Radio Station WING and The DJs (1958 thru1966)

Dayton Memories > Radio Station WING and The DJs (1958 thru1966)

Radio Station WING and The DJs (1958 thru1966)

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trolleyfan 46 posts Nov 12, 2014 4:59 AM	A big part of my growing up in Dayton in the 50's and thru the mid 60's was High Flying W I N G ! Music was a big part of my life and WING was my gateway to enjoying it. It was where I first heard the new hits, and later on became aware of the local bands that were popping up around the Dayton area. The on air DJ's became my heros and I wanted to be just like them. To a 12 year old boy, there was nobody cooler. When I first became aware of WING, and it became a part of my everyday being. I think what they then called "The Lively Guys" was, Gene (By Golly) Barry, Stan Scott, Lou Swanson, Jim Smith, who was also the Program Director, Bob Holiday. All of these guys and the ones who followed them created a lot of memories. I thought it might be nice to share some of these memories. Does anybody remember Gene Barry's Sign Off ? "This is Gene (By Golly) Barry, saying to all you wonderful Mom & Pops & Cats & Kittens that always makes a show a show,thanks so very much for having us over, keep a smiling, be sharp, be careful, by by, buy bonds, looove you madly and I've got to go now. Got to see a man, about a record ! By Guys" ! I have a sound clip of it with the piano music behind it. I'd be glad to post it, but not sure how or if it's allowed. I hope some of the rest of you will post your memories also.
Ared60 84 posts Nov 12, 2014 6:46 AM	Thanks for that. I never would have remembered that but reading it I could hear it in his voice as if I was hearing it on the radio.
mpup 32 posts Nov 12, 2014 7:29 AM	I remember hearing years ago (1969?) that Bud Stagg from WSAI in Cincinnati was rumoured to be coming to WING. Anyone ever hear this rumour? Bud Stagg was very entertaining along with his friend John. I miss those days! Last Edited by mpup on Nov 12, 2014 7:30 AM
eastdaytongirl 8 posts Nov 12, 2014 12:15 PM	I used to love listening to WING on Sunday nights during the 1960's. They played dedications to the soldiers in Vietnam. The show always closed with the song "Sky Pilot".
Billd1952 257 posts Nov 12, 2014 1:25 PM	I had the pleasure of knowing Gene Berry. I first met him when I was 11, when he was doing a remote broadcast from WING'S mobile remote trailer, from the tire store on Linden Ave., where St. Charles intersected. At 13, I met him again, while he was doing a live remote from Time Furniture, at 2201 East Third St., at Van Lear. saw him nearly every day for about a year. He showed me how to Que up a 45 on the turn tables. For me, that was AWSOME.
trolleyfan 48 posts Nov 12, 2014 1:37 PM	Speaking of cueing records on the turntable, if you go to the right hand side of the home page, click on images & photos, then the next window, go on the left hand side and click on Dayton in the 1970's. Picture #9 is Gene Barry sitting in front of the turntables looking at a record. It is 1971 and he is wearing his hair a little longer, but it is a great picture. When I met him in 1965, his hair was jet black and slicked back. he was the consumate top 40 disc jockey of the 50's & 60's. I read he was rated in the top 10 DJ's in the nation. He WAS that good at what he did.
Calhoun 314 posts Nov 13, 2014 3:48 AM	mpup-- Don't remember any "Stagg to WING" rumors, but aside from Gary Burbank, he was the funniest radio personality I ever heard. Used to listen to his all-night show on WSAI, never once heard him slip up as he switched back and forth live between his voice and that of "John". What was particularly amusing to me was how well he clearned up the filthy jokes listeners called in when he retold them on air. Sadly, Stagg died last Christmas. I didn't find out about his passing until a couple days after a party celebrating his life had been held at a bar in Cincy. Had I known, I would definitely have gone.
Paula fishman 31 posts Nov 13, 2014 6:41 AM	I was going through some childhood memory boxes and came across a huge stack of WING surveys that listed the top songs of the week. For the life of me I cannot remember where I use to pick these up every week. Anyone remember?
supersix 184 posts Nov 13, 2014 6:55 AM	Paula, I believe they were free-for-the-taking at about any store that sold records.
maxed out 436 posts Nov 13, 2014 7:27 AM	Paula.... Growing up in Xenia I would stop at the Band Box every week to pick up mine.
