My radio influences

Me in about 1974 at WILQ the "board" is the first one I rand in 1964 at WLYC.

Whenever I look back over the years I spent in radio I can't help but think of the people in media who had a profound influence on me. Most of them were local D.J.'s and I think my on air style is a little piece of each of them. Please bear with e while I remember some of them.

Bill Sherwood: One of the first D.J.'s I actually met, I watched him do a record hop in Canton, Pa, and that really got me interested in pursuing a radio career.

Dick Crownover, my mentor: Dick was 18 when I met him, he seemed older, but I got to know him at his record hops in Montousville, Williamsport, and South Williamsport. Also I made it a habit to show up at his remotes whenever I could. Dick went out of his way to show me the basics, and even allowed me to cover for him when he took a break. I think I learned a lot about managing people from Dick as he was the Program Director that hired me there.

Ann Davis: No not the one from the Brady Bunch, although I am sure at times she felt like we were a bunch of kids. Ann was the first Program Director I ever worked for at WLYC. She taught me a lot about how to break formats, probably that was not her intention. Ann pretty much would let me play anything I wanted on the air as long as I play one Frank Sinatra song an hour. This of course suited my wide musical taste.

Mike Sarlo: My buddy at WLYC, we worked hand in hand to crack each other up on and off the air. Mike was a true talent who probably should have been in major market radio, but worked in the trenches with the rest of us. Mike taught me a lot about country music and was a damn fine country music songwriter and artist. We were always pulling a prank on each other and it usually succeeded in one of us "losing it" on the air. Mike passed away at far too young an age, I was so devastated I could not go to the funeral or viewing.

Dave Castelbury; Dave was the owner of WMPT, in many ways he was like a father to me, even though he used to kick me out of the radio station on a VERY regular basis. He didn't give me my first job, BUT he did give me my first sales, programming, and management positions. He also was more than gracious to show me some of the engineering ropes along the way. while I never gained the real nuts and bolts technical knowledge, I did gain the practical knowledge to work with engineering staffs over the years and be able to communicate ideas and actually help. Well I did manage to be a studio engineer and work on a lot of equipment over the years. Dave helped me in ways many people will never know, putting me on staff when I needed a job, and giving me advise that sometimes was pretty tough love advise. Dave was another one who left us far too early in life and really should be considered as on of the real pioneers of broadcasting.

These are just some of the many people who have helped me along the way. Ron Shobert: I got to know Ron one time when he was subbing at a record hop for Dick Crownover. Ron was one of those persons you liked INSTANTLY! At the time I met him he was the "Engineer" of The Night Train, OUR TOP 40 show. Many times I got to set and watch Ron work, we became friends and he was a big help to me when I firs came to WMPT. Sadly ron ws yet another who left us way too early, I found out about his passing a few weeks after the funeral. Mike Sullivan: I really don't remember when I met him for the first time, but Mike was a production genius, and he was funny on the air! Working with sparse equipment he produced some really great commercials. I was happy to re-connect with Mike a few years back courtesy of this blog. Check back on ths posting as I add more.