Jun 19, 2018 7 min read

1. How long have you been at WJPA, and what is your background in radio?

I started at WJPA in 1993, working part-time, doing weekends and filling in during the week. At the same time, I was also working middays at 100.5 WOMP-FM in Wheeling. Eventually, I was offered the afternoon job, replacing a loved mentor of mine, Len Laabs. I was reluctant to take the position because Len was such a Pittsburgh radio icon to me. It was not an easy decision for me to make. I began working in radio at AM 540 WWCS when they were playing classical pieces and “AM Stereo” was just coming out. I’ve been up and down the dial in Wheeling, W. Va., Miami, Fla., and back home in the Pittsburgh market, at WJPA.

2. How did you first become interested in working in radio?

I’m a music lover. I was involved in band in school from fourth grade through high school at Canon-McMillan. I began as a percussionist and made the change to trumpet. But, I wasn’t really talented, so I knew a rock star career wasn’t in my future. I remember listening to the radio as a youngster and as a teen. The Pittsburgh disc jockeys were great and so were radio stations back then. There was so much on-air talent. I remember listening to Len Laabs on Y-97, Scott Paulsen, Susie Barbour and Jimmy Roach. I wanted to be one of them, to be that cool and work a cool job. It was a silly dream for someone who would later earn a degree in journalism, but it stuck. And I’m still here doing it today.

3. In what ways has radio changed over the years?

The music itself changed a lot. In my younger years, music was a good mix of rock, synth-driven ’80s rock, soul, hip-hop, catchy, fun bubble-gum. Now all I hear that’s new on the radio is rap and hip-hop. I don’t hear a station (in the Pittsburgh market, anyway), that stands above all the rest with new music. They all sound the same. The government really hurt radio and television by basically eliminating FCC ownership rules. As a result, you have one or two major corporations owning all the radio stations in the same market. More on-air jobs were readily available before the FCC rule change. I don’t think major companies really care about the market they serve, the people that listen, nor the unfortunate few people that work for them. They can shove whatever kind of music they decide is best for you down your throat. If Fleetwood Mac comes out with a new album, where are you going to tune in to listen? Online stores and services ease some of the pain – but not all of it.

4. WJPA has moved from being primarily a station of ’50s and ’60s music to one that now includes ’70s and ’80s hits as well. Have your listeners adapted to the change?

The timeless classics from the early days of rock ‘n’ roll still have a place at WJPA on Sunday nights, but times change. Radio has to adapt to changes in market demographics (its audience) and I think our program director took that initiative head on and made the right decisions in adding ’70s and ’80s songs. We receive a lot of positive feedback about the changes.

5. How do you blend the music?

The huge variety in the music library at WJPA makes it easy and difficult at the same time. It’s easy because you’re moving from one decade or genre of music to another. Sometimes, it’s a dramatic transformation. This keeps your listeners engaged and waiting to hear what comes next. It can be difficult on the on-air talent because you need to make these transitions silky smooth and avoid musical train wrecks.

6. Who are your favorite artists? And, based on requests, what do you think are the favorite artists of WJPA listeners?

I love classic rock – The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, Crosby, Stills & Nash are all great. I also like the synth-pop stuff of the ’80s – Depeche Mode, The Cure, REM, Adam Ant and Siouxsie & The Banshees. These are the two areas of music you’ll find on my personal playlist. Quite a mix, huh?

We get requests for everything from classic rock artists like the Stones and Beatles to funk artists like Parliament and Prince, to pop music from the Little River Band and the Go-Gos. Requests can be all over the road.

7. What music do you listen to when you’re not on the air? And do you still listen to the radio when you’re not working?

Again; the classics. Stones. John, Paul, George & Ringo, CSNY injected with some ’80s “alternative” stuff. I always loved Prince. I do listen to the radio outside of WJPA, mostly just to see what else is going on in the market.

8. You also deejay special events and weddings. Has wedding music for the reception changed much over the years?

Wedding music has changed a lot. Nobody – I mean nobody – wants the Electric Slide played anymore. Way back when, the Chicken Dance was a must-have. If you play that now, they’ll throw fruit at you. Most brides now micro-manage their playlists, but that makes it easier, I think.

9. In your opinion, what are the elements of a good song – a song from previous decades that still sounds good on the air today?

The elements of a good song are a beginning, a middle and no end. No end, meaning you want to hear it over and over again. A songs that still sounds good on-the-air to me today would be “A Day In The Life” by the Beatles.

10. Why do you think millennials – and even younger listeners – still enjoy the music of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s?

Timeless music features real artists that wrote their own music and played their own instruments. Recently, we had a group of kids from John F. Kennedy Catholic in the radio station for a tour. I asked them, “Does anyone like the Beatles?” I was waiting for blank looks on their faces. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of hands that flew up into the air. One little guy even knew their names and rattled off a bunch of Beatles’ albums and even gave me a quick synopsis of their career. I was floored!

Bonus question: What is your favorite Canonsburg event – and why?

Definitely the 4th of July parade. The whole town comes out and beyond. I met people from Cincinnati that drove all the way up here to see the parade. Plus, the people in Canonsburg always give WJPA a great welcome when we’re rolling on by. What an awesome town.