590 MIGHTY MEMORY #261

ELLA FITZGERALD @ 100 

Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ella Fitzgerald. During the early days of WARM especially 0 the 40s and early 50s, Fitzgerald was one of the mainstays of both pop and jazz. While primarily a jazz singer, Ella had two huge hits that got constant airplane on WARM Radio.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #262

VINYL AND WARM RADIO 

This guy, Harry West knew vinyl when he saw it! 

WILK's Sue Henry, the unofficial  co promoter of Record Store Day (along with Mike Evans) poses with some platters. (Sue Henry Facebook page)

WARM Radio was built on vinyl. Those 45 records catapulted WARM to Market Leadership in the 50s, 60s and 70s. When you listened to WARM, you heard vinyl. When you went to a hop or a dance or a remote, you got vinyl. 
What better day to remember The Mighty 590 with two of their forays in vinyl. First there was the Ballad of WARMland. 

Then there was the album of WARM hits. 

I'm telling you this because  Saturday is RECORD STORE DAY. 
Saturday morning from 9am until noon, former Rock 107 jock Mike Evans will be doing doing a VINTAGE VINYL take-over show on Marywood's VM-FM 91-7. Normally, he spins stuff burned onto CD from vinyl. But Saturday, he's firing up the decks and bringing in the records. All original pressings -- on the radio.
I used to go to Record Stores to get my WARM survey sheets. McCroy's had a Record Department, Kresge in Pittston, Record shops on the Square  as well as Richie's Record Rack in Pittston. 
Then there was Wayne's in Edwardsville where you could get a 10 pack of 45s for a buck along with a WFIL or WIBG survey sheet.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #263

WARM SONGS OF APRIL 1967

This survey sheet is interesting in the sense that you see a few future hits holding in the thirty to forty places that would be hits in the summer. Number 33 was Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody To love".
 
Frankie Valli's solo "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" was debuting at number 35.
Ronnie Dove's "My Babe" was slowly moving up the charts.
And at number 3 were Frank and Nancy Sinatra with "Something Stupid"

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #264

WARM SONGS OF APRIL 1965

The top ten  early April of '65 featured 5 solo artists that were pretty much mainstream. The beauty of the WARM survey was that while it housed the Kinks and Beatles in the Top 10, there were other artists there too. And mom loved them! 
Closing in at number 5 was Wayne Newton's "Red Roses For A Blue Lady".



 In a previous edition we touched on Ronnie Dove's "One Kiss For Old Times Sake". But Jack Jones had a top ten hit with number 7 with a version of the George Jones Country hit "The Race Is On"  Ray Charles Singers weighed in at number 9 with "This Is My Prayer"



Meanwhile Elvis was at number 11 with a record called "The Clam" proving that not all of The King's stuff was gold.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #265

WARM SONGS OF APRIL 1965

April of 1965 was a year of changes in this country as well as WARMland. The station had a slogan called "The Station of the Year". This is a theory but with WARM first being founded in 1940, perhaps WARM felt that in an oblique way they might be calling that out. But it's only my theory. 
Number one was Freddie and the Dreamers "I'm Telling You Now". 


 

Number three was a personal favorite of mine, Ronnie Dove's "One Kiss For Old Times Sake".


 

The Four Seasons were at number 34 with "Toy Soldier". 

 


And at number 31 was a song called "Four Seasons" which sounded like the group from Jersey but was from an artist named Lenny Coleman. The song sounded a lot like The Seasons but in fact it was done by Coleman and The Ebb Tides on Laurie Records.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #266

WARM RADIO AND THE SONGS OF APRIL

When this well worn sheet came out, Pet Clark held the top spot.


 


A novelty song was number 5 by The Royal Guardsmen with "Return of The Red Baron".



 


Plus the Four Seasons were in at number 6 for "Beggin".

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #267

WARM’S GIANT 

EASTER BUNNY 

 It was April 1971 and WARM Radio was running a contest giving away a72 pound Easter bunny. The station also gave away 91 other prizes. 
WARM promoted the contest on its weekly April 4th 1971 survey sheet. The number one song that week was “She’s A Lady” by Tom Jones and this song, “For All We Know” by The Carpenters came in at number 8.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #268

"DOUBLE G"  GONE 9 YEARS THIS WEEK 

George Gilbert was one of the cornerstones of WARM Radio, the Mighty 590. Through the years he worked as a radio host, a Program Director and then in Sales. Plus Gilbert had a storied career in the Commonwealth working in Philadelphia, Wilks Barre-Scranton and Williamsport. Here is how he was remembered 9 years ago this week. 

