John Landecker
Encyclopedia
John Records Landecker is a Top40/Oldies
disc jockey
best known for creating "Boogie Check," "Americana Panorama," and satirical songs and bits based on current events such as "Make a Date with the Watergate
," and "Press My Conference." He currently hosts a TKO Radio Networks syndicated weekend radio program called Into the Seventies which he has hosted since July 2007.
"Boogie Check" was a hilarious feature, the last thing Landecker did each night for about two minutes. A string of brief telephone calls was put on the air in rapid succession.
(WOIA-FM/WOIB-AM, now respectively WWWW-FM
and WLBY
). He attended Michigan State University
, working at stations in Lansing
(WILS
) and Philadelphia (WIBG, now WNTP
) before becoming the evening jock on the 50,000 watt WLS 890
which broadcast from Chicago, Illinois in 1972 http://radio.about.com/library/blprofiles/blpro-johnlandecker.htm. The powerful WLS clear channel signal reached across 38 states after sundown, giving Landecker ratings that are unheard of in this day. In 1981 Landecker left Chicago for a stint on CFTR 680
in Toronto, Ontario. Landecker returned to Chicago radio in 1984 on rocker WLUP
97.9 and WAGO (now WCFS-FM) 105.9. Landecker returned to WLS in 1985 and remained there until WLS switched to an all-talk format in 1989. After spending time in Cleveland
at WPHR, 107.9 (now WENZ
), he returned to Chicago in 1993, beginning a ten year run on Oldies 104.3 WJMK where he was the morning drive D.J. until 2003. While on WJMK, his show received the Achievement in Radio award of "Best Morning Show in Chicago" in 1997, and Radio and Records Award of "Best Oldies Morning Show in America" in 2001 and 2002. In 2006 Landecker started on True Oldies 94.7 WZZN (now WLS-FM) in Chicago where he was the weekday afternoon D.J. from 3-7pm until October 10, 2007. Landecker is working on a joint venture with former WLS colleague Turi Ryder for newstalk radio. In his spare time John enjoys rebuilding Swiss clocks and smoking his own pancetta. http://www.suntimes.com/business/feder/499398,CST-FIN-Feder07.article John also does the afternoon show from 3 pm to 6 pm central with Paula Griffin on 1420 WIMS AM in Michigan City Indiana.
Questioned throughout his career about the origin of his middle name, it was not, as most assumed, a stage name. His mother's maiden name was Records and was given to him at birth. "Records truly is my middle name" was a saying Landecker frequently used on the air.
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
best known for creating "Boogie Check," "Americana Panorama," and satirical songs and bits based on current events such as "Make a Date with the Watergate
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
," and "Press My Conference." He currently hosts a TKO Radio Networks syndicated weekend radio program called Into the Seventies which he has hosted since July 2007.
"Boogie Check" was a hilarious feature, the last thing Landecker did each night for about two minutes. A string of brief telephone calls was put on the air in rapid succession.
Biography
Landecker began his radio career while in high school at a station in Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
(WOIA-FM/WOIB-AM, now respectively WWWW-FM
WWWW-FM
WWWW-FM - "W4 Country" - is a country music radio station based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, broadcasting on 102.9 MHz.-Early years:The 102.9 frequency began operations in or on March 1, 1962 as WOIA and was co-owned with WOIB-AM 1290 in Saline, Michigan. Originally, WOIA and WOIB simulcast a middle of...
and WLBY
WLBY
WLBY, "Ann Arbor's Business Talk Radio", is a business talk radio station brodacasting from Saline, Michigan. They carry nationally syndicated programs such as Dave Ramsey, The Clark Howard Show, and The Ray Lucia Show. The station is also home to former WAAM morning host Lucy Ann Lance weekday...
). He attended Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, working at stations in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
(WILS
WILS
WILS is a radio station located in Lansing, Michigan broadcasting a news-talk format.Until October 2006, WILS aired ABC Radio's satellite-delivered adult standards/MOR music package known as "Timeless Classics" . The station had had this format since the early 1990s and was quite successful in the...
) and Philadelphia (WIBG, now WNTP
WNTP
WNTP 990 is a politically conservative talk radio station which serves the Philadelphia area. It is owned by Salem Communications, along with a number of similar channels in various markets. Some of those whose programs are run by WNTP include Michael Medved, Dennis Prager, Dennis Miller, Michael...
