The "Superstars Radio Network" was not connected to Westwood One's similarly named "Superstar Concert Series." While the Superstars Radio Network produced a small number of promotional concert recordings and interview discs, the “network” itself created an earthshattering change in FM rock radio, ending free-form radio and replacing it with “Album Oriented Rock” radio.
In 1974, Lee Abrams moved to Atlanta and joined Kent Burkhart’s radio consulting firm. They sold the concept of rigorously researched tight playlists featuring established artists to struggling FM stations, in a bid to take audience share from traditional AM Top 40 stations. FM receivers had become common in home stereos and car audio systems. And research revealed there was a “vulnerable Top 40” listening audience to be scooped up.
Free-form FM was wildly eclectic and undisciplined. Here in the Bay Area, KSAN did not accept ad agency commercials but produced their own spots. KZAP in Sacramento refused a Bank of America ad campaign because banks and capitalism were things they opposed.
Free-form FM programming was all over the place. You might hear John Coltrane, Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, and Lou Reed in the same hour. All great music but not what steals market share from a Top 40 station.
The research revealed that it wasn’t just what you played, it was also what you didn’t play: the audience that might move over from AM didn’t want the kiddie stuff, so the Donny Osmonds and Starland Vocal Bands were gone…as were Motown, R&B and disco.
Replace that with a handful of album tracks by established artists such as the Who and Rolling Stones, and other similar bands that are already popular, and you’ve got a format that can turn a struggling FM stati
on into a money-making machine.
By 1978, forty stations had signed up with Burkhart/Abrams Superstars Radio Network.
The “network” was not a network in the traditional sense of NBC, ABC, or RKO. The Superstars network didn’t own or manage stations. Burkhart/Abrams researched songs that would be widely popular to an AOR/Soft Rock audience, and the stations and local program directors fed information on what worked to attract audience (and what wasn’t working) back to Burkhart/Abrams.
While in general this meant stations repeated the same songs more often, played few (if any) black artists, it did allow for stations to adjust based on local conditions. New Wave might be on the playlist in Philadelphia, but not in Louisville. Hard rock worked in some markets, soft rock and singer-songwriter in others. The most important thing was that it worked in taking audience share from AM Top 40, and that attracted advertisers, and advertisers paid well.
As part of this “network,” a small amount of live concert and interview albums were produced by the Superstar Radio Network. Most of these came out in 1977 and 1978. These were issued and pressed by the record label. While the packaging usually says, “Superstars Radio Network Presents….” there is no common record label, as with King Biscuit, NBC’s The Source, or RKO’s Captured Live!
While the number of stations was low in 1977/1978, the discs were not just created for the radio broadcasting of the show. Additional copies were pressed up for promotional purposes.
“When Pousette-Dart Band’s new studio album comes out in May, we’re also going to be releasing a Live Superstars LP with it, which will be initially available for the Abrams network, and later on to all the AOR stations. We’ll make available for promotion to all of the Abrams stations 25 copies of both this special limited pressing and the studio LP to give away.”
Here are five of those albums for you. The Armatrading I posted already but at the time I had no knowledge of what the Superstar Radio Network actually was. I did the Pousette-Dart show a few months back (but I don't think I posted it...) so the .TXT file is similarly ignorant about the network.
Joan Armatrading:Live At The Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia, February 18, 1977
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/3210720-Joan-Armatrading-Live-At-The-Bijou-Cafe-Philadelphia-February-18-1977
Pousette-Dart Band: Live At Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, November 15, 1977
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/9052421-The-Pousette-Dart-Band-Live-At-Sigma-Sound-Philadelphia-November-15-1977
Charlie Daniels Band - The Charlie Daniels Band Live
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/5524938-The-Charlie-Daniels-Band-The-Charlie-Daniels-Band-Live
Prism: Live Tonight at Detroit’s Royal Oak 1978
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/master/1241531-Prism-Prism-Live-Tonite-At-Detroits-Royal-Oak
Starz: Superstars Radio Network Presents Starz Live At Municipal Auditorium March 30, 1978
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/6312960-Starz-Superstars-Radio-Network-Presents-Starz-Live-At-Municipal-Auditorium
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One more time: A round of Voodoo Wagon applause for our pal, Sam Eliott's Mustache, who took the time (and money!) to package and ship four of those LPs from Philadelphia to the Bay Area. Without his help, we wouldn't have these rare gems to share with you.
