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Shadoe Stevens On Replacing Casey Kasem On American Top 40
They were certainly huge shoes to fill - veteran DJ Shadoe Stevens recalls how hard it was to replace the legendary Casey Kasem as host of American Top 40 in the late 80s - and how at first, it didn't seem like he'd make it in the air chair.
"The first four-hour show took 18 hours to record. They were so afraid that I wouldn’t be able to fill Casey’s shoes that they sent me to three different vocal coaches up to five times a week and criticized every twist of phrase, every creative notion I had for making the show work for me. I sat with the writers and re-wrote stories and wrap-arounds, coming up with endless variations in search of what would work for my personality and still accommodate the demands of their expectations."
He also relates how he started in radio - at just 10 years of age, how he took one L.A. radio station to the top of the ratings, thereby getting his revenge after leaving the legendary KHJ in a huff and where a guy named Terry Ingstad found his famous on-air name.
An interesting retrospective on one of those rare disc jockeys who became world famous.
In Honor of Shadoe Stevens’ Radio Hall of Fame Induction, A Flashback to When He Took Over as ‘American Top 40’ Host
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Re: Shadoe Stevens On Replacing Casey Kasem On American Top 40
I have a few air checks of Shadoe Stevens during his days at Progressive stations. I believe I have uploaded one where he appears at the tail end of a broadcast by B Mitchell Reid on KMET FM. Also have a great interview he did with Mark Volman of the Turtles( The Flo of Flo and Eddie/Zappa Fame) which was rebroadcast in later years and that I recorded off the radio. Have not uploaded that one but he is an excellent jock.
In any case I have been less prolific with my uploads during the last two years as I have been somewhat annoyed by the fact that people record material that is from my personal tapes and then sell it. Something that I provide for free.
I have a tape of C Kasem on KRLA from 1964 that I have not got around at uploading bc I am sure the vultures will strike on that one but I suppose the main point is to get the stuff out there so people can hear it and I will upload at some point.
This was way before American Top 40 of course but here is a small snip from that tape where you can hear the style that made him famous. Left in 5 secs of dead air at the beginging in error.
C Kasem KRLA 1964 Snip
Last edited by Fitz (August 8, 2023 1:32 pm)
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Re: Shadoe Stevens On Replacing Casey Kasem On American Top 40
Casey famously took a similarly long time to record his first show. He stopped doing the show in real time after Dick Clark suggested it.