a fan...fifty years ago!

Our top 40 records list

    ...Another wonderful email from a real “old time”

listener to WJJD Chicago back in 1960-61

To: stanmajor <stanmajor@aol.com>

Sent: Thu, Aug 14, 2014 7:00 pm

Subject: Fifty year fan mail

Hi Stan,I just ran across your online presence doing some random web surfing.

I happened across the Morris Stoloff recording of "Moonglow/Theme from Picnic" and it made me think of you.

    Although I'm not generally given to fan mail I wanted to make an exception in your case.

I grew up in Park Ridge IL not far from the WJJD transmitter.  My prize possession for a short time was one of those crystal radios that looked like a rocket ship with a retractable antenna coming out of the nose cone and a hearing-aid type ear plug wired from the base.  No batteries, no on/off switch, no volume, no tuning -- just WJJD.

Anyway my memory is that you were on the air all summer that summer to an extended sign-off (maybe 8:30 or 9:00?) and you always closed with 

that great Moonglow record, at the end of which you said "Good night, Little Brown Eyes" or something like that.  

You introduced me to a lot of what are now golden oldies, but that record has always been one of my very favorites and it always takes me back instantly to a wonderful summer so many years ago.

For me, it was the start of a long and voracious love of radio.  I even managed to work on air myself at a few stations in high school and college, and although I moved on career-wise I remain to this day a huge fan of all types of radio. 

And you, sir, are one of the earliest and most important reasons for that.  I was surprised today to learn how young you were at that time, maybe only 15 years ahead of me, and I'm glad to know you're still around.

So I just wanted to say, "Thank you."   You made a big impression on me, one I have always remembered.  

Curtis Wils

my email:

stanmajor@aol.com