Calhoun 315 posts Nov 13, 2014 8:19 AM	My Dad had a list of all the places around Dayton you could pick up the "WING Hits of the Week". If all else failed, he'd go to the station in the Talbort Towers.
Nile 169 posts Nov 13, 2014 4:44 PM	On a Friday night, one of my favorite things to do was put down my convertible top, turn on my reverb unit (remember those?), go out in the country and just drive at a moderate speed, all the while listening to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Oh, those care-free days! Is WING still around? The radio stations in Dayton have changed drastically. At one time WONE was doing Country & Western.
Ared60 86 posts Nov 13, 2014 5:19 PM	Nile, I sure do remember the old reverb unit attached under the dash. How did it sound when you drove over RR tracks?
trolleyfan 49 posts Nov 13, 2014 6:17 PM	When I was growing up in Dayton, I remember picking up WING's top 40 lists at Mayer's record store at third and main, Chris Harris Record Rack In East Town Shopping Center, The record departments at both Rikes & Elder Beerman's, Elder Beerman's on Smithville Road in Belmont, the record rack at Town & Country Shopping Center as well as any of the WING Sponsored record hops at Forest Park Caverns, Wampler's Ball-A-Rina, and most of the High School Hops that The Wing DJ's hosted. I also had one of those cool reverbs. Hit a bump and it sounded like you were in the middle of a spring ! LOL
trolleyfan 50 posts Nov 14, 2014 4:21 AM	Does anybody remember Skinny Bobby Harper and the crazy stunts he used to pull, like locking himself in the studio one morning and playing Johnny & The Hurricanes Revellie Rock Continuous with out playing any commercials for 2 solid hours.
jfox68 103 posts Nov 14, 2014 4:24 AM	trolleyfan - I had one of those reverb units in my 1963 Ford Fairlane. I know exactly the sound you are talking about. That is funny.
jack1971 69 posts Nov 14, 2014 5:13 AM	The only one I can remember, besides Gene, was Steve Kirk.
Ol'Roy 41 posts Nov 14, 2014 9:47 AM	Skinny Bobby Harper was probably my favorite WING DJ but he was only in Dayton for about a year (1962-63). He later ended up in Atlanta and bacame an institution there. The guy who created WKRP in Cincinnati worked with Harper in Atlanta and said he was the inspiration for the Dr. Johnny Fever character. Ol'Roy
JJCofMAINE 96 posts Nov 14, 2014 1:27 PM	Nile: I, too, had a reverb unit, and it was installed rear-seat speaker in a '63 Chevy SS convertible. I also had an FM converter under the dash. And, like you, I'd head to the country-side, usually south of Centerville, often tuned to the FM station down in Middletown, I believe. They would play so much music between commercials; and commercials were subdued and short. Loved that car - loved the radio combo.
missinthen 21 posts Nov 14, 2014 8:22 PM	My sister and I loved 'Kirky ( Steve Kirk )( remember his song ' you're listening to Kirky.. on WING radio" ).... We were in grade school and huge Beatle Fans ( this was mid 60's ). We had a little transistor radio ( we thought we were hot stuff when we got our transistor radios for Christmas ) Kirky would hype his listeners ( which seemed like eternity ) when the new Beatle single ( 45 ) was released, and I recall my sister and I getting so excited waiting for Kirky to play the new release. We'd have to listen to a gazillion other songs ( and commercials ) he'd played before then, but as soon as the new Beatle single was played ( it was all worth the wait. ) There is something to be treasured in not always having everything instantaneous, like things are today. Much like how Christmas merchandise is displayed in August. When the Christmas season started on Black Friday back in the day, the excitement was in the air ( and least for me ) There is a timing for everything, as it should be. Last Edited by missinthen on Nov 14, 2014 8:23 PM
trolleyfan 51 posts Nov 15, 2014 4:30 AM	Amen to that missinthen. I actually saw a few Christmas Decorations go up in one of the drugstore chains in late September. It's got to the point by the time Christmas rolls around, your sick of it. I also mourn the passing of AM Radio. Part of the joy of the season was all the Christmas activities locally and how WING used to promote them. I also remember every year they would play new Christmas Songs. If I'm not mistaken, I think WING would add 6 or so songs to the play list. I remember listening to Lou Swanson one morning in 1962 (i think) as he introduced The Beach Boys "Little Saint Nick" That song has NEVER left my head ! Now that's Christmas. Thank you WING for all those Christmas Memories !
cilla46 210 posts Nov 15, 2014 3:42 PM	Does anyone remember the Sunday night song......"The weekends over it's Sunday night time to dream a dream or two"? That is what I remember from around 1959 or 1960.
