Last weekend Chuck Buell came to town (his first visit to Chicago in over twenty years ... and a 50 year anniversary of sorts for when he last left the air here) to attend the Rock Radio Revisited presentation, which we've been talking up quite a bit lately, at the beautiful Des Plaines Theatre.
And because this was his first trip here to The Windy City in such a long time (during which time, I might add, he explained to me the origins of the moniker "The Windy City"), we did the whole touristy thing on Saturday before heading out to the "really big show" on Sunday. This included a visit to the old Stone Container Building, which housed WLS, The Big 89, for decades, including the time that Chuck was on the air there ... in fact, he even pointed out where his old office was located in what is now essentially a hotel on all these upper floors! We took a walk down The River Walk (all the way to Navy Pier) ... and paid a Saturday Morning visit to The Museum of Broadcast Communications (who were the ones responsible for putting on the Rock Radio Revisited program at The Des Plaines Theatre on Sunday) ... stopping for fun lunches at the new Ed Debevic's downtown on Saturday and the always-tasty Johnnie's Beef in Arlington Heights on Sunday.
We were able to do some VIP pre-show mingling with panelists Tommy Edwards, John Landecker, Bob Stroud and hostess Wendy Snyder, also meeting several other long-time acquaintances face-to-face for the very first time. (Actually, for me and Chuck, this was OUR first face-to-face meeting as well!) And after the DJ Forum was over, we kept the good vibrations going as 14 of us even went out for pizza after the show ... so all in all, it wound up being a REALLY fun weekend.
In celebration, Chuck has sent us this little Travelogue (if you will) about his journey "back home" to his radio home from 1968 - 1972 ... and then back home again to his current Colorado digs. (While everything he wrote is fine, I told him that he missed a golden opportunity by not starting this whole thing off with the lines "Just got home from Illinois, locked the front door, oh boy" ... oh well, too late ... he chose a different route! lol)
Take it away, Chuck!!!
Chuck Buell’s Back! Well, Back Home, that is.
Last Monday, I returned home from a Great Weekend in Chicago where I attended the Special “Rock Radio Revisited” Salute presented by the “Museum of Broadcast Communications” there.
The Broadcast Museum created this event to “Celebrate the ‘Legendary’ On-Air DJs” and the Hit Music we played on our shows that made the heyday of Rock Radio in the 1960s and 1970s so emotional, sentimental and memorable. More on that on a later day.
Meanwhile, my Flight to Chicago and back was almost as unique in its way as the Rock Radio Celebration was in its. Here's my 60-second “Flight Highlights” video!
First, when the announcement was made to board, you’ll notice it was executed in a very familiarly efficient and orderly manner.
Right after takeoff, you’ll see our flight experienced a minor disruption due to a bird distraction!
After a couple of hours and then landing, our flight was among the very first to utilize the latest “step” in aviation landing gear! Amazing!
And our Flight Attendant Crew couldn’t have been more enjoyable! One quickly changed out of her uniform into her civies and was pretty excited to be ending her long day when we landed in Chicago while two other attendants behind her joined in her exuberance!
Once on the ground, it sure was nice to see that my Old “Welcome to CHUCKago” sign is still up welcoming the World to the Windy City!
All in all, it was a very unique flight!
CB ( which stands for “CoPilot Boy!” )
And then ...
Chuck Buell Was There! Now and Then!
As I just shared with you, last Monday I returned home from a Super Weekend in Chicago when the “Museum of Broadcast Communications” there staged their Special Event, “Rock Radio Revisited.”
I am proud to have been one of those leading Radio Personalities during those legendary and historic years by being a part of and instrumental in creating and presenting those unique and so very special radio days while playing all those songs that became the Memorable Forgotten Hits we still love today! And to those who were my listeners over the years, thank you for helping to make those days some of the very best of yours and my lives!
Facilitated by Chicago’s Wendy Snyder, numerous highlights of those decades were relived through the memories of other Legendary On-Air Chicago Radio Personalities, John Landecker, Tommy Edwards, Dayana Williams and Bob Stroud as they told about the Great Rock Music, the Comedy and Dramatic Bits, the Amazing Contests, the Remarkable Fans and so much more in the same individual and creative style as they did then!
And what’s interesting is that they are still so well-known and revered today! And why is that? For that answer, I asked my Personal Cyber Assistance what their secret to success was. Her answer is right here.
Thanx to that illustrious Panel for retelling all those great memories both in and out of the studio during those “Golden Years of Rock Radio-ing!”
All in all, it was a very interesting event!
CB ( which stands for “Chuckago Boy!” )
Everybody there remembered Chuck and his glory days on "Dah Buell"-Ell-Ess"
in the late '60's and early '70's ...
The station was revamping a bit under the direction of programmer John Rook, pushing for more of a "youth movement" by hiring guys like Chuck Buell and Kris Erik Stevens (who was represented at the DJ Forum via a video presentation.) Some of the old guard (like Art Roberts, Ron Riley and Clark Weber) moved across the river to WCFL for their next stint on the radio while more newcomers were added like John Landecker and Bob Sirott, both still on the radio today over at WGN.
We heard some great stories at the DJ Forum event (and even gained a little behind-the-scenes insight into how radio strategy was played during the "Radio War" years ... which seems like the perfect time to drop another reminder about the upcoming Rewound Radio Labor Day Weekend salute to WLS and WCFL ... 66 hours of original broadcast material, just as it was aired all those years ago.) More on this in an upcoming issue of Forgotten Hits.
Meanwhile, here are some photos of me and Chuck at Johnnie's Beef ...
And Ed Debevic's ... ALWAYS a fun time (if you love being insulted by your waitress non-stop during your visit!!!
Here's how she signed our bill ... which she crumpled up and threw at our table while passing by ...
Actually, she was superb! She never broke character the entire time we were there ... and even posed for pictures with us before we left.
Can'tcha just feel the love?!?!?
Great time, Chuck! Hope we can do it again sometime! (kk)
