Remembering WNUA - Part 2

Tomorrow, August 3, marks the 25^th anniversary of the launch of WNUA 95.5 in Chicago.  Throughout the month former WNUA listeners, the Smooth Crew and I will be sharing our favorite memories of the station.  If you haven’t submitted your favorite memory, feel free.  Drop me a line via email (at [email protected]), or message me on Facebook. 

“I’ve been a fan of smooth jazz and the station since I was 12 years old.  When I left to join the Navy at 18, the one thing I looked forward to when I visited home (besides seeing my mom) was listening to WNUA 95.5.  I can remember nights when my children couldn’t sleep, I would put them in the car and cruise along Lake Shore Drive and let Danae Alexander and the music she played lull them into a deep, peaceful slumber.  The only bad thing about relocating to western Michigan (aside from being away from my mom and my children) is the lack of WNUA’s quality programming out here:  the variety of smooth jazz music, the Sounds of Brazil and Musical Starstreams.  I also miss the warmth that only your disc jockeys could provide.  Whenever I took the three hour drive back to Chicago, I would set my radio dial to WNUA and when the station started to come in clearly, around New Buffalo, Michigan, I knew I was close to home.  I was upset to find 95.5 was off the air.

My trips to Chicago became less frequent, but when you became 87.7, there was a renewed hope within me.  My children—15 and 19—have told me that they clearly see why you guys have been my favorite radio station for years and that they, too, are huge fans of yours.  I hope you guys get back on the air soon, and I will be pulling for you all the way.  Hope to hear you guys soon and until then, THANKS FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE OVER THE YEARS!"

Your biggest fan,

                                                                        ~La Johnny V. Ellis

                                                                        Norton Shores, Mich.

 

“The Sunday Brunches at Swissotel.  And everyone in Chicago knew the jingle, ‘W N U A, Ninety-Five Point Fiiiiiii-ve. 

Not the same anymore, not by a longshot.”

                                                                        ~Matt Palmer

 

“My Top Ten Memories of WNUA 95.5:

1.  The Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch with Rick O’Dell.
2.  The Sounds of Brazil with Scott Adams.
3.  Lights Out Chicago with Danae Alexander.
4.  Musical Starstreams with Forest.
5.  The Dave Koz Weekend Show.
6.  The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show.
7.  WNUA’s “Smooth Times” magazine.
8.  WNUA’s CD Samplers, 1987 to 2008.
9.  The Smooth Jazz Concert Series at Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage.
10.  The most famous jingle in radio history:  (sung) ‘W-N-U-A.  95.5!’”

The Top 10 Memorable Songs of Chicago’s Smooth Jazz:

1.  “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)” – Gato Barbieri
2.  “Freedom at Midnight” and “Kei’s Song” – David Benoit
3.  “Lake Shore Drive” – Art Porter
4.  “Chicago Song” – David Sanborn
5.  “Songbird” – Kenny G
6.  “The In Crowd” – Ramsey Lewis Trio
7.  “Someone” – Tim Heintz
8.  “Tourist in Paradise” – Rippingtons
9.  “Unforgettable” – Natalie & Nat King Cole
10.  “Sweet Home Chicago” – Ramsey Lewis & The Urban Knights

                                                                         ~Darryl Rolark

“I won $500 from your station.  I miss it!”

                                                                        ~L.K. Campos

(Rick’s note:  Ah, the old “WNUA Listen While You Work Perk!”  Hadn’t thought of that in years.)

“One of my best memories is of tuning in to listen to Ramsey and Karen in the mornings.  They made my commute go by so smoothly.  I really miss them and ALL of WNUA.  You could always count on smooth, easy music, and it would make your whole day go better.  I found WNUA on their 3^rd day of broadcasting and stayed with them ‘til the end.”

                                                                        ~Candace Kubira

“I’ll be one of the first to say that my fondest memories of WNUA and smooth jazz are when you used to broadcast the Sunday Brunches live from many different locations over the years.  I remember the Hotel Nikko, the Hilton and Towers and many others, with such lovely people as Pete Dangerfield and the others you had on the show with you.  Those were the best of times and you knew when Sunday mornings came along you would be hosting, because you never missed a Sunday even though you might have been on vacation the rest of the week.  It was by far the best times I can remember, thanks to you.  Thanks.”

                                                                        ~Tom Campeggio

More memories tomorrow!

Our Smooth Video of the Day:  Another memorable track you might have heard if you had tuned in on WNUA’s first day—one of Acoustic Alchemy’s finest tunes.

 

Comments

[Art B.]

One Cool tune and probably one of the 1st that I heard on WNUA that kept me coming back to Smooth Jazz !!!

[Cyn Cooper]

I got lost in a fog once in San Franciso, trying to drive to Pacifica. Just so happened that I put in a cassette I recorded from David Fisher on Acoustic Alchemy before I started my drive. Until then, I was not familar with their music. For the next 3 hours, I white-knuckled the steering wheel as I kept trying to return to the airport and start over again to find the Pacifica exit! So much went on internally as I wondered how local ppl drove in this stuff all the time. To this day, I feel like AA was sitting in the passenger seat with me thru that experience. I've always credited them with terrestrial grit, tempered with an other-worldly peace. Saved a lady from Chicago that day!!

[Art B.]

WNUA / WLFM ... We salute you on your 25th Anniversary, may Smooth Jazz come back to Chicago soon !!!

[per]

Gato Barbieri's "Europa" on a regular basis, was the song of many a nights for me as a teenage boy living in southern Illinois, but dreaming of my home town in Chicago. I lost track of the exquisiteness of this soulful tune after I got back to Chicago as a young adult, and now having just turned 50...I downloaded this song to take me back. Thank you WNUA.

[Rick O'Dell]

If there's a handful of songs that exemplified the "WNUA era," it would have to include "Europa," of course! You're so right, per. Others, to me, would be Paul Hardcastle's "Rainforest," Lonnie Liston Smith's "Quiet Moments" and Kenny G's "Songbird." Happy 50th, per!

[Jan Barker]

Where is Shirley Haye,DJ on
WNUA Smooth Jazz Chgo.Is she still in Calif? Fan and former hair stylist.JB

[Rick O'Dell]

I'd love to reconnect with Shirley. Haven't heard from her in years, Jan.