MARTIN BLOCK (WNEW.COM)
By 1940, Martin Block could "make" or "break" records. If he played something, it was virtually guaranteed to become a hit; if he ignored it, it "died." By the end of the war, the hit-making power of radio disc jockeys had earned them much greater respect in the music business, and Block was the undisputed "king" of the disc jockeys.
Block skillfully created the aura of doing a "live" radio program, complete with performers like Harry James or Nat King Cole (on records) "...from the Crystal Studios of WNEW." At that time, the show's famous crystal chandelier was as "make believe" as the "ballroom." But the tremendous popularity of the show, heard twice daily, six days a week, led WNEW to construct a studio in ballroom form with a huge crystal chandelier and a red velvet chair for Block. His verbal imagery also included the "revolving stage" (actually his turntable) - upon which the artists performed:
"And now, Mr. Frank Sinatra ascends our revolving stage to sing
'Nancy With The Laughing Face'."
As a result of the work these radio pioneers, radio disc jockeying became a fully accepted profession and an integral part of the music industry in the fifties and the sixties. The disc jockey thus became a powerful hitmaker whose patronage could jumpstart an artist's career overnight.
In 1954, Martin Block left WNEW for WABC. He died on September 18, 1967.
Al Jarvis died in 1970.
Replacing Martin Block on The Make Believe Ballroom was initially, Art Ford, but the man who became almost as popular as Block, was William B. Williams. He is credited with tagging Frank Sinatra as "The chairman of the board." Willie B.'s pictures are included in the slideshow. Remember "Hello world, this is William B. Williams."
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