You might be after tuning into these four radio teams!
Who doesn’t love entertaining talk mixed with music to ease you into your daily morning routine? Whether you’re getting ready for work, or getting the kids off to school, it’s easy to take comfort in knowing your favorite DJ’s are there to make your day just a little better. Read on to learn about four morning teams in the Capital Region that take over the airwaves each day.
Jay & Ben—The Magic 100.9 FM
By Dick Buyer
It was the climax of a fun-filled two hours—my 10-second radio debut on the Jay and Ben “Magic in the Morning” show on WKLI 100.9 FM. The thought of beaming my voice to listeners in the Capital Region and beyond was as remote as flying to China to cycle the Great Wall.
“Move closer to the microphone,” said Jay Scott, program director and co-host. Surprised and both delighted with being “airborne,” at Scott’s suggestion I introduced myself as a reporter for Capital Region Living Magazine then declared, “These guys (Jay and co-host Ben Patten) are great!” It was obvious that they relish their jobs, enjoy each other and their frequent quips, and relate to callers with gusto and congeniality. They describe themselves as “the number one morning radio team,” and the listeners certainly agree.
The station, located on Johnson Road in Latham, is one of six owned by Albany Broadcasting whose musical fare ranges from easy listening to soft rock to active rock.
“We are a full-service station delivering music, news, weather, lottery numbers and sports,” said Scott.
They spice up their radio show, which runs from 5:30am-9am on weekdays, with a mix of information (from the news wire), unique questions geared to entice listener calls, posing as a comedy team, and of course, serving up a wonderful dish of tuneful selections. However, their top priority is playing relaxing and nostalgic music designed to thrust baby boomers and seniors back into the past.
“We’re predominantly a music station,” Scott explained, “but there’s more talking in the morning to give listeners something to wake up to. They get the feeling we’re at the breakfast table. We’re just like family here.”
After the morning show, the subsequent broadcasting is more “music intense” with less talk. Other Magic features scheduled at different times and days, including weekends, are recognizing listeners’ birthdays/anniversaries (based on calls), a class reunion hour (playing songs associated with graduations), play what you say Saturday, a jazz brunch, ballads & blues and Big Band jump.
Arriving at the small studio at 7am in the midst of “Magic in the Morning”, it was a joyful experience to observe Scott and Patten cope effortlessly with a variety of tasks assisted by an array of electronic equipment. Wearing headphones, Scott sits in front of a huge rectangular panel board navigating an infinite number of buttons and controls. Sitting to his right, Patten notes the flashing of red lights on a black box signaling listener calls. The gags between the two men tumble out constantly in between the music, news, calls and commercials.
A computer screen in the studio lists songs to be played, which Scott selects from an astounding list of 3,000 database tunes. He estimated that they play between eight to ten tunes an hour. That amounts to between 24-35 tunes for the three-and-a-half hour morning show. Imagine the total for a full day of broadcasting!
“We are one of the top five stations in the Capital District,” he said, adding that they have an audience of approximately 80,000.
Comparing Magic with other stations, he said that their format is exclusive in this area because of its musical potpourri dedicated to Baby Boomers. “I can deliver a show from both a grandfather and a dad’s perspective.”
As the program continues, one sponsor offered a prize to listeners who guessed what women generally prefer in blue and what men prefer in white. “Underwear is incorrect,” replied Scott to a caller. There were other incorrect answers such as toothpaste and bath towels. A favorite listener, Evelyn, eventually guessed the correct answer—bedroom walls.
“She’s been calling for so long,” Patten said, expressing relief that at last she won a prize. “Just like Susan Lucci,” added Scott, likening the caller to the soap opera actress who finally one a Daytime Emmy Award after 19 nominations.
Scott, 54, originally from Boston, lives in the area and has more than three decades of radio experience in the Capital Region.
Apparently, serendipity surfaced to forge a successful relationship between Scott and Patten. Both men met while working for WJJR radio in Rutland, VT, before coming together as a team on Magic in November 2001. The station previously was called “The Point” and had a rock format.
“This has been the best four-and-half-years of my life,” said Patten, 43, a native of Connecticut, now residing in Hoosick Falls. “I love working with Jay, meeting with listeners and talking with them at events.”
Both agreed that their “on-air traits” demand wit, a great knowledge of music and the ability to relate to listeners.
“We’re just a couple of regular guys having fun in the morning,” said Scott.
Randi and Tred—99.5 FM The River
By Arcangela Mele
Each weekday morning from 5:30am-10am, Randi Tyler and Tred Hulse of WRVE 99.5 FM The River ease Capital Region residents into their mornings with a little kick.
The team has been broadcasting live together for five years from the Clear Channel owned radio station in Latham, delivering “Real music varieties of the 80s, 90s and 70s”. Their show’s title, “The River Morning Crew”, is fitting of the duo’s simplistic, down-to-earth approach.
