Pilot of the Airwaves is a 1979 hit single by English singer-songwriter and actress Charlie Dore. The song reached No. 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned Dore the Record World New Female Artist of the Year, and an ASCAP award. The single also charted in Canada, Australia and Europe.
She was spotted by Island Records and signed to a solo recording and publishing deal by Chris Blackwell in 1978, later that year being flown to Nashville, Tennessee to work with producer Audie Ashworth at his Crazy Mama's studio. Dore continued to work with Littman, her guitarist and co-writer and the first album, Where To Now, featured many of the Nashville A team, including Charlie McCoy, Reggie Young, Sonny Curtis and David Briggs.
Island employed Joe Boyd to re-mix the album, but thought the album 'too country' and drafted in the British record producers Alan Tarney and Bruce Welch to re-record several tracks, including "Fear of Flying" and "Pilot of the Airwaves". The latter went on to become an enduring radio favorite, reaching #13 on the US Billboard Hot 100, earning Dore the Record World New Female Artist of the Year, an ASCAP award and charting in Canada, Australia and Europe.
Although an airplay hit, the single only reached number 66 on the UK Singles Chart, and Dore left Island for a deal with Chrysalis Records. Chrysalis teamed Dore with the record producer, Glyn Johns, but the company were not happy with the result, and Dore was flown to Los Angeles to re-record the entire album with producer Stewart Levine.
On 5 November 1990, "Pilot of the Airwaves" was the final track played by Radio Caroline as an unlicensed offshore radio station.
Great song from near the end of the era when DJs could still say (and often play) whatever popped into their heads - without the constraints of today's over-researched playlists and memorized image lines.
ReplyDeleteSigh, my hearing is shot... Can't hear her for anything...
ReplyDeleteI loved that one back in the day. Got it on my ipad now. But it wasn't until you posted this that I actually saw what she looked like.
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