WNCN New York 104.3 FM
Classical Radio at its Best 1956-1993
"America's Favorite Classical Radio Station "
STAFF PHOTOS (1977) and Other interesting tidbits.
With a monthly Program Guide "Keynote," to fill , WNCN's activities during the thirteen years between 1977 and 1990 are well documented, thanks to the work of staff photographer William Vallee and Editor Sedgwick Clark.
We've scanned KEYNOTE's first issue (March 1977) and bring you some pictures and program schedules to help remind you what made WNCN so special. Also, there is one full day's music programming (March 16, 1977). (Bear in mind that WNCN had already been operating twenty years).
Some notes: the photo of the WNCN Brass Quintet was by Muriel Weinerman of the New York Botanical Garden, and the photo of WNCN interviewing Paul McCartney is by Bill Vallee.
Of the 1977 WNCN staff, we regret the passing of Fleetwood, Oscar Buhler, Max Cole, and Betty Lyons.
The first twenty years: Lucien Ricard was evening host for many years. Bob Adams handled the afternoon shift, and the original morning host was Bernie Allen (a/k/a Bob Weston at his afternoon gig at WPIX-FM). The overnight was handled by the legendary Bill Watson, with Matt Edwards replacing him for a year until Fleetwood was free of his non-compete at NBC. Gordon Spencer and Edwards both worked at the station at various times during the Sixties, while it was owned by the National Science Network . Joseph Marzano, an avant-garde filmmaker, who was a weekend host on WNCN, passed away in the 1990s. Gordon Spencer moved to Pittsburgh and was heard regularly on WQED and currently is on WRCT. Chris Borgen was another staffer who moved on the TV (Ralph Lowenstein left WNCN to become the voice of WPIX-TV).
Gordon teaches Italian and also writes for Pittsburgh Magazine . Matt Edwards moved to WQXR, where he remains a relief announcer, but is rarely heard.
Max Cole produced the Riverside Church broadcasts until his death.
Frank Coffee became a relief announcer at WQXR, and is now out of radio.
Bob Adams, who was WNCN's afternoon announcer prior to 1975, returned to the station as Morning Newsman until his retirement. Cal Miller was an announcer who apparently was station manager for a while during the late 50s, but recollections of those are vague.
Starting in the late 80s, a fresh wave of announcers was brought in to WNCN, including Annie Bergen, Bill Jerome, Clayelle Dalferes, Vinny Marino, Elliott Forrest, and Candice Agree (who survived to change to rock programming and became a rock jock on WAXQ). They are now all at WQXR (as of 1/1/09) ( www.wqxr.com/ann ).
Rick Malone, Program Director in 1993 (a typo shows him a "lk Malone") has been with KDFC San Francisco for some time.
David Dubal is a professor at Juilliard, paints, lectures widely, and has published a number of books and DVDs on the Art of the Piano ( http://www.daviddubal.com/DDhome.html ). If you click on the cartoon character at the lower right of David's Home Page, you can hear him discuss his public schedule.
We've scanned KEYNOTE's first issue (March 1977) and bring you some pictures and program schedules to help remind you what made WNCN so special. Also, there is one full day's music programming (March 16, 1977). (Bear in mind that WNCN had already been operating twenty years).
Some notes: the photo of the WNCN Brass Quintet was by Muriel Weinerman of the New York Botanical Garden, and the photo of WNCN interviewing Paul McCartney is by Bill Vallee.
Of the 1977 WNCN staff, we regret the passing of Fleetwood, Oscar Buhler, Max Cole, and Betty Lyons.
The first twenty years: Lucien Ricard was evening host for many years. Bob Adams handled the afternoon shift, and the original morning host was Bernie Allen (a/k/a Bob Weston at his afternoon gig at WPIX-FM). The overnight was handled by the legendary Bill Watson, with Matt Edwards replacing him for a year until Fleetwood was free of his non-compete at NBC. Gordon Spencer and Edwards both worked at the station at various times during the Sixties, while it was owned by the National Science Network . Joseph Marzano, an avant-garde filmmaker, who was a weekend host on WNCN, passed away in the 1990s. Gordon Spencer moved to Pittsburgh and was heard regularly on WQED and currently is on WRCT. Chris Borgen was another staffer who moved on the TV (Ralph Lowenstein left WNCN to become the voice of WPIX-TV).
Gordon teaches Italian and also writes for Pittsburgh Magazine . Matt Edwards moved to WQXR, where he remains a relief announcer, but is rarely heard.
Max Cole produced the Riverside Church broadcasts until his death.
Frank Coffee became a relief announcer at WQXR, and is now out of radio.
Bob Adams, who was WNCN's afternoon announcer prior to 1975, returned to the station as Morning Newsman until his retirement. Cal Miller was an announcer who apparently was station manager for a while during the late 50s, but recollections of those are vague.
Starting in the late 80s, a fresh wave of announcers was brought in to WNCN, including Annie Bergen, Bill Jerome, Clayelle Dalferes, Vinny Marino, Elliott Forrest, and Candice Agree (who survived to change to rock programming and became a rock jock on WAXQ). They are now all at WQXR (as of 1/1/09) ( www.wqxr.com/ann ).
Rick Malone, Program Director in 1993 (a typo shows him a "lk Malone") has been with KDFC San Francisco for some time.
David Dubal is a professor at Juilliard, paints, lectures widely, and has published a number of books and DVDs on the Art of the Piano ( http://www.daviddubal.com/DDhome.html ). If you click on the cartoon character at the lower right of David's Home Page, you can hear him discuss his public schedule.
All material copyright 1967 - 2009
