Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEKS OF MAY 2 & 9, 2016

DEAR JERRY: Over a year ago you introduced the "Regional Smash, National Crash" (RSNC) list of No. 1 songs on regional charts, that never reached Billboard's Hot 100.

You started with 30 titles on that list, but indicated more would be added as you found them. Does this intriguing club have some new members?
—Maury Madison, East Moline, Ill.

DEAR MAURY: As you are about to see, the RSNC club has grown by leaps and bounds.

Chronologically listed are the confirmed recordings from 1957 through 1987, each based on a U.S. Top 40 format, AM station's survey:

July 1957: Tommy Ridgley "When I Meet My Girl" (Herald 501) KNUZ, Houston, Texas
August 1957: Tommy Ridgley "When I Meet My Girl" (Herald 501) KTSA, San Antonio, Texas
December 1957: Bo Diddley "Say! (Boss Man)" (Checker 878) Reported by the Nashville Tessessean
March 1958: Chuck Berry "Reelin and Rocking" (Chess 1683) WKDA, Nashville, Tenn.
November 1958: Ricky Coyne "I'll Love You Forever" (Fenwick 1011 and Event 4289) WKBR, Manchester, N.H.
July 1959: Marion "Happy Lonesome" (Sandy 1021) WINE, Buffalo, N.Y.
February 1960: Big Sound of Don Ralke "Theme From a Summer Place" (Warner Bros. 5108) KOBY, San Francisco, Calif.
July 1960: Ray Stevens "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" (NRC 057) WAIL, Baton Rouge, La.
August 1960: Bobby Johnston "Flat Tire" (Mercury 71668) WAIL, Baton Rouge, La.
September 1960: Jo Ann Campbell "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby" (ABC-Paramount 10134) WPDQ, Jacksonville, Fla.
November 1960: Sunny and the Sun-Glows "Just a Moment" (Kool 1006) KTSA, San Antonio, Texas
March 1961: Rusty & Doug "Louisiana Man" (Hickory 1137) KTSA and KMAC, San Antonio, Texas
March 1961: Rusty & Doug "Louisiana Man" (Hickory 1137) KILT, Houston, Texas
May 1961: Velveteens "Teen Prayer" (Stark 101) WHYN, Springfield, Mass.
May 1961: King Tones Featuring Pete Mervenne "Wish for an Angel" (Musitone 102) WMAX, Grand Rapids, Mich.
June 1961: Janice Ward "When a Girl Gives Her Heart (To a Boy)" (Monument 442) WITH, Baltimore, Md.
July 1961: Sultans "It'll Be Easy" (Tilt 782) WKLO, Louisville, Ky.
August 1961: Tides "Would I Still Be Loving You" (Warwick 653) WALT, Tampa - St. Petersburg, Fla.
September 1961: C.L. and the Pictures "I'm Asking Forgiveness" (Sabra 517) KILT, Houston, Texas
November 1961: Chase Webster "Sweethearts in Heaven" (Dot 16270) WMAK, Nashville, Tenn.
November 1961: Betty James "I'm a Little Mixed Up" (Chess 1801) WKDA, Nashville, Tenn.
December 1961: Lou Monte "Dominick the Donkey (The Italian Christmas Donkey)" (Roulette 4308) WNDR, Syracuse, N.Y.
December 1961: Marcels "Merry Twist-Mas" (Colpix 617) WNDR, Syracuse, N.Y.
December 1961: Wilburn Brothers (Doyle & Teddy) "Tag Along" (Decca 31333) WNDR, Syracuse, N.Y.
February 1962: Angels "That's All I Ask of You" (Caprice 112) WACK, Newark, N.Y.
February 1962: Eddie Fisher "Milk And Honey" (ABC-Paramount 10264) KLMS, Lincoln, Neb.
March 1962: Debby Woods "Just One More Chance" (Epic 9489) WHYN, Springfield, Mass.
April 1962: Jive Five With Eugene Pitt "No Not Again" (Beltone 2019) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio.
May 1962: Dynamics "J.A.J." (Seafair Bolo 730) KAYO, Seatlle, Wash.
August 1962: Scotty Wayne "Only One" (Talent Scout 1008) KTKT, Tucson, Ariz.
    (Scotty Wayne was a stage name used by Baldemar Huerta, who for most of his career performed as Freddy Fender)
August 1962: Tornadoes "Bustin' Surfboards" (Aertaun 100) KFXM, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1962: Dick Dale and the Del-Tones "Miserlou" (Deltone 5019) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1962: Dick Dale and the Del-Tones "Peppermint Man" (Deltone 5020) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1962: Dick Dale and the Del-Tones "Surf Beat" (Deltone 5020) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
    (From November 16th through December 27th, KMEN's No. 1 hit was one of the above three Dick Dale songs)
November 1962: Tornadoes "Bustin' Surfboards" (Aertaun 100) KYNO, Fresno, Calif.
