From the Desk of CLASSICKONG
Before we turn back the pages of music history today, we begin where we always should—with gratitude.
To the brave men and women serving in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force, thank you for standing watch over this great nation.
To every veteran who has worn the uniform, thank you for your service and sacrifice.
We also remember every veteran and every active-duty service member who has defended and continues to defend the freedoms we enjoy today.
WTSG-DB proudly salutes you. 🇺🇸
Now turn up the radio, Kong Crew. We’ve got Queen making history, one of rock’s greatest albums taking the top spot, four familiar faces from KISS sharing a stage again, the birthday of an unforgettable voice, and a couple of musical legends to remember.
And apparently CLASSICKONG has some very important mail to send.
We’ll get to that. 😉
👑 1986 — Freddie Mercury Takes the Stage with Queen One Final Time
Freddie Mercury
September 5, 1946 – November 24, 1991
There are moments in music history when everyone present knows they’re witnessing something extraordinary.
And then there are moments whose true significance isn’t understood until later.
On August 9, 1986, Queen performed before an enormous crowd at Knebworth Park in England, bringing the European leg of The Magic Tour to a spectacular close.
Nobody in that audience could have known what history would eventually reveal:
It would be Freddie Mercury’s final live performance with Queen.
That night at Knebworth, there was no farewell announcement. No indication that an era was ending.
There was simply Freddie Mercury doing what Freddie Mercury did.
He commanded the stage.
He worked the crowd.
And that unmistakable voice soared across Knebworth one more time.
Queen had released A Kind of Magic earlier in 1986, and The Magic Tour would ultimately become the band’s final tour with Freddie. Its enormous shows included two legendary nights at London’s Wembley Stadium before the tour eventually reached Knebworth.
Imagine being there that August evening.
You sing along. You cheer. The final notes ring out. Eventually you make your way home believing you’ve just attended another unforgettable Queen concert.
Only later do you realize:
You saw Freddie’s last one.
Sometimes history doesn’t tell us that we’re living through it.
We only recognize the moment after it has passed.
💿 Queen Must Haves
- A Night at the Opera — 1975
- A Day at the Races — 1976
- News of the World — 1977
- The Game — 1980
- The Works — 1984
- A Kind of Magic — 1986
And if you want to experience Queen at full power in front of an audience, Live at Wembley ’86 belongs on the shelf too.
Freddie Mercury could never truly be replaced, and all these years later those performances continue to remind us just how remarkable he was.
The show ended. The voice didn’t.
🔔 1980 — AC/DC’s Back in Black Reaches No. 1 in Britain
Bon Scott
July 9, 1946 – February 19, 1980
On August 9, 1980, AC/DC’s Back in Black reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
The achievement came during one of the most difficult chapters imaginable for the band.
AC/DC had suffered an enormous loss when singer Bon Scott died earlier that year at only 33 years old.
For many bands, losing a frontman with Scott’s personality and unmistakable voice might have meant the end.
But AC/DC wasn’t finished.
The band found its new voice in Brian Johnson, and with producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange behind the board, AC/DC entered the studio and emerged with an album that would become one of the defining records in rock history.
Back in Black was released July 25, 1980.
And this particular album carries some personal history here at WTSG-DB.
CLASSICKONG has mentioned many times how well he remembers buying Back in Black on cassette when it was released in 1980:
“I must have played that cassette throughout most of my teenage years. I was a huge AC/DC fan—and honestly, saying I was a huge fan might still be an understatement.”
From the ominous tolling bell that opens “Hells Bells” through “Shoot to Thrill,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” the title track and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution,” Back in Black simply refused to let up.
There are albums you enjoy.
There are albums you love.
And then there are albums that become part of the soundtrack of your life.
For CLASSICKONG, Back in Black is one of those records.
💿 AC/DC Must Haves
- High Voltage — 1976
- Let There Be Rock — 1977
- Powerage — 1978
- Highway to Hell — 1979
- Back in Black — 1980
- For Those About to Rock We Salute You — 1981
And yes, we know somebody is going to ask why their favorite AC/DC album isn’t on the list.
That’s why they’re called “Must Haves” and not “Every AC/DC Record CLASSICKONG Ever Cranked Up.” 😂
Forty-six years later, those opening bells still mean the same thing:
Turn it up. 🤘
💋 1995 — The Original KISS Members Share the Stage Again
During the August 9, 1995 taping of MTV Unplugged, former members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss joined Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons onstage.
And suddenly…
There they were.
Paul. Gene. Ace. Peter.
Together again.
The original four performed songs including “Beth,” “2,000 Man,” “Nothin’ to Lose” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
For longtime KISS fans, seeing those four men together again was something special.
And around WTSG-DB, this story gets personal.
