About Jonathan Apple

In the mid-1950s, my interest in Rock 'n' Roll began when my sister and her friends danced in our basement to their favorite records.

The first time I stepped into a radio station was at WWCA in the suburbs of Chicago. My eyes got as big as 45s when I saw the D.J. studio and I said, "Man-oh-man, this is for me!"

After playing radio in my basement with my friend Von (he's now an electrician in Maine), I moved up to the "big" time as a volunteer "newsreader" at WLBC in Muncie, Indiana while attending Ball State University ("Go Cards!"). To this day I can still remember the face of the engineer on the other side of the glass as I proceeded to pronounce Tucson, Arizona as
"Tuck-sun." Well how was I to know they spelled it that way?!

My first paid radio job was also in Muncie. After mastering the word "Tucson," I was helped by a fellow student, Brad (who, by the way, married the girl I was reeeaaaly interested in, Nila), to start as weekend newsman at the hot, top-40 station, WERK-AM. I was "One of the men at WERK" for $3.24 an hour! Yeh, but I really wanted to "spin the hits." Up the road in New Castle, Indiana was my first chance to do that at WCTW-AM.

And that started the following journey:

WLHN-FM Anderson, Indiana
WOLI-FM (Mono, not stereo!) Ottawa, Illinois
WVOP-AM Vidalia, Georgia (Home of the famous onions!)
WCVS-AM Springfield, Illinois (When I took the job over the phone, I could

have sworn the guy said he was calling from W "CBS"!)

KAKC-AM Tulsa, Oklahoma
KELI-AM Tulsa, Oklahoma
WAZE-AM Safety Harbor, Florida
WDAE-AM Tampa, Florida
WFLZ-FM (Stereo, not mono...and playing "Oldies"!) Tampa, Florida
WLVU-AM Tampa Bay, Florida ("Cruisin' 1470" - 5 years! We did the show

from the same studios where the Home Shopping Network
started. Yes, in the early days they were known as the
"Suncoast Barganeer's Club," on radio!)

WCOF-FM ("Coast 107.3") Tampa Bay, Florida
WBBY-FM ("The Bay") Tampa Bay, Florida
WSUN-FM ("Oldies 97.1") Tampa Bay, Florida
WDUV-FM ("The Dove", #1 Station in the market!) Tampa Bay, Florida
WRQQ-FM ("Oldies 97.1...Good Times... Great Oldies") Nashville, Tennessee

Today, I still get the same thrill when I hear Bill Haley & His Comets belt out "Rock Around the Clock," when Chubby Checker takes to the floor and does "The Twist," and the Beatles sing, "I want to hold your hand"...yeah, this is "Great Rock 'n' Roll, just like it used to be!" TM

At Oldies Coast-to-Coast TM, we're stuck in the Nifty '50s & '60s, and we love it! And, I know you do too. I hope you enjoy our weekly Rock 'n' Roll Radio Show.

Will you do me a "BIG" favor? If you have a local Oldies station that is not airing
Oldies Coast-to-Coast TM, tell them about us!

Shake, Rattle & Roll,