WITH 1230-AM first broadcast was heard on March 1, 1941. The new 24-hour station’s first General Manager was Thomas Tinsley. One of the original staff announcers at WITH was Gene Rayburn who later gained fame in the ‘70s as host of the network TV game show “Match Game.” Other early personalities included Eddie Hubbard, and Al Stevens. Late 1940s programming featured a show called “Swing Class” hosted by Bill Wesley and sponsored by RC Cola. 1950s station Manager Sam Kravetz broadcast the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Saturday evening concerts. Sam’s shows were later heard on sister station WITH-FM.
By the mid-’50s “1-2-3 on your dial” played all the latest hits.
The station switched formats to R&B music in the late 1950s. Personalities included Hot Rod, Russ Hale, Dick Covington, Gil Kriegel, Bob Forster, Jack Gale (mornings), Roz Ford (all night show), and PD George Wilson…
Left: Jack Gale (’60),
Right: Rex Miller (’60)
Top-50 survey
Jack Gale, Rex Miller, Maury Magill, Larry Dean, Jay Neely, Bid Causey, Bob Adams
Left: Larry Dean (’61)
Right: Bid Causey (’61)
In the early ‘60s WITH again went through some programming changes adopting an easy listening format in 1961 until 1963 when the station went Top-40. Personalities included Bob Adams, Jack Gale, Bob Foster (‘61-66 ex-WCAO), Maury Magill, Jay Neely, Rex Miller (‘60-61), ‘Long Lean’ Larry Dean, Bid Causey, Dave Garrett, Bobby Wayne (‘63), Buddy McGregor (‘60-65), Danny Sheelds (“two ‘e’s, if you please”), Bob Koolage, Bill Gormly… Dean came to Baltimore from Atlanta where he started his career in 1949 on one of the nation’s first black stations WERD.
Rex Miller later moved to St. Louis where he became a favorite announcer. His comedy routines were released on the album “Rex Miller on Channel 1 (And Climbing)” (Norman 302).
The WITH Swingin’ Seven – 1963 – Dick Clark / Gene Creasy, Bob Walsh, Danny Sheelds, Bill Gormly, Bob Foster, Larry Dean, and Bobby Wayne.
The mid-’60s featured a whole new crew billed as the “Swingin’ Good Guys” including Buddy Deane, Hot Rod, Johnny Contino, Roz Ford, Bob Foster, Bob Walsh, Danny Sheelds, Tony Montgomery, Gene Creasy, Rudy Runnells, Steve Wade, Brad Ganson, Bobby Dee, George Wilson, Buzz Bennett, Bill Taylor, Fat Daddy, Barry Richards, Ted Jaffe, John Patton, Bob Gordon, Jack Sorbi, Woody Wooden…
Photos above from 1964 – L-R: Hot Rod, Danny Sheelds, Buddy Deane
The W-I-T-H Swingin’ Good Guys – 1964 – Buddy Deane, Bob Foster, Gene Creasy, Bob Walsh, Hot Rod, Johnny Contino, Tony Montgomery, and Danny Sheelds.
Foster relocated to Cincinnati in 1967. Bill Taylor owns KISS-FM in Globe, Arizona in the ‘00s.
In spring 1966 the station sponsored a huge teen Battle of the Bands at Marlboro Park Speedway in Upper Marlboro, MD. The winner was to be awarded a recording contract. Later in 1966 a new General Manager was hired. John Barrett came on board switching the rock and roll format opting for the “beautiful music” format of MOR light pop. This style continued except for a brief period of Top-40 in late 1969. The station received many complaints and by 1970 the format returned to easy listening.
The station was sold to Philadelphia lawyer Rafan Henry in December 1979. The new format featured a mix of oldies and MOR music. Danny Reese, formerly with WPOC, played guitar in ’60s group The Sites ‘n Sounds
Mid ‘80s programming featured “Music of your Life.”
In the ‘00s the station sports a religious format.
