2/19/83 RKO BROADCASTING's TOP 30 COUNTDOWN AMERICA w/JOHN LEADER (ONLY ONE)

$

150

HEY, GUYS AND GALS!  DID YOU GROW UP IN THE FABULOUS 80's?  OR DO YOU LOVE THE GREAT MUSIC OF THE 80's?  DO YOU LIKE COUNTDOWNS, INTERVIEWS AND SPECIAL FEATURES? 

 HOW ABOUT MEMORIES THAT YOU CAN RELIVE ANYTIME YOU WANT JUST BY PUTTING THIS INTO YOUR CASSETTE PLAYER? 

(AND PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM LISTING THIS UNDER THE LP CATEGORY BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE SEEN BY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF COLLECTORS WHO MIGHT NORMALLY NOT CHECK OUT CASSETTE OFFERINGS AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE EXISTANCE OF THESE RARE MINT SHOWS.)

THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF A KIND, LITERALLY, AND WHEN IT IS SOLD, NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE ANOTHER.

AND, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR PRISTINE, LIKELY NEVER PLAYED 'SUB-MASTERED' SHOWS THAT WILL NEVER SCRATCH, POP, CLICK. WEAR OUT, OR SHOW ANY WEAR AS CAN LPs AND CDs, THIS IS IT!!

SO, BEFORE WE GO FURTHER, EXACTLY WHAT IS A 'SUB MASTER'

WHEN A FINAL RECORDING IS MADE OF AN ALBUM OR RADIO SHOW, IT IS A 'MASTER', THE ORIGINAL.  THE 'MASTER' IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY ACTUAL FINAL RECORDING OF WHAT WAS PRODUCED.

ANY FIRST GENERATION PRESSING OF THAT ORIGINAL IS CALLED A 'SUB MASTER'.  IT IS THE BEST REPRODUCTION OF THE MASTER THAN CAN EVER EXIST.

IN TODAY'S DIGITAL WORLD, THOSE MASTERS ARE EASILY PROTECTED FROM DAMAGE BUT BACK 'IN THE DAY' AS WE SAY, MASTERS WERE USUALLY ON HUGE REEL TO REEL TAPE REELS AND COULD BE EASILY DESTROYED, LOST, OR DAMAGED BY FIRE, NEGLECT, OR JUST BY BEING BULK ERASED AND REUSED  BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THOUGHT TO BE OF ANY FUTURE VALUE. (THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY TRUE OF RADIO SHOWS).  I KNOW, IN FACT, THAT MANY OF THE LARGEST SYNDICATORS OF RADIO SHOWS DELETED ALL THE PAST SHOWS AFTER THE SERIES ENDED OR MOVED TO ANOTHER SYNDICATOR.  MANY OF THE GREATEST DJ's OF THE ROCK ERA DON'T EVEN HAVE COPIES OF THEIR OWN SHOWS FOR THIS REASON.

RADIO SHOW 'MASTERS' IN PARTICULAR WERE NOT KEPT BECAUSE AFTER THE SHOW WAS PRESSED ON LP FROM THE MASTER AND SENT TO THE AFFILIATE STATION, THEY WERE NO LONGER NEEDED.

THEY WERE LIKELY TRASHED OR TAPED OVER FOR A FUTURE SHOW.

IN SUCH A CASE, THE 'SUB MASTER' WOULD BE THE NEXT GENERATION AND ONLY REMAINING PRISTINE COPY OF THE SHOW.

KEITH'S KOLLECTABLES STRONGLY SUGGESTS TO YOU THAT YOU ADD THESE UNIQUE SHOWS TO YOUR COLLECTION, THAT YOU PLAY IT ONCE ONLY TO PROTECT ITS RARENESS.  DOWNLOAD IT TO YOUR COMPUTER, CONVERT IT TO AN MP3, WAV, AND/OR CDs,  AND STORE THE ORIGINAL SHOW FOR THE FUTURE.  IT IS LITERALLY IRREPLACEABLE.  

THERE ARE NO OTHERS!

WELCOME EVERYONE TO KEITH'S KOLLECTABLES, ONE OF EBAY'S PREMIERE BUYERS AND SELLERS OF PRISTINE RADIO SHOWS OF EVERY GENRE ALONG WITH OTHER GREAT RARE AND UNIQUE AMERICANA.