January 1963: Dick Stewart "I Believe" (Penthouse 1000) KSFO, San Francisco, Calif.
February 1963: April Stevens & Nino Tempo "Paradise" (Atco 6248) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
February 1963: April Stevens & Nino Tempo "Indian Love Call" (Atco 6248) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
April 1963: Charlie Rich "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Phillips Int'l 3582) WLAY, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
April 1963: Frank Ifield "The Wayward Wind" (Vee Jay 499) KBIX, Muskogee, Okla.
April 1963: Frank Ifield "I'm Smiling Now" (Vee Jay 499) KBIX, Muskogee, Okla.
July 1963: Sherman Evans with Cruz Ortiz and the Flames "If I Should Die" (Manco 1049) WACO, Waco, Texas
    (This is one of only two American AM radio stations whose call letters spell the name of the city: WACO in Waco and WARE in Ware, Mass.)
July 1963: Blendtones "Lovers" (Success 101) KFXM and KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
July 1963: Diane Renay "Tender" (Atco 6262) WJET, Erie, Pa.
August 1963: Janie Moss and the Epics - We Belong Together" (Joni 101) WKLO, Louisville, Ky.
August 1963: Dotty Daniels "Play Me a Sad Song" (Amy 885) WAVZ, New Haven, Conn.
October 1963: Astronauts "Hot Doggin'" (RCA Victor 8224) KIMN, Denver, Colo.
December 1963: Young Men "Charlie Browning" (Bolo 742) KJR, Seattle, Wash.
December 1963: Trashmen "King of the Surf" (Garrett 4002) KDWB and WDGY, Minneapolis, Minn.
May 1964: Johnny Waleen "Mystery Train" (Coulee 102) WKBH, La Crosse, Wisc.
May 1964: Johnny Waleen "Now Is the Hour" (Coulee 102) WKBH, La Crosse, Wisc.
June 1964: Beatles With Tony Sheridan "Cry for a Shadow" (MGM 13227) KFXM, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1964: Charles Albertine "The Long Ships" (Colpix 726) KYNO, Fresno, Calif.
January 1965: Chancellors "Little Latin Lupe Lu" (Soma 1421) WDGY, Minneapolis, Minn.
February 1965: Fenways "Walk" (Imperial 66082) KDKA and KQV, Pittsburgh, Pa.
February 1965: Bernadette Carroll "The Hero" (Laurie 3278) WTLK, Taylorsville, S.C.
April 1965: Round Robin "Land of a Thousand Dances - The Na Na Song" (Domain 1420) KLIV, San Jose, Calif.
May 1965: Round Robin "Land of a Thousand Dances - The Na Na Song" (Domain 1420) KYA, San Francisco, Calif.
August 1965: Jerms "Good Feelin' Yea" (Jerms Inc. 2079) KEWI, Topeka, Kan.
October 1965: Astronauts "The La La Song" (RCA Victor 8628) WLOF, Orlando, Fla.
October 1965: David Jones "Theme for a New Love" (Colpix 789) WFEA, Manchester, N.H.
November 1965: Yardbirds "Still I'm Sad" (Epic 9857) KFXM and KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1965: Coachmen "Mr. Moon" (MMC 010) KLMS, Lincoln, Neb.
November 1965: Bobby Comstock "I Want to Do It" (Lawn 255) WOLF, Syracuse, N.Y.
December 1965: All Night Workers "Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket" (Round Sound 1) WOLF, Syracuse, N.Y.
January 1966: Princetons "Georgianna" (Colpix 793) KIOA, Des Moines, Iowa
January 1966: Golliwogs "Brown-Eyed Girl" (Scorpio 404) KMAK, Fresno, Calif.
January 1966: Spokesmen "Michelle" (Decca 31895) WWBZ, Vineland, N.J.
January 1966: Coachmen "Mr. Moon" (Bear 1974) KRGI, Grand Island, Neb.
February 1966: David McCallum "Communication" (Capitol 5571) WTRY, Troy, N.Y.
February 1966: Hangmen "What a Girl Can't Do" (Monument 910) WEAM, Arlington, Va.
March 1966: Rodge Martin "When She Touches Me Nothing Else Matters" (Bragg 227) WMAK, Nashville, Tenn.
April 1966: Princetons "Georgianna" (Colpix 793) WENE, Endicott, N.Y.
April 1966: Birdwatchers "Girl I Got News for You" (Mala 527) WFUN, Miami, Fla.
April 1966: Dantes "Can't Get Enough Love" (Jamie 1314) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio
July 1966: Link Wray "Ace of Spades" (Swan 4239) WOLF, Syracuse, N.Y.
July 1966: Stevie Wonder "With a Child's Heart" (Tamla 54130) KYOK, Houston, Texas
August 1966: Playboys of Edinburg "Look at Me Girl" (Columbia 43716) KNUZ, Houston, Texas
August 1966: Kit-Kats "That's the Way" (Jamie 1321) WLAN, Lancaster, Pa.
August 1966: Myddle Class "Don't Let Me Sleep Too Long" (Tomorrow 7503) WPTR, Albany, N.Y.
