Category Archives: Radio

Cousin Brucie’s Energy Has Always Been Infectious

Posted on by Musicofourheart

My wife and I were listening to Cruisin’ With Cousin Brucie on Sirius XM Satellite Radio as we love to do on Sunday nights. The thought occurred to me why don’t I feature a music blog post about one of our all-time favorite broadcast personalities. Being that we are all cousins in this life ;) , here are some sentiments about Cousin Brucie to share with you this evening.

One blog post alone can never do justice for a radio disk jockey who has the most infectious energy going on so watch for more posts about Brucie on this Website. Cousin Brucie has been a part of our lives for 50+ years. I recall listening to Cousin Brucie on AM 770 radio WABC where Bruce Morrow was an ABC All-American. I would hear him on my hand-held transistor radio that I bought with my paper route money. We loved the New York City Top 40 radio competition between the WMCA Good Guys (570 AM), WINS (1010 AM) with Murray the K and the WABC All Americans. Our music education grew enormously as the three stations battled for our listener loyalty.

Murray the K (WMCA) positioned himself as the “5th Beatle”. While Cousin Brucie got the exclusive honor of introducing The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965.

Cousin Brucie has entertained us with his natural charm and genuine love for people and the music ever since The British Invasion. He has hosted many live shows and featured radio broadcasts from Palisades Park on Saturday nights.

He hosted an oldies show on WCBS-FM for 23 years from 1983-2005. He has done the satellite radio show with infectious energy and wonderful warm enthusiasm since 2012.

Cousin Brucie has authored three books, all of which I want to get and read for my music book collection.

  • Cousin Brucie: My Life in Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio (1987)
  • Doo Wop: The Music, the Times, the Era (published November 1, 2007)
  • Rock & Roll:…And the Beat Goes On (published October 1, 2009)

Maybe one day I can get one of his very special bobble head dolls he talks about and gives away on the show ;)

Cousin Brucie

Cousin Brucie

Cousin Brucie

We love you cousin!

About these ads

Music Journalism A-Z – Alan Light

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Alan Light

I chose Alan Light as the letter L music journalist because the last several PBS fund drive music specials have featured him as “the” music commentator during the pledge breaks. This prompted me to research who is Alan Light? I’m happy to share I was knocked out to discover his competent depth of contribution to our American music legacy.

Alan Light got his start as a fact checker at Rolling Stone. He soon became Senior Editor.  He next became founding music editor and editor-in-chief of Vibe.  He went on from there to become editor-in-chief of Spin Magazine. He has been a contributor for The New Yorker, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Mother Jones, and the Oxford American.

Radio and Television Credentials

Alan Light once had a spot as music reviewer on radio station WFUV-FM, He presently serves as music correspondent on the NPR show Weekend America.

Alan Light is the director of programming for the public television series “Live From the Artists Den.”

Books

Alan Light is quite prolific. He has (co)written five books to date.

The Holy or the Broken

  1. Tupac Amaru Shakur: 1971-1996 (with Quincy Jones), 1998
  2. “Vibe” History of Hip Hop, 1999
  3. The Skills to Pay the Bills: The Story of the Beastie Boys, 2006
  4. My Cross To Bear (by Gregg Allman, with Alan Light), 2012
  5. The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah”, 2012

My Cross to Bear

Music Journalism A-Z – Ben Fong-Torres

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Ben Fong-Torres

Former Rolling Stone writer Ben Fong-Torres in 2007 Photo: Chris Stewart, The Chronicle

Today’s music blog post is about one of my favorite music journalists, Ben Fong-Torres. I grew up on rock music devouring each issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. I first found the newspaper staring up at me from under a rock on a newstand  in 1968. Coincidentally that was when Ben Fong-Torres started writing for Rolling Stone.  Rolling Stone lit a fuse in the music of our heart that has been burning brightly ever since.