PLEASE REMEMBER MY SPECIAL OFFER TO FELLOW COLLECTORS.  IF YOU BUY FIVE OR MORE ITEMS FROM MY STORE AT ONE TIME, EBAY WILL DISCOUNT YOUR TOTAL BY 20% WHEN YOU CHECK OUT AUTOMATICALLY.  IT IS THE LEAST I CAN DO FOR EVERYONE WHO LOOKS FOR GREAT DEALS JUST AS I DO.

AND IF YOU COMBINE THE ABOVE WITH KEITH'S KOLLECTABLES ONE HALF AND REDUCED PRICE WEEKLY SPECIALS TO WHICH KEITH ADDS DAILY, YOU WILL SAVE MORE....MUCH MORE!

THIS IS ONE OF THE COOLEST WEEKLY COUNTDOWN SHOWS EVER TO AIR ON RADIO FEATURING A RENOWNED DJ AND FAN FAVORITE JOHN LEADER.

 LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS SHOW AND THEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT RADIO SHOWS KEEP READING AND I WILL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT FOR YOU.

This show, for all you countdown lovers, and there are a bunch out there judging by the number of you that have responded to my rare and old countdown radio shows, is a rare cassette version that you will not find on eBay ever because it is the only one ever made from the original show master.

  It is called COUNTDOWN AMERICA AND WAS HOSTED BY LEGENDARY DJ JOHN LANDER  and aired WEEKLY on the LEGENDARY RKO RADIO NETWORK.

It aired the top 30 rock songs of the week (for its first year of production, 1983, and became a four hour show thereafter) with artist features and  with rare interviews each hour.

IT COMES ON TWO CASSETTES WITH NO CUE SHEETS BECAUSE IT WAS AN RKO BROADCASTING OFFICE FILE COPY AND THUS NEEDED NO CUE SHEETS

THIS COUNTDOWN SHOW WAS NEVER PLAYED AND COPIED FROM THE MASTER ONLY TO PROVIDE A FILE COPY IF NEEDED. 

  You will receive two cassettes as pictured, IN MINT, NEW CONDITION. 

THIS SHOW AIRED ON FEBRUARY 19, 1983 AND WAS SHOW #7 IN THE SERIES.

 The music and presentation is outstanding.  JOHN LANDER is known for his music expertise even today after all these years and is one of the biggest names in music.

John Lander is a broadcasting legend, so versatile and well respected that he hosted several countdown shows in his career.  Part of his attraction was his knowledge of music, his great radio voice, and the dynamic performance he added to each show.

John's broadcast name was Tom Clark when he debuted on WFLA in Tampa in the early 70's.  He also worked at big stations in Orlando, San Diego, Houston, Philadelphila, and New York's Z-100, WHTZ.  He spent 12 years hosting Lander in the Morning at Boston's Mix 98.5 WBMX.  So no matter where you were in the 80's, chances are you know John Lander!

READ WHAT COLLECTORS SAY ABOUT JOHN LANDER:

I'm a tried and true fan of Casey Kasem, but there are a couple other shows I listened to over the years that piqued my interest, and THIS one tops the chart! John "Leader" Alfenito first caught my ears when he hosted the A/C "20/20 Music World," and I gladly followed him when he went to RKO for Countdown America in 1983. I've enjoyed John's bass voice as much as Casey Kasem's theatrical delivery, but enjoyed CA even more and always thought of him and his Radio & Records Countdown America (and the "sequel" Countdown USA) as the perfect balance to Casey's Billboard-based American Top 40. To quote the Spandau Ballet hit featured, this is "gold" to me, right here!

HERE IS A FASCINATING HISTORY OF THOSE EARLY COUNTDOWN SHOWS AND THE ROLE THAT JOHN LEADER PLAYED ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHER GREAT COUNTDOWN DJs.  YOU WILL FIND IT FASCINATING!

Before we go into Countdown America’s amazing history, we need to go back to 1981. Dick Clark started his own national music countdown on May 30 featuring the Top 30 songs of the week based on Cashbox magazine. Keep this in mind, as he will later play a role in Countdown America.

 it’s a safe bet to say that the very first show began on January 8, 1983 It was a three-hour with the Top 30 based upon Radio & Records chart, which was a departure from Weekly Top 30/Weekly Music Magazine self-produced chart.

