SYRACUSE
I am pleased to announce that this website has been restored and renewed as a tribute to its founder the late Bill Kretchmer.
You are invited to browse the site and discover and enjoy the vast collection Bill assembled over the years.
-Don Bayley, July, 2025
Welcome to the Radio Timeline.com website!
Our 26th year online with over 760,000 visitors since 1999.
This website is dedicated to the history of radio stations from the 1950’s to the late 1980’s. We exhibit scoped radio station airchecks, music surveys, promotions, interesting radio articles, tribute pages and more. The site has been updating since 1999.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE FOR THE LAST 26 YEARS!
Radio Timeline. com WDHF-WMET Chicago
Here is our Syracuse City page. Check the Navigation Menu for other cities, jingles, promos and more.
For a complete Radiotimeline on WNDR with air checks, surveys and history, visit our Tribute Page HERE
56 years ago.. January 1969
On January 21, 1969 AM 1490 WOLF switched from country to the Bill Drake (“Fake Drake”) format.
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Big John Allen, Switch from country to the Bill Drake Top 40 Format, January 21, 1969 (13:26) Thanks to Don Bayley for this aircheck.
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Howie Castle to Don Bombard (a.k.a. Bob Shannon WCBS-FM) November 28, 1969 (36:56) Rick Gary newscast @ 5:05
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Ron White, May 1970 (5:39)
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Jeff Laurence, October 1974 (7:49) Former 1960’s WOLF employee Fred Winston Hour ID @ 0:53 minutes.
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Jeff Laurence 1973-74
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AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Bob Reynolds, November 1978 (8:24)
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Jeff Laurence, October 1974 (7:49) Jeff’s voiceover website www.JeffLaurence.com . Hear the Fred Winston Hour ID @ 0:53. Fred’s first radio gig was Newsman at WOLF in 1965 www.WOLF1490.net
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Bob Mitchell in the WOLF Control Room 1973
Be sure to visit Bob’s WOLF Tribute website HERE
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Last 20 Minutes of Top 40 WOLF, July 12, 1981 (12:32)
THERE IS MORE WOLF HISTORY ON OUR SPECIAL WOLF PAGE: HERE.
45 Years Ago..
The Last Day of Mike Joseph’s “Hot Hits” Format in Syracuse.. 11/15/80
AM 1390 WFBL Syracuse, Air Composite, 11/15/80 (28:33) Tony Oscar Davis, Todd Parker, Don Rossi & Tommy Mack. My original recording.
AM 1390 WFBL Syracuse, Dave Laird, 5/1979 (11:55) My original recording.
AM 1390 WFBL Syracuse, Skip Clark, 5/1979 (12:02) Last day of Superradio ’14 FBL before the start of the “Hot Hits” format. My original recording.
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WFBL Flagship Station of The Syracuse Chiefs AAA Baseball Team.. circa 1971
This was WFBL’s Transmitter & Studios on Old Collamer Road South next to Interstate 90 Thruway Exit 35. The building and towers were torn down in the late 1980’s when the station went dark. The new transmitter site was moved (and still is off) Wetzel Road in Liverpool, NY. WFBL signed back on the air in 1990 with its new owners simulcasting WKFM Album Rock 104.7. Photo circa 1959.
If you are familiar with the Syracuse area, next photo is a 1959 aerial view of WFBL with Thruway Exit 35 to the left and Carrier Circle. The Carrier Air Conditioning Company has been out of business in Syracuse for over two decades. Across Thompson Road to the left construction starts on the new Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge. The WFBL complex was demolished in 1982. Replaced with many hotels. The property where WFBL was is now hotels and eating establishments.
WFBL was the first broadcast station to sign on the air in the Syracuse market in 1922. WSYR 570 followed in 1924. WAGE 620 (now WHEN) 1934, WOLF 1490 1940, WNDR 1260 in 1946 and WSEN 1050 in 1959.
Billboard Article June 1979..
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Hot Hits Composite with Todd Parker, Don Rossi, Tommy Mack and Tony Oscar Davis, November 14-15, 1980 (28:33) Last day of Mike Joseph’s Hot Hits Format in Syracuse. Todd Parker almost said CAU-FM, listen @ 1:09 minutes. Todd’s next hot hits gig was 98 WCAU-FM Philadelphia. WLS Chicago’s Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards doing a butter spot @ 20:40 minutes. My original recording.
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WSYR-FM 94 Rock Promo on WFBL @ 8:20 minutes
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Hot Hits, Dave Laird, September 1979 (11:55) The first few months of the new Hot Hits format. Thanks to Dave Laird for this aircheck.
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Super Radio 14FBL, Skip Clark, May 1979 (12:02) The last week of Music Radio 14FBL before the change to Mike Joseph’s Hot Hits format. My original recording.
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The original WFBL Studios on 433 Warren Street from 1922 to the early 1950’s until the station moved to Old Collamer Road in East Syracuse.
1940..
For a complete Radiotimeline on WSYR, Visit our Tribute Page HERE
Here’s a mini tribute to Don Bombard a.k.a. Bob Shannon
At 15, Bob built his own AM radio station transmitter in his hometown of Syracuse, New York. He later joined the staff of Syracuse University’s FM 88.3 WAER and by 1969 helped launch the Drake Radio Format at AM 1490 WOLF. Bob also worked at AM 1260 WNDR. In 1978 Bob worked at 1320 WKTQ Pittsburgh. His dream was to make to New York which he did in late 1981 working for 97.1 WYNY and the next year made it to WCBS-FM.
Don Bombard at WOLF (1969) a.k.a. Bob Shannon at WCBS-FM (2000)
AM 1490 WOLF Syracuse, Howie Castle to Don Bombard, Richard G. Flakle with News (a.k.a. Rick Gary) 11-28-69 (36:56)
AM 1260 WNDR Syracuse, Don Bombard’s Saturday Night of Gold 1971 (16:11)
AM 1260 WNDR Syracuse, Air Composite including Don Bombard and Promos, 1970’s (13:59)
Don’s next stop Pittsburgh’s WKTQ 1978..
Don Bombard’s move to New York City.. 1981
Bob Shannon finds him home in 1982..
At 1:01 PM on July 12, 2007, New York’s WCBS-FM flipped from “Jack FM” back to the hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s.