KISS was among CLASSICKONG’s earliest musical obsessions, and Destroyer was among the very first albums he ever owned.
But he didn’t stop at buying the records.
Oh no.
He joined the Army. 😂
CLASSICKONG remembers:
“I sent off my KISS Army registration. I don’t remember if I ever got anything back. Maybe I did and I just don’t remember. But I mailed that registration!”
That’s good enough for us.
Private CLASSICKONG, reporting for duty. 🫡😂
Those who experienced KISS during that era understand that it went beyond simply buying records.
The makeup.
The costumes.
The album covers.
The magazines.
The merchandise.
And the mystery surrounding those four larger-than-life characters.
But underneath the spectacle were the records and the songs that created generations of KISS fans.
💿 KISS Must Haves — The Classic Years
- KISS — 1974
- Hotter Than Hell — 1974
- Dressed to Kill — 1975
- Alive! — 1975
- Destroyer — 1976
- Rock and Roll Over — 1976
- Love Gun — 1977
- Alive II — 1977
- KISS Unplugged — 1996
That 1995 reunion on the Unplugged stage helped pave the way for something even bigger: the original-lineup reunion era that followed.
The KISS Army was reporting for duty again.
As for CLASSICKONG’s membership package?
Please allow 6–8 decades for delivery. 😂📬
🎤 Happy Birthday, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012
One of the greatest voices popular music has ever known was born on this day in Newark, New Jersey.
Whitney grew up surrounded by music. Her mother was gospel and soul singer Cissy Houston, and Whitney began singing in church before becoming one of the biggest recording stars in the world.
Her self-titled debut album, Whitney Houston, arrived in 1985, followed by Whitney in 1987.
Songs such as “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” demonstrated a voice possessing tremendous power without sacrificing warmth and beauty.
But there is one Whitney Houston performance that this broadcaster believes deserves a place all its own.
🇺🇸 “The Star-Spangled Banner” — Super Bowl XXV
On January 27, 1991, Whitney Houston stood before America at Super Bowl XXV and sang our National Anthem.
The United States was in the midst of the Persian Gulf War.
American servicemen and women were deployed overseas.
And Whitney delivered a performance filled with tremendous vocal power and unmistakable pride.
For this broadcaster, it remains the standard.
There have been countless performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but Whitney’s rendition was more than a demonstration of an extraordinary voice.
She seemed to understand the significance of the moment.
The song.
The flag.
The people serving beneath it.
And the country listening.
More than 35 years later, people still talk about that performance.
That tells you everything.
💿 Whitney Houston Must Haves
- Whitney Houston — 1985
- Whitney — 1987
- I’m Your Baby Tonight — 1990
- The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album — 1992
- My Love Is Your Love — 1998
And for one unforgettable performance, seek out Whitney’s recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Happy birthday, Whitney.
What a voice. What a moment. 🇺🇸
🌹 Remembering Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995
On this day in 1995, the music world lost Jerry Garcia, guitarist, singer, songwriter and co-founder of the Grateful Dead.
He was only 53 years old.
The Grateful Dead weren’t simply another rock band.
They became a culture.
Their concerts were built around musical exploration and improvisation, meaning a song performed one evening might evolve into something completely different the next.
And surrounding the band was one of music history’s most devoted communities—the Deadheads.
Fans traveled from show to show, traded concert recordings and helped build a musical community long before the internet made that kind of connection commonplace.
You didn’t have to be a Deadhead to recognize Jerry Garcia’s influence.
He approached music as something alive—something capable of changing every time musicians gathered together to play it.
Following his death, thousands gathered in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to remember him.
💿 Grateful Dead Must Haves
Where do you even start with a band whose live performances were such an important part of its identity?
These will get you through the door:
- Workingman’s Dead — 1970
- American Beauty — 1970
- Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) — 1971
- Europe ’72 — 1972
- Wake of the Flood — 1973
- In the Dark — 1987
And if you really want to understand the Grateful Dead, don’t stop with the studio albums.
Dig into their live recordings.
The Grateful Dead built much of their legend onstage, where improvisation allowed familiar songs to stretch, change and take on a life of their own. Fortunately, an enormous recorded legacy remains, giving new generations the opportunity to experience some of the magic that happened when Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead took the stage.
Today WTSG-DB remembers Jerry Garcia and the music and community he helped create.
And in Jerry’s honor…
CLASSICKONG will apparently be wearing tie-dye today.
This ought to be interesting. 😂
🎸 Remembering Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
July 5, 1943 – August 9, 2023
We also remember another enormously influential guitarist and songwriter who left us on this date.
Robbie Robertson was best known as guitarist and principal songwriter for The Band.
Robertson helped create songs that became part of the fabric of North American roots music, including “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
Robertson and The Band also became forever connected to Bob Dylan, backing him during one of the most important transitions of Dylan’s career.
