PAUL JACKSON
June, 1968 - August, 1969 and May 22, 1971 - November 30, 1971

Paul logged three different stays at WDRC FM. The first time he was hired for 3-8PM, after which he returned to college. He also spent parts of the summers of 1969 and 1971 at Big D FM. In November, 1969 he began several months of weekend and fill shifts using the name "Adam Kelly." Technically speaking, his last appearance was August 20, 1995 when he phoned in during the 30th anniversary special on WDRC FM.

PRIOR: WKOL Amsterdam, NY

AFTER: WKOL Amsterdam, NY

TODAY: Woodbridge Sound Concepts, Woodbridge, CT ?

GARY JAMES
1984 - April, 1989 and fall 1999 - November, 2001

Gary's knowledge of oldies made him a perfect fit for WDRC FM, though he also hosted afternoon drive on WDRC AM. After a ten year absence, he returned in 1999 for weekend and fill shifts. He has taught extensively at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. From 1999 to late 2001 he hosted Sunday mornings on DRC FM, and still does occasional fill-in shifts.

PRIOR: WDEW Westfield, MA; WMAS Springfield, MA; WARE Ware, MA; WMEX Boston, MA

AFTER: WKNE Keene, NH; WHYN Springfield, MA; WTSN/WBYY Dover, NH; WMEX FM Farmington, NH

TODAY: Gary runs a DJ business in New Hampshire; see his note (7-15-02) (e-mail).

JIM JEFFREY
prior to March 16, 1968 - August, 1969 and October 14, 1970 - January 22, 1971

Jim was a popular personality, starting on WDRC FM's midday shift for a few months before replacing Sandy Beach in morning drive in June, 1968. He stayed until the following June when Al Gates took over. At that point Jim became Dick Robinson's assistant director at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Jim returned to Big D in 1970 as a newsman, and hosting the Saturday afternoon music shift on WDRC AM. In Pittsburgh Jim did news but later moved into talk radio.

PRIOR: WKXL Concord, NH; WSPR Springfield, MA, WPRO Providence, RI

AFTER: KDKA AM/TV and WWSW, both Pittsburgh, PA; WAVE AM/TV Louisville, KY; KHOU-TV Houston; KTVK-TV Phoenix

TODAY: Jim lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. (1-24-08)

LEIF JENSEN
1946 - July, 1958; returned in December, 1958 till 1959

Leif's broadcast career began in New Haven when he was just 16 years old. He was a staff announcer at WDRC during its CBS affiliation. Among other things, he hosted Today on Wall Street, Your Esso Reporter and a half hour show weekdays at 3:30 called "Leif Jensen Presents." His wonderful deep voice resulted in a move to WHCT-TV Hartford though he was also in demand for network and freelance work. He returned briefly to WDRC in December, 1958. He later moved to Boston and was affiliated with the Yankee Network. Before retiring, Leif was the booth announcer at Channel 7 in Boston. He has three sons, all of whom are in involved in radio and television.

PRIOR: WELI New Haven, CT

AFTER: WHCT TV Hartford, CT; freelance work for CBS Radio Network, New York, NY; WINF Manchester, CT; WNAC AM/FM/TV Boston, MA

TODAY: Leif is retired on Cape Cod (3-1-03) (e-mail).

ART JOHNSON
July, 1956 - March, 1962

A charter member of The Friendly Five, Art's employment at WDRC actually preceded the switch to pop music programming in August, 1960. A Stamford native, Art's radio debut occurred at the age of 11 when he appeared on a W.P.A. toy-collection effort on WICC Bridgeport. He attended the Connecticut State Teachers College in Danbury and the University of Connecticut. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, Art was hired at WDRC to host a wakeup music program from 6-8AM. Among his assignments at WDRC was hosting a 1957 music program called "Fascinating Rhythms." In 1958-59 he hosted an hour-long noontime show, "Art Johnson's Record Shop." Just prior to the format switch, he was heard afternoons from 3-7PM. After Radio Fun was born, "A.J. At Midday on Big D" aired from noon to three. After Big D, he spent many years hosting WTIC's all night show, "The Other Side of the Day."

