This is it ... the very first WLS Silver Dollar Survey ... from October 14th, 1960!
Although the station had switched over to Top 40 Rock on May 2nd of that year, this was the first week where they published their own list of The Top 40 Most Popular Records in Chicagoland ...
And already they were counting them down every weekday.
The #1 Record was a bit of a surprise ...
"Shortnin' Bread" by Paul Chaplain only climbed as high as #50 on the national charts ... and stopped at #82 in Billboard ...
But WLS was already carving out its own niche when it came to the most popular records in Chicagoland. (Two weeks later, they were showing "Ruby Duby Du" by Tobin Matthews in the #1 spot ... this was another record that never broke The Top Ten nationally.)
Owned by Sears Roebuck Company (WLS stood for "World's Largest Store), the station first signed on the air in 1924 ... which makes next year its 100th Anniversary. (And yes, they are still broadcasting at 890 on the AM dial ... although it's been an all-talk format for many years now.)
Some legendary names have broadcast over these microphones over the years ... and next year when Rewound Radio celebrates their Labor Day Weekend with the Third Annual WLS / WCFL Rewound, they'll have a LOT to celebrate! (kk)
