Back in late July 1997, Los Angeles radio station KGIL-AM (1260) switched from an all-Beatles to an all-showtune format. That has partially ended this week, March 2, with KGIL going to a "Music of Your Life" line-up, featuring mellow pop hits of the 1940s-60s.

The good news for theatre mavens is that from 7-9 AM and 6-8PM weekdays, as well as on Saturdays, 4-midnight, the station still plays showtunes. KGIL even plays a full-length cast recording weeknights from 8-9 PM. Theatre-derived music will also show up on the "Music of Your Life" format, since Sinatra, Clooney and other singers of the era dipped heavily into the Broadway songbook.

Stephanie Edwards, who hosted a theatre interview program, left the station to host a local morning television show, but Donald Feltham still has his Sunday afternoon (3-5 PM) slot, devoted to such themes as Kander & Ebb or up-and-coming Broadway stars.

Station manager Jim Roope told Playbill On-Line (March 5), "The new format, created by program director Chuck Southcott, is the best way we found to marry showtunes with something that allows us to play the rich history of American musical theatre."

-- By David Lefkowitz