My Earlier Life As a DJ 

When I was "Dr. John Barron"

Before my time running various web sites and Rewound Radio, I was a DJ.  I was "Dr. John Barron" of WSPK/K 104 in Poughkeepsie NY.  Actually, I worked at some other stations before but this was the job I held for a decade (1979 - 1990).  I'm best remembered for a Saturday Night Request Show.

It was a lot of fun to do and very successful.  My ratings were number one both for the station itself and for the market on Saturday night. 

I was very lucky.  The station did what virtually no station would do today... gave me the freedom to do what I wanted.  They trusted me not to go off on any wild tangents, play inappropriate songs or not play the station's playlist.  In my own head, I stuck to a format that was consistent with the station.

I took phone calls, talked up records, did contests and generally tried to whip the teenage audience into a frenzy (and ran the tightest board you've ever heard).   I was also very successful with adults.  The overall demos were strong.  I think it was because the show was fun to listen to.  It worked on different levels.

My last hour was called "For Lovers Only".  I created it so that I could push the mushy love songs out of the earlier Saturday Night hours.  Almost any "request and dedication" show is going to be filled with slow love songs.  By creating that last hour just for those songs, I was able to keep them at a minimum the rest of the night so as to have an "up" feel prior to 11PM.

Even at 11, I was concerned it could be a deadly boring hour so I read letters (the sappier the better) and did phoners whereby I got the kids to repeat whatever ridiculous love oriented commentary I could ad-lib.  Think Hallmark Card... but carried to the tenth power.  It worked better than I had hoped.  The kids took it seriously and their parents were rolling on the floor (as I sometimes was).

Today, I still hear from people who listened to me on K 104 and it's 25 to 30 years later.  So, for those who have an interest, click on the link below.  It's an aircheck from September 23, 1989.

Dr. John Barron - WSPK - September 23, 1989