WOLF
Radio Timeline.com Presents a WOLF Syracuse ‘Big 15’ Weekend..
WOLF was a broadcast pioneer since 1940 in the Syracuse market. WOLF formats varied from radio shows like Fibber McGee and Molly, Fred Allen and Radio Game Shows in the 1940’s and 1950’s. In the 1960’s WOLF ran country and pop formats. In January 1969 they dropped their country format to start the very successful Bill Drake Top 40 format carried on many U.S. and Canadian Stations.
There were many well known WOLF announcers like Dick Clark (American Bandstand- Dick’s father owned 1150 WRUN Utica), Fred Winston (KQV/WLS/WCFL), Windy Craig (WNDR/WTKO), Dale Dorman (WRKO/WVBF/WXKS/WODS), Rick Gary (WRKO/WMEX), Don Bombard a.k.a. Bob Shannon (WCBS-FM), Don Bayley (College Professor teaching Radio/ABC Radio Networks), Dusty Rhodes (WSAI), Jeff Laurence (WTKO/WHEN/WDAE/WQAM/WQSR/ Audio Production-Voice Over company), Howie Castle (Radio Caroline/WNDR/WSYR-FM/WIFE), Bob Reynolds a.k.a. Bob Brown (Fire 14 WFBL/Hot Hits 96 WHYT/ The Dinosaur in Syracuse WFBL). ..and the hits just keep on comin!
Studios @ 401 W. Kirkpatrick Street, Syracuse.. 1974
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Big John Allen, January 1969 (13:26) The start of the Bill Drake Radio Format in Syracuse. Many thanks to former WOLF announcer Don Bayley for this classic! The other local Syracuse stations did not know of the format switch to the Drake Radio Format.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Howie Castle/Don Bombard, Nov. 28, 1969 (36:56) The first 11 months of the Bill Drake Radio Format. Howie also worked at 1260 WNDR and Radio Caroline prior to 1969. You can tell by the choice of British Hits he played. Newsman Richard G. Flakel a.k.a. Rick Gary is doing 20-20 News. Hear it @ 5:10 minutes.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Ron White a.k.a. Pete McKay, May 1970 (5:39) The month of the Kent State University, Ohio Shooting.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Howie Castle, Top 100 of 1972 (31:42) My Original Recording
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Jeff Laurence, October 1974 (7:49) @ 00:53 hear Fred Winston WOLF ID.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Bob Reynolds a.k.a. Bob Brown, Nov. 1978 (8:24) My Original Recording
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, The Last 20 Minutes of WOLF as a Top 40 Rocker, July 12, 1981 (12:32) Sad..
1969.. The first two months of the successful Bill Drake Format in Syracuse..
Here’s a recent Drone video of WOLF Syracuse. Station owner Craig Fox, who started WAQX 95.3 in 1978 has FM Translators and a TV station on the main tower. There has always been a second tower giving WOLF a northerly null protecting 1490 CFRC Kingston, Ontario. According to my 1975 Howard W. Sams AM Station Guide, CKRC was only 100 watts.
THERE IS MUCH MORE WOLF HISTORY ON OUR SYRACUSE PAGE: HERE.
