Road Trip Across America 1973 (Segment 2)

t's 1973 we climb into our AMC Gremlin for a cross-country road trip.  We begin in NYC.  We break up the trip into multiple segments and create a 70-minute CD for each segment of songs we would likely hear on the radio as we travel.  Segment 1 NYC to Pittsburgh.  

What would we hear and what stations would we tune into.  What route would we use?  I'm leaning toward more backroads.

Segment 2: Pittsburgh → Wheeling → Columbus (US‑40) 70‑minute CD — AM‑leaning, regional, and country‑tinged

 

   
Segment 2 Pittsburgh to Columbus. Segment 2 is where the dial really changes. Leaving Pittsburgh on US‑30 and dropping onto US‑40 (the National Road) toward Wheeling, you move from steel‑town FM rock into a corridor where AM radio still ruled, and where country, trucker songs, and regional singles were absolutely part of the soundscape.

Pittsburgh → Washington, PA

• AM Top 40 still strong

• FM album rock rising

• Regional rock bands (Raspberries, James Gang) in heavy rotation

Wheeling

• WWVA 1170 AM dominates

• Country, trucker songs, novelty records

• Rural AM stations playing country‑rock crossovers

Zanesville → Columbus

• Mix of AM pop, country crossover, and Midwest FM rock

• Ohio regional acts get disproportionate airplay

This CD mirrors that exact transition.