“Top 500 Oldies of All Time,” hosted by Mike Saffran, on “Oldies 98.9”/WKLX-FM (98.9), Rochester, N.Y. Originally aired May 25–27, 1996.

Special note: Combining two shows into single podcast episode due to countdown that preempted “Jukebox Saturday Night” (though not request shows, each includes listener call-ins).

I cannot recall if the preemption bothered me (probably) or, at least, baffled me—particularly given that other regular programming (e.g. syndicated shows) wasn’t canceled and the countdown stopped at midnight. If I had my way, “The Jukebox” would’ve aired as usual—especially given evidently poor planning regarding the countdown’s end (close to but not yet at the top on separate occasions). In hindsight, I probably should’ve, Saturday night, aired the top four—even if doing so would’ve gone past midnight (as I did two nights later, seemingly with the PD’s approval). Why wasn’t the number-one song announced? I’d guess there might’ve been pre-recorded fanfare and song introduction. By Memorial Day, I can kind of hear it in my voice that I was a little tired of the countdown; the best part of this episode the full version of the WKLX “Fun, Fun, Fun in Rochester!” jingle!

Callers aired and other show highlights:

00:12 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle (start of May 25 segment)

02:00 RIT and University of Rochester commencement ceremonies and Highland Park lilacs references

02:15 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

03:04 Unidentified male—first of few tongue-in-cheek suggestions of broken jukebox (including “coin-into-slot” and “technical difficulties” SFX)

05:35 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

06:12 Liz/Webster asking about song

07:16 Full WKLX “Fun, Fun, Fun in Rochester!” jingle

07:36 Unidentified male

09:29 Unidentified caller asking about song

10:45 Tricia/Henrietta

11:35 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

11:54 Unidentified female asking about “Backseat Memories”

12: 34 Unidentified caller asking about countdown

13:52 Carolyn/Henrietta asking about song

14:44 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

15:11 Unidentified caller asking about Rochester Americans-Syracuse Crunch game (Amerks won, 6-5, to advance to the Calder Cup finals)

16:08: Unidentified female asking about song

18:08 Unidentified male asking about countdown

18:47 “Mike Saffran” customized name-shout jingle (including snippet of Jr. Walker & The All Stars – “Shotgun”)

19:11 Unidentified caller asking about song

20:36 Unidentified caller asking about song

21:50 “Keep looking for Kali” (Note: For a while, particularly in spring/summer 1994, I closed many shows with this reminder — a reference to then-missing East Rochester toddler Kali Ann Poulton, who, it was later learned, had been kidnapped and murdered. I mentioned her again this night undoubtedly because it was near the two-year anniversary of her disappearance. More: https://www.pittsfordcemetery.org/bios/poulton_full.html)

22:11 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle (start of May 27 segment)

24:10 Unidentified male asking about “’70s at 7”

24:27 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

26:15 Unidentified male asking about  “’70s at 7” and countdown

26:34 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

27:15 Unidentified male asking song

28:38 Unidentified male asking about song

28:59 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

29:50 Unidentified female asking about song

31:03 Tricia/Henrietta

31:50 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

32:27 Unidentified female asking about song

32:47 Unidentified female asking about countdown

34:02 Unidentified female asking about countdown

34:38 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

35:31 Unidentified caller asking about song

36:50 Unidentified female asking about countdown

37:06 Unidentified male asking about song

37:18 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

39:58 Unidentified male asking about countdown

40:11 “WKLX, Rochester” legal ID jingle

41:36 Shoutout to Jerry/Working at U.S. Post Office (Henrietta)

All content (radio aircheck, audio podcast – all components, and show notes): © Michael J. Saffran