"The flutter of wings, the sounds of the night, the shadow across the moon, as the Nightbird lifts her wings and soars above the earth into another level of comprehension, where we exist only to feel. Come fly with me, Alison Steele, the Nightbird..." With these words Alison Steele began her overnight radio show on WNEW-FM in New York City. She always ended her shows with The Beatles instrumental song, "Flying", over which she would say her goodbye message.
Prior to 1966, WNEW-AM & WNEW-FM simulcasted the same programming. In 1966 the FTC ruled that AM & FM should have separate programming. WNEW-FM was begun with all women DJs, and was known as "Sexpot Radio".
"The original format was Sinatra, Steve & Eydie - that sort of music," she explained. And it didn't last long. By September of 1966, WNEW switched its format to progressive rock. All the jocks were fired except me. They found that 90% of the people knew my name and liked me (so) they asked me to do overnight, and I said, 'Sure. What do I do?' They said 'Do your thing'."
"I was thinking about my thing. I am a night person. I hate to get up in the morning. There are the larks and the owls and I have been an owl all my life, so I decided to be the Nightbird, because of the duality of a nocturnal bird, and being a girl."
WNEW-FM quickly became known as the flagship station for progressive radio in New York. Alison was a primary reason for their success, and became quite well known on her 10pm-2am shift. She recited poetry, read Shakespeare and the Bible and just plain communicated to her audience. She played the Moody Blues, Incan tribal music, Andean flutes and other eclectic pieces.
Alison Steele was a part of the lives of a large majority of Baby Boomers in the NY-Tristate area. Though she went on to work at other radio stations after leaving WNEW-FM, she will always be caught in time as The Nightbird.
In 1997, WNEW-FM aired a posthumous tribute in which Steele refers to a framed saying that "seems to sum up my entire philosophy about what I've done in music and at this radio station." The saying concludes: "The purpose of life is to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that we lived at all."
She is a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and in 1976 became the first woman to receive Billboard Magazine's "FM Personality of the Year" award.
According to Jimi Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, the song "Night Bird Flying", recorded by him and released posthumously on the album, The Cry Of Love, was inspired by Allison's late night Manhattan radio program. Haycock, Robert. "A Page For Allison Steele! FM Radio Disc Jockey." . Retrieved 2008-10-11. "However, Allison Steele, New York's WNEW DJ known as `The Night Bird', was told that it was she who was the inspiration for this song title. `After Jimi died', explains Steele, `I was doing a radio memorial tribute to him and I got a phone call from Jimi's manager, Michael Jeffery. He was driving on the highway and had to get off to call me because he thought it was a great tribute, and did I know that Jimi wrote Night Bird Flying for me?'"
Born Ceil Loman, she was survived by a daughter, granddaughter and two sisters. Ms. Steele and her sister, Julia, operated Just Cats, a feline boutique on East 60th Street in Manhattan, but she was fond of dogs as well. She would bring her French poodle, Genya, to work, and the dog would be chewing on a bone in the studio as Ms. Steele talked to callers.
Prior to 1966, WNEW-AM & WNEW-FM simulcasted the same programming. In 1966 the FTC ruled that AM & FM should have separate programming. WNEW-FM was begun with all women DJs, and was known as "Sexpot Radio".
"The original format was Sinatra, Steve & Eydie - that sort of music," she explained. And it didn't last long. By September of 1966, WNEW switched its format to progressive rock. All the jocks were fired except me. They found that 90% of the people knew my name and liked me (so) they asked me to do overnight, and I said, 'Sure. What do I do?' They said 'Do your thing'."
"I was thinking about my thing. I am a night person. I hate to get up in the morning. There are the larks and the owls and I have been an owl all my life, so I decided to be the Nightbird, because of the duality of a nocturnal bird, and being a girl."
WNEW-FM quickly became known as the flagship station for progressive radio in New York. Alison was a primary reason for their success, and became quite well known on her 10pm-2am shift. She recited poetry, read Shakespeare and the Bible and just plain communicated to her audience. She played the Moody Blues, Incan tribal music, Andean flutes and other eclectic pieces.
Alison Steele was a part of the lives of a large majority of Baby Boomers in the NY-Tristate area. Though she went on to work at other radio stations after leaving WNEW-FM, she will always be caught in time as The Nightbird.
In 1997, WNEW-FM aired a posthumous tribute in which Steele refers to a framed saying that "seems to sum up my entire philosophy about what I've done in music and at this radio station." The saying concludes: "The purpose of life is to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that we lived at all."
She is a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and in 1976 became the first woman to receive Billboard Magazine's "FM Personality of the Year" award.
According to Jimi Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, the song "Night Bird Flying", recorded by him and released posthumously on the album, The Cry Of Love, was inspired by Allison's late night Manhattan radio program. Haycock, Robert. "A Page For Allison Steele! FM Radio Disc Jockey." . Retrieved 2008-10-11. "However, Allison Steele, New York's WNEW DJ known as `The Night Bird', was told that it was she who was the inspiration for this song title. `After Jimi died', explains Steele, `I was doing a radio memorial tribute to him and I got a phone call from Jimi's manager, Michael Jeffery. He was driving on the highway and had to get off to call me because he thought it was a great tribute, and did I know that Jimi wrote Night Bird Flying for me?'"
Born Ceil Loman, she was survived by a daughter, granddaughter and two sisters. Ms. Steele and her sister, Julia, operated Just Cats, a feline boutique on East 60th Street in Manhattan, but she was fond of dogs as well. She would bring her French poodle, Genya, to work, and the dog would be chewing on a bone in the studio as Ms. Steele talked to callers.
