Fifty-four-year old me just listened to 24-year-old me. More specifically, I just listened to a recording of myself as a KNJZ DJ from August 13, 1995. That date looms large in my memory, as I was on the air for 12 hours. Two DJs were on vacation, so shifts that were usually divided among five announcers were split among just three of us. I worked 6 a.m.-12 p.m. and 6 p.m.-12 a.m. I was especially pleased to work that night, as I got to choose the music for the 7-10 p.m. "Lights Out, St. Louis" show. While listening to 90 minutes of "Lights Out..." from 30 years ago, these thoughts struck me:
- I grinned when hearing the first song on the tape, David Benoit's "Houston." I had just played it in iTunes this morning, not remembering that I'd played it on-air 30 years ago. I always thought "Houston" should have been a staple track on smooth jazz stations, as it's a strong piano melody and injects a large jolt of energy into an uptempo music set.
- I'm pleased that I segued Vince Guaraldi's "Pebble Beach" with Ramsey Lewis's version of "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" Those tunes flowed well and gave me the chance to promote "The Ramsey Lewis Show," which aired from 10 p.m to midnight.
- Although it's a classy, engaging way to start a tune, the opening passage for woodwinds is probably why I've rarely heard Wes Montgomery's rendition of "Fly Me To The Moon" on the radio. Listeners who don't tune in often might think they've stumbled onto a Classical station--until Montgomery's jazz guitar kicks in.
- It was fun to play listeners' requested dedications, such as Tom Scott featuring Maysa Leak's "Don't Get Any Better" and Everette Harp's "If I Had To Live My Life Without You," while attaching the names of those requesting the tunes and those for whom they were requested. I hope the beneficiaries of those requests were moved by the requesters' song choices and sentiments behind them.
- It felt strange yet refreshing to hear entire commercial sets without any mentions of websites or social media. An announcer in one ad advised listeners to get a pencil and paper to write down a company's phone number, which you don't hear so often today.
