Radio Days
CLICK ON PICTURES FOR FULL SIZE VIEW
WROK-AM, WZOK-FM, ROCKFORD, IL
October, 1923
KFLV ( later WROK ) goes into operation as Rockford's first radio station.
July 12, 1936
WROK becomes a full-time radio station.
March 1, 1963
Bloomington Broadcasting Corp. buys Rockford radio station WROK from Rockford Newspapers, Inc.
Bloomington Broadcasting headed by Vernon Nolte. Vernon turned WROK into one of the best stations in the country.
Vernon Nolte was the force behind the invention of the cart machine. Once Vernon had the patent for the cart machine he tried to sell the idea to GATES radio for $200,000. Gates radio thought it was a bad idea and came up with something of their own. Vernon Nolte formed ATC, Automatic Tape Control, and started manufacturing cart machines out of a garage. A couple years later GATES radio bought the cart machine patent from Vernon for $1,200,000.
Vernon used this money for his share of WROK and owned over 50% interest in WROK. Vernon later bought out the other owners and became sole owner of WROK.
This information was given to me by Vernon in 1969
Ed Jurich
WROK-FM 1969
THE 70'S
WROK-FM BECOMES WZOK-FM
OCT 1, 1981
THE ROLLING STONES COME TO ROCKFORD ILLINOIS
Dallas Cole, WZOK-FM Program Director, comes up with a promotion to take advantage of an upcoming Chicago Rolling Stones concert.
Petitions are placed around town to "bring the Rolling Stones to Rockford"
Dallas finds out the Stones promoter will be in Chicago making arrangements for the Chicago concert. All the petitions are picked up and taken to Chicago and presented to the promoter.
The promoter shows the petitions to Mick Jagger and Mick says
sure, why not.
Dallas has a Rockford version of a parody song cut for the promotion and played on the air during the promotion.
Mick Jagger, What Makes Your Lips So Big
by
Johnathan Brandmeier
I made a 15 i.p.s. copy from the original master
Here is a MP3 copy
MICK JAGGER, WHAT MAKES YOUR LIPS SO BIG
4.8 meg
Here is a WAV copy
MICK JAGGER, WHAT MAKES YOUR LIPS SO BIG
26.7 meg
1982
DALLAS COLE
WZOK PROGRAM DIRECTOR
1982
BUILDING THE (then) NEW WROK-AM AIR STUDIO
END OF AN ERA
NOLTE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
APPLICATION GRANTED TO AM
BROADCAST STATION
ROCKFORD, IL VOL AL FROM NOLTE
COMMUNICATIONS, INC. TO
CONNOISSEUR COMMUNICATIONS OF
ROCKFORD, L.P.
HOST OF
"OBSCURE HITS OF TOMORROW"
RICH ROUNDER
(IT'S A JOKE)
RICH IS A FRIEND OF MINE VISITING