Billd1952 258 posts Nov 16, 2014 12:06 PM	cilla46, now you done it, you stired up my commercialitus, LOL. The weekends over, its time to go go, time to have a dream or two, with W I N G one four one one o, your sunday evening radio. Its sunday morning, time to go to church and while you're on the way, tune your radio W I N G one four one o , your sunday morning radio. Whats the weather today, whats with the atoms today, is it sunny out there, if you leave that old umbrella, will you be a sorry fellow, W I N G can tell you, Whats the weather today....On W I N G... island W I N G, W I N G, bells are a ringin' and people are singin' bout' W I N G.
Nile 170 posts Nov 17, 2014 4:45 PM	Ared60.....You know the sound it had. Gosh, I hated that! I think it made that sound whether the reverb was on or not, right? JJCo..... also listened to that station. WPFB. Great station. WDAI.....Another good one. I had a record album by the WING Lively guys. All gone now.
Bigmo 100 posts Nov 19, 2014 11:11 AM	In addition to listening to WING starting in 1963, I was fortunate to work at WING from 1982 to late 1984. I still have my WING Beatles Fan Club Charter Member card. Two of my favorites, besides Steve Kirk, were Johnny Walker and John Alexander. Walker had the evening shift in the mid-60s. When he left WING, "Johnny" Alexander took his spot. I worked with both Kirk and Alexander when I was there and enjoyed them both. Kirk's "Walter, the friendly poet and philosopher" was always entertaining. He would pull them out now and then and play them again during the 1980s when I was there. I was in news with Jim Briggs as news director. He was replaced by Dick Roberts while I was there. Kim Faris was there along with Bill Nance, Greg Gahris, Joe Demma, Stacy Taylor (Nightcall), John King (The King and Dorsey Report), Carl Day and many others. Z-93 started on a Sunday while I was there. We all attended a WING reunion in 2006 and Lou Swanson was there.
luv my dayton 740 posts Nov 19, 2014 12:54 PM	Gene ( by golly) Barry I grew up with then many years later saw him weekly at Georgios where he was the DJ for many years. He could draw a full house every night. Don't know when he passed away but by that time dance clubs were becoming obsolete and the hotels they were in don't exist anymore. Had many good times and met many nice people. Seems like in the mid 80s through the 90s dance clubs with DJ s were everywhere.
Calhoun 322 posts Nov 19, 2014 1:25 PM	Bigmo-- I'm glad you mentioned Johnny Walker. I think I've told the story on this board before, but years ago a good friend of mine was the local chapter president of a well respected, national charity. During his tenue in that job, he worked with dozens of celebrities, both local and national, on various fundraisers and charity events. Bar none, he said Johnny Walker was the nicest, kindest, most caring individual he ever worked with. Whatever was needed, Walker would do whatever he could to make it happen. There were nights where Walker even stayed around to help put away folding chairs and take out the trash. I never met Mr. Walker, but the area needs more like him. On the down side, one of the other individuals you mentioned in your last post was the least impressive local celebrity my buddy worked with. He found the individual to be rude, demanding, arrogant and an all around jerk. Apparently other local charity heads had the same opinion of the individual, usually one event was enough to form that opinion. Last Edited by Calhoun on Nov 19, 2014 2:35 PM
Cliffl 6 posts Nov 19, 2014 1:52 PM	"High Flying, W.I.N.G.!" I still remember that station I.D. spot from when I was a kid living in Dayton...this was 1962 through 1965. This was the station that introduced me to the Beatles (and the whole British Invasion that followed) as well as Motown and a host of other great music.
trolleyfan 52 posts Nov 23, 2014 5:18 AM	I guess one of the guys I liked the best after Gene (By Golly) Barry was Lou Swanson. Lou wasn't all that flashy, but he had a good on the air personality and he was the kind of DJ you felt at home with, like he was a young uncle or something. I remember getting up in the early mornings during the summers (early 60's) and turning on WING, and hearing "This is your buddy Lou Swanson at Camp WING". I remember that during those few years he was on at that time during the summer, he would open his broadcasts with Leslie Gore's It's My Party. It just became part of the summer experience of a young 14 year old boy. I understand Lou is still around living in the Dayton area. I'm not sure what happened to Stan Scott, but I know Bob Holliday, Gene Barry, and Skinny Bobby Harper has passed away, and "Kirky" is holding down the fort in FLorida. Not sure what happened to Program Director and sometimes DJ Jim Smith.
