Came across this link about WYNR (1390 AM) which premiered this month in 1962. The aircheck features Dick “the wild child” Kemp. The station was formerly known as WGES. I don’t know where were the studios, but the transmitter was (and still is), at 86th st. and Kedzie in the Ashburn neighborhood.

The new station was purchased by Gordon McLendon and was aimed at a black audience. The idea did not last too long as two years later it became an all news station.

Kemp, as a promo, read the serial number of a $1 bill. If a listener has that bill they win $50, if within an hour, they bring it to the station studios. He does not give an address.

At about (13:30) there is a news report by Mike McCallum, I think that was the name, but could be wrong. I do not remember that name from Chicago radio history. Between each news story there is a quick gong like noise. Interestingly, the last story is about Fidel Castro threatening retaliation against U.S. warships. We now now, six weeks later was the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The link is about 18 minutes and shows a different radio era.



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