August 1966: Myddle Class "Don't Let Me Sleep Too Long" (Tomorrow 7503) WTRY, Troy, N.Y.
September 1966: Birdwatchers "I'm Gonna Love You Anyway" (Mala 536) WKLO, Louisville, Ky.
September 1966: Jimmy Hughes "I Worship the Ground You Walk On" (Fame 1006) WROV Roanoke, Va.
October 1966: Dantes "Under My Thumb" (Cameo 431) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio
October 1966: Fred Parris and the Restless Hearts "Bring It Home To Daddy" (Atco 6439) WDEE and WAVZ, New Haven, Conn.
November 1966: Fifth Order "Going Too Far" (Diamond 212) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio
November 1966: Ovations "Me and My Imagination" (Goldwax 314) WLOK, Memphis, Tenn.
November 1966: Nat Stuckey "Sweet Thang" (Paula 243) WBHP, Huntsville, Ala.
December 1966: Bush "Who Killed the Ice Cream Man?" (Hiback 120) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
January 1967: Willie Bobo "Sunshine Superman" (Verve 10448) WILM, Wilmington, Del.
January 1967: Neal Ford and the Fanatics "Gonna Be My Girl" (Hickory 1433) KNUZ, Houston, Texas
February 1967: Bobby Darin "Amy" (Atlantic 23760) WKY, Oklahoma City
February 1967: Harry Simeone Chorale "Anyone Can Move a Mountain" (Columbia 43926) WPBS, Philadelphia, Pa.
March 1967: Five Bucs "I'll Walk Alone" (Omnibus 1001) WCBN, Ann Arbor, Mich.
April 1967: Wanted "In the Midnight Hour" (A&M 844) WJIM, Lansing, Mich.
April 1967: Dynamic Hursmen "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" (IGL 135) KELO, Sioux Falls, S.D.
April 1967: Moving Sidewalks "99th Floor" (Tantara 3101) KNUZ, Houston, Texas
May 1967: Paegans "Good Day Sunshine" (Rampro 122) WROK, Rockford, Ill.
May 1967: Dino, Desi & Billy "If You're Thinkin' What I'm Thinkin'" (Reprise 0544) WJET, Erie, Pa.
June 1967: Woolies "Love Words" (Dunhill 4088) WILS, Lansing, Mich.
June 1967: Woolies "Duncan & Brady" (Dunhill 4088) WILS, Lansing, Mich.
July 1967: Moby Grape "Changes" (Columbia 44170) KCBN, Reno, Nev0000.
July 1967: Moby Grape "Fall on You" (Columbia 44170) KCBN, Reno, Nev.
July 1967: Moby Grape "8:05" (Columbia 44172) KCBN, Reno, Nev.
July 1967: Moby Grape "Someday" (Columbia 44173) KCBN, Reno, Nev.
July 1967: Moby Grape "Come in the Morning" (Columbia 44174) KCBN, Reno, Nev.
July 1967: Moby Grape "Hey Grandma" (Columbia 44174) KCBN, Reno, Nev.
August 1967: Fifth Order "A Thousand Devils (Are Chasin' Me)" (Laurie 3404) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio
August 1967: Mark V "Hey Conductor" (Counterpart 2591) WING, Dayton, Ohio
    (Also available at this time credited to Sonny Flaharty and the Mark V, on Philips 40479)
October 1967: Light "Music Box" (A&M 873) KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1967: Monkees "Goin' Down" (Colgems 1012) KRUX, Phoenix, Ariz.
November 1967: Le Cirque "Land of Oz" (Buddah 14) WSSB, Durham, N.C.
November 1967: Shag "Stop and Listen" (Capitol 5095) WBAY, Green Bay, Wisc.
November 1967: Yardbirds "The Nazz Are Blue" (Epic 10094) KFXM, San Bernardino, Calif.
November 1967: Bobby Wood "Break My Mind" (MGM 13797) WHBQ, Memphis, Tenn.
December 1967: October Country "October Country" (Epic 10252) KALE, Richland, Wash.
    (Here is the unlikely occurrence of a group's name being identical with their hit song's title: "October Country," by October Country)
January 1968: Soul Inc. "I Belong to Nobody" (Counterpoint 1212) WKLO and WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
February 1968: Ones "You Haven't Seen My Love" (Motown 1117) WYSL, Buffalo, N.Y.
March 1968: North Atlantic Invasion Force (NAIF) "Black on White" (Mr. G 808) WAVZ, New Haven, Conn.
April 1968: Roosters "Love Machine" (Philips 40504) WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
May 1968: Magic Ring "Do I Love You?" (Music Factory 404) WKLO and WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
July 1968: Doors "Love Street" (Elektra 45635) KFXM, San Bernardino, Calif.
July 1968: Bob Seger System "2 + 2 = ?" (Capitol 2143) WKBW, Buffalo, N.Y.
September 1968: Bobbi Martin "Harper Valley P.T.A." (United Artists 50443) KISN, Vancouver, Wash.
September 1968: Bobbi Martin "Harper Valley P.T.A." (United Artists 50443) WTRY, Troy, N.Y.