If you study the Weekly Top 30 shows, you will find an amazing mistake in the production. During an earlier show, they mention that “Endless Love” took over the lead from “Bette Davis Eyes” as the #1 song of 1981. When it came to the year-end chart, the songs were reversed. I suppose knowing production was stopped there was little point of being 100 percent accurate at that point. Those charts of WT30 & WMM are a real treat to following with beyond belief movements. I’ll give one example “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen chart run:

It debuted 9-13-80 and left the chart 11-29-80. For the year of 1980, it was ranked #14. Queen also had #15 for 1980 with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.

Until March 12, 1983, Countdown America was the only CHR/Pop show using the Radio & Records charts. Then, after 93 weeks, Dick Clark National Survey drops Cashbox for R&R. Thus, we now have two Top 30 shows with the same song rankings. Supposedly, this is the year that Rick Dees debuts his national Weekly Top 40 show. I say supposedly because no collector has ever produced a 1983 show.

Was it just a local show with national rankings in 1983? For now, we don’t know. The earliest show that I found was January 13, 1984 on vinyl. I bring this up only because Rick Dees used the Cashbox charts in 1984 shows.

Could have this been the reason for the chart change by Dick Clark?

I can’t this answer question.  However, in 2012 Rick Dees said (in an interview) that Dick Clark approached him about buying his Weekly Top 40 show, so they could both “make money”.  As of this writing, I haven’t heard from Rick on this topic.

Countdown America was stable until December 24, 1983 when the first four-hour was produced as a part of the Year-End countdown: Top 83 of ’83.  I will say that the song medley production was outstanding.

1984…This was not only an important year for Countdown America as it switched to the four-hour format.

Also, Dick Clark added an AC show to his Dick Clark National Music Survey offerings. The exact date, I don’t know, as the earliest one I have is September 8. The cue sheets do not help determine the beginning of Clark’s AC show. However, later on this will play a role with Countdown America.

Why did Clark add the AC show?

Besides the obvious of making more money, Wink Martindale had an AC show called 20/20 Music World in 1982, where he would play an oldie followed by current Top 20 song thus the name (20 oldies/20 currents). Not sure when it began or ended but Clark could have tried to fill the gap left by Martindale. I have no 20/20 Music World shows for reference just some handwritten chart notes that are difficult to decode.

I will add that 1984 also saw the debut of another CHR/Pop countdown, Dan Ingram’s Top 40 Satellite Survey. This show lasted 141 weeks ending December 26-28, 1986. I have found the #8 show dated June 8-10, 1984, so we can safely assume the debut date based upon that show. I also found December 13, 1986 with guest host Bob Shannon with cue sheets that state end date of the show. This was a three-hour Top 40 show with a self-produced chart. Thus, it is an incredible chart study if you can find these shows. I have run across about 10 shows so far.

1984 ends with John Leader & Rick Dees doing the Top 84 of ’84 during the last week of the year and the first week of 1985; while Dick Clark does the Top 30 CHR & AC songs, the first week of the 1985.

1985 featured more upheaval in the countdown world. After 231 weeks, the Dick Clark’s National Music Survey became the National Music Survey. Dick Clark went on to replace John Leader as the host of Countdown America, thus the new name Countdown America with Dick Clark. The last show of Countdown America with John Leader that I have is October 12, 1985, so I don’t know how John handled the ending during the show or the promos used with Dick Clark as the new host. I do know this much…Dick Clark was the host of Countdown America on November 2, 1985 based upon the December 7 show that called it show #6.

Dick Clark made no mention of leaving the National Music Survey on his last show October 26, 1985 on either the CHR/Pop or AC version. However, the promos mentioned a Special Super Song countdown coming next week with Bill St. James & Mike Love of the Beach Boys. They made two versions of the special countdown CHR/Pop & AC featuring the Top 30 songs of the past 10 years (1975-85). Here’s where it became interesting; they also included a list of the Top 100 songs of the past 10 years. This is where stations wanting a “bigger countdown” could produce their own countdown show. Not sure if there were any takers…as no collector has come forward with a local station air-check.

Bill St. James & Mike Love continued to produce two versions of the show until at least March 15, 1986 as that is my last copy of a CHR show. My guess is that sometime between March 22 and April 26 that the National Music Survey became just an AC show. So far, I know that Charlie Tuna, then Bill Meyer with Sylvia Emerita hosted the National Music Survey when Bill St. James left. More details will come out as the search for these shows continue. The show lasted somewhere between 400-500 weeks counting Dick Clark’s 1981 debut.

