Best Female DJ's of the 60's and 70's?

[KOOL Listener Lauren]

Who are some of the best Female DJ's of the 60's or 70's?

 

[landtuna]

What? There were females on-air then? OK.....just kidding.

Not sure if my fav qualifies as I'm not sure when she went on-air but Jeanne Sedello was great evenings on KOOL.

 

[KOOL Listener Lauren]

What? There were females on-air then? OK.....just kidding.

Well.... I was also wondering that, too. But I figured somebody would just tell me that, so I didn't ask.
Were female DJ's in the 60's or 70's uncommon, or just unheard of then? I wanted to listen to some airchecks; I'm just curious about the style, etc...

 

[Ultimajock]

...my personal choice would be Connie Szerszen at WSDM and WIND (and more recently WJMK) in Chicago...

 

[Corky Marlowe]

Another great one from Chicago--the late Yvonne Daniels (WLS overnights for quite a while).

Also, how about Carol Ford, who did overnights on WOWO back in the mid-70's and went on to work for a good number of years in NYC?

 

[CrankyYankee]

The late Alison Steele, aka "The Nightbird", on WNEW-FM , New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Steele

In those days, she was also known outside of the N.Y. metro as the host of an Army Reserve (or was it National Guard?) public affairs show as well.

 

[Ultimajock]

The late Alison Steele, aka "The Nightbird", on WNEW-FM , New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Steele

In those days, she was also known outside of the N.Y. metro as the host of an Army Reserve (or was it National Guard?) public affairs show as well.

...the show was originally an Army Reserve item (along with shows hosted by William B. Williams, Al Gee and a country jock whose name slips my memory at the moment -- perhaps Biff Collie?) but switched to National Guard after the Army Reserve pulled back on its advertising budget...

 

[rickradio]

Hi there, PD-to-be Lauren! :-*

Let me know where to send you my mp3 and resume... ;D

Actually, landtuna has a point...female jocks were a rare breed to be sure in the 50s and 60s.

In LA, there was Sie Holliday on KRLA (early 60s...'62 or so).

In SF, you had Belva Davis on KSAN beginning in 1956, moving on to KDIA in later years.

In Pocatello, Idaho, there was Jo Warner, who did an on-air marathon in a store window for some charity (March of Dimes, I think) in February 1959. I don't remember the station, though. I think it was KYTE.

Cranky Yankee mentioned Alison Steele, but she was only one of an entire lineup of femjox on WNEW...Rita Sands was another, Nell Bassett a third...it was an experiment the 'NEW PD tried, and it backfired. The idea was that female listeners would cheer on their sisters on the radio, but instead, they got jealous of all the attention the jockettes got from their MEN.

Then there was Lovely 'Nita on KROY, Sacto in '68 or '69.

Women on radio were a lot more common starting in the 70s...

KFRC's first female jock was Shana, Labor Day weekend '74, she was at KHJ by '77. Beverly Fox, Candi Chamberlain, Sue Hall, Turi Ryder all came later.

C. J. Bronson started at KNBR in 1976.

For airchecks, Lauren, give reelradio.com a try. Uncle Ricky has a BOATLOAD of exhibits and collections from dozens of contributors. I think you'll love it.

 

[jonbruce]

Female jocks were a rare breed in the 1950's and 60's. I would have to say the best one I have ever heard is Cindy Davis formerly of KLIT 101.9 in L.A. and now on KOLA in the Riverside/San Bernardino market. This despite my former and my current wife being former jocks. In the late 70's to early 80's KQLH (now KFRG) Riv./S.B. had an air staff of mostly female jocks for it's soft a.c. format. The first one I heard was a girl named "Candy" on top 40 KUTY Palmdale, Ca. in 1959. In 1961 on 1460 KTYM in L.A. a very old sounding woman by the name of Violet Schram was on. She claimed to be the "first woman of Los Angeles radio". I don't know how long she had been around or where she had worked before.

 

[rickradio]

Cindy Davis! I heard her doing middays on an Orange County FM back in '89. "10:36 with Cindy Davis here on The Workday Office Party..." It was in South Coast Plaza...IIRC, it was KOCM (aka K-Ocean), but I'm sure you know for sure, Jon.

 

[CrankyYankee]

Armed Forces Radio(& TV) had Chris Noel between 1966 and 1971. Also, singer Kim Weston had a short-lived show on Armed Forces Radio in the early to mid 70's. (According to Wikipedia, she is currently DJ-ing in Detroit.)

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Cranky Yankee mentioned Alison Steele, but she was only one of an entire lineup of femjox on WNEW...Rita Sands was another, Nell Bassett a third...it was an experiment the 'NEW PD tried, and it backfired. The idea was that female listeners would cheer on their sisters on the radio, but instead, they got jealous of all the attention the jockettes got from their MEN.

I thought the idea WAS to boost ratings among the male AOR listeners with the new sultry, sexy sounding female rock DJ's?

The one I remember most here in Boston was Maxanne Sartori on WBCN, who was there from 1970-1977.

 

[amfmsw]

Barbara Summers, from WGLS Glassboro State College (noe Rowan U.) enjoyed a fabulous run in Philadelphia at WFIL and others. She had a strong, yet soothing voice. It was like velvet.

 

[Aljr]

Sheena,Queen of The Jungle,of course.

 

[BobSacamano]

I can't believe noone has mentioned Liz Kiley of WPGC in Washington, who went on to be WABC's first female jock..

 

[Oldbones]

The one I remember most here in Boston was Maxanne Sartori on WBCN, who was there from 1970-1977.

There was also Robin Young who did weekend overnights on WBZ in the early-mid 70s. I never thought she was all that great, but she did have a following. I think she later went into TV.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

The one I remember most here in Boston was Maxanne Sartori on WBCN, who was there from 1970-1977.

There was also Robin Young who did weekend overnights on WBZ in the early-mid 70s. I never thought she was all that great, but she did have a following. I think she later went into TV.

She did, and then eventually back to radio. She currently hosts the nationally syndicated NPR daytime news magazine show "Here And Now", based at WBUR Boston.

 

[Inventor989]

13Q in Pittsburgh had several excellent female DJs in the 70s, beginning with Jessie (now known as Jessie Scott), who they hired away from WDVE and also worked country in NYC at WHN. Later, Kelly Christian and Vicki Yaklevich (who started at WCOL-FM Columbus) were on 13Q as well. Susie Barbour was across town on WTAE for many years beginning in the mid 70s.

Glad to see Liz Kiley remembered here as well.

 

[RicoGregg]

Sorry to be posting late to this topic, but there are a couple of notable women DJs that deserved to be mentioned:

First, Raechel Donahue, widow of the father of Album Oriented Rock, Tom Donahue, and a top notch air talent on her own. She's still very active:

http://www.raecheldonahue.com

And, often a workmate with Raechel, Cynthia Fox, presently at L.A.'s legendary KLOS.

 

[nightfly61]

Betty "Crash" Corban & Dia Stein(just went by Dia...& MAN WAS SHE SMOKIN' HOT!!! ) on WMMS in Cleveland in the 70's & early 80's. I believe Brandy "Buns" Kellog was on WGCL in Cleveland in the late 70's too.