“We relate to parents,” said Tred, 39. “Soccer moms, working adults, those are the types of people that have always been our focus.”
On a typical day, Randi and Tred are in the studio at 4:30am brainstorming along with their producer, Kevin Rush. The songs for the show are already pre-programmed for the duo, so they worry less about what’s being played and more about the entertainment aspect.
While on air, the two like to be themselves, and agree that a less controversial approach is best.
“We’re really not about pushing the envelope or trying to be vulgar,” Randi said. “We don’t think you have to push somebody’s buttons to be entertaining.”
Tred agreed. “We’re very casual, very much who we are on air and off. We talk about pretty basic things.”
Tred, who has been in radio for 13 years, grew up in the Berkshires, and now resides in Saratoga Springs with his wife and two daughters. Originally planning to be a chef, he pursued a Hotel & Restaurant Management degree. He bartended and waited tables for 15 years and attended different schools in three different states until his love of music and DJ prior experience in high school led him to consider a different path.
“I’m a huge music fan, and being in radio was something I always had an interest in and wanted to get back into,” he said.
While attending Northeast College of Communications in Boston, an opportunity came his way, one that helped jumpstart his career. He came across a flyer from a local radio station looking for people to join their team. He interviewed, got the job and started his career at WBPS sports radio and WPLM Smooth Jazz. Though his career seemed to be taking off in Boston, Tred eventually moved back to the area.
“This is where I was born and most of my family still resides here, so it wasn’t hard for me to make the choice to come home,” he said.
Once in Albany, he worked at WXCR, a former classic rock station, before landing his current job at 99.5 The River, where he was eventually paired up with Randi, his better half in the morning.
Randi, 38, had a quicker start into the industry. Her first aspirations were to be a rock star. She spent most of her teenage years in the Schenectady County area singing in her boyfriend’s local garage band, which playing at high schools and juice bars. It was a memorable time for Randi, but eventually the late night bar gigs and traveling weren’t what she was looking for in a career.
“I didn’t want that constant away from home, in a bar until 4am every weekend lifestyle,” she said. “So radio seemed a great way to stay close to music and the people that make it.”
After attending The New School of Radio and Television in Albany, Randi, then 21, landed her first job at FLY 92.3. She remembers not being completely prepared for the gig and ended up leaving.
“It was the first real job out of school and it was bit intimidating,” she said. “I’ve always felt so bad about quitting because it’s the complete opposite of who I am. Since then I always make sure the move is onward and upward for me.”
That personal philosophy has helped Randi in her career. She worked at K-Lite 101, a former station in Pine Bush (downstate) where she started out doing part-time and fill-in shifts, then took a job at XL 104.5, a former station in Clifton Park where she eventually became a production manager.
“It was fabulous they played an eclectic mix of blues and it was a small station niche that I really enjoyed,” she said.
After a few years, Randi decided it was time to move on. Through her husband who was then director of engineering at The River, she found out about a co-hosting position opening and decided to give it a shot. After a few interviews she was offered the job and moved onto the morning spot with Tred. The two instantly clicked.
“We share many of the same likes and qualities and many that are completely different,” she said. “But that’s what gives us our comfort zone and the ability to really have a lot of fun together.”
Tred, who has worked solo in the past, likes working as a team more than anything. “It’s great to have a different perspective and someone to share ideas with,” he said.
Being involved in radio is something Randi and Tred seem to equally enjoy; yet they know it can be a challenging field to get into. When asked what the secret is, they agreed that being a decent person and being someone people want to work with is important.
“Attitude is everything,” said Tred. “Having a bad reputation can really kill you in this business.”
He also thinks you should never say no to favors. “Once you get your foot in the door, you have to be willing to do anything. Even if you have to get coffee, work overnight shifts and holidays.”
“There’s really no magic formula,” said Randi. “It can be as simple as having the right personality, getting to know people and making friends.”
Candy & Potter—Fly 92.3 FM
By Carolyn Iannone
They’re young, they’re energetic, they’re slightly wacky at times, and you hear them every weekday morning on Fly 92.3’s morning show “Candy & Potter.” Potter’s real name is Jerry, and Candy (short for Candice), is not only his partner in crime, staging hilarious “Phone Scams” and making fun out of just about anything from pop culture to reality TV shows to current events, but she’s also his wife of nearly four years.
The duo (Potter is 30, Candy 28) hosts their show every morning from 5am-10am, along with sidekick Boomer, an eager 23-year-old who is known to do just about anything for $10 bucks.
The husband and wife team became friends in 1997 while working at a radio station in their hometown of Seattle, Washington. Candy tried to play matchmaker for Potter and set him up on a blind date with her friend. Fortunately for them, she wasn’t very good at it. Candy and Potter started dating in 1998.