September 1968: Elysian Field "Kind of Man" (Imperial 66318) WKLO, Louisville, Ky.
October 1968: Company Front "I'm So Happy Now" (Rising Sons 711) WKLO and WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
October 1968: Sunny & the Sunliners "My Dream" (RPR 102) KUKA, San Antonio, Texas
November 1968: Bobby Patterson and the Mustangs "Let Them Talk" (Jetstar 109) WFEC, Harrisburg, Pa.
November 1968: Johnstons "Both Sides Now" (Tetragrammaton 1507) WING, Dayton, Ohio
December 1968: Sunny & the Sunliners "If I Could See You Now" (RPR 105) KUKA, San Antonio, Texas
December 1968: Outrage "Be My Baby" (Kama Sutra 252) WRFY, Reading, Pa.
January 1969: Doors "Wild Child" (Elektra 45646) KFXM and KMEN, San Bernardino, Calif.
April 1969: Soul Survivors "Mama Soul" (Atco 6650) WHBQ, Memphis, Tenn.
May 1969: Unchained Mynds "We Can't Go on This Way" (Buddah 111) WOLF, Syracuse, N.Y.
June 1969: Elvis Presley "Any Day Now" (RCA Victor 47-9741) KJR, Seattle, Wash.
June 1969: Unchained Mynds "We Can't Go on This Way" (Buddah 111) WHYN, Springfield, Mass.
August 1969: Mystics "Pain" (Metromedia 130) KDWB, Minneapolis, Minn.
November 1969: Exiles "Church St. Soul Revival" (Columbia 44972) WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
December 1969: Mel Wynn Trend "Put Your Bell Bottoms On" (Mercury 72997) WSCR, Scranton, Pa.
March 1970: Cornerstone "Holly Go Softly" (Liberty 56148) KFXM, San Bernardino, Calif.
May 1970: Bridge "Love Is There" (Kirzo 1 and Roulette 7081) WHNC and WAVZ, New Haven, Conn.
May 1970: Alex Keenan "One Day of Your Life" (Colgems 5008) KPOI, Honolulu, Hawaii.
May 1970: Little Sister "You're the One - Part 1" (Stone Flower 9000) KAFY, Bakersfield, Calif.
    ("Part 2" charted nationally, but "Part 1" did not)
July 1970: Owen B. "Never Goin' Home" (Janus 123) WCOL, Columbus, Ohio
May 1971: John Denver "Poems, Prayers and Promises" (RCA Victor 0445) WKLO, Louisville, Ky.
July 1971: Sam Kapu "Chotto Matte Kudasai (Never Say Goodbye)" (Hana Ho 7101) KPOI, Honolulu, Hawaii.
September 1971: Charles Smith & Jeff Cooper "My Great Loss (Ashes to Ashes)" (Seventy-7 106 and Blue Dawn 571) WLAY, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
November 1971: Sunday Funnies "Walk Down the Path of Freedom" (Rare Earth 92929) WFRS, Big Rapids, Mich.
February 1972: Melvin Davis "I'm Worried" (Invictius 9115) WHNC, New Haven, Conn.
March 1972: Malo "Nena" (Warner Bros. 7559) KYNO, Fresno, Calif.
April 1972: Uriah Heep "The Wizard" (Mercury 73271) KSPD, Boise, Idaho
April 1972: Billy Preston "The Bus" (A&M 1340) WFRS, Big Rapids, Mich.
July 1972: Montclairs "Dreaming Out of Season" (Paula 363) KUXL, Minneapolis, Minn.
October 1972: Honk "Pipeline Sequence" (20th Century 2007) KPOI, Honolulu, Hawaii.
November 1972: Bloodrock "Help Is on the Way" (Capitol 3451) WFSO, St. Petersburg, Fla.
November 1972: White Witch "And I'm Leaving" (Capricorn 0012) WFSO, St. Petersburg, Fla.
November 1972: Sparks "Wonder Girl" (Bearsville 0006) KRCB, Council Bluffs, Iowa
December 1972: Blue Ridge Rangers "Workin' on a Building" (Fantasy 689) KAFY, Bakersfield, Calif.
March 1973: Blue Magic "Spell" (Atco 6910) WOKS, Columbus, Ga.
March 1973: Shel Silverstein "Sahra (sic) Cynthia Sylvia Stout (Would Not Take the Garbage Out)" (Columbia 45772) KUDL, Kansas City, Mo.
May 1973: Royal Kings "Happy Songs (Don't Come Easy When You've Got the Blues)" (Big Lik 42461) WLLL, Lynchburg, Va.
October 1974: Ruby Winters "Love Me Now" (Polydor 14249) WAKY, Louisville, Ky.
August 1975: Elton John "House of Cards" (MCA 40421) KENO, Las Vegas, Nev.
January 1980: Phyllis Hyman "You Know How to Love Me" (Arista 0463) WZZD, Philadelphia, Pa.
July 1980: Rick Pinette and Oak "King of the Hill" (Mercury 76049) WEPG, Presque Isle, Maine
July 1982: Kids From Fame "Starmaker" (RCA 13088) KNUI, Kahului, Hawaii
October 1983: Gap Band "Party Train" (Paula 243) WEUP, Huntsville, Ala.
August 1986: Levert "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind" (Atlantic 89389) WYFX, Boynton Beach, Fla.
September 1987: Dan Fogelberg "Lonely in Love" (Full Moon 04275) WDEL, Wilmington, Del.

