Breakfast with the Beatles
Encyclopedia
Breakfast with the Beatles is a popular programming segment format on FM
radio
in cities in the USA. The segment format typically features one or more hours of programing consisting exclusively of music by or related to The Beatles
. Several nationally syndicated variations exist as well as many locally produced versions.
Program contents include Beatles recordings; solo recordings by former members of the Beatles; cover version
s of songs written or performed by the Beatles or the former members thereof; music by close associates of the Beatles, such as Yoko Ono
, and the children of members of the band; news, features, and interviews related to the Beatles, former members and associates; and interviews with experts on Beatle history and trivia.
Helen Leicht created, hosted and produced an early version of Breakfast with the Beatles on WIOQ
in Philadelphia beginning in 1976 and running through 1989; when WIOQ changed formats, Leicht moved the program to station WMGK
. Disc jockeys and program directors at other stations picked up the idea and variations on a Beatles-themed programming block appeared throughout the US. The concept proved a good fit for morning programming (particularly on weekends) and so the Breakfast name, or a variant, was often used. The all-Beatles format was further popularized by such nationally syndicated programs as Ticket to Ride, hosted by Scott Muni
in the 1980s.
It is a reflection of the cultural influence of the Beatles that radio stations have been able to sustain this format, sometimes running daily, for at least 25 years.
s which feature, or have featured a Breakfast with the Beatles program include: WXRT
in Chicago
, WMGK
in Philadelphia, WGRF
in Buffalo
, WMXJ in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, KMET, KLSX
in Phoenix, Arizona, KLOS
in Los Angeles
, WZLX
in Boston
, WAXQ
Q104.3 in New York, WYUU
and also WMTX
in the Tampa Bay Area
, WTUE
in Dayton, Ohio, KQMT
in Denver, and KZOK in Seattle.
Paul McCartney
, Ringo Starr
, Pete Best
, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono
have all been guests on the longest-running version of the show (28 years) in Los Angeles, which was dropped in 2006 by KLSX-FM, but picked up by 95.5 KLOS in November 2006. Ringo Starr
, Pete Best
and Louise Harrison
also called into the Tampa Bay WYUU U92 92.5 fm 1989 to 1997 show with Dr. Chuck Stevens as the host. Dr. Chuck Stevens was also awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America / RIAA with both Gold & Platinum record plaques, as the first American Radio Personality to debut the single release on Capitol records "Free As A Bird" The show moved to WMTX MIX 96 in 1997
The Los Angeles show is currently hosted by longtime Beatles expert Chris Carter
, who replaced the late Deirdre O'Donoghue in 2001.
A syndicated version of the program format, Dennis Mitchell's Breakfast With The Beatles, is carried to 50 North American radio stations, one in Great Britain, one in Germany, and one in New Zealand. It is heard regularly at the Cavern Club and Hard Day's Night Hotel in Liverpool, according to manager Bill Heckle. Mitchell is a Las Vegas broadcaster who had hosted a local version of the program for 11 years prior to moving to syndication in early 2002. Mitchell's guests have included Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, Geoff Emerick, Pete Best
, Sir George Martin and many others.
There are also two other all-Beatles radio formats that air nationally, although with slightly modified names: Joe Johnson's Beatle Brunch and Bob Malik's The Beatle Years are both distributed by Westwood One
.
A version of the show format, hosted by Chris Carter, appears weekly on the Underground Garage
channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
The longest-running Beatles themed Radio Show outside of the USA is 'BeatlesandBeyond' presented by Pete Dicks of England. 'BeatlesandBeyond' is played in 4 Countries (England, USA, Spain and Dubai) and is not only recognised by Apple Corps., but is the only Radio Show recommended by Liverpool's award winning 'Beatles Story Experience'. It was recently announced that 'Toginet.net' of Texas logged 3,054 downloads of 'BeatlesandBeyond' in 11 days from its podcasts. Estimated listener figures of 'BeatlesandBeyond' are in excess of 200,000 weekly from over 50 Countries
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
in cities in the USA. The segment format typically features one or more hours of programing consisting exclusively of music by or related to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. Several nationally syndicated variations exist as well as many locally produced versions.