They married in Hawaii in 2002 and moved to the Capital Region three years ago to become the new Fly 92.3 morning team, after learning of the opening through a radio industry website. Albany Broadcasting owns the station, which is located in Latham.
Many married couples couldn’t imagine working with each other, but this couple has adjusted to the ups and downs.
“It definitely has its advantages,” said Potter. “We have the same schedule and vacation time.”
When they do bicker, it’s about the show. “We are both kind of anal and just want it to be the best it can be,” he said.
One disadvantage in having the same career is that it can make for slightly boring dinner table conversations.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, wanna hear something funny…never mind you were there,’” said Potter.
But, said Candy, being in business together enables them to understand the obligations and high demands of the job.
Getting started
Potter started his career in high school, where he took a few broadcasting classes. After graduation he enrolled at the University of Washington. Before completing his degree, he got a job broadcasting in very small town that, as he described, would make Albany look like Manhattan. After three years of learning the ropes, he moved back to Seattle and landed a job at a bigger radio station
Candy’s radio career started in a less purposeful way.
“I accidentally signed up for an intro to radio class while attending college in Seattle,” she said.
While in school, she answered an ad to be a producer for someone who was legally blind on a Seattle country station, and quickly worked her way up.
“I faked loving country music to keep the job,” she said.
Soon, Candy and Potter were working as a night team on a Seattle show before they accepted their current position.
Rise and shine
Like many people who work early morning shifts, you never get used to the hours; you just learn to adapt.
“I go to sleep when 80-year olds go to sleep and I wake up when crazy people wake up,” said Potter, laughing.
In order to be on their game every morning, the two call it a night anywhere between 4pm-8pm and start the day around 2am or 3am. By the time they arrive at the studio, it takes a conscious effort for them to remember that most listeners haven’t been up for hours like they have.
“I would love to sleep at least six hours later than I actually do. I am not a morning person,” said Potter.
However, when the weekends do finally roll around, Candy and Potter would rather be playing outside than catching up on sleep. The active couple can be found snowboarding, white water rafting, rock climbing and skydiving. Who needs conversation when you are free falling from the sky, anyway?
These two definitely manage to have fun in and out of work. Despite the hours, they love their jobs.
“The most fun is talking to and meeting people. I love the phone scams, and I love talking with celebrities and finding out that they are just real people,” said Potter.
A few A-listers they’ve interviewed include Jessica Simpson, Dave Matthews, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Rob Thomas and Tim Robbins.
Their phone scams are not just Potter’s favorite part of the show, but also a good majority of their listeners. They originally started out periodically doing their scams but after receiving such a positive response, they made it a permanent addition to the show last August, pranking a new victim at 7:20 and 9:20 every morning.
“Most people are good sports about it,” said Potter, “and I love the scams that Candy does—she genuinely makes me laugh.”
Some of the pranks have included convincing a man who had a vasectomy that his wife was pregnant and telling a woman who was watching her boss’s show dog that the groomer shaved all its’ hair.
Being in the publics ears in the morning comes with some level of responsibility, and this team doesn’t purposely want to offend anyone.
“We aren’t out to shock people and we have a pretty good gage of where the line is,” said Potter. “Obviously, not everyone is going to like everything we do. If that’s what radio was about, I wouldn’t do it.”
When asked what they think of the ever-growing Internet age influence on radio today, neither of them skipped a beat.
“A radio personality is someone who people can relate to. It’s someone who can bring them a level of entertainment that they can’t get anywhere else. Radio personalities adapt with the technology and use it to further market their show,” said Candy.
Potter is also confident of the future of radio.
“Sure, you have to go to where the listeners go, and I think radio will continue to change, but it will always be there. It is content driven, so we try to do things that no one is doing, or can do. If people want to listen to constant music, then they can go to their iPods.”
Even with hours that can resemble the constant feeling of jet lag, keeping listeners of the Capital Region updated with news and entertainment and making their mornings just that much better is on the top of these DJ’s list.
“It’s a 24-hour business,” said Candy, “I love meeting new people, pop culture, and learning new things so this was the perfect fit for me!”
“We don’t want to just fit in and do just enough to get by,” said Potter. “We want to be the best we can. If your mornings are even just a little bit better, that’s great!”
AJ & Trudy—104.5 The Buzz
By Mary Beth DeCecco
“We get along very well. It’s the key to our success and it shows,” said AJ, referring to his co-host Trudy. Together they make up the “The Morning Show with AJ & Trudy” on WABT 104.5 The Buzz.
From 6am-10am every weekday morning the duo banter back and forth, report on news and the latest Hollywood gossip, play trivia, and interview guests, all around the latest songs. These two are certainly as friendly and jovial off-air, as they are on-air.
