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Wackradio, please more info on 1580 WYFA

S

SPRINGFIELDRAD

Excellent job from the Wackradio guys and their Web site. Could we get more info added for the old 1580 WYFA? No mention of Perry Silver (owner?), jocks like Scott Taylor (left 1580 for WBLI), Don Stephan (middays), Harp in pm drive, a young Bob Buchmann and the other Jim Pierce (this one worked at WSHR, WRCN and WBLI). And we can't leave out Big Jim Saunders (Gene Healy). Wasn't Jim the PD, air talent and engineer? I remember Jim hosting a call-in radio show.

One of the jocks once sent me their entire jingle package. I wish I could find it.
 
> Excellent job from the Wackradio guys and their Web site.
> Could we get more info added for the old 1580 WYFA? No
> mention of Perry Silver (owner?), jocks like Scott Taylor
> (left 1580 for WBLI), Don Stephan (middays), Harp in pm
> drive, a young Bob Buchmann and the other Jim Pierce (this
> one worked at WSHR, WRCN and WBLI). And we can't leave out
> Big Jim Saunders (Gene Healy). Wasn't Jim the PD, air
> talent and engineer? I remember Jim hosting a call-in radio
> show.
>
> One of the jocks once sent me their entire jingle package.
> I wish I could find it.
>

IIRC Jim wasn't the PD, but he was the engineer. John Blake was also there. Jim and John seemed to be everywhere.

I remember a story a friend of mine told about going for a job there in 1978. The guy he met with (may have been Silver, I'll have to ask him again) interrupted the interview to call into the studio to chew out the on-air talent for something said over the air. Needless to say, he was happy when he DIDN'T get the job and ended up at WALK not long after.

He associates the song "Fool If You Think It's Over" by Chris Rea with WYFA. Said they played it ad nauseum.

I didn't know Harper was there and *thought* Scott Taylor was a BLI jock. Also, Drew Scott was there for news/middays at least at the beginning. I believe he has a copy of the aircheck mentioned below, which was found in an old office in the basement of WNYG 6 years ago (possibly the only WYFA aircheck to exist).

The operation was all reels (music) and carts. Recollections were of a Harris "Flame On/Off" MW-10 (that was replaced with a Nautel when WLIM went stereo) and the WNYH (oops, WGSM) Gates that stayed thru the WLIM years.
 
> Excellent job from the Wackradio guys and their Web site.
> Could we get more info added for the old 1580 WYFA? No
> mention of Perry Silver (owner?), jocks like Scott Taylor
> (left 1580 for WBLI), Don Stephan (middays), Harp in pm
> drive, a young Bob Buchmann and the other Jim Pierce (this
> one worked at WSHR, WRCN and WBLI). And we can't leave out
> Big Jim Saunders (Gene Healy). Wasn't Jim the PD, air
> talent and engineer? I remember Jim hosting a call-in radio
> show.
>
> One of the jocks once sent me their entire jingle package.
> I wish I could find it.
>

No Jim was never PD, but I do remember Kathy Cunningham was PD for a while in 1978 or 79. Not sure who was before her or after. Jim Saunders was not the 1st CE either, that was Gene Pfieffer(sp) he put the station on the air and was there until 79 when he went to work for WSNL-TV. I also remember Jim (Glasscock) Driscoll worked there after WBLI, and Wally (Maletta) Walters who was on both WYFA and WLNG at the time. Jack Nolan (now @ WALK-FM) was there for awhile and John Galla (Do they still use that same old commercial he voiced for the Port Jeff ferry?). I don't think Scott Taylor ever worked at BLI, I know he came to WYFA from WGSM.
Perry Silver came from WIBG in Philadelphia where they were using the "Where Your Friends Are" moniker hence the calls for his new station "WYFA Patchogue, Where Your Friends Are" he even used the same jingle package as WIBG. Here's a link if you want to listen: http://www.philaradio.com/jinwibg1.htm scroll down to the bottom where it says: "All cuts in the next segment are from "Where Your Friends Are"" I'm sure I left out a few names because WYFA had a constant turnover of air talent in thier 3 years of existence.
 
> He associates the song "Fool If You Think It's Over" by
> Chris Rea with WYFA. Said they played it ad nauseum.
>
> I didn't know Harper was there and *thought* Scott Taylor
> was a BLI jock. Also, Drew Scott was there for news/middays
> at least at the beginning. I believe he has a copy of the
> aircheck mentioned below, which was found in an old office
> in the basement of WNYG 6 years ago (possibly the only WYFA
> aircheck to exist).
>
> The operation was all reels (music) and carts.
> Recollections were of a Harris "Flame On/Off" MW-10 (that
> was replaced with a Nautel when WLIM went stereo) and the
> WNYH (oops, WGSM) Gates that stayed thru the WLIM years.
>
I believe the first official day on the air was a Saturday. I'm about 99% sure Scott Taylor did am drive at WYFA. He left WYFA for overnights at WBLI. A solid jock. Didn't Jack Nolan do some time at WYFA? Harp was still in high school and doing pm drive at WYFA. For a period of time Don Stephan was doing middays at WYFA and went to WBLI (as Don Nelson). I once asked Gene Healy to do a transmitter test on a Monday morning around midnight. He was nice enough to do it for the "dxers" around the country.
 
