Breakfast with the Beatles
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Breakfast with the Beatles is a popular programming segment format on FM radio in cities in the USA. Stations which feature, or have featured it include: WXRT in Chicago, WMGK in Philadelphia, WGRF in Buffalo, WMXJ in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, KMET, KLSX, and KLOS in Los Angeles (the longest running version of the show), and others.
It is known that DJ Helen Leicht created, hosted and produced it on WIOQ in 1976. In October of 1976 Helen Leicht started the Sunday morning show and called it "Breakfast with The Beatles". WIOQ was a free form radio station and Helen wanted to share the music of her childhood. She began the show by playing a set of The Beatles music at 8 am on Sunday mornings. The positive response from listeners made it possible for the show to grow into an hour long show. Every Sunday morning from 10 AM - 11 AM Helen Leicht hosted and produced "Breakfast with The Beatles". Helen hosted her show at WIOQ from 1976 - 1989. WIOQ changed formats and Helen hosted her show at WMGK. Helen has been working at WXPN 88.5 FM in Philadelphia, PA since the 90's and currently is the midday host, assistant Program Director and music director and host/producer of the Philly Local show on WXPN. Helen just celebrated 30 years in Philadelphia radio.
The format is simple: the entire content of the program, typically 2 to 3 hours, is related to the Beatles. As the title suggests, the program is broadcast in the morning, but often in the 10 a.m. to noon slot.
Items include Beatles recordings (by far the most predominant, as the name of the show suggests); solo recordings by former members of the Beatles (such as Paul McCartney or John Lennon recordings); cover versions 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, interviews related to the Beatles, former members and associates; and interviews with experts on Beatle history and trivia.
It is a testament to the cultural influence of the Beatles that radio stations have been able to sustain this format, sometimes running daily, for at least 25 years. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono have all called in to the longest running version of the show in Los Angeles, [1] which was dropped in 2006 by KLSX-FM and replaced by a real estate talk show [2], but picked up by 95.5 KLOS in November 2006. The Los Angeles show is currently hosted by longtime Beatles expert Chris Carter, who replaced the late Deirdre O'Donoghue in 2001.
[edit] National formats
After hosting a local version of BWTB for 16 years, a Las Vegas broadcaster currently hosts "Dennis Mitchell's Breakfast With The Beatles," which is syndicated to 47 U.S. radio stations and two on the internet. Dennis's past guests have included Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, 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.
