EARLY '70S RADIO: KCPX 24 Superstar Hits (c. 1972)

Monday, June 27, 2011

KCPX 24 Superstar Hits (c. 1972)

I grew up listening to 1320 KCPX-AM in Salt Lake City, and I've got a few of these promo records, all in horrible shape. I've also seen this same packaging used for other AM radio compilations across the US. I wonder how the track listings compare . . . The five DJs in the gatefold are (clockwise, left to right): Lynn Lehmann (6 AM-10 AM, Libra); Hal Buckner (10 AM-2 PM Aries); "Wooly" Waldron (2 PM-6PM, Virgo); "Skinny" Johnny Mitchell (6 PM-10 PM, Scorpio); Chad O. Stevens (10 PM-2 AM, Virgo); and Jordan Mitchell (2 AM-6 AM, Libra). I know at least Lehmann, Waldron, and Mitchell were still holding the fort down in the late '70s.

The song titles give a pretty clear indication of the adult/child hybridity characterizing so many playlists in early '70s Top 40: Puppy Love (Donny Osmond); Signs (Five Man Electrical Band); Chick-A-Boom (Daddy Dewdrop); One Fine Morning (Lighthouse); Midnight Confessions (The Grass Roots); Montego Bay (Bobby Bloom); Don't Pull Your Love (Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds); Hey There Lonely Girl (Eddie Holman); Dizzy (Tommy Roe); The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King); Hair (The Cowsills); The Candy Man (Sammy Davis, Jr.); Baby It's You (Smith); Down By the Lazy River (The Osmonds); Vehicle (Ides of March); Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf); California Dreamin' (The Mamas and the Papas); Smile a Little Smile for Me (The Flying Machine); Tracy (The Cuff Links); How Do You Do (Mouth and McNeal); Ma Belle Amie (The Tee Set); Maggie May (Rod Stewart); Gypsy Woman (Brian Hyland); Girl Watcher (O'Kaysions).

13 comments:

quatermassJanuary 25, 2012 at 4:56 PM
I grew up listening to KCPX as well!!
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Steven D. JohnsonJune 22, 2012 at 3:14 AM
I also grew up in the late 50's & 60's in Clearfield listening to 1320 KCPX. Thanks for the memories.
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AnonymousJune 29, 2012 at 10:09 PM
and Knak
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UnknownMay 25, 2014 at 9:57 AM
I listened to skinny do the battle of the records every night when I was a kid...... now I deliver mail to his house........
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Kim SimpsonJanuary 31, 2015 at 8:54 AM
Thanks for this info! I hope Skinny Johnny's doing well - great name and great voice.
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TroyJanuary 8, 2021 at 1:01 PM
I too listened to the battle of the records every night. I remember some of the champions: Indian Reservation, Smoke on the water, Seasons in the sun, There coming to take me away, the night chicago died, billy don't be a hero, stairway to heaven and so many more.
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MattMarch 25, 2021 at 7:14 AM
When I got out of the Army in the early 70's there was a station called Stereo X. It was too soon off the air. Never heard any station that was as good.
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AnonymousJanuary 7, 2023 at 6:16 AM
In the 70's I lived in Phoenix, and could here KCPX at night.
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AnonymousDecember 11, 2023 at 4:05 PM
I worked for KCPX as the mascot when I was a teenager. Also knew several of the DJs and was close to Chad O Stevens/Danny Jessup
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Good Words About Early '70s Radio

"Kim Simpson does a superb job analyzing the manifold factors that contributed to the radio format revolution while advancing the reader’s understanding of a transformative period in American culture. Ultimately, Simpson’s astute assessment of radio’s second heyday adds richly to the ever-growing canon of media studies. Early '70s Radio is must reading for anyone interested in the unique role specialized audio programming played in an era of historic social change."

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–– Claude Hall, B.J., M.Ed. Radio-TV Editor, Billboard, 1964-79, and Assistant Communications Professor, State University of New York at Brockport, 1983-89

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–– David Sanjek, Professor of Music Director, Salford Music Research Centre University of Salford, U.K.

"Early '70s Radio is a fast-paced romp through the formatting revolution that changed the ways pop music continues to be sliced and diced. Surprises pop off every page. Examining everything from monster hits to obscure and often-hilarious novelty tunes, Kim Simpson shows how Top 40 splintered into middle of the road soft rock, album-oriented hard rock, crossover soul and disco, and country pop. Each format promised to serve up a distinct listening demographic to hungry advertisers. Yet Simpson uncovers fascinating commonalities across the dial—including the increasing desire of stations to attract women instead of men—that fundamentally changed the sound of pop music. And who knew there were so many songs featuring children in the era? If you ever wondered about the roots of the Miley Cyrus/Justin Beiber phenomenon or how Glee learned to appeal to parents and their kids at the same time, Early '70s Radio delivers. I’ll never listen to 'Yummy Yummy Yummy' or 'Rubber Duckie' the same way again."

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–– Eric Weisbard, University of Alabama and editor, Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music