PRIOR: WLAD Danbury, CT; WATR AM/TV Waterbury, CT

AFTER: WTIC Hartford, CT; WKSS Hartford, CT; WRCH Farmington, CT; WMAS Springfield, MA

TODAY: Art passed away October 17, 1993 at the age of 63.

LANI JONES
1944 - ?

Lani was one of the earliest female announcers on the WDRC air staff. A ntive of Brooklyn, NY, she was educated in Newington public schools, the Universityof Connecticut and Emerson College in Boston. She joined WDRC in 1944. Later she was a reporter for the Bridgeport Sunday Herald and worked at the Julian Gross advertising agency. At WTIC FM, Lani hosted classical music shows using her married name, Lani Jurev. Lani and her family moved to Glastonbury in 1952. She was involved with the League of Women Voters and Connecticut Democratic politics. During the 1970s she was executive director of the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce.

PRIOR:

AFTER: WTIC Hartford, CT

TODAY: ?

MARY JONES
June 2003 - present

After a 17-year career as head of a Farmington corporate recruiting firm, Audibert Jones Associates, Mary joined WDRC AM's Talk of Connecticut lineup, hosting a weekday talk show from 2-3PM. Her focus is upbeat, positive shows featuring guests and callers. Mary tries to inform and entertain her audience.

Like all WDRC AM talk shows, she is also heard on WMMW Meriden, WSNG Torrington and WWCO Waterbury. The Connecticut native holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Connecticut.

Send Mary e-mail.

LARRY JUSTICE
February 15, 1969 - after May 10, 1969

Larry presided over the "Halls of Justice" at WDRC for three months in 1969. Like many personalities, he cut his teeth doing middays on WDRC FM, but most of his stay was on AM from 10AM-3PM. After many years in Boston, Larry later got involved in station ownership in Florida and Vermont.

PRIOR: KBBR, Benton, AR; KXLR, North Little Rock, AR; KAJI, Little Rock, AR; WPGC Washington, DC; WIBG Philadelphia, PA; WMEX Boston, MA

AFTER: WBZ and WROR, both Boston,MA; WCIB Falmouth, MA; WCRJ AM/FM Jacksonville, FL; WRFD FM Stowe, VT; WQEZ Fort Meyers, FL

TODAY: WIOD Miami, FL (6-94)

KRIS KANE
November, 1976 - April, 1977

While his stay was short, Kris hosted morning drive and was the production voice of all of Big D's year-end programming in 1976.

PRIOR: WBIS Bristol, CT; WMAS Springfield, MA; WVBF Framingham, MA

AFTER: WGCL Cleveland, OH; KLZZ San Diego, CA, WKKT Boston, MA

TODAY: Kris owns Waterside Productions in Boston and recently started a pro voiceover web site called Talentserver.com; see his note (4-13-00) (e-mail).

STEPHEN KANE
August 30, 1968 - June 7, 1969

Steve was a very witty, low-key personality whose WDRC tenure was spent mostly in the 10AM-3PM shift on Big D FM. He started his career in Boston in 1964 at the now defunct Cambridge School/Graham Junior College. After WDRC he hosted morning drive at two Hartford stations and did mornings at album rock stations in major markets across the country using his real name, "Stephen Capen." In later years he branched into journalism, doing extensive writing.