Jim was never PD, but I do remember Kathy Cunningham was
> PD for a while in 1978 or 79. Not sure who was before her or
> after. Jim Saunders was not the 1st CE either, that was Gene
> Pfieffer(sp) he put the station on the air and was there
> until 79 when he went to work for WSNL-TV. I also remember
> Jim (Glasscock) Driscoll worked there after WBLI, and Wally
> (Maletta) Walters who was on both WYFA and WLNG at the time.
> Jack Nolan (now @ WALK-FM) was there for awhile and John
> Galla (Do they still use that same old commercial he voiced
> for the Port Jeff ferry?). I don't think Scott Taylor ever
> worked at BLI, I know he came to WYFA from WGSM.
> Perry Silver came from WIBG in Philadelphia where they were
> using the "Where Your Friends Are" moniker hence the calls
> for his new station "WYFA Patchogue, Where Your Friends Are"
> he even used the same jingle package as WIBG. Here's a link
> if you want to listen:
> http://www.philaradio.com/jinwibg1.htm scroll down to the
> bottom where it says: "All cuts in the next segment are from
> "Where Your Friends Are"" I'm sure I left out a few names
> because WYFA had a constant turnover of air talent in thier
> 3 years of existence.
>

In the last days of WYFA I believe Gene Healy/Jim Saunders was doing it all.
I'm 100% sure Scott Taylor did overnights at WBLI. I was listening to his show. Scott Miller worked at WGSM. I don't recall hearing Scott Taylor at WGSM. Yes, constant turnover at 1580am. That made it more fun!
 
> I believe the first official day on the air was a Saturday.
> I'm about 99% sure Scott Taylor did am drive at WYFA.

Yes he did. At the start, it was Taylor AM drive with Drew Scott middays. This is what's on this aircheck (Drew also did news).

They did not mention any other jocks in the entire 2 hours (it was on a 120 Irish cassette, a miracle it was playable 25 years later).

"Your Friends"
"Your Friends"
"WYFA... 1580"
"Where Your FRIENDS ARE!"
 
My two cents...a funny story...I just left WGLI where I was doing weekends, and got a call from Gene Healy asking me to come in for an interview. He was very adamant about my being on time, and not cancelling the appointment. Needless to say, something happened that was out of my control and I couldn't make it. This was after assuring him that I was reliable, always on time and would be there at the agreed upon time. When I called and tried to explain that I had a family emergency, he didn't want to hear it, hung up on me and never returned any phone calls after that. I was later told by someone that knew him that was the way he was. Oh well...<P ID="signature">______________

Co/Moderator: New York,Miami,Airchecks,Classic Radio and Where Are They Now?</P>
 
That was funny!

> My two cents...a funny story...I just left WGLI where I was
> doing weekends, and got a call from Gene Healy asking me to
> come in for an interview. He was very adamant about my being
> on time, and not cancelling the appointment. Needless to
> say, something happened that was out of my control and I
> couldn't make it. This was after assuring him that I was
> reliable, always on time and would be there at the agreed
> upon time. When I called and tried to explain that I had a
> family emergency, he didn't want to hear it, hung up on me
> and never returned any phone calls after that. I was later
> told by someone that knew him that was the way he was. Oh
> well...
>

Funny story.
 
Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> > I believe the first official day on the air was a
> Saturday.
> > I'm about 99% sure Scott Taylor did am drive at WYFA.
>
> Yes he did. At the start, it was Taylor AM drive with Drew
> Scott middays. This is what's on this aircheck (Drew also
> did news).
>
> They did not mention any other jocks in the entire 2 hours
> (it was on a 120 Irish cassette, a miracle it was playable
> 25 years later).
>
> "Your Friends"
> "Your Friends"
> "WYFA... 1580"
> "Where Your FRIENDS ARE!"
>
Oh I loved them old Irish cassettes! (lol) I wish you could scope the aircheck and post it. How about the aircheck of the week?
 
Re: That was funny!

> > My two cents...a funny story...I just left WGLI where I
> was
> > doing weekends, and got a call from Gene Healy asking me
> to
> > come in for an interview. He was very adamant about my
> being
> > on time, and not cancelling the appointment. Needless to
> > say, something happened that was out of my control and I
> > couldn't make it. This was after assuring him that I was
> > reliable, always on time and would be there at the agreed
> > upon time. When I called and tried to explain that I had a
>
> > family emergency, he didn't want to hear it, hung up on me
>
> > and never returned any phone calls after that. I was later
>
> > told by someone that knew him that was the way he was. Oh
> > well...
> >
>
> Funny story.


