About this Event
NEW YORK ROOTS MUSIC ASSOCIATION TURNS BACK THE DIAL WITH “ROOTS ’66”
More Than 40 Long Island Musicians Celebrate the Music—and the Magic—of New York AM Radio in 1966
HUNTINGTON, NY — The New York Roots Music Association (NYRMA) will turn back the clock to one of the most remarkable years in popular music when it presents “ROOTS ’66” on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at American Legion Post 360, 1 Mill Dam Road in Huntington. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased in advance (Highly Recommended!).
ROOTS ’66 is a live celebration of the music New Yorkers heard coming through their radios in 1966, focusing on the records played by the two great Top 40 rivals of the era: 77 WABC and WMCA 57.
For anyone who grew up in the New York area during the 1960s, those call letters meant much more than radio stations. WABC and WMCA provided the soundtrack to everyday life—coming through car radios, kitchen radios and the little transistor radios that seemed to go everywhere.
And what a soundtrack it was.
In 1966, the definition of “Top 40” was remarkably broad. On any given day, listeners might hear The Beatles and The Rolling Stones followed by The Supremes, The Temptations or Stevie Wonder. There was blue-eyed soul from The Rascals, folk-rock from The Mamas & the Papas, pop from The Monkees, garage rock from ? and the Mysterians, sophisticated songwriting from Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and powerful voices like Percy Sledge, Dusty Springfield and Johnny Rivers.
ROOTS ’66 will recreate that musical variety onstage with songs including “Paint It Black,” “Summer in the City,” “I’m a Believer,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “96 Tears,” “I Fought the Law,” “Kicks,” “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” “Good Lovin’” and many more.
More than 40 musicians and singers will participate in the production. Rather than presenting a conventional tribute band, each song will feature a different lead vocalist, backed by The NYRMA All Stars, creating a constantly changing lineup throughout the evening and allowing each selection to have its own musical personality.
Just as important as the records were the voices that introduced them.
WABC listeners in 1966 started their weekdays with Herb Oscar Anderson, followed during the day by Ron Lundy and the legendary Dan Ingram. Evenings belonged to “Cousin Brucie” Morrow, followed by Chuck Leonard. Across the dial, WMCA’s famous “Good Guys” included Joe O’Brien, Harry Harrison, Jack Spector, “Dandy Dan” Daniel, Gary Stevens and Dean Anthony.
Those personalities made radio feel personal. They joked with listeners, counted down the hits, introduced new records and became celebrities in their own right. The friendly but fierce competition between WABC and WMCA helped make New York one of the most exciting radio markets in America.
ROOTS ’66 is designed to recapture some of that experience—not simply presenting a collection of hits, but celebrating a time when millions of New Yorkers could hear an astonishing range of music simply by turning on the radio.
The setting for the evening is also distinctly local. American Legion Post 360, overlooking Huntington Harbor at 1 Mill Dam Road, has long served Huntington-area veterans and the surrounding community. The Post continues to take an active role in local veterans’ events and community activities, while its renovated hall has also become a home for live music, fundraisers, reunions and other gatherings. The Legion features a full cash bar. There is limtied on site parking.
For NYRMA, that combination of community and live music makes the Legion an ideal setting for ROOTS ’66.
The New York Roots Music Association brings together musicians from throughout the Long Island and New York music community to produce ambitious live shows built around a musical theme. Its productions emphasize collaboration, with singers and instrumentalists from different bands and musical backgrounds coming together for one-of-a-kind performances.
On November 14, NYRMA invites audiences to tune the dial back 60 years—to a time when AM radio was king, DJs were stars, and you never knew what kind of great record you were going to hear next.
Event venue & nearby stays
American Legion Huntington Post 360, 1 Mill Dam Road, Huntington, United States
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