of in-flight music. Here's the quote from a 1990 article in the Tulsa Tribune written by Ben G. Henneke.

"If you have ever used the headsets on an airline and in flight listened to the airline's programmed music, you've listened to John Doremus. He invented such in-flight entertainment in 1964. His company still provides 14 channels of varied music to some 30 airlines. Even U.S. submarines are programmed by Doremus sound. "

Doremus started his career in Tulsa and later moved to Chicago where he was heard doing his "Patterns of Music" show on WMAQ. Doremus was voted "Best Chicago Radio Personality" in 1959.

Stereo 97 listeners heard Doremus weeknights at 9pm on the "John Doremus Show" where he matched music themes to a topic of which he told a story to start the segment. He always began the JD show with a quote, as in, Jeff Owens said it, "WLBH FM is music for dead people"; and the show would roll on.

There you have it. If anonymous identifies him or herself, I will make sure you get one of the cats from the crazy lady on Open Line. Deal?

WLBH Trivia

Any of the 96.9 jocks that worked evenings in the 80's should have a good guess at this one.

What syndicated music show host's company is credited with pioneering the concept of in-flight music beginning in 1964?

Winner gets your choice of items from the trading post!

Thanks for checking in!

It's great to hear back from everyone. I received a new comment from Vince Vandygriff this morning...

Hi Paul,

Great to see you again! Thanks for building this great site where we can all look back at our times at the mighty musical voice of WLBH.I was there in the 80's when Chuck Lister was running for Coles county sheriff. I did some production spots for it....one of which I did with Jerry Doll.

The staff as I remember it was:-
JR LIVESAY-
JR LIVESAY II-
KEN WOODELL-
SHARON RODGERS-
STAN BUMPUS-
JIM McLANE-
LARRY OATHOUT-
ERIC FINLEY-
JERRY DOLL-
DAWN BROWN-
LINDA KINGERY

I can still remember the baby grand piano in the front lobby.....Chicago Cubs Baseball.....Harry Carey......when we all had to wear a tie when the politicians came in.....I know because I got ripped for not wearing one lol! Going to the White Hen Pantry with Jim Mclane everyday for lunch......real nice guy. Larry Oathouts' favorite song by the Miami Sound Machine......JR's Mercury Marquis.....and John Doremus....what great memories!

Take care Paul...and thanks for making this all happen!

Vince Vandygriff

pc - Thanks Vince and it's great to hear from you.

1170

I clicked on our page tonight and the hit counter was on 1170. True dat.

Spooooooooky!

It's Fall...It's 2007...We're all officially OLD!

Really.

It's okay though. Time passes on and to quote Cronin & Ritchrath, we "roll with the changes".

I was reminiscing today thinking about youth and media. Along with the ministry that we are involved in here in South Carolina, I also have been working for Lander University, a 4-year school here in our city. It's a small, but impressive school with enrollment of around 3,000 students. Recently I have been approached by the head of the Speech Comm. department asking for me to PLEASE meet with all the members of the Media Club who are interested in starting a podcast for the University. Although I haven't really been involved with the Mass Comm. department here, it's funny how things just find you....seek you out...and then you are able to share your passion with others. I have already met with them once and showed them just how easy it is to set up a broadcast doing whatever they want to do. During my initial session with this group, I shared the story of my first night at WLBH alone...by myself...it was raining...and I had been trained (by JADMAN) and then he just left. I remember being SO INCREDIBLY NERVOUS the first time I flipped the switch and turned that microphone on. 50,000 watts of power....coverage map as big as some countries....and I was there. They were hanging on my every word as I described how the huge transmitters that took up an area as large as my house, could now be replicated and cover the whole entire planet, simply by using my laptop, a microphone and my M-audio box. Amazing really.

I will keep you posted on how the University Podcast is progressing and btw...I am now the Public Address announcer for all Mens' & Womens' basketball games too. We have two strong teams and it should be a great season. You may try to leave broadcasting, but broadcasting will never leave you!

God bless and have a great holiday season!

Paul