Results tagged “WSBA” from York Town Square

Philip K. Eberly's "Susquehanna Radio, The First 50 Years" tells about the early years of radio in York County, Pa., and southcentral Pennsylvania. The 1992 book is available at York County libraries. Background posts: 101 Ranch Boys play on in York County memories and Old WSBA station: 'Another part of history has gone' and Carly Simon at WSBA: 'What do you want to hear?'.

In his book on the nationwide Susquehanna Radio Corp., the late Philip Eberly answers questions and provides insight locally into the 1940s and 1950s when radio was the hot media.

For example, what does WSBA stand for?

Actually, Eberly's "Susquehanna Radio, The First 50 Years" isn't clear on that point:

Leonard Zinn, Hall-of-Fame steel guitarist, sets to work. Zinn played for the 101 Ranch Boys, a group that helped launch WSBA Radio in York County. Philip Eberly tells about the Boys and other radio personalities in "Susquehanna Radio: The First 50 years." Background posts: 101 Ranch Boys play on in York County memories and Old WSBA station: 'Another part of history has gone' and Carly Simon at WSBA: 'What do you want to hear?'.

Philip Eberly, who died recently, left a legacy on the early days of York County radio as a WSBA and Susquehanna Broadcasting salesman, sales manager, station manager, vice president and general manager.

So says a recent York Daily Record/Sunday News article (8/07/09).

But his most lasting contribution might be his 1992 book "Susquehanna Radio: The First 50 years." (Available via the York County Library System.)

That work tells about WSBA and Susquehanna Broadcasting's early years up to 1992. That empire grew into a media group that grew into stations in San Francisco, Houston and Dallas before it was sold in recent years to Cumulus Media.

For example, an interesting book section tells about the company's venture into TV... .

This photo shows the York County-based country-and-western group the 101 Ranch Boys in 1956 or 1957. The boys are identified: upper left, Harold Dunn; upper center, Bob Weston; upper right, Andy Reynolds; lower left, George Rowe; lower center, Steve Goba; and lower right, Willy Landis. Goba provided this photo. Background posts: Don't forget Del McCoury on list of York celebs, 101 Ranch Boys hooked musician and Shorty Fincher, Elvis, Three Stooges shared stage.

There's something about the 101 Ranch Boys band that spawns memories.

Steve Goba was one of the boys for a short time in the 1950s.

He saw the York Town Square post Story on famed 101 Ranch Boys spawns memories and contributed information via a comment on the story.

He caught readers up on group members from the 1950s: ... .

This shows WSBA-AM (910)'s current station in eastern York County - its second office and studio. The original along the Susquehanna Trail, north of York, was recently demolished. Background posts: Original WSBA station hands mic to demolition team and Carly Simon at WSBA: 'What do you want to hear?'.

Randy Shaffer of Manchester passed on some memories recently of the now-demolished WSBA building on the Susquehanna Trail.

The building, recently knocked down to make way for a commerce center, has sparked many memories typified by Randy's conclusion: "But, another part of history has gone." He brings out an interesting point about an underground studio that was part of the complex.

Here's his e-mail:

WSBA's Ruth O'Brien (right) joins Carly Simon on a couch in the radio station's lobby after singing with Simon in singer's visit to the WSBA/WARM station 2000. Background post: Memories of the Oaks pile up.

Today, old-timers remember the original, now-demolished
WSBA building as the place that 101 Ranch Boys and other stars performed lived the early days of radio.

When WSBA/WARM's station has run its course probably scores of years from now, Carly Simon's visit there in 2000 will likely come to mind... .

This is all that remains of the former WSBA radio building along the Susquehanna Trail in Manchester Township. Susquehanna Real Estate, the building's owners plan to build a business center at the site. For more on the demolition, see story below. Background posts: 101 Ranch Boys hooked musician and Story on famed 101 Ranch Boys spawns memories.

The original home of WSBA Radio is no more, knocked down for commercial development.

The colonial-design building was the original home of York's second radio station, occupied upon its completion in 1942.

Some facts about WSBA, gleaned from Philip K. Eberly's "Susquehanna Radio, the First 50 Years:"

For an upcoming compilation album, Phil Schwartz has found 26 tracks from 11 bands that performed regularly at White Oak Park, better known as The Oaks. Here are the bands he has tracks for so far: The Del-Chords; El Dantes; The Exciting Invictas; The Tranells; The Crystalaires; The Ambassadors; Seven Dwarfs; G.L. and The Vesters; The Chateaus; The Magic Monorays and The Calientes. Chris Huber, concert organizer at the Oaks in the 1960s, attributes the venue's success to The Del-Chords, pictured here. The first night The Del-Chords played the Oaks, Huber told the York Daily Record, the line to get in lasted all night long.

It started out with a query for information about White Oak Park, and it has resulted in a number of posts here of the now-defunct Manchester Township hangout.

Phil Schwartz Sr. continues to look for Oaks memorabilia from the heyday of band battles in the 1960s. He is producing a compilation album of the regulars at the Oaks: "White Oak Park - Battle of the Bands." Contact him at pschwa7845@aol.com.

Meanwhile, York Daily Record writer Jason Cox wrote a story last week about the Oaks: