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Don
Lancer
December
1964
After the departure of Bud
Ballou several announcers did the evening shift for a while. One of
which was Fred Winston, then Big Daddy Don Lancer. Don was evening
host until general manager Ev Wren decided to move Dale Dorman to
the night show. Don Lancer later left WOLF and went to Indianapolis
and WIFE, was there for a year and then became News Director of WKBW
in Buffalo. Don was there for five years before moving to
Philadelphia. He was at KYW, Philadelphia for more than 30 years
until his passing, April 25, 2011 (See) and (Broadcast Pioneers/KYW).
According to KYW, business and
financial editor Don Lancer was the dean of KYW Newsradio 1060.
His mellow voice has been a hallmark of KYW Newsradio almost since
the inception of the all-news format.
This aircheck one of
several courtesy of Ted Smith - WBNS TV, Columbus. Although the
quality is marginal (recorded with a microphone) it is great to hear
again. Recorded the Monday after Christmas
1964.
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Jim Davies on the Don Lancer Show
March 1965
With the departure of Fred Winston, 30 year
veteran of KYW Don Lancer steps in to Syracuse Night Time Radio.
These airchecks from March 12, 1965 include Don and bannerline news
on the half hour. Also an experimental news format Jim Davies called
the "Victory at Sea news format", because Jim Sims produced it
almost entirely from the Victory at Sea Volume 3 album. It was later
varied slightly then dropped.
This aircheck from the vaults of
Jim Davies (WOLF News
9/63-3/65).
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Jim Davies on the Dale Dorman Show
March 1965
Dale was then next to continue the tradition
of Syracuse Night Time Radio. This aircheck of Jim with news at :55
includes Dale and a happy birthday to Jim's sister. Jim explains "I
asked Dale to say a happy 4th birthday to my sister on
the air while I recorded it. Of course, she would never hear WOLF in
Pa., so I took the tape home with me during the semester break to
play for her. It's interesting because of Dale and his
creativity--he came up with the idea on the spot." The reference to
basketball is because Jim Davies' father played in the NBA and was
well remembered at the time. He retired from the NBA in
1955.
This aircheck from the vaults of Jim Davies (WOLF News
9/63-3/65).
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Arlene Dee
May 1965
WOLF was ALWAYS
the station for firsts and 1965 was no exception. Canadian born
Arlene Dee was Syracuse's first full time female disc jockey and on
WOLF. Even though she was only to last through the unfortunate
format change, it was enough to make Syracuse radio history.
This
aircheck recorded the week of May 21st, 1965 features
Dennis Rogers WOLF Bannerline News, currently co-owner of WJJL in
Niagara Falls.
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Dale Dorman
Summer 1965
Along with Bud Ballou, one of Syracuse’s most
popular nighttime disc jockeys. With Dorman and Ballou (now
competition at WNDR) constantly throwing jabs at each other,
evenings were outstanding. A portion of this recorded June 7, 1965.
You’ll hear Dale play Down In The Boondocks and dedicate it to
"Dudley" (Ballou’s real name), and refer to the "swamp" which is
what WNDR was called by broadcasters here.
Dorman would
eventually leave for KYNO, Fresno and KFRC, San Francisco,
California and then to Denver to work WITH Bud Ballou.
http://www.reelradio.com/gifts/ddkyno65.html
They eventually ended up on competing stations
in Boston, Dorman mornings on WRKO.
http://www.reelradio.com/ricky/ddwrko73.html
Dale was (until August 2003) doing afternoons in
Boston on KISS 108FM.
He was last spinning
oldies mornings on WODS, Boston until he retired in
2008.
Dale was 71 when he passed
10/21/14.
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James K. Davis
March 1966
The friendly giant, Jim Davis later to become
Big Jim Edwards on The Big 8 CKLW. Jim replaced Dale Dorman on
the night show, then later went on to CKLW as did Dusty Rhodes after
WOLF. Jim Davis, a native of Buffalo, New York became Vice President
of Clear Channel Broadcasting of Sarasota Florida but took over as
General Manger of the 4 station, family owned company WGYL, WOSN and
WGNX and one AM station WTTB in March of 2003. Ironically, the AM
station is licensed to 1490.
Following in the footsteps of his
mother who was a singer on WKBW/Buffalo, Jim began his career as an
air personality. He had a successful run at some of the nation's
biggest radio stations; including WOR/FM/New York; KHJ/Los Angeles;
CKLW/Detroit; WLS-AM/Chicago. While employed by RKO General
Broadcasting, he was twice nominated for Billboard Magazine's "Major
Market Air Personality of the Year." Jim also voiced the Top of the
Hour ID's for WOLF in 1970. This, recorded March 14, features Dan
O'Neil (news).
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Bob
Paris
June
1966
Bob Paris, doing the Sunday
evening shift. Bob a long time Syracuse personality has
been at WNDR, 106.9 Auburn and TK99 Bridgeport (then
both country) as well as most recently WSEN Oldies
92.
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Jim Sims
October 1966
The legendary production
voice passed away July 1998 while the morning personality on WSEN.
Jim, a 19 year veteran of WOLF will truly be missed. A tribute to
Jim Sims from 1979 is also on the aircheck
pages.
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The WOLF Country
Years
June 1967-
December 1968
Was this someone's idea of a
sick joke? Unfortunately, no! Automation had struck WOLF in 1966,
and the station was automated MOR during the day, but remained Top
40 at night. There was no way it could compete with WSYR, WHEN and
WFBL all doing essentially the same thing, and the station was dying
slowly. WNDR was still very strong now on the heels of Bud Ballou,
and a staff of veterans like Big George Plavacos, Dandy Dan Leonard,
Ron Thompson, Happy Jack MacNamie, Count De Creep, Dave
Laird and Jim O'Brien. And with only one station serving the
country music audience, and that a daytimer (WSEN 1050), WOLF was
given a country music heart. On June 25, 1967 WOLF became All
American WOLF Country. Here are some of the jocks during that time
period.
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Johnny
Gardner
January 1968
John was at WOLF from May 1967 to January 1968
until he was drafted. He says "I was there when they removed the IGM
automation and went live and "country." Until that time I had worked
weekends at WNDR but when I graduated from SU there were no
full-time slots at NDR but rumor was WOLF was going live again so I
went for an interview."
After he returned from Vietnam In March
of 1970 John says "I returned to radio at WGBB Long Island to do
afternoon drive (4-8 pm). GBB was 1,000 watts Top 40 in the shadow
of New York City. Owned by Susquehanna; very local in its style.
Lost dog reports, etc. And very conservative ("All air personalities
must wear neckties.") After about 2 years of that I pretty much lost
interest in radio."
John then got into copywriting and graphic
design which is what he does today in the Dallas, Texas area at
JCPenney headquarters. "I lead a team of artists and writers
responsible for the art and copy on JCPenney.com and JCPenney
Catalogs. (I) Started in 1972 and have been there ever since except
for a 3 year hiatus in the early 80s when I worked in cable TV on
Long Island, doing marketing and even some air work. This aircheck
recorded January 8, 1968, from the John Gardner
collection.
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