KHJ 93 Los Angeles - The Real Don Steele - April 28 1965 - Radio Aircheck

KHJ 93 Los Angeles - The Real Don Steele - April 28 1965

Courtesy: Robert Nicholson

Back in the late 1960s & early 1970s, 93 KHJ was a Top 40 powerhouse in SoCal. It was so popular, “Boss Radio“ was practically the soundtrack of Los Angeles.

For many years, “personality” Top40 radio, dominated by lots of deejay chatter and & long jingles. In 1965 legendary radio programmer Bill Drake, along with program director Ron Jacobs, changed that when they brought the streamlined ”Drake Format“ to KHJ, & transformed it into Southern California’s must listen to radio station.

The station cranked out the biggest hits of the day, larger than life promotions & contests, and some of the greatest jocks in the country!

KHJ’s DJ roster read almost like an all-star list, with such talent as Charlie Tuna, Johnny Williams, Machine Gun Kelly, Billy Pearl, Bobby Tripp, Mark Elliott, Bill Wade, Robert W. Morgan, Bobby Ocean, Humble Harve, Jerry Butler, Sam Riddle, Charlie Van Dyke, Gary Mack, and the voice heard on this air check, The Real Don Steele. This aircheck is a sneak preview, just before the official debut of Boss Radio.

Feel free to check out some of the many other videos on the Ellis B Feaster's Radio Channel! Established in 2008!

One of You Tube's oldest RADIO AIRCHECK MUSEUM with a NEW VIDEO posted daily at 3PM EST.

After over 40 years working on the radio, I have recorded lots of radio airchecks, and many from my friends as well.

You'll find audio of many radio personalities who have passed away. Lots radio recordings from the 1940s, through the 2010.

We also talk about radio broadcasting. If you happen to have classic airchecks, maybe even of yourself on the air, we'd love to share it here!

[JeffMcNeal]

I grew up with Boss Radio KHJ and that station, more than any other, and the Real Don Steele, more than any other personality, influenced my decision, at the tender age of 7 during the summer of '67, to pursue radio as a career, "when I grew up". I did and had a lot of fun, also working in "Boss Angeles" for a time and long after I retired, became acquainted with Ron Jacobs, who was KHJ's program director in the early years and the voice of all those classic sweepers. Several years back, I was restoring an old 1968 British sports car and reached out to Shaune Steele, Don's widow, to see if she could send me some uncut airchecks from that time period of the Real Don Steele show. When my car was finished, I listened to KHJ while driving a back country road that hadn't changed or seen much growth since the 1960's and it felt like I was in my own, personal time machine. I'll never forget the sensation of that. I loved hearing this. Thank you.

[jackallen]

I gotta tell ya, Ellis, I'm loving these airchecks - thanks for keeping up the good work!

[chrismorrison]

Thank you so much for this great clip. Greatly appreciated. Made my day.

[LosAl]

The memories just keep rushing back – and they are Boss. Thank you, Ellis.

[braddd]

Ellis my friend these are worth more than gold' I love listening to them. Great memories.

[louisb]

Somehow I missed this one, Don Steele! I've heard some of this research more than a few times, and it still NEVER gets old for me! Guess I'm just a Radio Nerd who appreciates history so that I can repeat it! Great job again Mr. Ellis! 👍

[wvvvrock]

Great snapshot of the early days of the Boss Radio format. Besides the energy levels by Don himself, I also liked the newscasts, Bob Freed particularly. KHJ sounded like the market leader they were. Thanks for the upload, Ellis!

[radiogoodguy]

Bill Drake was BOSS! Here in the NYC area we had Drake's WOR-FM. I loved that station. Many great jocks came past those mics - Bill Brown, Jim O'Brien, just to name a couple. The format was short lived on WOR-FM. Love this aircheck. The news of the time sets the mood.

[ApartmentKing]

This is Don's 2nd day on Boss Radio. Haven't heard this part of that show. He started the show at 3 with "Wooly Bully."
Also, good save when he catches himself on the extremely RARE mistake after the Sir Douglas Quintet: "Wayne Fontana...not yet, coming up, coming up..."

[donaldwatson]

So good! Happy and warm radio memories!

[tonymarzocco]

NOTHING beats the sound of real Drake Boss Radio! And they had 5, 000 watts at 930 to KRLA's 50, 000 watts at 1110. Power & signal were not everything, WMCA haters/WABC lovers!

[roberthansen]

The lower You go on the AM dial the less power You need for coverage compared to the higher dial positions. Also directionally versus non-directional is a concern.

[rsands]

Back when they were experimenting and he was just “don steele” on the jingle and it was “93” with no KHJ attached

[hidalgohouse]

I had no idea The Real Don Steele was around in the 60s. Growing up in the mid 70s and 80s I remember his jingle but not sure what radio station it was by then..maybe an oldies one.

[thbe]

Could "the other rockstation" be KFWB?