Countdown America is now in the hands of Dick Clark. First change, no two part year-end show with song medley production, instead, Clark opts for Top 40 of 1985 on January 4, 1986.

Meanwhile, two new Pop countdowns debut while Countdown America and National Music Survey go through changes in 1985.

Scott Shannon’s Rockin’ America The Top 30 Countdown used the R&R chart as its foundation for the three hour show. The actual start and end of this is unknown at this point. The earliest copy I have is 3-9-85. The show did go through a name and chart change in 1991. The actual date is unknown my best guess would the first week of 1991. The show became Scott Shannon’s Rockin’ America All-Request Top 30 Countdown meaning no more use of R&R charts.

On The Radio provided an interesting twist for programmers. Hosted by the late Ron O’Brien, it was only one hour long. Many stations used it as a supplement to AT40, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 and Countdown America to complete a five-hour block of time. It featured the Top 5 songs of the week with lots of interviews and an amazing closing credit feature. I have been able to locate shows between 2-1-85 and 12-28-91. I’m not sure on this show’s start or end date and what happened after 1991 with new host or adding versions.

Dick Clark made even more changes to Countdown America in 1986. He dropped the CHR/Pop Top 40 songs of the week for the Top 30 AC songs on July 5. I don’t know how Clark handled the dropping of the CHR/Pop. If someone has the 6-28-86 show, they probably know from the cue sheets, promos or actual show. Countdown America with Dick Clark would eventually become a three-hour show and go down to Top 20 AC songs. At some point between 1-14-94 and 4-5-96, the show changed its name from Countdown America with Dick Clark to Dick Clark’s U.S. Music Survey. He would continue to host this show until he suffered his stroke. The show had guest hosts for a year or two until the show finally went dark.

With Dick Clark no longer doing a CHR/Pop show, John Leader made his return to the countdown market. Being that Clark used the Countdown America name, he revived his countdown hosting duties by creating Countdown U.S.A. with John Leader on January 11, 1986. I don’t know how the first show sounded, as the earliest available copy I have is 1-18-86 with spotlight artist as Night Ranger.

This also marked the return of the song medley with the year-end Top 86 of ’86. It also marked the end of John Leader’s countdown career with this year-end show.

The promos on 1-3-87 show were done by Dave Sholin; thus marking the beginning of his countdown the following week as Countdown U.S.A. with Dave Sholin.

Countdown U.S.A. with Dave Sholin lasted until 1990. I believe April 21. I don’t have shows or cue sheet to confirm this. I do know this; Dave Sholin’s Insider debuted 4-28-90. It was a four-hour show similar to Countdown U.S.A. with longer segments and comedy bits (‘the joke of the week”) that used the Gavin CHR/Pop chart. I’m not sure of the end date. The last show I have from this series is 7-21-90 (show #13).

Some side notes:

*Dick Clark guest hosted on AT40 before starting his own show Dick Clark’s National Music Survey (refer to Rob’s book for actual date)

*Mark Elliott guest hosted on AT40 before starting his show Weekly Top 30 (refer to Rob’s book)

*John Leader guest hosted on Weekly Top 30 before starting his own show Countdown America with John Leader (3-29-80)

*Rick Dees guest hosted on Weekly Top 30 before starting his own show Rick Dees’ Weekly Top 40 (6-6-81)

*Ron O’Brien guest hosted on Weekly Top 40 before starting his own show On The Radio (7-14-84)

     You will love these shows and they belong in your collection.   

Please remember, each show I list is the ONLY pure sub mastered copy of the original master and will have none of the imperfections of an lp which as rare as it is can still have some pops and skips.

SO HERE ARE THE BIG QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT RADIO SHOWS: 

 WHAT IS A RADIO SHOW? 

 WHY COLLECT THEM? 

 WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? 

Well, those are good questions, especially if you have never known of them. 

First allow me tell you my own personal story of discovering the wonder of radio shows.

  I discovered radio shows quite by accident while reading one of my favorite (long since departed) magazines called "Discoveries" (It was later bought by the same company that publishes "Goldmine" which I personally always considered a lesser publication, but that is another story.

  This was before ebay became the driving force in radio show sales (and everything else) in the later 1990's.

 I was especially attracted in "Discoveries" to a two page (or more) spread in each issue by a guy called "The Old Hippie". 

