In March of 1967, in order to promote the new image with the change to WRKO from WNAC, WRKO booked local Boston-area bands, Little Joe & The Ramrods, and Travis Pike's Tea Party for the station's inaugural harbor cruise. The cruise not only promoted the station, but also the bands, day and night for a month.

The Ramrods evolved into The Smoke Ring, its first release being a remake of the Four Lads' mid-1950's hit, "No Not Much" in the fall of 1968. The song made WRKO's survey as a Hitbound on January 9, 1969, and peaked at number 9 on February 9's survey.

As for Travis Pike's Tea Party, the band's If I Didn't Love You, Girl had just been released when the group's show on WBZ-TV show, Here and Now, was cancelled by channel 4, on the grounds of the program being too controversial. Travis said goodbye to New England and moved to California.