WHO ARE THE WORLD'S JINGLE COLLECTORS?
written by Ben Freedman (originally Buffalo, NY; now Dallas, TX)

RETURN TO PREVIOUS PAGE

Yes, it all started in the late 50s and 60s with a handful of about 10 or 15 known (mainly Top 40) radio enthusiasts and DJs around the world who detected a magical mood by listening or airchecking radio stations, studying those great singing musical identification jingles, which gave a hallmark feel to radio around the world, especially the USA and Canada where over 8,000 stations were in competition for the available listening audiences.

Anything clever -- i.e., the new imaging tactic by Station Managers, Program and Production Directors -- the stations could do to gain market identification and listener loyalties were employed. So, after a few short years and hard dedicated work and musical skills by the top jingle houses in Dallas, New York and LA, such major brands such as CRC, PAMS, Futuresonic, Pepper-Tanner, and Anita Kerr sprouted up and became famous. Yes, DALLAS now ruled the world of radio station Identification jingles. Our Dallas ID jingle legend founders, we all worshipped: Tom Merriman, Johnny Mann, Bob Piper, Euel Box, Tom Gwin, Vinny Trouth, Chris Kershaw, Bud Guin, Frank Hames, and several others mentioned below.

THEN CAME MY FELLOW JINGLE COLLECTORS (most former DJs): Ken Justiss, Ron Harris, Mike Gitlin, Ed J. Rothschild, Jonathan Wolfert, Hugh C. Henry, Pete Wilson, Dale Parsons, Brad Shepard, Frankie C, Mike Styn, Bert van der Laan, Doug Thompson, Rob Hantson, Tracy Carman, Don Worsham, Steve Mitchell, John Donovan, Jim Connely, Howard Lapides, Steve Stevens, Norman Barrington, Peter Kanze, Alan Moore, DJ Pauly, Laurent Eveno, Hayne Davis, Mike Pasternak, Ted Tatman, John McCoy, Frank Holler, Tom McRay, Hugh Beavers, Ricky Kaufman, Jeff Laurence, Ron Sedaillie and many others.

AND OF COURSE these jingle collectors started to network and trade airchecks and station package dubs -- often by regular slow boat mail -- and what was expensive back then, long distance phone calls -- never dreaming of the future to come with the Internet and website, mp3 or .wav audio transmissions.

The known to me original early-to-mid 60s teenage jingle collectors of the world, visiting stations, requesting dubs. The goal: to collect, compare, comment, study and trade radio IDs and even commercial client jingles, originally on reel to reel tapes (heaven forbid on cassettes). In the ID jingle lovers turf -- the UK, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia, and let's not forget those great ship bound international pirate stations -- and in prime ID jingle territories, the USA and Canada -- coasts to coasts -- the jingle collecting race was on.

In my case, I was fortunate as one of the original group of legendary "teenage jingle collectors" in the 60s. In fact, my good buddy -- a younger teenage jingle collector named Jonathan Wolfert (together, we are today's Ben Freedman Productions, PAMS, JAM Creative Productions [long story]) -- and let's not forget Reelworld, RadioScape, Johnny Mann, Cool Jingles, Chuck Blore, GMI, Groove Addicts, N2 Effects, Zone Imaging -- i.e., Thompson Creative, Bruce Upchurch -- Tony Griffin, Dan Fissel, Mark Hodgkinson, Barry Volk, Ken Kaufman and several others*. Yes, the jingle collectors of the world were often in a race to see who could have the most legendary jingle package dubs in their collections. What was a key in these jingle trading connections? Big collectors such as Norman Barrington, Ken R, Tracy Carman and Don Worsham and so many others were struck with jingle collection fever.

AND YES -- there are still young, new jingle jingle collectors sprouting up around the world today EVER ONWARD!!!! THE ALMIGHTY RADIO ID JINGLE LIVES ON!!!!

* If I missed your name in my text, I apologize.

Thanks,

Ben Freedman