PRIOR: WCSB Boston, MA; WFST A/F Caribou, ME; WBZA A/F Glens Falls, NY; WAAB Worcester, MA; WHYN Springfield, MA

AFTER: WCCC Hartford, CT; WHCN FM Hartford, CT; WBCN Boston; MA; WGLD FM Chicago. IL; WDAI Chicago, IL; WNCR Cleveland, OH; CJOM Windsor, Ont.; KPRI San Diego, CA; KGB A/F San Diego, CA; WHCN Hartford, CT (take 2); WINZ Miami, FL; WCOZ Boston, MA; WCOP Boston, MA; WEEI FM Boston, MA; WPIX New York, NY; WCBS FM New York, NY; KSAN, KFRC, KSFX/KGO, KMEL, KRQR all San Francisco, CA; WXRK New York, NY; KFOG, KDBK San Francisco, CA; KTID San Rafael, CA; KUSF San Francisco, CA; KVON AM/KVYN FM Napa, CA

TODAY: Stephen lost a lengthy battle with a lung tumor on September 12, 2005; he was 59. See his note (5-20-05).

STU KAUFMAN
prior to November 26, 1977 - December, 1979

Getting his radio start at the student station at the University of Hartford, Stu was a staff member at WDRC FM during the station's album rock period. He was heard 2-7PM.

PRIOR: WWUH FM West Hartford, CT

AFTER: WSHE Miami, FL

TODAY: Stu and his girl friend run a daycare center near Minneapolis (e-mail)(10-26-00).

ADAM KELLY
November 21, 1969 - February 7, 1970

He used the name "Adam Kelly" during his second stay at WDRC FM, doing weekends and fill shifts while still in school. See also Paul Jackson.

PRIOR: WKOL Amsterdam, NY

AFTER: WKOL Amsterdam, NY

TODAY: Woodbridge Sound Concepts, Woodbridge, CT ?

ED KELLY
1993

A native of New Britain, Ed was hired as a part-timer at WDRC FM by program director Frank Holler, doing weekends and fill shifts.

PRIOR: WLIS Old Saybrook, CT; WIKE Newport, VT; WWYZ Waterbury, CT; WRCQ/WRCH Farmington, CT; WKSS Hartford; WMAS FM Springfield, MA.

AFTER: WZRT Rutland, VT

TODAY: In 2003 Ed joined WJJR in Rutland, where he hosts the afternoon drive program; see his note (8-19-05) (e-mail).

TOM KELLY
October, 1978 - June, 1980

A Boston native, Tom was the afternoon driver at WDRC AM. replacing longtime host Dick McDonough. Today he hosts the same shift at an oldies station in Washington.

PRIOR: WESX Salem, MA; WFTN Franklin, NH; WSPR Springfield, MA

AFTER: WTIC FM Hartford, CT; WBEN Buffalo, NY; KHOW and KMJI, both Denver, CO; WBIG Washington, DC

TODAY: In 2006 Tom completed a long run in Washington and moved to Bath, ME where he runs Choice Voice, a voiceover business; see his note (9-15-07) (e-mail).

EDDIE KING
prior to January 9, 1960 - prior to April 26, 1960

Eddie King (born Charles Potts) was half of a short-lived morning team at WDRC prior to the arrival of Ron Landry. Eddie met Ken Reeth in the 9th grade. In the school drama club they appeared in live, weekly dramas on the local NBC affiliate, WSAN. Reeth & King formed The Martini Brothers, a tumbling act that evolved into a comedy song and dance act. They began working clubs all over the country and continued after the Korean War. In between club dates they hosted a morning show at WHOL in Allentown. In late 1959 they responded to a blind ad in Broadcasting magazine for an opening at WDRC, replacing Bacon & Fay. After a few months Reeth & King took their act to WZUM/WAMO in Pittsburgh. Then, Eddie went solo on a radio station in Hagerstown, MD; he later left radio to work with kids at a social service agency. See Kenny Reeth.

PRIOR: WSAN Allentown, PA; WHOL Allentown, PA; nightclub circuit

AFTER: WZUM/WAMO Pittsburgh; WMBT Shenandoah, PA; Hagerstown, MD

TODAY: Eddie passed away in 1988; he is buried in Allentown, PA.

