Anyone remember the old format of FM 100 IN Chicago Illinois when they played instrumental music . I use to like that the beautiful music format they had back in like 1987 maybe a little latter too . I remember when they changed the format in the afternoon in Chicago went off the air and replaced it with something else . Anyone remember when they played that music on there . I kind of miss that music sometimes you want to listen to easy music .

it seems like every doctors office had that station tuned in

Yes, I remember that station and the format, "beautiful music". I thought it was awful stuff. It does not help that in spring 1976, my favorite AM Top 40 station WCFL switched over to "beautiful music". Just utterly not my taste.

I sure do, I was a broadcast Engineer for FM100 (WFMF) WLOO from 1974 to 1976. Dave Collins was the CE .

We had a few here in Connecticut back in the 1970's that played the beautiful music format. WRCH ,WKSS,WEZN comes to mind.Most drop the format in the late 1970's to other formats.My late uncle always had one of them playing on his home system or in his car.I remember that as a kid visiting him. Most of the doctors offices I've been in use WRCH which now is easy listening "Adult Contemporary" music format station.I tune to the station to at times.At Christmas time WRCH goes 24/7 Christmas format.

Growing up in Chi suburbs, I remember being aware of FM100, but at that point in my development, I had no interest in that format. I was a lot more inclined towards WGLD or WLUP.

It was good to be young!

Guys I'm trying to find/track down an instrumental that they used to play on FM 100 Chicago back in the day. how can I track down the music they played. is this music archived somewhere? was it destroyed?

Cogonyc,

I am also trying to track down some of WLOO's recordings.

But I do have nine cassette tapes that I recorded from FM 100 back in the mid to lat '80's.

Have you had any luck in tracking down FM 100's recordings?

My favourite Chicago station back then was WEFM, it rocked!

That music is still available on the Sirius/XM Escape channel, 69. Some of the music can still be had if you know titles and artists. Some of the dominant artists of the genre such as Percy Faith and Paul Mauriat can still be bought new on CD. I hope to resurrect an old mid-60s vintage Gates FM transmitter with tube exciter and play just this sort of music for demonstration purposes.

Scott Todd

Any idea of title or artist? One mega hit of the format which also crossed over into adult contemporary was Music Box Dancer by Frank Mills, ca 1979 though it was recorded five years earlier.

ST

One instrumental that I have not been able to find is of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The piano in that particular instrumental was the dominant instrument but there were strings in the background. It is such a powerful rendition of that song. But I have not been able to find it anywhere.

Does anyone have any ideas on who recorded that?

What haunts me is Terry Flynn on FM 100 told me that the music station paid to have their own renditions done of a lot of songs. I'm afraid that might be one of them. And I have no idea where their bank of recordings are. Did they sell them, store them, destroy them....?

Some of the piano greats of that format were Roger Williams, Ferrante and Teicher, Ronnie Aldrich. Try searching by title on Amazon and see what piano renditions come up and play the samples. You’re right about some music services and stations having their own renditions. I think the SoundHound app may also have a search feature.

Scott Todd

Thanks for the leads, Scott.

Chris Kinsella

Elevator Music......This was my Dad's favorite radio station in his car. We lived in the Chicago area from 1976 to 1980, I was 12 in 1976 so I would hear that station everywhere we went with my Dad. The numerous soccer games all over the area.......there are memories that are triggered by smells, sights......but this is like a time machine.....FM100 If I could only listen to it now for 5 minutes it would bring back priceless memories of my Dad.

Piano Moods/Piano Moods 2015
Piano at Midnight/Piano Moods 2017
100 Piano Classics/London Music Works 2012

Marco,

Copy and paste this link: Ralph Rowland WLOO FM 100 Chicago to listen to the voice of Ralph Rowland on FM 100

If you don't recognize the name, I'm sure you will recognize his distinctive voice. Like you, I remember driving in my Dad's car when he had this station on. Ironically, I also worked behind a soda fountain (probably the last drug store in America that still had a soda fountain) that played this station all the way through 1990.

Does anyone know the song when they used to sign off the air at midnight...it used to be a man whistling and saying good night. I remember listening to that (secretly snuck down stairs out of bed) to hear that. It was the weekends...maybe Saturday nights or did they sign off that way all weekend. My dad listened to this radio station in the evenings on the weekends. Great memories and appreciate the music now. & what where names and composers of some songs would love a listen today. Miss the station.

Lily,

The song you are describing sounds like a rendition of Mack the Knife by Dick Hyman. Let me know if that's the song you are remembering.

Chris K.