The New WCOL-AM 1230 History Site

THE NEW WCOL HISTORY
WCOL, Columbus Ohio "The Hits Just Kept on Coming" This WCOL Web site has received over 100,000 page visits since June 2003. WCOL News? Send it to me ColumbusMusicHistory \| Mike's Photo Archive \| Mike on KGO \| Big C Past Pix \| Mike's Current Photo Archive Get WCOL DJ "Deputy" Rick Minerd's book about Columbus radio and WCOL

Remember the Northland Shopping Center "Battle of the Bands"? 1967?

My name is Marc Moriva. I'm a musician and grew up in Columbus during the 60's, listened to "The New WCOL", played guitar and sax in two local bands that worked many R&R shows during that era, and have recently become involved in a really fun Facebook group called Central Ohio's Rock & Roll Scrapbook. I thought you might enjoy this photo that showed up on the site the other day. It's a shot of your former self presenting a check for $250 to the winners of The Northland Battle of the Bands, Wayne James Sheppard and Hazel Ann Wiget (Sheppard) of "The Four O'clock Balloon" circa 1967.

From the 1950s through the 1970s, the New WCOL, AM 1230 & FM 92.3, was a special place.

On this site are many photos, E-mail lists, station history, old hitline surveys and more. Return often.

Right, "Close Cover Before Striking," well, duh, of course, and this warning was well before the proliferation of lawyers. These matches were from the late 1940s or early 1950s, and I trust that WCOL listeners followed the advice and that "no listeners were hurt using these matches." The accompaning cancer - another story.

The August 2003 Reunion was hosted by Clear Channel Columbus

The New WCOL Geritol and Clearasil Awards

We didn't give a prize for the oldest and youngest WCOL alums. But if we did, Donald Kirk, a WCOL announcer in the early 50s, and Dana Tyler, an intern while in high school in the late 70s would win our prizes.

On accompanying pages, more participant photos

What a difference a decade makes! Above, a few of the 1950s on-air personalities. At the right, a group from the late 1960s, DJs and News

Above, Chris Joos interviews Bob Harrington on the Sunday retrospective on WODB-FM

Chris with early "Stereo Rock 92" WCOL FM DJs: Neal Martin, Ginger, Don Gorman, Ken Stone (Ken deceased August 2005)

Newswatch Team Promo Picture, 1970

Sharon and Wes record, Jerry engineers, 1968

Wes Hopkins Died March 8th, 2008

This email message from Lou Henry: "Wes's daughter called me today. Wes died this afternoon. He wasn't feeling well and took a cab to the hospital. They checked him out and released him. While he was waiting for the cab he collapsed and fell, hitting his head and suffering a skull fracture. They took him off the respirator and he died shortly thereafter. I didn't ask about a memorial, but he'll be cremated. He was 81."

Read Rick Minerd's Story about Wes Hopkins | Rick's "Waking Up Alone"

Mike Adams, WCOL Historian and Webmaster

Let's talk about me:

I have spent the past 30 years as a university professor in California, the past 8 as the Chair of the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre at San Jose State University. I have also for the past 20 years been the faculty advisor to my department's KSJS-FM 90.5. I had planned to retire and teach half time.

My retirement will be delayed: for the next year I will serve as the Associate Dean of the College of Humanities and Arts at San Jose State. This is certainly a promotion, and it proves that there is life beyond the New WCOL, and shows how far a tenured AM DJ can go in this world. Watch Mike's retirement biography, "The Life of Mike" | Mike's Research in the News | Mike's YOUTUBE Channel

Meanwhile, I am always happy to share your WCOL stories and post your photos.

My radio station, KSJS-FM, has been student-run and licensed to my university since 1963. If you have never been to a college radio station, check out the KSJS YouTube video page: