Q: Tell us a bit about your early days. Where was home and who were some of the influences that made you decide to make radio your career?

A: Home originally was Boston. We lived at several places around the city - I was born in Jamaica Plain, and we later lived in Arlington and Somerville. I attended my first year of high school at Somerville High and the summer following it we moved to North Jersey - Bloomfield. My last 2 years were at Bloomfield High where I graduated in 1958. I enrolled at Rutgers as a Journalism major (New Brunswick) and commuted daily from my folks house. By then they'd bought a place in Clifton. I had always enjoyed listening to radio, but never gave it a thought as a career. At Rutgers a friend of mine who was an engineer at the college station, WRSU, talked me into auditioning for an opening that had just come up doing a weekend show called Knightlife, named after the Scarlet Knight Rutgers mascot. I auditioned, got the spot, and immediately fell in love with the business. I left college after 3 months and took some odd jobs while I concentrated on getting into the business. Finally I was hired at WPAZ in Pottstown, PA where I did the morning show. After 6 months I moved on to WHTG in Eatontown, NJ and 6 months later to WATR in Waterbury. Major influences in the early days were Peter Tripp, Alan Freed, and many others.

Q: In the early 1960s WAVZ had the same Roy Ross jingle package that WDRC used. Were they using that on WAVZ when you were there? What shift were you doing?

A: I believe that's right, as I recall. I first did 10PM to 2AM, then after about a month they moved me to 10AM to 3PM. After around 6 months, the WDRC opening came up.

Q: How did your hiring at DRC come about; were you recruited or did you apply? Any memories of the audition process?

A: I had been in touch with Charlie Parker on a fairly regular basis since my Waterbury days. He liked my work and had said several times that he'd like to see me on staff. When Kurt Russell left, he called and offered me the shift. I thought about it for roughly 2 milliseconds and accepted.

Q: I believe you were the last hire under the Friendly Five moniker (Ron Landry 5-10AM, Jerry Bishop doing a split from 10A-noon and 3-6PM; you from noon till 3 and 6-8PM; then Jim Raynor from 8PM-1AM).

A: Yes, I was. The Swinging Six came along shortly after.