Favorite Radio Personality In The Pittsburgh Market-Past Or Present

[Mike Sheridan]

No matter who it is Hoerth or anyone else who is on the air they are fooliish if they don't treat the public with respect... as a friend. It's just good PR and everyone om the air needs good PR.

The pros in the business realize the public is their bread and butter.

The people at our local TV station are great . Always warm, approachable and professional. They seem to like talking to people. Those who don't should find something else to do.

 

[gHz]

Wow, lots of great names there...including Porky....Did anyone mention Chilly Billy?.....Gotta tell you a story about one of my faves...Jimmy Roach circa 1975...skinny 19 year old calls Jimmy on the phone to ask about radio stuff, Jimmy invites kid to DVE at 7th & Smithfield the next day. Kid shows up, Jimmy is great, gives the kid the royal tour, allows kid to sit in with Denise Oliver for awhile, explains how it all works etc, wishes kid good luck if he wants to really get into radio.....

Thanks Jim....32 years later, a few stations under my belt, partners in some for awhile, still working...building stuff now, built stations all over the country....Nashville ain't such a bad stop for a 51 year old radio geek. What a long strange trip its been....

Glad I stopped by da Burg board....

 

[olds442]

GHZ You had Jimmy Roach, I had sean McDowell do the same for me, Both of them are great guys, Was very lucky to work with the two of them, back in 1989, and after all that time I'm still in the business..

 

[Pratte4Life]

Jimmy Roach always did come across to me as The Professional's Profressional.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Wow, lots of great names there...including Porky....Did anyone mention Chilly Billy?.....Gotta tell you a story about one of my faves...Jimmy Roach circa 1975...skinny 19 year old calls Jimmy on the phone to ask about radio stuff, Jimmy invites kid to DVE at 7th & Smithfield the next day. Kid shows up, Jimmy is great, gives the kid the royal tour, allows kid to sit in with Denise Oliver for awhile, explains how it all works etc, wishes kid good luck if he wants to really get into radio.....

Thanks Jim....32 years later, a few stations under my belt, partners in some for awhile, still working...building stuff now, built stations all over the country....Nashville ain't such a bad stop for a 51 year old radio geek. What a long strange trip its been....

Glad I stopped by da Burg board....

I can relate to that, gHz. I was a 17-year-old high school senior in the late 80's when Pete Morley was still doing the Heartlite shift on WLTJ. I called and asked him to dedicate a song to my girlfriend, and I asked him how he got started in the business, and that I had radio ambitions of my own.

He talked to me for THREE HOURS. He was very honest and didn't glamourize the profession at all. He straight up told me that if I wanted to make money, to choose something else to do with my life, cuz it sure wasn't here.

 

[RadioMoo]

Jimmy Roach always did come across to me as The Professional's Profressional.

Yep, a gentleman and a professional. I've worked with him twice now, and he's really a great guy.

 

[Parttimer]

Yeah, Jimmy was absolutely just a regular guy. Not long after he came back to Y97 from Ft. Lauderdale I remember him walking into the station and being ecstatic that his Golf Digest subscription caught up with him.

When you think about it, for a station that had a modest audience, we had a fairly amazing collection of talent in the building... Jimmy and Steve, Brinkman, Sean McDowell, Dave Labrozzi (weekends). Other weekenders from time to time included Jeff Silvers, who went on to become a PD in Detroit, and Tom Schaad, now a TV news anchor in Orlando. And it was set in the worst excuse for a facility you've ever seen, a crumbling old trolley barn in Braddock. We had garage door openers to let us into the building so that we'd never have be outside on the street (not safe at any time). An almost surreal experience at times.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Wow, lots of great names there...including Porky....Did anyone mention Chilly Billy?.....Gotta tell you a story about one of my faves...Jimmy Roach circa 1975...skinny 19 year old calls Jimmy on the phone to ask about radio stuff, Jimmy invites kid to DVE at 7th & Smithfield the next day. Kid shows up, Jimmy is great, gives the kid the royal tour, allows kid to sit in with Denise Oliver for awhile, explains how it all works etc, wishes kid good luck if he wants to really get into radio.....

Thanks Jim....32 years later, a few stations under my belt, partners in some for awhile, still working...building stuff now, built stations all over the country....Nashville ain't such a bad stop for a 51 year old radio geek. What a long strange trip its been....

Glad I stopped by da Burg board....

I can relate to that, gHz. I was a 17-year-old high school senior in the late 80's when Pete Morley was still doing the Heartlite shift on WLTJ. I called and asked him to dedicate a song to my girlfriend, and I asked him how he got started in the business, and that I had radio ambitions of my own.

He talked to me for THREE HOURS. He was very honest and didn't glamourize the profession at all. He straight up told me that if I wanted to make money, to choose something else to do with my life, cuz it sure wasn't here.

I worked with Peter over on Brinton Road. In my 30+ years of radio, he is among the 5 most memorable folks in the business. He was (and I presume still is) so talented but was so unimpressed with his talent. I hesitate to use the ``down to earth'' phrase because it's such an overworked cliche but it's applicable to Peter.

