When WGVU-AM Grand Rapids, Mich., launched its “Real Oldies” format in 2009, there had already been a handful of AM stations specializing in the music disenfranchised by larger market Oldies FMs. At that moment, it was pre-Beatles songs that needed a home, although Oldies was on the verge of rebranding as “Classic Hits” and time would continue to march on, systematically disenfranchising the late ‘60s, the early ‘70s, and even much of the late ‘70s that’s not Classic Rock.
These days, FM Classic Hits stations are centered in the ‘80s and pushing into the ‘90s or early ‘00s. A few, like the recently rebranded KBAY San Jose, have circled back to become the gold-based ACs that most markets had before the Oldies format exploded in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. The “Real Oldies” movement that began in the early ‘00s has had several up-and-down cycles. (WSAN Allentown, Pa., one of the first in 2001, became one of the latest to return in 2021.)
Thanks to the FM translator-driven success stories of stations like KDRI (The Drive) Tucson, Ariz., and WECK Buffalo, N.Y., there are no shortage of places to hear the ’60s and ‘70s on broadcast radio. Even without streaming, I’ve had WMTR Morristown, N.J., almost continuously since the first boom, and I now have Scott Shannon’s “True Oldies Channel” on WCBS-FM’s HD3 outlet. But there was still a twinge of sadness at Grand Valley State University’s announcement that WGVU-AM will sign-off both frequencies on Jan. 7, another pair of AMs whose real estate make them worth more dark than alive.
When Real Oldies 1480 launched, it seemed like public radio could be a viable home for the format, particularly given T.J. Lubinsky’s public TV success with Oldies. WGVU belonged to that group of stations I came to call “Oldies XL,” even deeper than some of its counterparts, especially on songs with a heritage on Grand Rapids radio. For a while, there was a monthly newsletter with a feature spotlighting regional hits like “You Haven’t Seen My Love” by the Ones or “Flower Garden” by Nick Lampe.
WGVU’s announcement pointed out that there were now two places to hear similar music in Grand Rapids. There’s mainstream Classic Hits WFGR, but also iHeart’s WBFX (101.3 Big FM) playing the current syndicated version of Real Oldies, now a ‘60s and early ‘70s format, not that different from where FM Classic Hits was in 2009. It’s the same music now heard on WSAN’s second run at the format.
I took a Final Listen to Real Oldies on December 29. As had been the case throughout the station’s history, its presentation was more akin to public radio (NPR news at :00, local news at :30) than “boss radio.” Afternoon host Rob Sanford’s breaks were between the songs, not over the intros. (One of his stories was the Lending Tree survey that 36% of Americans took on personal debt as a result of the holidays.) Here’s Real Oldies 1480 at 3 p.m.:
- Ricky Nelson, “Hello Mary Lou”
- Bobby Rydell, “Forget Him”
- Shirley Ellis, “The Nitty Gritty”
- Jimmy Gilmer & Fireballs, “Sugar Shack”
- Sam Cooke, “Sugar Dumpling” (his final posthumous top 40 hit from 1965)
- Classics IV, “Spooky”
- Third Booth, “I Need Love” (scorching 1968 garage rock classic that was No. 4 in Grand Rapids and No. 2 at WLS Chicago)
- Stevie Wonder, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours’
- Rita Coolidge, “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher”
- Four Tops, “Keeper of the Castle”
- Rascals, “You Better Run”
- Walker Brothers, “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”
- Neil Diamond, “Kentucky Woman”
- Mariah Carey, “All I Want For Christmas (Is You)”
- Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s In Love With You”
- Gerry & Pacemakers, “Ferry Cross the Mersey”
- Melanie, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)”
- Jr. Walker & All Stars, “Cleo’s Back” (instrumental played up to NPR news, most of which was heard; the previous hour had been “You’ve Got to Pay the Price,” only a few seconds of which actually played).