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Not only ladies but WARMland listeners love the '50s. And the True Oldies Channel.
TRUE OLDIES TRUE TO WARM’S ROOTS
If you are still a regular listener of WARM the Mighty 590, you’ll most likely hear Scott Shannon’s True Oldies Channel. Some of the features during the day are quite entertaining like “The Forgotten Oldie”. The songs are not the same 400 oldies you get on other oldies format stations. But on the weekends, especially Sunday night the True Oldies Channel transports WARM diehards back to the music that started it all. We know that WARM became the Mighty 590 in the summer of 1958 playing the old time rock and roll. Scott Shannon recreates that every Sunday Night from 8pm until 1am with his Cruising America Show. As a WARM devotee, we urge you to block some time out on Sunday night and cruise back to the good old days from 8pm to 1am on the Mighty 590 once again. Thanks to the True Oldies Channel for taking us back there one more time.
A flooded downtown Wilkes Barre.
AGNES AND WARM-40 YEARS LATER
If there was every any doubt about WARM being the community station that it was, all of that was eliminated on the weekend of June 22nd, 1972. On the night of the 22nd, the river banks in Corning, New York started to overflow. Civil Defense officials said that was going to be serious trouble. The Civil Defense office in Luzerne County did not order an evacuation until the morning for fear of causing a major panic. Throughout the morning, as volunteers tried to sandbag the dikes, it became apparent that the water was going to destroy the dikes.
WBAX AM located on Route 11 was broadcasting. Morning man Sam Lagouri, later a WARM producer in its talk radio era of the 90s was ordered out of the facility in Edwardsville and barely beat the on coming water with his car. WILK was under water as was WBRE TV on South Franklin Street in Wilkes Barre along with its AM & FM combination. WARM stood as the only radio station that was on the air and organized. All hands were on deck. And the music stopped that day too. Not since the assassination of John F. Kennedy did WARM stop its Mighty 590 format of contests, music and fun. It was a total public service effort with civil defense advisories, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer reports, live coverage of news events, as well as live on the scene broadcasts. WARM staffers George Gilbert, Terry McNulty and Ken Curtis toured the areas that were flooded in a boat. The late Dick Bolan who had a brother involved in Civil Defense somehow got hold of a Jeep and waded through flooded areas that were waste high to give reports on what area landmarks were under water. The medium of radio, so important to the imagination now became the mind’s eye TV or newspaper as shocked area residents imagined a flooded downtown theatre, favorite restaurant or department store.
Terry McNulty was quoted as saying that he “would never forget the mud and disease”. McNulty said it was one thing to cover a story from afar but to see people who lost everything was incredible.
The reports gathered by the WARM staffers was put into a two record album called “River On A Rampage”. The album was later sold and the proceeds were given to the flood recovery efforts.
WARM News had an association with UPI (United Press International Radio) and sound was sent to the wire service so that reporters like Pye Chamberlain and Walt Rogers could detail the tragic events in WARMland.
When local media people got their act together, a Flood Broadcast Network was formed. All local stations banded together to do what WARM (located in Avoca) was already doing. WARM declined to join the broadcast network.
After the flood, WARM became more of a force than ever. While flood victims began to clean up after the horror, it was not uncommon to hear a transistor radio booming out the Mighty 590.. Michael Lewis, a Williams College Professor who grew u p in Kingston said that the play list on the radio during the summer of ’72 seemed like it was preordained. Songs like “How Do You Do”, “Day By Day” and “Lean On Me” were like anthems as people began the arduous efforts to begin again. WARM News was very busy reporting on the visits of President Nixon, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development George Romney as well as weekly visits from Governor Milton Shapp, Lt. Governor Ernest Kline and Community Affairs Secretary William Wilcox. When businesses began to figure out how to rebuild, close or relocate, WARM was the key ingredient in informing the public.The sales department was working 18 hour days to keep up with the demand of businesses that wanted to advertise. Phil Condron who later became General Manager of WARM in the 80s was a sales person at the time. He told Philip Eberly the author of “Susquehanna Radio: The First 50 Years” that even though the station sales staff made record money, “We’d have foregone the windfall for less rainfall”.
Looking back on forty years since the Flood, the historical significance of what WARM did during those trying times will never be forgotten by those of us still around who were ear witnesses to history. Current WARM staffer Brian Hughes will interview legendary broadcaster David DeCosmo this Sunday at 7AM on the Mighty 590 as the two talk about Agnes and WARM, 4 decades later.
The fruits of labor from a WARMland garden.
Campbell's 1967 Tomato Plant Promotion.
SURVEY SHEET PROMOS
WARM Radio was the top station in the Northeastern Pennsylvania in the 60s and 70s because they knew how to cross promote. They also knew how to span generations. The older WWII generation of parents who liked their Frankie Laine, Sinatra and slower beat music? WARM populated their top 40 charts with those artists. Who of that generation would not like :Louie Armstrong or Dean Martin? WARM utilized its survey sheets to do promotions on the back side. In 1967 WARM promoted tomato plants of all things courtesy of that venerable iconic American company, Campbell's. WARM’s young listeners could either give the survey sheet to mom or dad, uncle or aunt or grandparents and look like a young considerate teenager. Even though that music on the MIGHTY 590 was oh so loud, at least because of the advertising, beautiful tomatoes would grow in the hot humid August nights in WARMland. WARM in those days took every opportunity, and that’s why the number one designation in ratings was no accident or fluke. Just the way they planned it.
