REEL TOP 40 RADIO REPOSITORY
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Chuck Matthews of Cleveland is a native of Lakewood, Ohio and a 1986 graduate of Lakewood High School. He has worked both on-air and in production at stations all over Ohio, including WHBC AM/FM (Canton), WLLD (Columbus), WZOO (Ashtabula), WNPQ (Canton) and WKFM (Huron). Chuck attended and played football at Mount Union College. He also played semi-pro football for the Cleveland Lions, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Chuck joined WMJI (MAJIC 105.7) in Cleveland as a part-time production assistant in August, 1994. In June of 1997 he became Assistant Production Director, and he added a weekend air shift six months later. As of December 2002, Chuck is the Imaging Director for two Clear Channel stations in Raleigh, N.C. — WRDU 106.1 and WTRG Oldies 100.7, where he is also Assistant Program Director. Chuck enjoys the outdoors, volleyball, softball and working out. He's a proud member of the MacGregor Clan and swears he is related to William "Braveheart" Wallace and Rob Roy. The Repository thanks Chuck Matthews for sharing! |
[Descriptions by Chuck Matthews unless otherwise indicated]
TOP STREAM 32.1Kbps (16Khz)
Skye Walker, WPLJ to Mojo Radio, December/January 1990/1991
(17:35)
. . . Attention Z-100 - now it's your turn in the tank . . . [Description by Chuck Matthews] This aircheck features Skye Walker (Blair Garner of After Midnight) on WPLJ New York, on New Years Eve, 1990, and New Years Day, 1991 - before and after Scott Shannon flipped the format to Mojo Radio. The imaging is killer and so is Walker. You will also hear Shannon doing the "Big Money Birthday Contest" promos. Notice Walker's delivery and style change, and how important the station's imaging was. The best imagers include the "Arbitron Rated Number 20" and "Two point Oh and nowhere to go - but up!". 'PLJ making fun of itself - legendary WORST to FIRST in ONE BOOK! |
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TOP STREAM 44.1Kbps (20Khz)
Elvis Duran, WHTZ (Z100) New York, 1991
(11:50)
. . . It's a ... dance floor fillin', oil drillin', boss killin', we need penicillin weekend . . . [Description by Chuck Matthews] Elvis Duran plays The Five O' Clock Song and kicks off the first weekend of The Year of the Ram on this exuberant and enthusiastic Friday drive time snapshot of Z100, New York. High energy and lots of fun! Also featured: The Big Pipes of former Clevelander and Ghoulardi creator Ernie Anderson, "from the top of the Empire State Building." The unforgettable "Serving the Universe" jingle is well known to Z100 listeners as well as Malrite Communications' other giant, WMMS in Cleveland, which dominated the rock scene for at least a decade.
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TOP STREAM 20.7Kbps (10Khz)
Jack Armstrong, WMJI Cleveland WIXY Reunion Weekend, October 11, 1997
(39:31)
. . . Cold in the outlying areas, but what the hell are you doin' out lyin' in those areas anyway . . . [Description by Chuck Matthews] Over the years, WMJI MAJIC 105.7 has hosted a reunion weekend with former WIXY Supermen. The Reunion Weekend in October of 1997 included my favorite, Jack Armstrong, and I was blown away! Also heard: a short segment of Jim LaBarbara on WIXY (1966). Jack Armstrong passed away March 22, 2008 at his home in North Carolina. |
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TOP STREAM 32.0Kbps (14Khz)
WIXY Cleveland Composite from WMJI Archives
(05:21)
. . . Northern Ohio's Music Leader . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky] Chuck Matthews contributed this fast-moving composite of WIXY/Cleveland airchecks, jingles and production excerpts from the archives of WMJI-FM. Featured: Larry Morrow, Lou "King" Kirby, "Wilde Childe" Dick Kemp, Chuck Knapp, and Jim LaBarbara. |
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 TOP STREAM 64.0Kbps (16Khz STEREO)
Lou King Kirby, Luther Heggs WMJI WIXY Cleveland Reunion October 1997
(44:35)
. . . A Nationwide Communications Station . . . [Description by Chuck Matthews] Here's a 'check from the WMJI/WIXY Reunion Weekend from October 1997, featuring former "WIXY Superman" Lou 'King' Kirby with former WMJI staffer Luther Heggs. Kirby has been out of radio for over two decades. He lives in Cancun, Mexico and owns a construction company. This 'check was archived onto a videotape, like all airchecks were at WMJI at the time. I tried to remove as much "flutter" as possible with the VCR tracking. Hopefully it doesn't sound too bad sonically. Luther Heggs is running the board and "The King" is reminiscing. You'll hear old WIXY airchecks and jingles. You'll hear former WIXY staffer Billy Bass on a PSA, who at this time was working at WMJI doing 7p-12M. Jim LaBarbara, then at WGRR/Cincinnati, calls in as well as Larry 'The Duker' Merrow. Merrow, at this time, was doing mornings at Hot AC WQAL. Wanna give props to the folks behind the scenes for the Reunion Weekend. All the WIXY vignettes, along with the current WMJI imaging, were produced by Michael 'Doc' Thompson and myself. The web promo is Mitch Todd (with Sirius as of January, 2003.) Doc is heard on a weekend sponsorship. The WMJI/WIXY Reunion Top of Hour ID is none other than J.R. Nelson. J.R. retired from radio in 2000. Enjoy this check! |
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| TOP STREAM 64.0Kbps (12Khz STEREO)
Jack Armstrong, Scott Howitt, WMJI Cleveland October 11, 1997 (38:45) . . . you gotta follow the computer's music - yeah, unless the computer's wrong . . . [Description by Chuck Matthews] Here's an aircheck (from a VHS archive, with some tracking noise) of Jack Armstrong at a remote for Ghoulardi Fest on October 11, 1997. The event celebrated Ernie Anderson, who was known as Ghoulardi on Cleveland television in the the '50's and '60's. Along with Jack is PM driver Scott Howitt, who worked at WMJI from 1990-2001. In Scott's 11 years at "Magic", his ratings never dipped below #3, 25-54. Pretty amazing! Scott greatly admired Akron native Pete "Mad Daddy" Myers. You'll also hear some WIXY "Flashback" composites on this WIXY Reunion Weekend. The WMJI "imaging voice" is J.R. Nelson (Z-100, MTV, etc.) J.R. was the in-house Production Director at WMJI from the mid/late '80's until 1994. He was retained as the station voice until he fell ill in late 1997. Best thing for me about this particular aircheck is that I was the board-op for the entire spectacle! What a thrill — running the board for two of my inspirations: Jack "Yo' Leed-dah" Armstrong and Scott "Buddy-O" Howitt. Jack Armstrong passed away on March 22, 2008. |
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