“If you like each other, it comes across,” said AJ.
They describe the music on 104.5 The Buzz, which is owned by Covington, KY-based Regent Communications Inc., as “hot adult contemporary”. Their demographic is women between the ages of 25-45.
Unlike a television reporter, being on the radio brings a level of anonymity, which is why they chose not to disclose their last names. Although, said AJ, he is often recognized by his distinctive voice in public.
The Colonie-based radio station is also home to Q103.5FM/103.9FM, ESPN Radio 1300 AM The Team and WGNA 107.7 FM.
Since 1998, AJ has been with the station in various forms as the program director, morning DJ and afternoon drive DJ for “The Beat” AM/FM, before it changed to The Buzz a few years ago.
Trudy joined AJ two-and-a-half years ago, leaving 104.5’s sister station, WLZW-Lite 98.7 in Utica, NY where she worked solo before relocating to the Capital Region after getting married.
Unsure at first how she would like working with someone else, Trudy said laughing, “I think it’s worked out.”
AJ, having worked solo for many years, loves it. “It’s great. We need music and conversation in the morning.”
Equally talented at what they do, they each had very different starts in their careers.
Growing up without a television in Utica didn’t stop Trudy from wanting to become an anchorwoman. After graduating from Emerson College in Boston with a communications/broadcasting degree, she set out to land her first job. Like many aspiring to be on camera, that job came in the form of radio. Only Trudy decided to stay, and has been in the business for the past 15 years.
“Radio has been great,” she said.
AJ, on the other hand, didn’t land in radio until his early-30s, even though he had the desire from the time he was a child. Just like his personality on the radio, as a child growing up in Kingston, NY, he was the “class clown” and loved to mimic singers. But, his father wanted AJ pursue a degree in marketing, insisting that radio wasn’t a “real job”. After graduating from college he worked in the field of health plans, until a “life altering” event made him realize that you only get one chance to do what makes you happy in life.
“You don’t have to have a degree in broadcasting/communications to get into the field,” said AJ.
Over the past 21 years, his radio jobs in the Capital Region have brought him to FLY 92.3, PYX 106.5, KZ 96.7, WTRY, and a few others in Massachusetts.
On weekends, he operates his own mobile DJ service, “Entertainingly Yours,” playing weddings, parties and other events. He also works with local band, “The Refrigerators,” helping to coordinate and emcee their events.
Prep work
To crank out an interesting show every morning and gain the attention of listeners requires constant prep work on the part of each DJ. Though they receive the latest news and sound bites from online entertainment sources, they also have a bit of work to do on their own, including staying up-to-date on current events and lining up guests. Recently, they had on an actor from “Phantom of the Opera,” the author of The Sonoma Diet and Sandra Lee of the Food Network.
“We run ideas off each other,” said Trudy, who is online at 4am each morning researching, while listening to the radio and television.
It’s a similar scene at AJ’s—from the time he arises at 5am he turns the television on.
Unlike the days when everything was on a “cart” and DJs would have to pull out each record or tape and cue up songs, technology has made their lives much easier.
“Everything is on the computer —music and commercials,” AJ said.
“When I first started I’d have to pull five hours worth of CDs, and put them all away. It was very time consuming,” said Trudy.
Though neither feels that Satellite radio will impact their jobs, they do feel slightly threatened by iPods, which allows users to download hundreds of songs onto an MP3 player, eliminating the need for the radio.
“Kids are growing up on iPods versus our generation growing up on radio,” said Trudy.
If you turn on 104.5 The Buzz in the morning you are unable to ignore the fact that these two obviously get along and love what they do.
“We joke that this is almost like a marriage,” said Trudy, who likes that each and every day is different. “You never know what’s going on.”
“It’s fun doing what you love,” said AJ, who after leaving a successful career in healthcare to pursue his passion, is all the more appreciative.
Q&A AJ & Trudy
Who is the most currently overplayed singer/band? Daniel Powter (“Bad day”), Lifehouse (“You and me”) James Brunt (“You’re Beautiful”), Kelly Clarkson, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Goo Goo Dolls.
Who is your favorite band/singer?
Trudy: Sting, Phil Collins and Rush.
AJ: After all these years, I don’t have a favorite
What kind of music do you enjoy the most?
AJ: All styles of music. It depends on what I’m doing. I like older jazz, like Miles Davis, when I’m relaxing.
Trudy: Classic rock, pop, just about everything.
Who was the best “hair band” of the1980s? Bon Jovi, Poison and Whitesnake.
Do you think the American Idol winners will have a long career?
AJ: It brings fame too quick. What about people who have worked so hard, doing the club circuit for years? On this show, within six months you’re a hit.
Trudy: It’s the luck of the draw. Kelly been successful, but I don’t think that will happen for everyone.