“You could write about your radio show!” Kay, our persuasive reference librarian, coaxed.  Hmmmm . . .I suppose that is a possibility, I admitted.  And that’s how I agreed to start an “occasional” blog for our library website.  So for this inaugural blog, let me tell a little bit about my radio show and how it came to be.  Then, after reading this, if you decide to give it a listen, GO FOR IT!  I LOVE to get new listeners!

I had been listening to WRDV 89.3 FM in Hatboro for a good number of years, when about three years ago, I heard a recorded spot inviting listeners to apply to be an on-air host.  I’m too nervous to do that, I decided, and nothing came of it until . . . until about a week later when I heard the same invitation, but this time with an extra “your time is running out” tacked on.  Uh oh . . . I knew I was facing a now-or-never crisis pitting my fear against my regret over letting this opportunity slip away, probably forever.   Would I or wouldn’t I?  I would! And I did. After about 10 Thursday nights of training classes eventually including some real on-air exposure, I was declared ready for my first solo flight – by myself for a three-hour show filling in for one of the regular hosts.  Of course, it wasn’t exactly pretty, but I didn’t mess up too badly, and I didn’t break anything, and it was my first time ever on my own, and I survived it—hooray!  That was just over three years ago.  Those fill-ins lasted for nine more months, comprising about 20 shows in all, averaging about every other week – just right to keep fresh, but not feel overwhelmed. 

Perhaps in a future blog I’ll relate how my own show came about, but now I think it’s more important to tell what kind of show it is and what kind of radio station we are.  First, we’re all about the music!  Yes, I blab (hopefully not too much) but the emphasis is the music – always.  In order to be unique, the station years ago chose a musical format rarely heard on the radio any more.  It’s called Big Band & Swing.  I think there’s a real richness and depth to the music by the likes of Benny Goodman, Fats Waller, The Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, the Dorseys and so many others!  Even though this music – as good as it is – is no longer commercially viable, that doesn’t deter our station because we are not a commercial station dependent on ratings.  As a non-profit, staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers, we depend on something else for our survival, but I’ll tell you about that next time, ha-ha!  Maybe you catch my drift . . .

Let me close this initial blog by inviting you to tune in to my show (or any of the shows!) on WRDV 89.3 FM.  You can catch my show – Swing’s the Thing – from 3:00 to 6:30 every Tuesday afternoon.  Feel free to call in a song request or just call to say hi.  The phone number is 215-674-8002.  I’m the one who picks up.  So till next time, I’ll see you on the radio!  By the way, I can also see you on the Internet at wrdv.org.  In the same way I close each show, I’ll close this blog with these words:  Keep the music playing in your soul.

Thank you for reading!