KQV-AM was the number 2 highest rated station in Pittsburgh through most of the 1960s. Chuck Brinkman was the mainstay of the KQV staff for 12 years during the station’s Top 40 glory days. He frequently ranked second to Clark Race in the 1960s radio ratings.
Adding new songs every week as the "Pick of the Week" KQV launched many hits by Motown artists. British Invasion bands, and Pittsburgh musicians. At KQV Brinkman was credited with breaking nationally the hit songs "Sitting In The Park" by Billy Stewart, "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' by the Crazy Elephant and several songs by the Vogues, and the Jaggerz.
Chuck at KQV in '61, '62. '65. and '71.He volunteered for the National Guard in 1958 and spent six months of active duty at Fort Knox. After his National Guard duty he worked at WCUE in Akron for a year and then went back to WELI for a few months.
Brinkman began at KQV in 1960 working the all night shift. He took over the 7 PM to midnight show in August of 1962 replacing the departed Larry Aiken. He became part of KQV-AM's "Fun Lovin' Five," in 1963 which included Hal Murray, Steve Rizen, Dave Scott and Dexter Allen.
In 1964, he introduced the Beatles to the crowd at the Civic Arena - the band’s only Pittsburgh concert.
He also hosted the WIIC-TV Chanel 11 "Come Alive” dance show in 1966. Brinkman also was the DJ at many Pittsburgh area teen dances during the 1960s.
Beginning In 1967 Brinkman served as KQV’s music director and afternoon drive host. As music director he selected the stations playlist. The station played 5 new singles and two new album cuts every week. Brinkman received gold records for his work in breaking hits by Mungo Jerry and Crazy Elephant.
Chuck is playing records at KQV on January 9, 1972. [ LISTEN ]
Chuck opens this segment of KQV's All Hit Winter Weekend. The new request line number is 333-9190. Also heard is Dawn, Gary U.S. Bonds, Melanie, Michael Jackson, The Carpenters, Three Dog Night (The KQV group of the year), and more. (10:12)
Of all the KQV Fun Lovers, Brinkman was there the longest (12 years), and worked in every time slot at the station: over-nights, evenings, mid-day, afternoon and morning drive time.
Brinkman moved to WTAE-AM in October of 1972 taking the mid day time slot. Chuck was appointed WTAE's music director by Bernie Armstrong in 1973. Chuck selected favorite Pittsburgh tunes for WTAE's "Solid Gold" TAE format.
Chuck left the Pittsburgh radio market in 1979 to work at KOGO in San Diego as a DJ and program director. While in San Diego he also served as a programming consultant to station WFFM 96.9 in Pittsburgh.
Brinkman returned to Pittsburgh in 1980 doing the morning drive time slot at WFFM 96.9 and also became the station's program director. The station changed its call letters to WMYG (Magic 97) in 1986. As program director of WMYG Brinkman signed Jimmy Roach and Steve Hanson to a multi-year contract and brought them back to Pittsburgh after their stint at WSHE in Flordia. Jimmy and Steve returned to the Pittsburgh airways on WMYG-FM Magic 97 on Sept 1, 1987 taking over Brinkman's morning time slot.
WMYG shifted its format from Adult Oriented hits to Classic Album Oriented Rock (AOR). Brinkman was replaced as the WMYG program director by Ron Reger in February of 1988 and became the station's operations manager.
Brinkman spent the next 17 years playing oldies on KLUV. He left the station in December of 2005. Later, he was part owner of a Greenville, Texas rock oldies radio station KGVL-FM 1400 and did the afternoon drive show.
Chuck Brinkman died August 24, 2018. surrounded by family at his home in Plano, Texas. He was 83. Brinkman’s son, Jonathon Brinkman, said his father had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
