While seldom heard on the air, the influence of the late Bertha Porter was widely felt at WDRC for almost a quarter century. A 1963 biography said of Bertha:

"The radio bug bit Bertha in the days of the crystal set and earphones. Her first taste of the record business came when she worked Saturdays at a record store in Springfield, Massachusetts. Instead of getting paid in dollars Bertha asked to be paid in records and the owner of the shop agreed. Even in those years Bertha was a Big "D" listener. Saturday nights she'd drop into the station to talk with the announcer on duty. One day the program manager called up asking if she would like to work for the station as record librarian...."

Bertha Porter joined WDRC June 4, 1945, presiding over a collection of 30,000 records. As record librarian, and later music director, her ears were keenly attuned to the tastes of contemporary America. She segued easily from the middle-of-the-road music aired during WDRC's CBS affiliation into rock and roll.

Hartford and Cleveland were two secondary markets with reputations for being good places to test new record product, so a few minutes with Bertha was a coveted prize for promoters from labels large and small. Her choices of music resulted in national recognition and at least ten gold records for being the first to play singles that went on to become national hits. Among the awards she received:

1963 - gold record for Al Martino's "I Love You Because"

January, 1966 - for the third consecutive year, winner of Music Director of the Year from the Gavin Report

March, 1966 - gold record (#5) for The Wonder Who's "Don't Think Twice"

October, 1966 - gold record (#6) for The Happenings "See You In September"

January, 1967 - gold record (#7) for Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman"

January, 1967 - gold record (#8) for the Young Rascals "Good Lovin'"

February, 1967 - gold record (#9) for Tommy James & The Shondells' "Hanky Panky"

July, 1967 - gold record (#10) for the Easy Beats' "Friday On My Mind"

June, 1968 - gold record for Gene & Debbie's "Playboy"

1966 & 1967 - successive Music Director of the Year from the Gavin Award

On August 6, 1969, radio and record industry luminaries gathered in Hartford to honor Bertha at a retirement party after 24 years at Big D. She was replaced by Jim English.

Left (l-r): WINF's Uncle Jay Edwards, WDRC's Jim Jeffrey, Joey Reynolds, Bertha Porter, Dick Robinson & Ken Griffin review Connecticut School of Broadcasting newsletter, 1969 Right: Jim English

"American City Suite" goes gold in 1972 on ABC/Dunhill. (Front l-r:) Dunhill's Dick Lempke and Tom West. (Back l-r:) Program director Charlie Parker, music director Jim English, overnight host Barry Grant, Terry Cashman and 7PM-midnight host Gary DeGraide.