IZ ZAT SO? The only entry on this list that stood no chance of exposure outside of western Washington is the Young Men's "Charlie Browning."

Not only did it reach No. 1, but it didn't even need to climb the chart — it debuted right at the top, displacing Chubby Checker's "Hooka Tooka."

At the time, Charlie Browning was a star running back for the University of Washington Huskies, though he never made it as a pro. This novelty named after him, with newly-written lyrics by Rainer Ray, is to the Leiber-Stoller music of "Charlie Brown," the 1959 Coasters' hit.

In a rather unconventional way of communicating, KJR simply added this explanation at the bottom of the printed survey:

"History is made in Seattle! For the first time ever a record has shot from nowhere to number one in just one week. "Charley (sic) Browning" by the Young Men sold nearly 12,000 copies in a five day period (according to Northwest Distributors who handle the record reporting). Never has any record been sold in such volume in such a short period of time. We are proud to note that the response to this song is the result of KJR airplay. No other station in the area has yet seen fit to program what appears to be the biggest hit in this town in years."

You can quickly hear this tune right here!

Based on traditional programming, from 1957 through '87, only two radio stations had consecutive No. 1 hits, neither of which cracked the Hot 100:

WCOL (Columbus, Ohio) in October and November 1966 had the Dantes' "Under My Thumb" (Cameo 431) at No. 1, followed by the Fifth Order's "Going Too Far" (Diamond 212).

In September and October of 1968, WKLO (Louisville, Ky.) had Elysian Field's "Kind of Man" (Imperial 66318) at No. 1, followed by Company Front's "I'm So Happy Now" (Rising Sons 711).





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