Program contents include Beatles recordings; solo recordings by former members of the Beatles; cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of songs written or performed by the Beatles or the former members thereof; music by close associates of the Beatles, such as Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, and the children of members of the band; news, features, and interviews related to the Beatles, former members and associates; and interviews with experts on Beatle history and trivia.
History
Disc JockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Helen Leicht created, hosted and produced an early version of Breakfast with the Beatles on WIOQ
WIOQ
WIOQ, known as "Q102", is a CHR/Pop radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station appeals to a generally young demographic. WIOQ is owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.-WFIL-FM/Popular 102:The...
in Philadelphia beginning in 1976 and running through 1989; when WIOQ changed formats, Leicht moved the program to station WMGK
WMGK
WMGK, known as "Classic Rock 102.9 MGK" or "Philadelphia's Classic Rock: 102.9 MGK", is a Classic rock formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personality John DeBella and former Howard Stern Show censor Andre Gardner. ...
. Disc jockeys and program directors at other stations picked up the idea and variations on a Beatles-themed programming block appeared throughout the US. The concept proved a good fit for morning programming (particularly on weekends) and so the Breakfast name, or a variant, was often used. The all-Beatles format was further popularized by such nationally syndicated programs as Ticket to Ride, hosted by Scott Muni
Scott Muni
Scott Muni was an American disc jockey, who worked at the heyday of the AM Top 40 format and then was a pioneer of FM progressive rock radio.-Biography:...
in the 1980s.
It is a reflection of the cultural influence of the Beatles that radio stations have been able to sustain this format, sometimes running daily, for at least 25 years.
Local productions
Radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s which feature, or have featured a Breakfast with the Beatles program include: WXRT
WXRT
WXRT, also known as WXRT 93.1, XRT, and 93-XRT is a AAA radio station in Chicago, Illinois. For many years their slogan has been "Chicago's Finest Rock". WXRT is a primary sponsor of the Chicago nonprofit Rock For Kids.-History:...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, WMGK
WMGK
WMGK, known as "Classic Rock 102.9 MGK" or "Philadelphia's Classic Rock: 102.9 MGK", is a Classic rock formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personality John DeBella and former Howard Stern Show censor Andre Gardner. ...
in Philadelphia, WGRF
WGRF
WGRF is a radio station in Buffalo, New York, USA. The station's on air branding is "97 Rock". The station mostly plays Classic rock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, WMXJ in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, KMET, KLSX
KLSX
KAMP-FM 97.1 FM, known on-air as 97.1 AMP Radio, is a Rhythmic Contemporary radio station in Los Angeles, California. The station is owned by CBS Radio.The station had long been known as KLSX before the call sign changed on June 30, 2009....
in Phoenix, Arizona, KLOS
KLOS
KLOS is an FM rock music radio station based in Los Angeles, California, that debuted in 1969. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. It is home to the nationally broadcast Mark & Brian radio show, and Off The Record host Uncle Joe Benson.-History:...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, WZLX
WZLX
WZLX is a prominent classic rock radio station in the Boston, Massachusetts market. WZLX was one of the first classic rock FM stations in America...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, WAXQ
WAXQ
WAXQ is a radio station with a classic rock format in New York City. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-WFDR:...