After my shift was over at 7, I'd usually hang out with Pete for hours just because he was so funny and a great story teller. The statute of limitations is long past, so we can't in trouble for this -- but we'd switch on one of the tuners in the control room to WLUP/1000 and listen to Steve and Gary and Kevin Matthews from Chicago while the Heartlite songs were airing for the unaware listeners. Pete could do a dead on impression of Kev (and most of the callers, too). He also busted me up with his imitations of the callers to Perry Marshall.

I'd go so far to say that if Phil Hendrie didn't come along -- Morely could have nailed that genre of entertaining talk. The format of Lite FM, of course, was not all conducive to his full range of capabilities. Sometimes I think...If only we'd have the mic open those nights...

 

[RadioMoo]

the worst excuse for a facility you've ever seen, a crumbling old trolley barn in Braddock. We had garage door openers to let us into the building so that we'd never have be outside on the street (not safe at any time). An almost surreal experience at times.

Remember the "security system" to the left of the console: keypad alarm hooked up to motion detectors in the garage. Things like falling plaster and rats scurrying across the floor would set it off. Didn't keep Rick Schaeffer's car from getting stolen.

 

[RadioMoo]

I worked with Peter over on Brinton Road. In my 30+ years of radio, he is among the 5 most memorable folks in the business. He was (and I presume still is) so talented but was so unimpressed with his talent. I hesitate to use the ``down to earth'' phrase because it's such an overworked cliche but it's applicable to Peter...

I'd go so far to say that if Phil Hendrie didn't come along -- Morely could have nailed that genre of entertaining talk. The format of Lite FM, of course, was not all conducive to his full range of capabilities. Sometimes I think...If only we'd have the mic open those nights...

He's still talented and funny as hell, and doing production for C____ C______ here. And he's a big fan of Phil Hendrie.

 

[kenhawk1160]

I worked with Peter over on Brinton Road. In my 30+ years of radio, he is among the 5 most memorable folks in the business. He was (and I presume still is) so talented but was so unimpressed with his talent. I hesitate to use the ``down to earth'' phrase because it's such an overworked cliche but it's applicable to Peter.

After my shift was over at 7, I'd usually hang out with Pete for hours just because he was so funny and a great story teller. The statute of limitations is long past, so we can't in trouble for this -- but we'd switch on one of the tuners in the control room to WLUP/1000 and listen to Steve and Gary and Kevin Matthews from Chicago while the Heartlite songs were airing for the unaware listeners. Pete could do a dead on impression of Kev (and most of the callers, too). He also busted me up with his imitations of the callers to Perry Marshall.

I'd go so far to say that if Phil Hendrie didn't come along -- Morely could have nailed that genre of entertaining talk. The format of Lite FM, of course, was not all conducive to his full range of capabilities. Sometimes I think...If only we'd have the mic open those nights...

Bob...good to hear from you. I remembered listening to you in PM drive back in those days. You came on the air right after John Gallagher. Are you still in the business?

Pete is without a doubt one of the funniest and most down-to-earth guys I've ever met. It was a pleasure finally meeting him in person four years after I first talked to him when I worked at WORD-FM. He's one hell of a singer, too. That was a great programming lineup back then...George, John, you, Pete, and Jean Lamb. I still remember the "Lite FM Encores" from Andy Williams, Dionne Warwick, and Sergio Mendes just to name a few. I joked later on that you couldn't get a job at WLTJ if you didn't have facial hair of some kind, cuz John, Pete, Jeff Long, and Gary Love all had beards, and Hart with his mustache.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Regarding Peter Morley at WLTJ.

Bob...good to hear from you. I remembered listening to you in PM drive back in those days. You came on the air right after John Gallagher. Are you still in the business?

Pete is without a doubt one of the funniest and most down-to-earth guys I've ever met. It was a pleasure finally meeting him in person four years after I first talked to him when I worked at WORD-FM. He's one hell of a singer, too. That was a great programming lineup back then...George, John, you, Pete, and Jean Lamb. I still remember the "Lite FM Encores" from Andy Williams, Dionne Warwick, and Sergio Mendes just to name a few. I joked later on that you couldn't get a job at WLTJ if you didn't have facial hair of some kind, cuz John, Pete, Jeff Long, and Gary Love all had beards, and Hart with his mustache.

Like so many others from the Pittsburgh area (broadcasting and otherwise), I relocated to Dallas. In fact, George Hart WLTJ's Program Director was the PD of KQZY/105.3. Our engineer was Bob Henke, who was with KQV in its heydey.

I'm now in a broadcasting-allied field, writing software for traffic, music scheduling and radio automation. In fact, the playlists we used on Lite 92.9 were from a very crude application I wrote back in the 80's.

Peter Morley's considerable talents also include his cartoons. He could take a humorous moment from everday life at the station and commit it to paper in just minutes.

By the way, along with Rick Charles (PM Drive News), we were the only clean-shaven male on-air staffers at the ``Point'' and the subsequent ``Lite''.

