By Bruce Warren, Program Director for XPN

The great American Bandstand will be celebrating 50 years since its national debut in 1957. The show started locally on WFIL-TV (Channel 6 which is now WPVI). It started locally on October 7, 1952 in “Studio ‘B’”, which was located in their just-completed addition to the original 1947 building (4548 Market Street), and was hosted by Bob Horn, with Lee Stewart as co-host until 1955. During this time, a young DJ started working at WFIL radio named Dick Clark and on July 9, 1956, Clark took over for Horn as the host of the show. The first national broadcast of “American Bandstand” was on August 5, 1957 on ABC-TV from 3:00-4:30 P.M.

“American Bandstand” was an instant success and for years had an undeniable influence on music and youth culture. Dick Clark made rock music palatable to the mainstream American public and helped promote the careers of many rock and roll artists from the Fifties through 1989 when the show ended. With few exceptions – “Soul Train” and “Top of The Pops” being two – no TV show in its time had the kind of impact that Dick Clark and “American Bandstand” did.

XPN wants to know if you can recall some significant musical moments in TV over the years. MTV? “Yo! MTV Raps”? “Shindig”? “Hullabaloo”? Does anyone remember the David Sanborn’s “Night Music?” Or how about Jerry Blavat’s “Discophonic Scene”? Take a trip down memory lane and check out some classic videos from the many eras of “American Bandstand”. Dick Clark – long may you run!

Rank and File

Iron Butterfly

Linda Ronstadt

Love

Wham!