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Here's what I've identified as existing so far. There’s a magazine reference to upcoming releases by Jimmy Buffett and Styx, but I’ve not found any evidence they were ever released on vinyl.
As there is no common numbering system for the releases (as they’re on many different record labels), the order in which they were issued is not known. I’ve been able to identify a few release dates, but some of the 1977 recordings may have been released in 1978.
Joan Armatrading – Live At The Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia, February 18, 1977
A&M Records SP-841
Radio and Records June 10, 1977 issue mentions that this was the first show in the series.
Jesse Winchester – Superstars Radio Network Presents Jesse Winchester Live At The Bijou Cafe May 26, 1977
Bearsville – PRO 692
Radio and Records June 10, 1977 issue mentions that this was the next show in the series.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – On Tour With Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Atlantic – PR 281
Contains previously unreleased tracks "Tiger In A Spotlight" and "Bolero" (with London Philharmonic Orchestra).
Interview recorded on May 14, 1977 at Marko Studio, Montreal, Canada.
Richard Torrance Live At The Boarding House May 31, 1977
Capitol Records – SPRO-1-8674
Broadcast date was August 27-28, 1977, as per full page ad in Radio and Records Aug. 1977 issue.
The ad lists 31 radio stations.
Superstars Radio Network Presents Yes Music: An Evening With Jon Anderson
Atlantic PR 285 (1977)
Superstars Radio Network Presents The Babys Live At The Tower Theatre April 23, 1977
Chrysalis – CHS-4-PDJ
Southside Johnny & Ronnie Spector - Interview disc from 1977
Internet says, “In April 1977, to promote the release of Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes 2nd Album, “This Time It’s for Real”, Johnny & Ronnie Spector recorded an interview at Alpha Studios in Philly for Superstar Radio Network. The interview was conducted by Sonny Fox and set up by Lee Abrams, who’s tightening of formats has contributed the blandness of most commercial radio that still lingers today. The interview was pressed onto a vinyl with a handful of complete songs by EPIC records & sent out to radio stations. it's extremely rare, not even listed on Discogs”
Jesse Winchester Live At The Bijou Café May 26, 1977 (Lee Abrams does the intro…)
Bearsville – PRO 693
The Pousette-Dart Band – Live At Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, November 15, 1977
Capitol Records – SPRO-8799/8800
As per the April 29, 1978 edition of Cashbox, this was to be released in May 1978 in conjunction with the release of Pousette-Dart Band’s third album, “3.”
Jay Ferguson – Superstars Radio Network Presents Jay Ferguson / Jay Ferguson Live Asylum Records – AS-11394 (released 1978)
Charlie Daniels Band - The Charlie Daniels Band Live EPIC AS 407 (1978)
Starz – Superstars Radio Network Presents Starz Live At Municipal Auditorium March 30, 1978
Capitol Records SPRO 8857/8858
David Bowie – An Evening With David Bowie
RCA – DJL1-3016 (1978)
Prism – Live Tonight at Detroit’s Royal Oak 1978
Ariola Records America – PRO 50034
Rossington Collins Band – A Conversation With…
MCA Records – L33-1880 (1980)
Produced and narrated by REDBEARD in association with the Superstars Radio Network.
Loverboy – Loverboy Live! (From Dayton, Ohio)
Columbia – A2S 1256
Loverboy Live! From Dayton Ohio, Recorded Live at the Dixie Electric Company June 15, 1981
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