Q104.3 in New York, WYUU
WYUU
WYUU WYUU WYUU (92.5 FM, is a radio station broadcasting from Safety Harbor, Florida and serving the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area. The station plays a Tropical Latin format branded as "Maxima FM."-History:...
and also WMTX
WMTX
WMTX is a Hot AC radio station in Tampa, Florida known as "Mix 100.7". It plays a variety of current hits along with some hit music from the past, as far back as the 1980s.-Station history:...
in the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
, WTUE
WTUE
WTUE is a classic rock formatted radio station with studios in Dayton, Ohio. Its transmitter is located in Moraine, Ohio and can be heard clearly throughout Southwest Ohio, including in Cincinnati....
in Dayton, Ohio, KQMT
KQMT
KQMT is a Album Rock/Classic rock station serving the Denver area and is owned by Entercom Communications Corp.-History:In 1969 the station signed on as KVOD with a classical music format....
in Denver, and KZOK in Seattle.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, Pete Best
Pete Best
Pete Best is a British musician, best known as the original drummer in The Beatles. He was born in the city of Madras, British India...
, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
have all been guests on the longest-running version of the show (28 years) in Los Angeles, which was dropped in 2006 by KLSX-FM, but picked up by 95.5 KLOS in November 2006. Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, Pete Best
Pete Best
Pete Best is a British musician, best known as the original drummer in The Beatles. He was born in the city of Madras, British India...
and Louise Harrison
Louise Harrison
Louise Harrison , is a British actress and producer. She is best known for her role as PC Donna Harris in the long running ITV drama The Bill, but has also played the regular character of Dawn Prescott in Coronation Street, and appeared in several other TV dramas.- Acting career :Her first...
also called into the Tampa Bay WYUU U92 92.5 fm 1989 to 1997 show with Dr. Chuck Stevens as the host. Dr. Chuck Stevens was also awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America / RIAA with both Gold & Platinum record plaques, as the first American Radio Personality to debut the single release on Capitol records "Free As A Bird" The show moved to WMTX MIX 96 in 1997
The Los Angeles show is currently hosted by longtime Beatles expert Chris Carter
Chris Carter (producer/disc jockey)
Chris Carter is a Los Angeles-based disc jockey and music/film producer who started his music career as a founding member and bass player with alternative rock/power pop band Dramarama. After Dramarama originally split in 1994, Carter formed QM Management to manage LA pop group The Wondermints,...
, who replaced the late Deirdre O'Donoghue in 2001.
National productions
In 2008 Chris Carter took Breakfast With The Beatles to Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius/XM satellite radio which currently has over 20 million subscribers, making it not only the longest-running version of the show but the most listened to. Carter’s Sirius/XM version of Breakfast with the Beatles is presently the only officially EMI/Apple sanctioned Beatles show on the air.A syndicated version of the program format, Dennis Mitchell's Breakfast With The Beatles, is carried to 50 North American radio stations, one in Great Britain, one in Germany, and one in New Zealand. It is heard regularly at the Cavern Club and Hard Day's Night Hotel in Liverpool, according to manager Bill Heckle. Mitchell is a Las Vegas broadcaster who had hosted a local version of the program for 11 years prior to moving to syndication in early 2002. Mitchell's guests have included Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, Geoff Emerick, Pete Best
Pete Best
Pete Best is a British musician, best known as the original drummer in The Beatles. He was born in the city of Madras, British India...
, Sir George Martin and many others.
There are also two other all-Beatles radio formats that air nationally, although with slightly modified names: Joe Johnson's Beatle Brunch and Bob Malik's The Beatle Years are both distributed by Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
.
A version of the show format, hosted by Chris Carter, appears weekly on the Underground Garage
Underground Garage
Underground Garage is the name shared by two related but different radio outlets, a syndicated show and a satellite radio station, both created and supervised by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt to present rock 'n' roll and garage rock on radio...
channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
The longest-running Beatles themed Radio Show outside of the USA is 'BeatlesandBeyond' presented by Pete Dicks of England. 'BeatlesandBeyond' is played in 4 Countries (England, USA, Spain and Dubai) and is not only recognised by Apple Corps., but is the only Radio Show recommended by Liverpool's award winning 'Beatles Story Experience'. It was recently announced that 'Toginet.net' of Texas logged 3,054 downloads of 'BeatlesandBeyond' in 11 days from its podcasts. Estimated listener figures of 'BeatlesandBeyond' are in excess of 200,000 weekly from over 50 Countries