CAL KOLBY
February, 1953 - prior to January 12, 1960

Coming from Bristol, Colonel Cal Kolby was at WDRC during the CBS affiliation years. He hosted local music shows, though. From 1954-58 he was heard from 4-6PM and at 11 o'clock at night. During the late night show he featured rock and roll music. In early 1959 the West Hartford resident moved into an all-night show amidst considerable promotion, but it was quietly discontinued and WDRC resumed its traditional signoff time of 1AM. During his last months at WDRC Cal was primarily a newscaster.

PRIOR: Springfield

AFTER: WPOP Hartford, CT; WINF Manchester, CT; WNBH New Bedford, MA

TODAY: ?

JERRY KRISTAFER
August 9, 1982 - December 5, 1997 & January 15, 2008 - current

A native of New Jersey, Jerry got a broadcast journalism major at Glassboro State College, but he actually started his career in high school hosting a show on his local cable TV system. Prior to Jerry's long stay as morning man at WDRC FM, he worked for another WDRC alumni, Joey Reynolds, in New Jersey and Pittsburgh.

PRIOR: WHLW Lakewood, NJ; KQV Pittsburgh, PA; Indianapolis, IN; WCDQ and WKCI, both Hamden, CT; WAVZ New Haven, CT; WFFM Pittsburgh, PA; WCCC Hartford

AFTER: WHYN FM Springfield, MA; WELI New Haven, CT

TODAY: In late December 2007 it was announced that Jerry would return to the morning airwaves at DRC FM on January 15, 2008, replacing John Saville.

LON LANDIS
October 16, 1970 - 1977 ?

Lon's voice was a staple in the WDRC news department for several years.

PRIOR: WOLF Syracuse, NY; WNAB Bridgeport, CT

AFTER: WHDH Boston, MA; WCBS FM New York, NY; WTIC Hartford, CT; KCBS FM Los Angeles, CA

TODAY: Lon is believed to be living near Los Angeles (3-1-03) (e-mail).

RON LANDRY
prior to April 26, 1960 - March 5, 1966

Born in Louisiana, but raised in Washington, DC, "Buffalo Ron" was another original member of The Friendly Five, though his employment at WDRC predated the switch to local programming by several months. He replaced the short-lived Reeth & King morning show.

Ron's early broadcast influences were Jean Shepherd and Bob and Ray. Beginning in 1953, and during the next three years, Ron worked for three stations in Virginia. It was during his stop in Roanoke that he hosted an evening TV show that featured his sketch comedy. Ron was drafted in 1958 and served his two years at Armed Forces Radio in New York. During his stay in the U.S. Army, Ron met his wife, Margo, who was a flight attendant.

He hosted the "live and lively" morning drive show during his entire stay at Big D, and for a while in 1965-66 he hosted "Scene 18" every Friday night at 6PM on WHCT-TV. Ron was a master of character voices and his entourage included Charlie, Hemingway Monroe, Dan Press, Doug Weedwell, and beatnik Geets Romo. He recorded their voices during records, then played them back and had a live conversation with the characters. During most of his time at WDRC, his engineer/producer was Wayne Mulligan, current general manager of WDRC AM/FM. Ron moved to the West Coast and during the early 1970s issued a number of successful comedy albums with broadcast partner Bob Hudson. Hudson and Landry's "Ajax Liquor Store" was one of the cuts played on WDRC. His career moved into television where Ron was very successful on the writing teams of "Szysznyk," "Flo," "Benson," "The Red Foxx Show" and "Gimme A Break." He released his last comedy album with comedian Tom Beiner in 1989.

PRIOR: WJMA Orange, VA; WBTM Danville, VA; WSLS Roanoke, VA; Armed Forces Radio

AFTER: WBZ Boston, MA; KGBS and KFI Los Angeles, CA

TODAY: Ron passed away at the age of 67 after a yearlong battle with cancer on September 16, 2002; see his note (6-10-00) (e-mail Ron's wife, Margo).

ANNETTE LANSING-JONES
prior to July 15, 1944 - ?