"The flutter of wings, the sounds of the night, the shadow across the moon, as the Nightbird lifts her wings and soars above the earth into another level of comprehension, where we exist only to feel. Come fly with me, Alison Steele, the Nightbird..." With these words Alison Steele began her overnight radio show on WNEW-FM in New York City. She always ended her shows with The Beatles instrumental song, "Flying", over which she would say her goodbye message.
Prior to 1966, WNEW-AM & WNEW-FM simulcasted the same programming. In 1966 the FTC ruled that AM & FM should have separate programming. WNEW-FM was begun with all women DJs, and was known as "Sexpot Radio".
"The original format was Sinatra, Steve & Eydie - that sort of music," she explained. And it didn't last long. By September of 1966, WNEW switched its format to progressive rock. All the jocks were fired except me. They found that 90% of the people knew my name and liked me (so) they asked me to do overnight, and I said, 'Sure. What do I do?' They said 'Do your thing'."
"I was thinking about my thing. I am a night person. I hate to get up in the morning. There are the larks and the owls and I have been an owl all my life, so I decided to be the Nightbird, because of the duality of a nocturnal bird, and being a girl."
WNEW-FM quickly became known as the flagship station for progressive radio in New York. Alison was a primary reason for their success, and became quite well known on her 10pm-2am shift. She recited poetry, read Shakespeare and the Bible and just plain communicated to her audience. She played the Moody Blues, Incan tribal music, Andean flutes and other eclectic pieces.
Alison Steele was a part of the lives of a large majority of Baby Boomers in the NY-Tristate area. Though she went on to work at other radio stations after leaving WNEW-FM, she will always be caught in time as The Nightbird.
In 1997, WNEW-FM aired a posthumous tribute in which Steele refers to a framed saying that "seems to sum up my entire philosophy about what I've done in music and at this radio station." The saying concludes: "The purpose of life is to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that we lived at all."
She is a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and in 1976 became the first woman to receive Billboard Magazine's "FM Personality of the Year" award.
According to Jimi Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, the song "Night Bird Flying", recorded by him and released posthumously on the album, The Cry Of Love, was inspired by Allison's late night Manhattan radio program. Haycock, Robert. "A Page For Allison Steele! FM Radio Disc Jockey." . Retrieved 2008-10-11. "However, Allison Steele, New York's WNEW DJ known as `The Night Bird', was told that it was she who was the inspiration for this song title. `After Jimi died', explains Steele, `I was doing a radio memorial tribute to him and I got a phone call from Jimi's manager, Michael Jeffery. He was driving on the highway and had to get off to call me because he thought it was a great tribute, and did I know that Jimi wrote Night Bird Flying for me?'"
Born Ceil Loman, she was survived by a daughter, granddaughter and two sisters. Ms. Steele and her sister, Julia, operated Just Cats, a feline boutique on East 60th Street in Manhattan, but she was fond of dogs as well. She would bring her French poodle, Genya, to work, and the dog would be chewing on a bone in the studio as Ms. Steele talked to callers.
Prior to 1966, WNEW-AM & WNEW-FM simulcasted the same programming. In 1966 the FTC ruled that AM & FM should have separate programming. WNEW-FM was begun with all women DJs, and was known as "Sexpot Radio".
"The original format was Sinatra, Steve & Eydie - that sort of music," she explained. And it didn't last long. By September of 1966, WNEW switched its format to progressive rock. All the jocks were fired except me. They found that 90% of the people knew my name and liked me (so) they asked me to do overnight, and I said, 'Sure. What do I do?' They said 'Do your thing'."
"I was thinking about my thing. I am a night person. I hate to get up in the morning. There are the larks and the owls and I have been an owl all my life, so I decided to be the Nightbird, because of the duality of a nocturnal bird, and being a girl."
WNEW-FM quickly became known as the flagship station for progressive radio in New York. Alison was a primary reason for their success, and became quite well known on her 10pm-2am shift. She recited poetry, read Shakespeare and the Bible and just plain communicated to her audience. She played the Moody Blues, Incan tribal music, Andean flutes and other eclectic pieces.
Alison Steele was a part of the lives of a large majority of Baby Boomers in the NY-Tristate area. Though she went on to work at other radio stations after leaving WNEW-FM, she will always be caught in time as The Nightbird.
In 1997, WNEW-FM aired a posthumous tribute in which Steele refers to a framed saying that "seems to sum up my entire philosophy about what I've done in music and at this radio station." The saying concludes: "The purpose of life is to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that we lived at all."
She is a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and in 1976 became the first woman to receive Billboard Magazine's "FM Personality of the Year" award.
According to Jimi Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, the song "Night Bird Flying", recorded by him and released posthumously on the album, The Cry Of Love, was inspired by Allison's late night Manhattan radio program. Haycock, Robert. "A Page For Allison Steele! FM Radio Disc Jockey." . Retrieved 2008-10-11. "However, Allison Steele, New York's WNEW DJ known as `The Night Bird', was told that it was she who was the inspiration for this song title. `After Jimi died', explains Steele, `I was doing a radio memorial tribute to him and I got a phone call from Jimi's manager, Michael Jeffery. He was driving on the highway and had to get off to call me because he thought it was a great tribute, and did I know that Jimi wrote Night Bird Flying for me?'"
Born Ceil Loman, she was survived by a daughter, granddaughter and two sisters. Ms. Steele and her sister, Julia, operated Just Cats, a feline boutique on East 60th Street in Manhattan, but she was fond of dogs as well. She would bring her French poodle, Genya, to work, and the dog would be chewing on a bone in the studio as Ms. Steele talked to callers.
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