About WAR EAGLE '70s
Brief History
War Eagle '70s is a 1970s specialty show that has aired on Auburn University's noncommercial radio station, W.E.G.L. 91.1 FM, since February 2006. The program focuses on the music and events of the 1970s. It is designed for those who grew up in or lived in the 1970s or have an interest in them. Features are This Week in the 1970s, the '70s Album Spotlight, the War Eagle 70s Hall of Fame, '70s Out of the Box and the '70s Medley of the Week. A couple of new features are in the works.
NOTES:
A. When you call in or e-mail in a request, please make sure that it is a Billboard Top 40 hit or popular album cut that came out between December 1969 and December 1979. It would make this calendar year and this academic semester go a whole lot smoother for everyone involved if you do so. The host/webmaster does not seek to change anyone's musical tastes; God has given you minds of your own, and this is a free country. But there are other shows on W.E.G.L. 91.1 that have the type of music for your tastes. Here's a resolution that the host/webmaster hopes that you will make- avoid the Hairdresser Syndrome (calling in requesting Jimi Hendrix or something 1960s or something 1980s for War Eagle 70s and then claiming that you don't know anything about the 1970s because "I was a little child back then.") While that's true, that's also a lame excuse. Let's do everything in decency and in order, please. Thank you.
B. For many of you, War Eagle 70s is a time to get out of the comfort zone of music and related stuff that you listen to on your I-Pods, car radios, in church et al. But this is part of your Auburn Experience that is supposed to help you became a more connected person. So enjoy it while it lasts. You may not get another chance. Thank you.
C. The '70s Album Spotlight will play one or two cuts from a 1970s album. The albums featured were either very popular, famous, groundbreaking or reflected music in the 1970s and beyond.
D. A radio station in Mesquite, Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area plays Top 40 oldies from the 1970s. K.E.O.M. 88.5 is owned and operated by the Mesquite Independent School District. Like W.E.G.L. 91, it is non-commercial and educational and consists of a staff of Mesquite High School students who have an interest in broadcasting or media. K.E.O.M. puts these students on the air from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days. K.E.O.M. carries community service and educational programs, Texas State Network news and Mesquite varsity game broadcasts. Go to www.keom.fm for more. You will even find playlists of 1970s Top 40 oldies played. Just thought the host/webmaster/producer would let you know.
E. The '70s Out of the Box is a feature that debuted during the fall of 2008. It features a single, album cut, track or tune that for some reason or another did not make the Billboard Top 40 during the 1970s. This feature would include some progressive rock one week, or something like "Rappers' Delight" during another week. Listen for it during the Monday Machine episodes to get a taste of what the feature is about.
F. The 70s-80s Connection was discontinued as a regular feature of War Eagle '70s because 1) W.E.G.L. 91 already presents the 80s Rewind, the show that's designed for 1980s afficiandos Monday afternoons at noon during the 2007-2008 academic year and 2) beyond 1983, the host is not a big fan of the '80s (either musically or generally). 1983 is the tipping point because that was the year that the host received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Georgia in Athens GA. The host remembers the four years leading up to 1983 with fondness (involvement with 90.5 fm WUOG, watching the university grow academically and athletically and living in one of America's best college towns). But other than getting his first job three months after graduation, the Rev. Jesse Jackson's two Presidential campaigns and the 1987 marches on Forsyth County GA, the host would rather not relive the 1980s beyond 1983.
