Landecker Lights Up NAB Hall Of Fame
• Legendary Top 40 air personality John Records Landecker was formally (and virtually) inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Broadcasting Hall of Fame on Thursday, during the second and final day of NAB Show Express.
Landecker’s induction was hosted by Dave Santrella, who doubles as President of Broadcast Media for Salem Media Group and NAB Radio Board Chair. Santrella introduced a specially produced video package that contained vintage clips of Landecker in action at WLS/Chicago, interspersed with tributes from Landecker’s daughter, actress Amy Landecker, and her husband, actor Bradley Whitford; Ellen K, morning personality at iHeartMedia AC KOST/Los Angeles; former WLS PD and GM John Gehron and comedian/writer Greg Eckler. Enjoy Landecker’s memorably brief acceptance speech posted to Facebook.
Landecker’s half-century radio career began at WOIA-AM in Saline, MI when he was a high school student. He remained on the air throughout college in Michigan, plugging in at WTRK-AM/Flint, and WERX-AM & WILS-AM/Lansing. Landecker later went on to work at WIBG-AM (Wibbage)/Philadelphia; CFTR-AM/Toronto; WPHR/Cleveland and WJMK-FM and WGN-AM/Chicago, although he’s probably best known for his memorable tenure in nights at the legendary WLS-AM Chicago (left), a 50,000-watt blowtorch that reached into some 40 states. Landecker is credited for introducing some of the first interactive phone features on Top 40 radio — like his signature “Boogie Check.”
Landecker’s well deserved induction into the NAB Hall of Fame marks just his most recent career honor — he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2017, and his many contributions to the radio industry are memorialized in the radio exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Landecker has released six albums of his work and written an autobiography, Records Truly Is My Middle Name. He currently hosts a weekly program on his hometown station, WEFM-FM/Michigan City, IN.
Late Thursday, RAMP made contact with Landecker, who thanked us for our best wishes and shared his thoughts. “Honestly it’s all a little unbelievable,” he said. “I think about the stops along the way. I worked with great people. I worked with assholes. Some times I was the asshole, and yet, by the grace of God here I am! P.S. I’m not retired (just sayin’).”