 Let me tell you, the Old Hippie had it all.  He was a real pioneer.  Way before anyone knew what radio shows even were let alone that they could be bought as rarities, he had the market cornered.

Most shows that he advertised were way beyond my budget but I drooled over those pages every issue and once in awhile I could afford one or two. 

 Now, I have attempted in my own humble way to take on the mantle of "The Old Hippie".  I have listed over 11,000 unique radio shows of all genres for you all to drool over, and most at prices, hopefully, that collectors can better afford!  I want to make available to collectors what I could not afford and especially in these days of higher prices and lesser availability.

Radio shows are harder and harder to find in quantity and the prices for the ones still out there just go higher and higher as they disappear from the market.  However, because of my large presence on eBay, I am always being contacted with selling offers, some of which I take advantage of and some I have to pass on because of the prices. I have found that by buying in bulk, even when many or most of the shows are lesser known but still amazing shows, I can offer the best prices on all titles.

 So, again, what is a radio show?  

  Radio Shows are syndicated productions by one of several large and small distributors who supply broadcast product to radio stations normally during weekends when the usual air personalities have a break. 

 Many air on Saturday or Sunday mornings, afternoons or evenings or less often during overnight segments.  They often feature some of the best known voices for their genre from across the country thus the Dick Clark's and Casey Kasem's and Rick Dees and Dick Bartley and so many others. 

 People collect them for various reasons. 

 Some just collect the series because they like it and want them all. 

 Some collect their favorite artists or genre of music.  Rather than an album by the artist or a compilation, they have a unique presentation of their favorite artist or music not available anywhere else and often with dj presentation which is very entertaining. 

 Some collect interviews with their favorite artists as most shows had interview segments.  

Some collect commercials especially old car commercials but certainly not limited to only those.

  AND, these shows are in limited quantity. 

 They were pressed just for affiliate stations and many have just a few in circulation.  Some of the more popular shows may have as many as a few hundred of each week's show that survived but think about it.  A few hundred for some 200 million Americans and millions of overseas collectors who look for unique presentations of their favorite artists or form of music. 

Many radio stations just tossed them away after airing because they could never be aired again due to the time limited commercials and the limited storage space at most radio stations (believe me I know, I worked at one for over seven glorious years as an oldies dj!)

SO they are increasingly hard to find. 

 They were first distributed on reel to reel tape or on lp, later on CD and even later (after 2000 for most shows) on CDR.  Now they are not available at all to collectors since they are distributed by digital download much like you get your music from iTunes. 

 These shows become rarer and rarer every day because the people who buy them hold on to them.  The shows that you get now and hold on to will never decrease in value and only increase. 

  I have prided myself since the start to provide the best and fairest cost with a no holds barred guarantee that you will be happy or I refund your money.  I sell them for near what I bought them for.  I give volume discounts and discount postage always.  As the postal service increases their rates, my shipping rates over the years has decreased. 

 And, I have one of the biggest radio show libraries in the world consisting of over fifteen thousand shows, so many that I don't even know all that I have and am sometimes amazed when I go to look for one show and find another that I did not realize I had.  

 Finally, it is Americana at its best.

  Whether the show be from the 60's or 2000's, rock, countdown, oldies, country, classical, religious, jazz or big band, it is unique and home grown.  And you just can't find them anywhere.  Even record stores that still exist will rarely have any.  

 Radio shows are wonderful representations of the real golden age of radio at least music wise.  And every  one you buy is  an original, not a copy, not a remake - all limited editions in the hundreds at most and many much less.  Once you get hooked, like me, it is a love affair for life!    Welcome to the Club!   

       Remember, when you buy this show, not only will you own the tunes but also interspersed between songs is fascinating commentary on the artists and songs.  

  Also, keep in mind that this and all  shows are not just about the music - the music can be found anywhere.  It is the mixture of great music and great announcing that makes it so entertaining. 

 As well, it is a piece of radio history.  You just aren't going to find these shows anymore.  Think of what they will be worth in a few years!  (IF you wanted to sell.)  I am selling to share with other music lovers what I was able to get at a reasonable price  

As always, buy as many as you want and pay one flat shipping charge of $2.99.  For my International friends, pay shipping for your first item and all other ship for no extra charge except for multi lp shows which ship for only an additional $10 for each show.

  Good Luck and God Bless You.