G. Now for a sample of how the show is like- Those of you who listened to the return of War Eagle '70s Extra on Wednesday morning, August 22, 2007 noticed that the host did not mention the titles to all of the 1970s hits played on the show in the interest of emphasizing W.E.G.L. 91's New Announcer classes scheduled for Thursday and Sunday evenings at Foy Student Union on the Auburn main campus, the award-winning student publication The Auburn Plainsman, and the important news events of the day. For those that are interested, here is the playlist for the August 22 Extra. We thank you for your interest in the show and in W.E.G.L. 91.Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd 1974
Where is the Love?- Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway 1972
I Was Made For Lovin' You- KISS 1979
You've Got A Friend-James Taylor 1971
Macho Man-The Village People 1978 (dedication to all of this year's Auburn University student-athletes)
Afternoon Delight-The Starland Vocal Band 1976
Mama Told Me Not To Come-Three Dog Night 1970
Love Will Keep Us Together-The Captain and Tennille 1975 (The lady behind the #1 single of 1975, Toni Tennille, performed with the Auburn Knights big band orchestra while she was an undergraduate student)
Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye 1973
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me-Elton John 1974
Telephone Line-The Electric Light Orchestra 1977
Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)-The Temptations 1970
Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose?-Tony Orlando and Dawn 1973
H. There has been a suggestion by some at W.E.G.L. 91.1 FM that the host/producer of this show turn it into a strictly progressive rock show. After giving it much thought, he has decided to keep the show as is for several reasons. First, there are already enough progressive rock and classic rock shows on WEGL. Second, the host/producer is not a big fan of progressive rock and some classic rock. Third, War Eagle '70s is one of the few shows on WEGL 91 specifically and East Alabama radio generally that features at least a significant amount of Black-oriented music, primarily 1970s oldies from soul, R&B, disco and its subgenres. Fourth, the host/producer grew up dealing with variety- a variety of places to live and visit because he is from a military family (various places in Georgia, Alabama, Arizona and Texas, not to mention visiting Mexico, Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Denver, Washington D.C., Disneyland and Disney World and riding through various states on the way to those places); meeting a variety of people along the way, living though a variety of events etc. I graduated from high school in 1979 with a class that had an Asian American student council president, a cheerleader as class president, some Latin Americans and even Jews; the school was then in a mainly rural metro Atlanta county that has become more suburban since I graduated high school. I even had a variety of worship experiences at Baptist, nondenominational and Pentecostal churches; I became a Christian during Easter weekend 1977 at Biggs Army Airfield Chapel near Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas of all places. Even in the years since my graduation from the University of Georgia, the host/producer has been blessed and fortunate to meet the extremes in human nature- V.I.P.s, outcasts and in-betweens from various places like Baltimore, Chicago, Keysville GA, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, North and South Carolina and other places through various careers in journalism, telemarketing, broadcasting, some public administration internship work, warehouse operations work, volunteering in various organizations and associations like Habitat for Humanity, Latinos United in Carroll County GA, Pi Alpha Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa, the WOL Black Talk Radio Network, CBS Radio Research and Promise Keepers, even involvement in a new members' ministry at a growing African American Baptist Church on Campbellton Road in Atlanta as well as two community-minded Methodist and Baptist churches in South Dekalb County GA and their efforts to revitalize and reshape the communities that they are in. This leads to the final reason why the host/producer will keep War Eagle '70s as is-Auburn University has more variety than you think, even though most of the students are white, conservative to moderate Southern Republicans. If you look hard enough, you will find that variety. War Eagle '70s seeks to reflect that by connecting the 1970s with the New Millenium, with the host's observations, off-the-cuff commentaries, the "usual suspects" features etc. It's the way that the host/producer has found to connect with the Auburn Experience while letting the Auburn Experience connect with him.
I. Those who are interested in the Time-Life's Romancing the '70s and Disco Fever collection should go to www.timelife.com for details.
ABOUT THE HOST/PRODUCER
The host/producer of War Eagle 70s, Herbert Walter Denmark Jr., uses the name Mr. Herb on the air. Born on February 24, 1961 in Savannah, Georgia, he presently lives in Auburn, Alabama. He is the only son of retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major Herbert Walter Denmark Sr. and Mrs. Delores Denmark of Decatur, Georgia. He has four sisters, all younger than him and who live either with the parents or live in close proximity to them in the metropolitan Atlanta area. I have had a close relationship with the Lord Christ Jesus since April 1977. I have been involved with the fellowship of Christians at Mosaic Family Church in Auburn, Alabama since August 2006.
Mr. Denmark earned a Master of Science in Rural and Small Town Planning from the State University of West Georgia in May 2003. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Georgia in June 1983. He graduated from Morrow Senior High School in Morrow, Georgia on June 1, 1979. His interests are in historic preservation, growth management for cities and counties, sports and music from the 1970s through 1983. Among other activities, he served as a certified lay speaker and an active member of Saint Andrew United Methodist Church in Carrollton, Georgia during his eight and half years there. He has lived in Auburn, Alabama since February 2006, during Auburn University's Sesquicentennial celebration. Either with his family and/or relatives or by himself, he has lived in Carrollton, Decatur, Athens and Savannah, Carrollton, Decatur, Athens and Columbus, Georgia; Fort Sam Houston/San Antonio and Biggs Army Airfield/El Paso, Texas; Auburn, Fort Rucker and Ozark, Alabama; and Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Mr. Denmark has relatives that live in Decatur, Stone Mountain, Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Albany and New York City, New York and Sacramento, California. Since his matriculation at Auburn, Mr. Denmark has lost significant family members and friends, including Uncle Rob and Auntie Mamie, Auntie Isabell, Auntie Maybelle and Mrs. Miles. Yes, folks, life needs to be enjoyed and savored.
2009-2010 ACADEMIC YEAR SHOWS ON THE AIR!!!
Everything '70s- events, people, places, things, and of course the music. All on W.E.G.L. 91.1 FM locally and online around the world at www.weglau.com. Monday mornings 7:30 to 9 and Friday mornings 7:30 to 8:30.