Bigmo 101 posts Nov 24, 2014 10:51 AM	Calhoun, I can guess which individual you're referencing who could be perceived as arrogant at times. Johnny Walker was everything you described. One year the local television stations held a private Halloween party. Johnny, who had been the news director of WKEF-TV-22, invited us to hold it at the Wampler Ball Arena where he ran things. He was such a great host and knew that Ch. 2 frowned on such fraternization with their "enemies." Most Ch. 2 people stayed away in fear for their jobs, but a few others braved it and came anyway. We did the Halloween parties for just a handful of years. Johnny was friendly with everyone.
flikhem 17 posts Nov 25, 2014 5:46 PM	"I used to love listening to WING on Sunday nights during the 1960's. They played dedications to the soldiers in Vietnam. The show always closed with the song "Sky Pilot"." I must be remembering later, in the early 70s. The show alway closed with Coven's "One Tin Soldier."
trolleyfan 53 posts Nov 26, 2014 8:18 AM	I do remember them Playing Sky Pilot a lot during the Viet Nam War. I left Dayton for good in 1969, so I lost track of what went on after that time, but all through the 60's, WING was part of my everyday existence.
Joe M 1 post Nov 29, 2014 11:38 AM	I am 74 years of age, and I have yet to hear any DJ or other radio personality who had the gift that Gene possessed, nobody came close to his talent for reaching an audience, his voice, his way with words, etc. Istill tell my friends what a great personality he was, God bless [Gen[By Golly Barry]
theWiz 46 posts Nov 30, 2014 8:26 AM	Does anyone remember a WING DJ named Michael O'Farrell?? He called himself Emperor O'Farrell and would put out a pitch to join his "Army". You would send in to WING and they would send you a certificate saying you were a Lieutenant in his army and a loyal follower of the "Emperor"!!! On the certificate was a picture of him wearing a toga and with a laurel wreath on his head!!! Crazy times.....
WB8IMY 5 posts Nov 30, 2014 3:36 PM	I have fond memories of listening to WING in the wee hours and enjoying a program called "The Mushroom Survey." I can't recall who the DJ was at the time, but he played a lot of what was then called "Psychedelic Rock." This would have been 1968 or 69.
Calhoun 324 posts Nov 30, 2014 6:22 PM	WB8IMY-- Two different guys did that show, Chris Cage and Todd Donoho. After the call-in (Mushroom Survey) program, the "Underground Hour" featured music, mostly from the UK, that eventually became the "prog rock" of the early 70s.
WB8IMY 8 posts Dec 02, 2014 1:00 PM	CALHOUN: Thank you for the Mushroom Survey info! I had long forgotten the names. It would be a hoot to listen to recordings made at the time, but I doubt they exist.
Calhoun 326 posts Dec 02, 2014 4:32 PM	WB81MY-- Agreed, would be great to hear those old shows, but certainly no longer available. Chris Cage, who I think came to WING from WVUD, went on to become a bigwig with ESPN. He might still be with them if he hasn't retired. Lost track of Donohoo, as I recall he left WING for a station in Indy, but no idea from that point on. Two very different guys with different radio styles, but both were really nice young men. Some of the topics discussed on the show were quite provocative for the day. One of the semi-regular guests was an RN who wrote a sex column for the DJH, questions about VD, birth control, even sexual performance were not uncommon. Also lots of anti-war, civil rights, and of course rock music talk as well. Pretty heady stuff for a 13-14 year old farm kid of the day!
trolleyfan 54 posts Dec 03, 2014 4:59 AM	I think if you looked at the history of WING, it pretty much followed the mood of the country and what was going on. My listening days were 1958 or so thru end of the 60's. By the time the 1970's rolled around, they had lost their innocence so to speak. No more Frankie Avalon, Leslie Gore, Jimmy Clanton and on and on. No more DJs that had the personality of Swanson, Jim Smith, Stan Scott,and to a lesser extent Gene Barry. Steve Kirk in my opinion was the first of the DJs that had a harder edge and was willing to push the envelope of what you could say or do. The music certainly changed almost overnight. I hated it when that happened, but the truth is nobody would be interested in hearing the music or the DJs of the early 60s, so our beloved WING grew up and gave the fans of that day what they craved, and that's what kept an AM station on the air in the early days of FM radio, a much more mature format and fan base. The reality is WING was one of the best radio stations for the younger generation in the Dayton area right up until it converted to Sports Talk.
