music ( a slight contrast to the station ’ s 24 / 7
adult contemporary format ) to WFYR management . Dick explains , “ The ratings that we were generating on Saturday night were negligible . So we had nothing to lose .”
In 1981 , after showing very promising ratings , Dick ’ s Saturday night call-in show
gained the attention of the RKO radio network . “ WFYR was an RKO station ”, Dick tells . “ They called and offered to hook my show up to the satellite and expand it nationwide .” In January of 1982 , Solid Gold Saturday Night became Dick ’ s first
syndicated radio show . In 1991 , the show was renamed Rock N Roll ’ s Greatest Hits , which is still broadcast today .
Over his long career , Dick also produced other radio shows which were pre- recorded and pressed to either vinyl or CDs that stations would play . Not all of the shows were produced during the same point in his career , nor have all been broadcast on the same network . Dick has actually worked with four major radio networks : RKO , United Stations , ABC , and Westwood One . He reminisces , “ Over the years , I have specialized in three different presentations that have served me well : The request format ; the countdown format ; and the artist interview & special format .”
Dick currently produces and hosts three different radio programs every week , including the live Saturday night call-in show Rock N Roll ’ s Greatest Hits . “ It ’ s a very full time job . I work six , sometimes seven days a week ”, he describes . It was at this point that Dick romanticized , “ Radio is magic ”. He then continued , “ Radio has evolved over the years . Whatever you can hear a broadcast on whether it ’ s a terrestrial receiver , smart phone , computer , or whatever , radio continues to be audio entertainment delivered ”.
Dick is also very happy that there is still a demand for what he considers to be the greatest music ever recorded , and invites you to find a station to stream at www . DickBartley . com . :
24 Steel Notes Magazine www . steelnotesmagazine . com | Octoober 2014