Over the weekend, The Washington Post had an article that discussed the passing of Standards-oriented radio stations from the airwaves. For more than a decade, stations that play Sinatra and The Great American Songbook have been changing formats and leaving listeners stranded. Help seems to be coming from a surprising source: The AARP!
It’s a sad thing when those of us who still like to listen to Big Band and Swing are cut out to make way for those “bands” who scream into the microphone with expletives that would make a sailor blush. All the real music is dying off!
Can you spell “greed”? Why should a station pay ASCAP royalties when they can set up a cheap talk show host to rage and fume about hot-button issues for 3 hours (no royalties). San Francisco was shocked when KABL was converted to KQKE-Air America talk station. Radios were originally conceived as “electric music boxes”. How ironic. Thankfully we still have our vinyl records… I keep finding wonderful VIC DAMONE LPs (his 1962 LP “YOUNG and LIVELY” is a beautiful collection of ballads). I sing Sinatra, Jack Jones, Damone, Bennett all over California! Young kids have never heard the songs! They’re really appreciative and friendly!!! Life Goes ON!!!