N.C. for T-Giving 2015-- Part 17: WJEZ FM, 98.9 in Pontiac, Illinois

December 4, 2015.

As I said, I had fog all the way through Indiana and into Illinois, but, for the most part it wasn't too bad.  That fog finally broke south of Forest, Illinois, driving north on Il-Highway 47.

Tuned into WJEZ 98.9 FM  out of Pontiac, Illinois and greatly enjoyed the Friday Oldies Get-Together Show.  It is classic rock otherwise, but this show plays the oldies and lots of them.  He also has a theme.  Today's was "Sweet."

Some of the songs:  Sweet Soul Music, Sweet City Woman, Sweet Inspiration, Sweet Nothings, Sweet William by Millie Small, Sweet Hitchhiker, Sweeter Than Sugar by Ohio Express.  Sure enjoyed listening to these songs.

(I'm listening to it right now over the internet  Starts at noon on Friday.)

On my drive to N.C., there was snow on the ground all the way through Illinois, although in decreasing amounts.  Coming back, there was none, but a lot of puddles.

I was happy not to get stopped at the Il-72, US-20, Il-47 bottleneck by Stark's Corner.  Went right through.

In Morris, I remembered that the Burger King there still sells tacos, two for $1.49.  We liked the Burger King tacos as they are pretty close to the Jack-In-the-Box tacos.  But, unfortunately, this is the only Burger King I know that still sells them.  I had to get my taco fix.

Cold Ahead, N.C. 2014 T-Giving Trip-- Part 6: "Squirrel Stalks" and WGCY

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

There is a strong west wind blowing pieces of recently harvested corn stalks across Il-47.  Looks like squirrels skittering across, but I am now used to them so not slowing down.

My first hint as I passed Forrest, Illinois, that WHHP was no longer WHHP was a song playing on it that you would never hear on that station.  Then I heard the new call letters WHP.

I am now approaching Gibson City, Illinois, on 47 and have tuned in 106.3 FM WGCY with its beautiful, easy listening music format.  I've lost WJEZ by now and, of course, no more WHHP.  But, i have been listening to this "little pleasure" of a station the last couple years since I drove by the station and saw it's sign.

Today, they were playing more of a selection of easy listening rock songs:

DANCE WITH ME-- Orleans
I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU--  Spanky & Our Gang
THEN YOU CAN TELL ME GOODBYE--  Casinoes
DON'T IT MAKE YOU WANT TO GO HOME--  Glenn Campbell
HOW CAN I BE SURE--ON AND ON--  Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Unfortunately, I am pretty sure this is a canned music station for part of the time, at least.

I did enjoy listening to the local news on WJEZ and WGCY.    Local happenings in Gibson City wasthe Christmas parade and tree lighting downtown this Saturday.  Part of the town's Main Street is still brick and the town's Christmas tree is right out in the street surrounded by what looks to be giant presents, but are actually huge concrete blocks.  I don't recommend by a Scrooge and ramming that tree.

--RoadDog

Road Work Ahead, N.C. Summer 2014 Trip-- Part 34: Another Good Radio Station

I have another station I like to listen to around Pontiac, Illinois.  It is WJEZ now at 98.9 FM.  Their trade is with oldies, and not always the same-old, same-old ones played to death on some oldies stations.  They dig deep.  Even better, they always have deejays at the helm, none of that canned stuff like on so many small stations.

This drive-by, i heard them play "Pretty Blue Eyes" by Steve Lawrence.  I'd never heard the song before.  I looked it up and it went to #9 on Billboard's Top 100 in early 1960.

While I had the station on the radio, they played the top five songs from 1961: #5 Quarter to Three, #3 Tossing and Turning, #2 Hats Off to Larry and #1 was Michael by the Highwaymen.  I missed #4.  They also played a song by Danny Hutton from 1966 called "Big Bright Eyes."  This was before he became one of the lead singers of Three Dog Night.  Looking him up, I see that he was a studio singer for Hanna-Barbara Productions.

When you can cruise down the road and hear a song you've never heard of before (and it is a really good one like this) and find out it was before he was with Three Fog Night, WOW!!

I was able to pick up WJEZ from quite a ways south of Pontiac to Yorkville.

Cruisin' and Tunin'.  --RoadDog