Throughout its history, Connoisseur’s WHLI Long Island is the sort of station that might have evaded industry attention, although Ross on Radio readers are the ones most likely to know about its current blend of ‘60s/’70s oldies, similar to other reader favorites like KDRI (The Drive) Tucson, Ariz., and WECK Buffalo, N.Y.
Licensed to Hempstead, WHLI was a full-service AC until the late ‘70s, although this aircheck of WHLI in summer 1975 has them doing a very contemporary version of the format that includes shotgun jingles. In 1979, it became a flagship station of the Music of Your Life Adult Standards format in 1979. By 1987, it had a 5.2 share, according to Chris Huff. (Here’s a brief aircheck, recorded from Philadelphia, of WHLI in 1990, with music going back to the ‘30s.)
Like a lot of standards outlets, WHLI contemporized with the addition of ‘60s/’70s titles, before completing the evolution with its current format. There’s still a nod to the “MOYL” era, both in the current positioner (“The Hits of a Lifetime”) and the station logo. Under current OM Patrick Shea and PD Jon Daniels, it’s now also heard on FM at 104.7. The change returned the station to the Nassau/Suffolk ratings after a decade
Recently, WHLI was nominated for the NAB Marconi Award’s legendary stations, putting them in the company of N/T WABC New York, Classic Hits rival WCBS-FM, Heritage Rock WMMS Philadelphia, and N/T WLW Cincinnati.
If WHLI is new to you, in a way that those other stations are not, know that they’ve been doing what an NAB nominee is supposed to for the last 78 years in terms of local service. When I took a “Fresh Listen” to the station on August 8, there was an ad for an upcoming Bluefish Tournament. Middayer Rob Rush, also the PD of Active Rock sister WWSK (The Shark) was also talking about the upcoming Doobie Brothers show at Jones Beach with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band.
Here’s the station on August 8, just before 10 a.m:
- Jackson 5, “Dancing Machine”
- Jim Croce, “I Got a Name”
- Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild”
- Elvis Presley, “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck”
- Earth, Wind & Fire, “September”
- Beatles, “All You Need Is Love”
- John Sebastian, “Welcome Back”
- Herman’s Hermits, “There’s a Kind of Hush”
- Starbuck, “Moonlight Feels Right”
- Cowsills, “The Rain, the Park, and Other Things”
- Natalie Cole, “This Will Be”
- Tommy James & Shondells, “Crimson and Clover”
- Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville”
- Righteous Brothers, “Rock and Roll Heaven”
- Rose Royce, “Car Wash”—with a “station that keeps you dancing” stager
- Four Seasons, “Opus 17 (Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me)”
- Orleans, “Dance with Me”
The Music of Your Life, 2025 version!
Indeed.
The ’60s/’70s oldies stations have certainly become the Music Of Your Life successors, and they aren’t particularly MOR-focused. I’d be interested in hearing somebody doing rock-era MOR from Elvis through the mid-’70s with a lot of the appropriate ’60s music (Bacharach/David, Vegas-y late ’60s horn-driven hits, etc.).
Upper demos are comfortable with radio. They not only remember this library, but these are listeners who, like the songs, also want to be remembered. While other media may have moved on, nostalgic radio continues to wave the “we are like you” flag. It’s a massive club. AARP has 38+M members “…fighting for members to live their best life”. These stations have joined the fight.
WHLI/WKJY was my first paying job in radio, from PT writer/reporter to asst ND. My teammates were amazing: WMCA Good Guy Dean Anthony in the morning, WMCA news guy Dave Leeds as an anchor. Bobby “The Wizard” Wayne was a jock. Dick Summer & John Vidaver were on WKJY. The newsroom had an AP machine & AP audio. Sal Giangrasso was my first ND, then Fred Darwin. Doug McQuillen, Chuck Camlic, Randy Place, & Judy DeAngelis were anchors. We had live newscasts seven days a week. They were also the only stations on the island with an AFTRA contract.
WHLI was the second MOYL affiliate. The format was on two reel tapes. Dean was not happy when listeners would ask why one song was always followed by another. But what really got to him were the calls from format developer Al Ham, who lived in Connecticut within reach of the station. Like Bill Drake, he’d call Dean when he heard something he didn’t like.
WHLI has a curated variety of ’69-’72 pop rockers missing from most classic hits. The Grass Roots, Grand Funk and The Guess Who. That’s the secret sauce. A double helping of COOL!
Judging from the sample hour, WHLI in 2025 is what WCBS-FM/New York should have been in 1995. Move forward with the music as you welcome in a new audience. WCBS-FM never moved forward, fixated on the Beatles and Beach Boys at a time when 1970s pop culture got a second wind.