Ared60 88 posts Dec 03, 2014 6:09 AM	trolleyfan, I also listened to WING during the same time period that you did. I changed stations though in 1968 when I discovered WEBN-FM in Cincinnati. One reason was the minimal playlists of top 40 stations. Another was changing tastes in music (mine). WEBN played things that you would never hear on AM radio. And that also meant no commercials, the bane of listeners everywhere. There was some overlap but on FM they would play the whole song not the cut down AM version. For example; White Room by Cream, or the live version of Nantucket Sleigh-ride by Mountain. That song was 4 minutes and change on AM but the song total length was actually 17 minutes.
trolleyfan 55 posts Dec 04, 2014 6:53 PM	I experienced the same thing, but for me it was Atlanta, Ga. I moved down here at the end of 1969. Wing had a sister station down here WQXI and it was a carbon copy of WING. As a matter of fact, Skinny Bobby Harper came to Atlanta and was on WINN for a few months before he came over to WQXI. Z-93 was the FM Station at the time. FM was brand new for music and would play a lot of stuff AM radio wouldn't. They even played the Fugs Crystal Liason, Johnny Pissoff ect. By 1973 or 4, Nobody would listen to AM anymore. WQXI lasted into the early 90s and faded from the scene. Now the only AM Radio down here is college stations. I'm sure it's the same in Dayton, just like WING still exists, but as a ESPN affiliate Sports Station. Sad in a way, but nothing stays the same, otherwise there wouldn't be anything special about it.
oldcarguy 4 posts Dec 06, 2014 11:49 AM	Does anyone remember a WING DJ that always wore shades? He even had a card he sent to his fan club members that had shades on the front with his name and was totally black on the backside.
clamper 37 posts Dec 06, 2014 3:28 PM	Was it Steve Kirk the AM DJ on WING? I recall the contest they had where they claimed someone stole the 'W' from WING.
clamper 38 posts Dec 06, 2014 3:31 PM	Trolley Fan, didn't Gene 'By Golly' Barry end his show saying 'Bye Clyde'? Last Edited by clamper on Dec 06, 2014 3:31 PM
trolleyfan 57 posts Dec 06, 2014 4:41 PM	I have a sound clip of his signoff. The one I have says "This is Gene (By Golly) Barry, saying to all you wonderful Mom & Pops & Cats & Kittens that always makes a show a show, thanks so very much for having us over. Keep a smiling, be sharp, be careful, by by, buy bonds, looove you madly and I've got to go now. Got to see a man, about a record ! By Guys" ! I have a sound clip of it with the piano music behind it. I'd be glad to post it, but not sure how or if it's allowed. I don't want to get in trouble. If it's allowed and Curt tells me how to do it I will post it. If you send me your e-mail address, I'll send it to you directly. It seems to me I did hear him say Clyde sometimes. He must have said it several thousand times, so there has to be a lot of variations. Maybe some of you that remember hearing Gene's signoff can share with us what you heard him say. BTW way, the part where he says "buy bonds" was a carry over from WW2 days and the Savings Bond Drives.
oldcarguy 6 posts Dec 06, 2014 4:52 PM	clamper - Thanks for the try but the DJ I was thinking about was way before Kirkie. Would have been around mid 50s.
trolleyfan 59 posts Dec 07, 2014 5:17 AM	Was it Bob Holliday ? He wore shades a lot, but I don't think he came on the scene before early 60's
oldcarguy 8 posts Dec 07, 2014 4:58 PM	trolleyfan - Thanks, could be it. As I get older my memory is sometimes different than reality.
Bigmo 102 posts Dec 08, 2014 8:31 AM	Gene used to say, "Hiya, Clyde" over the air if you drove past the WING window in the Talbot Tower on First Street. He said it to us once while driving past and we all waved to him. He was speaking on the air at the moment and when he saw us waving, interjected, "Hiya, Clyde" and then kept right on talking.
trolleyfan 62 posts Dec 12, 2014 4:35 PM	I do remember that now that you mentioned it Bigmo. We saw him most of the time with the mobile studio in the parking lot of a tire store on Linden Avenue about a mile west of Smithville. Good ole days !

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