In 1948, WGH-FM debuted, the area's first FM radio station. It would simulcast the WGH-AM programming for nearly ten years.
The "World's Greatest Harbor" camper participating in the Consolidation Parade on July 1, 1958.The WGH Program and Promotion Director in the early 1950's was Bob McBride. The General Manager was still E. Elsworth Bishop; the station's Sales Manager was Eddie Edgar; the on-air music critic was Warner Twyford; and one of the disc jockeys on the staff was Ambert Dail (later to become General Manager).
In 1953 studios were moved to 739 Boush Street in Norfolk and moved again in 1958 to 711 Boush Street.
The show was Teen Time, the date was October 17, 1958, the host was Ronnie King, and the guest was Buddy Holly. [ LISTEN ]. (2:30)
In 1960 WGH was broadcasting at 5,000 watts from a non-directional daytime tower at the Newport News Small Boat Harbor, switching to the three-tower directional site in Hampton during the evening hours.
George Crawford, Glenn Lewis, Dave Cummins, Dick Lamb, Bob Calvert, Roger Clark, and Gene Loving standing in front of the old Mercury Boulevard studios in Hampton in 1966.1960s on-air performers included George Crawford, Dave Cummins, Bob Calvert, Gene Loving, Keith James, Dick Lamb, Roger Clark (Program Director until 1967), Glenn "The Turtle" Lewis, Russ Spooner, Chuck Adams, Don Robertson, Bob Chesson (Production), Jim Lawrence, John Garry (who was also Program Director from 1967 until 1970, when he left WGH for WIST-AM in Charlotte), Larry O'Brien, Tom Scott and J.J. Bowman. In 1966, WGH-FM became a full-time stereo station.
WGH Jocks George Crawford, Dave Cummins, Dick Lamb, Gene Loving, Roger Clark, Jim Lawrence, and Bob Calvert follow Teresa Stallings in a 1967 photo taken at the Hampton Holiday Inn pool.Bob Calvert's Hop promo in 1967. [ LISTEN ]This aircheck is only about one minute in length, but it's an example of the station's high energy approach even during commercials.
In late 1968, the nighttime directional antenna site was relocated to Main Street/Todds Lane and Willow Drive in Hampton, near the Newport News-Hampton line. In the early 1970s, the Mercury Boulevard towers were dropped to make way for the construction of Todd Center and new WGH studios and offices.
General Manager Ambert Dail, reading the Spring 1971 Arbitron survey showing WGH number one for the 14th consecutive year.
This picture of your "Station of the Stars", was taken around 1960.
Morning man Jim Stanley reviewing a song in the music library.
Dick Lamb signs autographs for a couple of listeners outside of the WGH remote studio in front of Lerner's at Newmarket Shopping Center.
Bob "Ol' Boob" Calvert. The date on the calendar is Tuesday, January 21, 1964. This was taken in the WGH-AM on-air studio in the new studio wing that was constructed in 1963.For many years, the WGH News Department was honored by the Associated Press as the Best News Operation in Virginia. For most of the 1960s and well into the 1970s, Jim Moore was News and Public Affairs Director.
The award-winning news staff included such names as Ed Meyer (former News Director), Dick Kidney, Eric Aucoin, Ira Hull, Carlton Shrieves, Pete Glazer, Wayne Combs, Gene Galusha, Jim Clarke (who secured a taped interview of Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 spy plane pilot who had been shot down over Russia), Frank Currier, Allan Pressley, Joe Lowenthal, Michael Rasnick, Boyd Harrier, Brad Face, Edwin Carlyle, Darrell Hosack, Christian Walters and Carl Hollander.
George Passage, Editorial Director of The Daily Press, presented his nightly commentary on the air from 1960 into the early 1970s. The Edward Travis Report was a daily offering on the schedule at 12:25 PM until Mr. Travis' retirement in 1972.
The first "Miss WGH" was Mildred K. Williams, during the early 60's. She became ill after being bitten by the WGH mascot, a small monkey that wore a WGH blazer.
The first "Miss WGH" was Mildred K. Williams, during the early 60's. She became ill after being bitten by the WGH mascot, a small monkey that wore a WGH blazer.
DJ Gene Loving in December of 1968.
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Larry O'Brien (later that evening) on the air...
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Larry's evening show from the old Mercury Boulevard studios. The Christmas office party was rockin' and there are special appearances by a jolly Bob Calvert, who occasionally left the festivities to join Larry on the air.
During it's height as a Top 40 station, Bob Calvert voiced and produced a very distinctive top of the hour ID, "WGH Newport News, Serving Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach, 24 hours a day!" The station also had an audible on-air beep that could be heard on the air when the official time reached the top of the hour.
The WGH Sales Department over the years included professionals such as Bill Walker, Al Nelowet, Margie Nelowet, Kay Foulkes, Howard Jernigan, Jack Whitehead, Betty Whitley, Bobby Fox, Roger Clark, Lew Matthews, Betty Verell, Jane Lippincott, Judi Sedell, Richard Winstead, Gary Romska, Mercer Collins and Roxanne Miller.
