An Iconic Radio DJ Retires In NYC, But Is STILL On Our Berkshire Airwaves

In our illustrious business, we have broadcasters who are deemed as icons as my prime list includes big names that I grew up with as these personalities including Dan Ingram, Ron Lundy, Harry Harrison and Dan Daniel (Triple D) were considered dear friends and mentors in life as their memories will ALWAYS remain eternal and everlasting and I thank them for their advice and guidance in making yours truly a LIVE and LOCAL broadcaster. Fortunately, those STILL with us have also given me a major influence to pursue my ventures in this business including Cousin Brucie, Gene Ladd, Lee Arnold (STILL going strong at age 96), Dan Taylor and former New York Mets public address announcer, Del DeMontreaux. A BIG thank you to each and every one as I approach my 40th year behind the microphone.

(Photo of Scott Shannon courtesy of his "Scott Shannon In The Morning" Facebook page)

One gentleman who should also be on this exclusive list is Scott Shannon as his knowledge and broadcasting prowess pyramided radio stations from worst to first. I have a lot of respect for him as he is a TRUE radio guy and he manned the airwaves on WCBS-FM's "Big Show" with professionalism and high fashion for almost a decade. Granted they are NOT playing oldies that I was accustomed to during the station's heyday but Scott's programming taent has given them a true identity in playing "New York's Greatest Hits". Not bad for a guy who evolutionized "The Morning Zoo" format as a former easy listening station in New Jersey became a top 40 giant back in the 1980's after WABC bowed out of music and went towards a talk format, but we are starting to see this legendary station in my ol' hometown return to musical oriented programming during the weekends as the line-up includes Cousin Brucie, Tony Orlando, Joe Piscopo and Dean Martin's daughter, Deanna

(Photo of Big Show "LIVE" on location, courtesy of "Scott Shannon In the Morning's" Facebook page)

Scott officially hung up the headphones this past Friday (ironically on my mom's birthday as I invite you to check that important tribute on our web pages) as he aired his final broadcast at Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York as donations kept pouring in before and after his last show. This facility is near and dear to Scott's heart as his crew made a LIVE holiday appearance every year to assist children who are experiencing medical setbacks. You can also help with an all-important contribution by accessing this link.

Good news for those who are Scott Shannon fans here in the Berkshires. His syndicated "America's Greatest Hits" show will STILL air every Sunday evening at 7 in Pittsfield on WUPE-FM (1110AM, 100.1 and 103.3 FM) as this program truly takes you back to memory lane along with Double S's wealth of musical knowledge and be assured his voice will remain a fixture at least once a week in our listening area.

I hope to be blessed down the road in meeting up with Scott as our conversation about our business and music in general would be plentiful in nature. And I am one that enjoys a good story and maybe he would be interested in some of my radio tales as well (I have quite a few for sure). We shall see. For now, enjoy sleeping in double S, get some rounds of golf going and we'll check in with you every Sunday for four hours of your unique broadcasting savvy. At least it's NOT goodbye in our area, buckaroos!