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #269

THE SONGS OF APRIL ON THE MIGHTY 590 

We go back to 1960, April. JFK was not yet President. The New York Mets and Houston Astros were just a twinkle in the eye of Major League Baseball. And the top 40 chart of 1960 was filled with a variety of tunes that became world famous while others faded into obscurity.  

 A song that was very odd for Perry Como came in at number 20. 

 

Number 37 was The theme from "Mr. Lucky" by Henry Mancini. 




 Bobby Darin was in the mix at number 25 with "Clementine". 


 And the Champs weighed in at number 31 with "Too Much Tequila".

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #270

WARM SALUTES NUMBER ONE TEAM

It has been 47 years since the West Scranton Invaders won a Basketball Trophy. WARM Radio was on the case doing live reports from the games and even dedicated a survey sheet to the winning team. Here is a story that Scranton Times Reporter Joby Fawcett wrote about that great team and their reunion.
It was a night that defines what high school athletics are truly all about.
Swapping stories and recalling great memories, members of the 1970 West Scranton boys basketball team reunited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of winning the Lackawanna League Southern Division, District 2 and Lynett Tournament championships.
It is the only year a boys basketball team won both the district and Lynett crowns.
Bob Bugno organized the gathering that brought many of the former players from as far as Texas back to West Scranton High School where those memories were made during a 24-3 season that ended in the state semifinals with a tough loss to Haverford, 68-57, in Harrisburg.
"I couldn't be happier," former coach Dan Donovan with a proud smile. "It was one of the greatest teams I ever coached. This was not only a wonderful team, they were wonderful kids. These kids came to work every day and worked hard every day.
"Tonight is one of the most special moments I have had."
The Invaders huddled around, enjoying the trophies that were displayed.
"I didn't know who would show up," said 1970 player of the year Jerry Karwoski, who spent more than two decades in Germany and now resides in Texas and was the Player of the Year in 1970. "I couldn't miss this for the world. We haven't changed a lot. It's great to see everyone."
Those who returned were coach Donovan, assistant coach Joe Barbuti, Bugno, Karwoski, Joe Orzel, Jeff Lewis, Jim Warner and Craig Mailen. Former school principal A. William Panaci and former athletic director Armand Martinelli were also back.
Other players on the title team were Walt Snopkowski, Paul Mailen, Bob Sparacino, Mike Julio, Frank Maccino, John Jurbala, Tom Sack, Emil Palarino and Paul Provini.
"We all practically lived together back then," said Bugno, who surprised the players with a highlight DVD of that 1970 season. "It was more important to coach Donovan for us to be good people. I look at all these people and how class people they are. I love them. I never forgot them and many of us haven't seen each other in 40 years, but we immediately reconnected."

WEST SCRANTON INVADERS THEN

WEST SCRANTON INVADERS IN 2010

JOBY FAWCETT / STAFF PHOTO Members of the 1970 Lackawanna League and District 2 championship team gathered for a 40th reunion last week. First row, from left: former school principal A. William Panaci, 1970 coach of the year Dan Donovan, former athletic director Armand Martinelli and Jeff Lewis. Second row: Joe Orzel, Bob Bugno, former assistant coach Joe Barbuti, Jim Warner, Jerry Karwoski and Craig Mailen. 
 
And on that WARM survey sheet, the number one song dated March 1st, 1970 was "Venus" by The Shocking Blue".

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #271

TOM WOODS @ 80

This month marks the 80th birthday of WARM Sensational 7 member Tom Woods. Woods was one of the cornerstones of those WARM days of the '60s where The Mighty 590 dominated the airwaves with its 5,000 watts of power.
Woods later went to work in Washington, D.C. at WTOP News radio.
After returning to the area Tom worked in radio at WILK, did voice overs for the WBRE TV Newscasts, voice over work for various businesses and is currently seen on TV promoting various services.
He resides in Wilkes Barre Township and is happy to be remembered by his many listeners. 

TOM WOODS THEN

TOM WOODS NOW