I read many a cover story by Ben Fong-Torres. I love how he illuminated the artist, their music and the cultural time. I recall vividly the time he spent with Sir Paul McCartney and Wings on their North America tour.

He has written nine books. I own one of them, Grateful Dead Scrapbook. I treasure that book. Ben Fong-Torres close relationship with The Grateful Dead is clear throughout this beloved  title.

I am eager to acquire more of his books. The music journalism series A-Z will double the size of my music book library by the time I am done at the end of this month. But that’s okay as music writing and reading is my favorite pastime.

Happy Birthday Bob Marley and Mystic Bowie – One Love

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I tuned the FM dial in the car to WPKN-FM 89.5 for the morning commute. I quickly discovered that tomorrow February 6th would be Bob Marley‘s 68th birthday. Steve di Constanzo the morning DJ was doing his Radio Basecamp show, playing some cool stuff.

He announced that starting at 1 p.m. WPKN would begin a Bob Marley 36 Hour Marathon. The radio celebration would be complemented by the annual Bob Marley and Mystic Bowie Birthday Bash on Stage One by the Fairfield Theatre Company. It was at that moment I said to myself this event can’t miss. Woah, Woah…. Stop the Clock! Our two favorite reggae superstars, Mystic Bowie and Bob Marley with special guest stars at this intimate venue. I purchased the tickets online pronto ;) The concert will be broadcast live over WPKN this evening!

It has been a One Love celebration ever since. I plugged into WPKN-FM this afternoon where I have been actively engaged and entertained ever since.

We love Mystic Bowie’s energy, its so infectious! Can’t wait to dance the night away.

Music Journalism A-Z – Jenny Eliscu

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Jenny Eliscu

I am taking a sharp 90 degree turn with the music journalism A-Z series. Today’s music blog post is about Jenny Eliscu. I want to recognize Jenny Eliscu’s integrated music journalism/broadcasting skills which she exercises with natural aplomb .

1) She is a contributing editor and music critic at Rolling Stone Magazine. Jenny had a recurring in the MTV reality television show I’m From Rolling Stone. This limited run (10 episodes) highlighted six aspiring music journalists who were given summer internships in the hopes of earning a contributing editor place at Rolling Stone Magazine.

2) Jenny Eliscu authored and delivered an authoritative college music career guide. The information this RS publication has is highly valuable and complimentary to Rolling Stone Magazine’s publishing mission in the media industry segment. The guide is extremely well-researched, highly factual and concise. It is an eight year old title that could stand a refresh with the all the changes in digital publishing and the cloud music explosion that are feverishly underway.

Schools That Rock: The Rolling Stone College Guide

3) Jenny Eliscu also hosts a show on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 35: Sirius XMU, The Spectrum with Jenny Eliscu She’s been indulging her obsession with new music on-air at Sirius XM since 2006.

Find her on Twitter @jennylsq

Image representing Sirius Satellite Radio as d...

Image via CrunchBase

Santana Shape Shifter Radio Interviews

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Santana released Shape Shifter on Tuesday May 15.  It has been warmly received by fans and the media alike.

There are a couple of radio interviews that Carlos Santana has done in conjunction with Shape Shifter that are very insightful and informative that you will want to hear.

The first radio interview took place with Native America Calling on April 26, 2012.  The download of that show, “A Tribute To Tribal Nations” can be heard here: http://www.nativeamericacalling.com/ram/2012/apr/042612.m3u

Native America Calling is a live call-in program linking public radio stations, the Internet and listeners together in a thought-provoking national conversation about issues specific to Native communities. Each program engages noted guests and experts with callers throughout the United States and is designed to improve the quality of life for Native Americans. Native America Calling is heard on 52 stations in the United States and in Canada by approximately 500,000 listeners each week.

The second Santana Shape Shifter radio interview took place on Wednesday May 16, 2012 on Rockline.

You can replay the Rockline Show here: http://www.rocklineradio.com/replay/replay.php

Enjoy and Viva Santana!

Related articles