Annette lived in Newington and was a part-time announcer and copy writer during the war.

PRIOR:

AFTER:

TODAY: ?

JOHN LARABEE
July, 1975 - November, 1978

Prior to joining WDRC on the 7PM-midnight shift, John worked at WPOP under the name "Tom Britton."

PRIOR: WAVZ New Haven, CT; WPOP Hartford, CT

AFTER: WXLO New York, NY; KADI St. Louis, MO; KYKY St. Louis, MO

TODAY: A pilot since 1982, today John can be heard reporting traffic from Airborne 2 on KMOX St. Louis (6-1-05).

JACK LAWRENCE
November, 1975 - April, 1979

A native of Somerville, MA, Jack had the utility shift, filling in for other announcers on both AM and FM.

PRIOR: WCCC Hartford, CT; WTSV/WECM Claremont, NH; WCFR Springfield, VT

AFTER: WTIC FM Hartford, CT; WFLY Albany, NY; WVBF Framingham, MA; WSSH Lowell, MA; WBOS Boston, MA; WROR Boston, MA; WBOS Boston

TODAY: Jack does weekends at WZLX Boston; see his note (5-19-00) (e-mail).

JACK LENNHOFF
May 30, 1955 - July 1955

John C.F. Lennhoff's term at WDRC was during the CBS days. A graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester, he was married to Jeanne Danaher, the daughter of U.S. Senator John A. Danaher. Jack's resume also included a stint as an advertising representative at the Aetna Life Affiliated Companies.

PRIOR: WLCR Torrington, CT

AFTER: WTIC Hartford, CT; Connecticut Public Television

TODAY: ?

ART LEWIS
September 20, 1970

Art had the distinction of working one day at WDRC--in the news department.

PRIOR:

AFTER:

TODAY: ?

PETE LIS
1989 - after April 16, 1990

Pete was Jerry Kristafer's morning news anchor.

PRIOR: WRCQ Farmington, CT

AFTER:

TODAY: ?

CHRISTINE LISI
prior to April, 2001 - present

A 1991 graduate of The State University of New York at Geneseo, Christine is heard on WDRC, anchoring afternoon newscasts from Metro Networks in Hartford during the Doug Taylor Show. She has also worked at other Hartford area stations and was an ESPN field producer/production assistant (e-mail).

PRIOR: WPKX Springfield, MA

TED LORSON
prior to April 13, 2001 - present

Ted is another news voice heard on WDRC, though he is actually employed by the Hartford bureau of Metro Networks (e-mail).

PRIOR: WELI New Haven, CT; WNNZ Springfield, MA

DAN LOVALLO
December 31, 1996 - present

Dan joined WDRC when Buckley Broadcasting bought WSNG, where he was sports director. He was the morning news and sports anchor on WDRC AM's Brad Davis show. On March 13, 2006 Dan came off the morning show to begin hosting "Tuned In To Connecticut," a 3-6PM local talk show. (e-mail)

PRIOR: Kingston, NC; Richmond, VA; WSNG Torrington, CT

DEAN H. LUCE
December 1944 - 1947 ?

A Detroit native, Dean was a staff announcer for much of the 1940s. In October 1945 he was Charlie Parker's best man! During his WDRC days Dean lived in West Hartford. He later became a sportscaster in the nation's capital.

PRIOR: WCMV Charlottesville, VA; WSJS Winston-Salem, NC; WERC Erie, PA

AFTER: WMAL Washington, DC

TODAY: ?

RICHARD LYON
summer of 1955

A blurb in the Connecticut Herald, Sunday, August 7, 1955 (p.43 of Hartford Edition), said: "Summer staffer at WDRC is Richard Lyon, who is filling in for this one and that while regulars vacation. Chores include those of deejay, newscaster, announcer, and whatever. Dick, who has a teaching fellowship at UCONN finds the job right up his alley, too. He teaches English."

PRIOR:

AFTER:

TODAY: ?