To bring this thread to a tidy conclusion, others have mentioned their influences and the kindness of people such as Peter Morley and Jimmy Roach. In my case, it was Bill Hinds of WWSW back in 1967. I just finished swimming lessons at the downtown YMCA on Wood Street. Instead of heading right for the Shannon-Drake streetcar, I headed up to the top floor of the old Sherwyn Hotel (I think the building is part of Point Park College now) and walked into WWSW sans appointment. Bill Hinds met me, showed me how everything worked and actually let me (just a kid at the time) announce a few songs on Double-Double. I felt like a superstar when I was riding the streetcar back and was fully prepared to do autograph signings since I has just APPEARED ON THE RADIO!

 

[Boss Radio]

Wow, lots of great names there...including Porky....Did anyone mention Chilly Billy?.....Gotta tell you a story about one of my faves...Jimmy Roach circa 1975...skinny 19 year old calls Jimmy on the phone to ask about radio stuff, Jimmy invites kid to DVE at 7th & Smithfield the next day. Kid shows up, Jimmy is great, gives the kid the royal tour, allows kid to sit in with Denise Oliver for awhile, explains how it all works etc, wishes kid good luck if he wants to really get into radio.....

Thanks Jim....32 years later, a few stations under my belt, partners in some for awhile, still working...building stuff now, built stations all over the country....Nashville ain't such a bad stop for a 51 year old radio geek. What a long strange trip its been....

Glad I stopped by da Burg board....

I can relate to that, gHz. I was a 17-year-old high school senior in the late 80's when Pete Morley was still doing the Heartlite shift on WLTJ. I called and asked him to dedicate a song to my girlfriend, and I asked him how he got started in the business, and that I had radio ambitions of my own.

He talked to me for THREE HOURS. He was very honest and didn't glamourize the profession at all. He straight up told me that if I wanted to make money, to choose something else to do with my life, cuz it sure wasn't here.

I worked with Peter over on Brinton Road. In my 30+ years of radio, he is among the 5 most memorable folks in the business. He was (and I presume still is) so talented but was so unimpressed with his talent. I hesitate to use the ``down to earth'' phrase because it's such an overworked cliche but it's applicable to Peter.

After my shift was over at 7, I'd usually hang out with Pete for hours just because he was so funny and a great story teller. The statute of limitations is long past, so we can't in trouble for this -- but we'd switch on one of the tuners in the control room to WLUP/1000 and listen to Steve and Gary and Kevin Matthews from Chicago while the Heartlite songs were airing for the unaware listeners. Pete could do a dead on impression of Kev (and most of the callers, too). He also busted me up with his imitations of the callers to Perry Marshall.

I'd go so far to say that if Phil Hendrie didn't come along -- Morely could have nailed that genre of entertaining talk. The format of Lite FM, of course, was not all conducive to his full range of capabilities. Sometimes I think...If only we'd have the mic open those nights...

Isn't it ironic that he was so entertaining when the microphone was OFF? When it was open, he was probably reading liners and back-announcing Manilow tracks.

Sadly typical of the radio business.

 

[Pratte4Life]

GREAT point Boss!

 

[Raymond]

If Morley were so entertaining, why is he not on the air now? I understand he's the production director at WWSW now.

I agree with Boss. I bet he was regulated to liner cards. I hardly remember WLTJ being personality driven.

Maybe WWSW can put Morley on in the afternoon and give that station the personality people on this page are raving about. Would be a helluva an improvement over Mike Frazer.

 

[Lee_Sackett]

If Morley were so entertaining, why is he not on the air now? I understand he's the production director at WWSW now.

I agree with Boss. I bet he was regulated to liner cards. I hardly remember WLTJ being personality driven.

Maybe WWSW can put Morley on in the afternoon and give that station the personality people on this page are raving about. Would be a helluva an improvement over Mike Frazer.

Pete wanted to get off the air; you have to ask him for the details. He and Fraser are exemplary talents, some of the best this market has to offer.

 

[kenhawk1160]

If Morley were so entertaining, why is he not on the air now? I understand he's the production director at WWSW now.

I agree with Boss. I bet he was regulated to liner cards. I hardly remember WLTJ being personality driven.

Maybe WWSW can put Morley on in the afternoon and give that station the personality people on this page are raving about. Would be a helluva an improvement over Mike Frazer.

Pete wanted to get off the air; you have to ask him for the details. He and Fraser are exemplary talents, some of the best this market has to offer.

Lee...glad you decided to jump in. Great to hear from you. Are you still in the biz?

 

[Parttimer]

Pete wanted to get off the air; you have to ask him for the details. He and Fraser are exemplary talents, some of the best this market has to offer.

At least some of it had to do with the fact that most airshifts are a 6-day work week now. I also worked with Pete at LTJ and he's one of the finest people you'll ever work with.

 

[Lee_Sackett]

Lee...glad you decided to jump in. Great to hear from you. Are you still in the biz?

Hi Ken,

I've worked for Keymarket the past five years. I had been "retired" since 1996, but they called me out of the blue in '02 and asked if I wanted to do a couple shifts.

So much for "never again."

LeeS.

 

[Mr. Geen]

Must disagree with you Lee. Mike Frazer is not a good talent, let alone an exemplary talent. He sounds rushed all the time and talks under his breath. And, there is zero personality in his show.

It's a wonder he's still got the gig he has.