Then there was The Last Waltz.
The Band’s famous Thanksgiving Day farewell concert took place in 1976 and was documented by director Martin Scorsese, creating one of rock music’s most celebrated concert films.
Robertson was 80 when he died.
💿 Robbie Robertson & The Band — Must Haves
- Music from Big Pink — 1968
- The Band — 1969
- Stage Fright — 1970
- Northern Lights – Southern Cross — 1975
- The Last Waltz — 1978
And from Robertson’s solo career:
- Robbie Robertson — 1987
Today we remember a songwriter whose music could somehow sound as though it had already lived a hundred years the first time you heard it.
📺 1963 — Ready Steady Go! Hits British Television
On August 9, 1963, British television audiences were introduced to a program that would become an important showcase for the exploding youth music culture of the 1960s.
Ready Steady Go! premiered on ITV and remained on television until December 1966.
During its run, the program featured an extraordinary collection of performers, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, Dusty Springfield, The Supremes, The Four Tops and many others.
At a time when rock and pop music were changing almost by the week, programs such as Ready Steady Go! allowed young audiences to actually see the artists whose records they were buying.
Long before YouTube, streaming video or social media, television appearances could transform musicians from voices coming through a radio speaker into living, breathing stars standing in your living room.
For millions of young music fans, shows like Ready Steady Go! weren’t merely television.
They were a window into an entirely new culture.
📚 National Book Lovers Day
Put down the remote and pick up a book, Kong Crew!
August 9 is National Book Lovers Day.
Whether it’s history, biography, science fiction, mystery, music, sports—or that dog-eared favorite you’ve read ten times—today celebrates the simple pleasure of getting lost between the covers of a good book.
Around WTSG Mission Control, our reading list might look slightly different:
📖 The Great American Songbook
📖 The Complete History of Rock & Roll
📖 Radio Broadcasting for Gorillas — Revised Edition
And the increasingly important…
📖 How to Keep KONG A.I. From Taking Over the Station
We’re still waiting for CLASSICKONG to finish that last one.
KONG A.I. has reportedly purchased every remaining copy.
This seems suspicious. 😂
🥣 National Rice Pudding Day
And yes…
August 9 is also National Rice Pudding Day.
Rice pudding has been enjoyed in various forms around the world for centuries, combining one of the simplest grains with milk and other ingredients to create a classic comfort-food dessert.
Naturally, CLASSICKONG has volunteered to participate in today’s observance.
Actually, he already has a bowl.
A very large bowl.
So let’s review the situation:
CLASSICKONG is wearing a tie-dye shirt in honor of Jerry Garcia.
He’s carrying a giant bowl of rice pudding.
He’s got a couple of books nearby for National Book Lovers Day.
And he’s heading toward the mailbox carrying his…
KISS ARMY REGISTRATION.
Apparently nobody had the heart to tell him it’s 2026, not 1976.
😂😂😂
Somewhere at KISS Army headquarters:
“Guys…you’re not gonna believe this. We got another one.”
🎬🎵 CLASSICKONG’S TRIVIA
All right, Kong Crew.
No Googling.
Today’s question:
Which member of the original KISS lineup was known as “The Spaceman”?
A. Peter Criss
B. Ace Frehley
C. Paul Stanley
D. Gene Simmons
Think you’ve got it?
Keep scrolling…
.
.
.
.
.
.
ANSWER: B. Ace Frehley 🤘
ACE!
And somewhere tonight, CLASSICKONG is probably still checking the mailbox for his KISS Army membership package.
Any day now, buddy. Any day now. 😂📬
🎙️ Until Tomorrow…
Music history isn’t only a collection of dates.
Sometimes it’s standing in a field at Knebworth without realizing you’re witnessing Freddie Mercury’s final concert with Queen.
Sometimes it’s a cassette called Back in Black that practically takes up permanent residence in your tape deck.
Sometimes it’s seeing Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter standing together again and remembering why you joined the KISS Army in the first place.
Sometimes it’s Whitney Houston standing before America and singing our National Anthem with a voice that still gives us chills.
Sometimes it’s remembering Jerry Garcia and Robbie Robertson and simply saying:
Thank you for the music.
Those records become attached to people, places and moments in our lives.
And decades later, all it takes is one song…
…and suddenly we’re right back there again.
Keep the music playing, Kong Crew.
Take care of yourselves, take care of one another, and never forget the people who created the soundtrack of our lives.
Great Music. Great Radio. Great Community.
WTSG-DB
Fuel the Signal. Keep the Sound Alive. 🇺🇸🎙️🤘
🎙️ Listen to Today’s Broadcast
Sit back, relax, and enjoy today’s story in audio form with CLASSICKONG.