WARM back on.
WARM BACK ON AIR
WARM Radio seems to be back on the air after a few days of not being there. The new owners, Cumulus Broadcasting seem to be paying less attention to the frequency since they canned Phil Gallaso, a superb engineer who kept the station percolating. WARM's transmitter has always been a bone of contention in recent years. After a few days of static, it was good news to have WARM back on the air with the True Oldies Channel.
The cast of "Babes in WARMland". From left, front row: Logan James, Noah Wijaya, Paul Trombetta, Kiera James and Matt Weaver. Second row: Cecelia Deininger, Kayla James, India Arter, Emalina Deininger, Joseph James and Brianna Rivero. Third row: Mariah Leidel, Jessica James, Scott Padden, Dominque Trombetta, Brandi Doyle, Colin Doyle, Trynity Ventura, Angel Marrero, Julie James and Alicia Leidel. Fourth row: Allesandro Oliveri, Kathy Carmadella and Camillo Oliveri.
"BABES IN WARMLAND,” THE MUSICAL
WARM the musical? A little far fetched? Not realy, look at the success of “The Jersey Boys” which was an adaptation of the career of the 4 Seasons. “Babes in WARMland” is not a musical about WARM Radio. You won’t see stage reincarnations of Harry West or Len Woloson, but “Babes in WARMland was a play that centered on the changes rock and roll radio brought to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area. WARM radio became synonymous with a culture, a feeling. Northeastern Pennsylvania’s land mass became “WARMland”. Now, more than fifty years later., a play with the grandchildren of those first WARM listeners still have that moniker proudly attached.
The Puritan Players presented “Babes in WARMLAND,” an original musical comedy by Paul L. Williams, recently at the Puritan Congregational Church in Scranton. The play, with a cast of over 40 children and 12 adults, concerns the early days of television in the Electric City when Scranton’s leading stations were WEJL-AM Radio, WARM Radio and the precursor to WNEP TV, WARM-TV. It was a time when rock and roll was sending shock waves throughout the area’s staid establishments. With elaborate dance numbers by future rock stars, “Babes in WARMLAND” will feature such golden oldies as “At the Hop,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Rock around the Clock,” and “Mr. Sandman.”
All proceeds went to the Puritan’s Children Fund.
WARM RADIO'S HARRY WEST GETTING CUFFED BY LOCAL POLICE AUTHORITIES AS PART OF WARM'S "BAIL" PROMOTION. THAT GUY NEVER STOPPED SMILING, DID HE?
WARM JOCKS JAILED!!!
Given the corruption that is going on in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, I hesitated to put this on the WARM blog. I was concerned that people would get the wrong idea about the Mighty 590 and their staff. In the 70s and 80s, WARM had a promotion with various agencies that raised money for charities. WARM jocks would be jailed for a few hours in a fake, but very public cell. They would not be released until bail was received. Naturally the money went to charity. WARM personalities like the pictured Harry West, Steve St. John, Vince Sweeney, Pete Gabriel, Jim Drucker, Terry McNulty, John David Wells, John Hancock, the late Melaine Apple, Kelly Reed, and many more I can’t even mention were behind bars for a few hours to raise the dough and get themselves home for dinner that night with the respective families. Given what has happened around WARMland lately, I don’t think a promotion like this would fly today. But way back when, it was a winner for WARM and the charities that got the bail money.
EDITOR'S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS AND PARTIAL CONTENT OF THIS STORY CAME FROM FORMER WARM GREAT BOBBY DAY'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
Bobby Day was broadcasting the G.A.R. at Meyers basketball game in 1986. Greg Skrepenak was playing for G.A.R. and Rocket Ismail was playing for Meyers. Joe Paterno came to the game and sat at the table where Bob was broadcasting. Bob interviewed him live at halftime...Bob asked him why was he here.....He said he just stopped in to see a good basketball game. He could not mention either player due to recruiting laws. Obviously he got neither one. He was very gracious to Bob and some of the fans who were asking for his autograph. A real gentleman! L-R: Bob, , Ron Van Why (Bob's scorekeeper scorekeeper & Super PSU Fan), Charlie Fick (G.A.R. Football Coach), and Joe Paterno.
March 1970. UNICO event at The Paramount (now Kirby Center). L-R: Bobby Day, Joe Paterno, Vince LaPorte-WAZL, comedian Pat Cooper.
PATERNO, PENN STATE & WARM
For many years WARM Radio broadcast Penn State Football. During the late 70s, 80s and 90s, the place for Penn State football was the Mighty 590. WARM sports commentators like Ron Allen and Pete Erickson made the trips down to Happy Valley. Allen always had a bead on new Penn State recruits from the area and WARM did various promotions throughout the year highlighting the Blue & White. One of the WARM staffers that had access to the late Joe Paterno over the years was Bobby Day. Bobby was for many years the swing man on WARM Radio for the Sensational 7 and other personalities. You knew the night of the WARM Christmas party in the 60s when you heard Bobby Day on the air at night. Bobby also worked in the WARM News department and then finished his career at WBRE TV as the Eyewitness News Assignment Editor. Bob was also the voice of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins Hockey team at the Arena.
Bobby recently posted the a few Paterno photos on his Facebook page. They are listed above in the Photo Index.
When Joe Paterno passed away, many members of the local press reiterated their associations with the late coach and the Nittany Lion program. But none was more important and longer lasting than Penn State, Paterno and the Mighty 590.
