Des Moines native son David Craft has written a book spotlighting the music and the artists of what he views as Top 40 radio’s golden era – 1955 through 1975. Though not an autobiography as such, it is written in the first-person and includes personal asides. KIOA, KSO, KFMG-FM and even this website all get a shout-out in David’s detailed look at Top 40’s diverse nature.
Each year has its own chapter made up of three sections: the main text, a list of songs heard on the radio that year which David would play for his listeners today if he had his own oldies show, and a Top 40 Topic (weekly survey sheets, station jingles, cover songs, early rock ’n’ roll movies). Several of the 21 topics are fully autobiographical, such as his first rock concert (in 1967 at KRNT Theater).
The book is conversational in tone and marked by the author’s self-deprecating humor. It is available online through Amazon both as a softcover print copy (pictured here) and as a Kindle e-book, and through Barnes & Noble both as a softcover print copy and as a Nook e-book.
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