Glenn "The Turtle" Lewis in the main AM studio. The calendar is from March 1966.
Phil Brown in an early WGH-FM studio in the new wing of the Military Highway (West Mercury Boulevard) studios built in 1963.
1965 picture of the WGH Showmobile parked behind the Hampton studio/offices complex. It contained a complete studio, with a Gates Yard Console, turntables and tape cartridge machines.
The fine arts programming continued until the sale of WGH AM-FM by Hampton Roads Broadcasting corporation in the 1980s.
The late Vianne Webb was Program Director and joined the station in 1963 as Librarian and, later, host of a morning classical music program. Chuck Adams was the Operations Manager and Public Service Director as well as a popular on air host. He joined WGH AM-FM in 1965. His was also the last voice heard on WGH-FM before new owners CommCor unceremoniously pulled the plug on the station so quickly that they interrupted Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major" in mid-track.
Other WGH-FM hosts included Tom Morgan, Art Jones, Dwight Davis, Rollie Bristol, Inge Fisher White and Raymond Jones.
Here are Neal Steele and Dale Parsons in 1975. [ LISTEN ] (7:37)
The 1970s talent lineup on WGH-AM included such names as George Crawford, J.J. Bowman, Rob Wayne, Sean Grabowski, Lee Fowler, Scott Christensen, Ron James, Tom Scott, Dale Parsons, Jim Stewart, Jim Conlee, Jeff Davis, Mike Patrick, Neal Steele, Bill Tucker, Nick O'Neil, Dan O'Brien, Pat Holliday, Bob Canada, Pat O'Day, Ed Rodriquez, Bill Jordan, Jon St. Jon, Pat Banks and Phil Beckman.
CrawfordA top-notch engineering staff kept the stations sounding clean and clear. Chief Engineer Joe Looper, Dave Desler, Ken Stark, Herman Wood, Sam Joyner, Leo Sulik, Tom Inman and Dexter Phibbs - all talented and dedicated technicians.
DJ George Crawford is playing records on August 19, 1977. [ LISTEN ] (23:38)
Dan O'Brien in 1977.
The success of WGH AM and FM over the years was built on the hard work and talent of the people named above, as well as employees such as George Crawford, Jr., Betty Blinco, Wally Hankins, Wheless Johnson, Tiny Hutton, Mary Ann Jennings, Anita Williams, Helena Holmes, Jack Black, Cheryl Cook, Irvine Hill, Pam Hart, Ed Ivory, J. Hunter Todd, Joel Carlson, Phyllis Smith, Sally Marshall, Marie Arnold, Sandy Crawford, Linda Turner, Bobbie Hand, Sid Oman, and Production Director Herman King. |  |
Music surveys from 1961 and 1966.
In 1983, the stations were sold to an Ohio company, CommCor, whose management changed the call letters of both WGH AM and FM to WNSY and instituted a soft rock format. In 1985 the station was sold to Susquehanna Broadcasting and the WGH call letters were restored to both stations. During the late 1980s WGH-AM aired a simulcast of the WGH-FM Top 40 format. In 1990, WGH-AM broadcast CNN Radio News during the Gulf War, with a switch to country in 1991 and to all sports in 1992, becoming Virginia's first all sports radio station.
WGH was sold in the mid-1990s to Barnstable Broadcasting, which also picked up other stations in the area. One of the stations they purchased, WCMS, was later sold to Davidson Media. Barnstable didn't want to lose the WCMS call letters, so they assigned them to 1310 AM, which became known as ESPN Radio 1310 WCMS. The WGH call letters remained with 97.3 The Eagle.
In 2005, Max Media purchased the stations owned by Barnstable Broadcasting and the call letters WGH were restored to 1310. On October 5, 2009, WXEZ-FM (94.1) swapped formats with WGH-AM (1310). WXEZ-FM adopted the sports programming and changed their call letters to WVSP-FM ("ESPN Radio 94.1"). As a result of the switch WGH-AM became Gospel formatted "Star 1310 AM".
On July 28, 2017, Max Media re-launched WGH 1310 AM, retaining the original call letters, dial position, and 1950s and 1960s hit music. The complete restoration honors Tidewater's original Top 40 station with timeless music, complete with the original jingles, audio flashbacks, and vintage recordings. Max media and original WGH personalities Gene Loving and Dick Lamb play a vital role in bridging the gap between the original WGH and its restored version.
WHO WORKED AT WGH? Many DJ's over the years included: George Crawford, Gene Loving, John Garry, Larry O'Brien, Roger Clark, Bob Calvert, Dick Lamb, Glenn "The Turtle" Lewis, Dave Cummins, J.J. Bowman, Charlie Shannon, Ron James, Bill Stephens, Tom Scott, Bill Tucker, Rob Wayne, Jim Stewart, Mike Patrick, Jim Lawrence, Dale Parsons and "The Real" Neal Steele.
Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Airchexx, Aloha News, Joe Collins Youtube.