) before becoming the evening jock on the 50,000 watt WLS 890
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
which broadcast from Chicago, Illinois in 1972 http://radio.about.com/library/blprofiles/blpro-johnlandecker.htm. The powerful WLS clear channel signal reached across 38 states after sundown, giving Landecker ratings that are unheard of in this day. In 1981 Landecker left Chicago for a stint on CFTR 680
CFTR (AM)
CFTR, broadcasting under the brand 680News, is an all-news radio station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 680 kHz on the AM dial...
in Toronto, Ontario. Landecker returned to Chicago radio in 1984 on rocker WLUP
WLUP
WLUP-FM is a commercial classic rock radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Owned and operated by Merlin Media, LLC, WLUP transmits its signal from an antenna located the top of the Willis Tower in Downtown Chicago at a height of with an effective radiated power of 4,000 watts...
97.9 and WAGO (now WCFS-FM) 105.9. Landecker returned to WLS in 1985 and remained there until WLS switched to an all-talk format in 1989. After spending time in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
at WPHR, 107.9 (now WENZ
WENZ
WENZ —branded Z 107.9—is a mainstream urban commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio serving surrounding Northeast Ohio...
), he returned to Chicago in 1993, beginning a ten year run on Oldies 104.3 WJMK where he was the morning drive D.J. until 2003. While on WJMK, his show received the Achievement in Radio award of "Best Morning Show in Chicago" in 1997, and Radio and Records Award of "Best Oldies Morning Show in America" in 2001 and 2002. In 2006 Landecker started on True Oldies 94.7 WZZN (now WLS-FM) in Chicago where he was the weekday afternoon D.J. from 3-7pm until October 10, 2007. Landecker is working on a joint venture with former WLS colleague Turi Ryder for newstalk radio. In his spare time John enjoys rebuilding Swiss clocks and smoking his own pancetta. http://www.suntimes.com/business/feder/499398,CST-FIN-Feder07.article John also does the afternoon show from 3 pm to 6 pm central with Paula Griffin on 1420 WIMS AM in Michigan City Indiana.
Questioned throughout his career about the origin of his middle name, it was not, as most assumed, a stage name. His mother's maiden name was Records and was given to him at birth. "Records truly is my middle name" was a saying Landecker frequently used on the air.
Facts
- During his time in Toronto, John did a funny two-minute bit called 'Trudeau Talks Cute' in which he would ask set-up questions that would be followed by a tape recording of Canada's then-Prime Minister, the very popular Pierre TrudeauPierre TrudeauJoseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
. The initialism of 'Trudeau Talks Cute' was TTC, which was also used to play up the often-unpopular Toronto Transit CommissionToronto Transit Commission-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
. - When at WILSWILSWILS is a radio station located in Lansing, Michigan broadcasting a news-talk format.Until October 2006, WILS aired ABC Radio's satellite-delivered adult standards/MOR music package known as "Timeless Classics" . The station had had this format since the early 1990s and was quite successful in the...
Radio (Lansing, MI), John would intro his show using a megaphone to simulate an old-time barker's voice. Called the "Radio Leviathan," John talked over openings in the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." - While doing the morning show at WJMK, he would start the "5:30 club" by having co-host Richard Cantu begin his normal newscast, then interrupt him by saying "This is Anarchy! This is Rebellion!" and stating he was tearing up the list of scheduled songs and would play listener's requests instead. He abandoned this feature soon after 9/11.
- As of October 16, 2009, John Landecker announced he was leaving WIMS 1420 AM in Michigan City, Indiana, for a new job. Landecker hinted it was a "colder place" than Indiana and was moving. Fargo turned out to be a disaster and Landecker returned to WIMS 1420 AM in Michigan City with 2 weeks and currently (as of 3/10) is on the air from 3 PM until 6 PM along with Paula Griffin, a Michigan City radio legend.
- Father of actress Amy LandeckerAmy Landecker-External links:...
.
External links
- WLS Big 89 Rewind, 2008
- WLS Big 89 Rewind, Memorial Day 2007
- John Records Landecker Gets Gross on You Tube (WJMK, Chicago and Nude Hippo TV)
- John Records Landecker Diet Coke Volcano on You Tube (WIBC, Indianapolis)
- REELRADIO Top 40 Radio Repository (for Landecker airchecks from the 70's and 80's, type WLS or Landecker into site's search option)
- Scott Childers' History of WLS Radio
- Jeff Roteman's WLS website
- WLS Radio Timeline
- John Records Landecker aircheck (WLS, Chicago, January 1972)
- John Records Landecker aircheck (WLS, Chicago, August 1975)
- John Records Landecker aircheck (WLS, Chicago, January 1986)
- Amy Landecker bio
- WIMS AM 1420 The Talk of the South Shore