I came to 1580 in 1982 when it was WLIM. Jack Ellsworth said that when Perry Silver left he took everything not nailed down...including all the toilet paper.
BTW, what was 1580 before WYFA? I had heard it was WPAC AM and the FM was spun off because FM was "just not profitable." It is now WBLI. Was it WPAC, then WYFA?
>
 
Re: Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> Oh I loved them old Irish cassettes! (lol) I wish you could
> scope the aircheck and post it. How about the aircheck of
> the week?
>

If someone wants to host it, I will scope it down.
 
> My two cents...a funny story...I just left WGLI where I was
> doing weekends, and got a call from Gene Healy asking me to
> come in for an interview. He was very adamant about my being
> on time, and not cancelling the appointment. Needless to
> say, something happened that was out of my control and I
> couldn't make it. This was after assuring him that I was
> reliable, always on time and would be there at the agreed
> upon time. When I called and tried to explain that I had a
> family emergency, he didn't want to hear it, hung up on me
> and never returned any phone calls after that. I was later
> told by someone that knew him that was the way he was. Oh
> well...
>

IIRC, Healy/Saunders missed a filing deadline when Ellsworth was after 103.1 when he was at WLIM. There was an artists' rendering of what the antenna would have looked like on the Fire Island Lighthouse in one of the offices at WLIM. They obviously didn't get 103.1 (it would have been interesting if they did).

His name was mud in that place after that.

There's another great story about Saunders taping an actual lottery on WNYG and reporting it (WNYG in a violation... never). They were running a contest from the Great South Bay shopping center (this was 1982-ish). To win the station prize, all you had to do was drop your reciept from one of the stores into a hat. I don't know what the forfeiture was. That's another story for WACKRADIO, I think I'll try and wake him up.
 
Re: That was funny!

>
>
> I came to 1580 in 1982 when it was WLIM. Jack Ellsworth
> said that when Perry Silver left he took everything not
> nailed down...including all the toilet paper.
> BTW, what was 1580 before WYFA? I had heard it was WPAC AM
> and the FM was spun off because FM was "just not
> profitable." It is now WBLI. Was it WPAC, then WYFA?
> >
>
It was WPAC, then WSUF... a different direction in radio, then burned down and revived as WFYA. By the way, 2 different formats while under the WSUF calls. The first was Beautiful Music and then Country. Jim Genovese was there for a time. Where is he now?
 
Re: Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> > Oh I loved them old Irish cassettes! (lol) I wish you
> could
> > scope the aircheck and post it. How about the aircheck of
>
> > the week?
> >
>
> If someone wants to host it, I will scope it down.
>

Of course, let us not forget the exsistance of the OTHER WSUF aircheck, that of Jim Pierce (later of WALK and WNYG fame) doing the Saturday Show while it was country.....A truly, eh, "classic" aircheck if there ever was one.

"It left mah miiiiiind in an UPROAR!!!"
 
Re: Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> > Oh I loved them old Irish cassettes! (lol) I wish you
> could
> > scope the aircheck and post it. How about the aircheck of
>
> > the week?
> >
>
> If someone wants to host it, I will scope it down.
>

I'll post it... just send it to WackRadio!

Rickster
 
Re: Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> I'll post it... just send it to WackRadio!
>
> Rickster
>

Rick....do you have the complete WSUF/Jim Pierce aircheck, or just the "uproar" clip? Which one of us has that original tape?
 
> There's another great story about Saunders taping an actual
> lottery on WNYG and reporting it (WNYG in a violation...
> never). They were running a contest from the Great South
> Bay shopping center (this was 1982-ish). To win the station
> prize, all you had to do was drop your reciept from one of
> the stores into a hat. I don't know what the forfeiture
> was. That's another story for WACKRADIO, I think I'll try
> and wake him up.

True story... I have the cassette somewhere. After the FCC got a hold of us, Tony James and Sol had a hot and heavy meeting with me (the on-air lottery game show host/DJ) in the WNYG front office to figure out how to respond to the FCC's lottery inqiury (thank you Gene... where ever you are... for sending in that tape). Sad part was that before the contest even took place, Sean Casey was the PD who, after repeated times, gave up trying to warn them not to even try to do the contest in the first place. He ended up wrongly taking the blame.

We ran the contest every weekend through the summer of 81 from the Great South Bay shopping center and pulled the name of one winner every Saturday after the broadcast. At the end of the summer, we entered all the names of the past winners into a hat for the final grand prize drawing!

Would anyone like to know how we got out of trouble when the FCC stepped in after the "lottery tape" was submitted by Gene? And, as a bonus...what happened to the GRAND PRIZE WINNER when she showed up for the photo shoot?

Stay tuned...

Rickster
 
>
> True story... I have the cassette somewhere.
>
> Rickster
>

Don't bother digging for the cassette, Rick...just get the WNYG Box Set....It's on there.
 
Re: Any chance to post that aircheck on the Web?

> > I'll post it... just send it to WackRadio!
> >
> > Rickster
> >
>
> Rick....do you have the complete WSUF/Jim Pierce aircheck,
> or just the "uproar" clip? Which one of us has that
> original tape?
>

Will Jim play some nice music for a change?
 
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