JENKINS
TWP.- Whether it's listening to music for several hours a day, searching albums
for that one special track, recording original music, writing album reviews or
producing live radio concerts, George Graham's life is music.
He
has shared his love with others. And if you took a survey among area musicians
asking which person has offered the public the most insight into their work and
who has been the most appreciative and most supportive of that work, Graham's
name would likely appear on every list.
This
year marks WVIA-FM's 25th year of radio broadcasting and Graham's 25th year at
the station. As a DJ, producer and chief engineer, Graham has worked with
hundreds of regional artists, overseen hundreds of recording sessions and
hosted thousands of broadcasts.
He's
become somewhat of a legend in the local music community, perhaps in part
because of his night hours and relatively low public profile. His 25th
anniversary is a milestone that has not gone without notice by area musicians.
Graham
was recently acknowledged by the Local 120 Musicians Union with an award for
his continued efforts in promoting live music.
Mayor
James Connors recently proclaimed a special "George Graham Day" in
Scranton.
The
duo Flannery and Clarke recently performed a song written in Graham's honor at
the station's 25th Anniversary Open House.
And
Badlees vocalist Pete Palladino- during the group's recent performance at the
station- also presented Graham with a commemorative plaque from the station and
thanked him on behalf of all of the musicians who he's supported over the
years.
"I
just try to cultivate individuality," says Graham, reflecting on his 25
years in public radio. "I try to be as sensitive to the music as I can,
rather than trying to make somebody sound like something that they aren't or
sound like a hit record."
Commercialism
is of no consequence to Graham. It's quality that matters.
His
"Mixed Bag" program is aptly named, offering an eclectic array of
music. His "Homegrown Music" programs - which can be equally diverse -
offer artists the opportunity to make quality recordings at the WVIA studios
and then have them broadcasted on the program.
Graham
also hosts WVIA's "All That Jazz."
A
native and resident of Carbondale, Graham, 47, was hired in 1973 as an engineer
to help put WVIA-FM (89.9) on the air. A natural choice to help get the station
started, Graham held a degree in electrical engineering from Duke University
and had several years of college radio experience. His "Homegrown
Music" program began on a weekly basis in 1976, but it was actually in the
fall of 1973 that the first acts appeared on the show: folk singers Lex Romane
and Ted Bird.
The
live concerts began in 1982, and have become a monthly feature. Graham says
nearly 500 artists have appeared on the program.
And
unlike the popular "basement tape"-type programs that are found on
many FM stations across the nation, the music played on the "Homegrown
Music" show does not consist of tapes or independent releases sent to
Graham by musicians, but rather music he has personally recorded and produced.
"
‘Homegrown Music’ is, by definition, music that originated from the WVIA
studios," says Graham, adding that the station was built with the idea of
also serving as a recording studio for area artists. "I figured a public
radio station should be kind of an artistic resource. The management at the
time agreed, so recording equipment was put into the original budget for
getting the radio station on the air."
Musical
history
Graham
says his love for music has been life-long, and that he first began honing his
skills as a producer while still a teenager.
"I
had a fascination with audio and music going back to grade school," he
says. "In high school, I recorded some bands and worked with the AV
department and recorded some concerts. In college, I continued with radio and
was involved in some recording projects. It's always been an interest of
mine."
Graham
- who plays piano and can read music - names The Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers
Lonely Hearts Club Band," Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" and
Atlantic's "Best of John Coltrane Collection" as a few of his
"desert island" albums. Still, he pauses when asked to name the type
of music he likes best, or the sounds that had the greatest effect on him and
led to his career in music.
"It's
hard to say," he says with a smile. "I liked easy-listening things
growing up. My piano teacher was good in the sense that every week he would
give me a classical piece, and a pop standard, so I learned these songs sort of
unwittingly ... .
"Of
course, in college, between '68 and '72, this was that whole period of turmoil,
and the '60s and that whole scene of very eclectic music was just happening ...
The Beatles releasing the `White Album' and later breaking up ... the
psychedelic era ... . Some of it was really pretty fascinating and presaged a
lot of the music which is still around.
"Some
of the early precursors of New Age music was coming out at that time," he adds.
"The Moody Blues were starting with the whole `art-rock' thing. I remember
going to a Janis Joplin concert at college, and she was advocating the blues
and spreading the blues to wider audiences ... . I liked a good deal of
it."
Graham's
eclectic tastes are showcased on the "Mixed Bag" program, which
premiered in 1974 and includes the "Homegrown" show and his
"Weekly Album Review." Graham says the show has evolved over the
years, and that because there was no true commercial rock FM station in the
area when WVIA first hit the airwaves, he once played more mainstream artists
on the program.
That,
of course, was before they were mainstream.
"Once
commercial radio started moving into album rock, I started moving into other
directions to provide an alternative," says Graham. "If YES and Bruce
Springsteen were going to be on commercial radio, then we could get into blues,
folk music and other different things that would have some crossover appeal
from the commercial rock audience but would be different and go into different
areas. The eclecticism of the program is, to some extent, driven by the
alternative factor."
Graham
says the recent trend of large corporations purchasing many commercial FM radio
stations has resulted in a diminished role for program directors in choosing
music. At WVIA, he's been able to maintain musical control of the programming,
and spends several hours each week just listening to the national and
independent releases he receives, deciding what to play.
"A
lot of times, the most commercial track is the first one on the CD, which for
me would be a turn off," he says. "So I go further into the record.
If I hear something that's intriguing, then I give it more time. ...
"Today,
it's far less the gut reaction of a local program director, but rather
marketing research and computer analysis that's driving the programing of
commercial radio," he says. "That's great for building audience
numbers and getting your (ratings) up, but it does leave a few people
unserved."
For
25 years, Graham has served not only listeners, but also artists. He names The
Badlees, Tom Flannery, The Blue Sparks and Bob Dorough as some of the musicians
that have stood out in his mind over the years. He says that he's aware that
because the media has become so star-oriented, it's difficult for up-and-coming
artists to find media exposure.
To
further articulate what he finds interesting about certain music, Graham also
writes detailed album reviews, which can be found on his Web site at
www.georgegraham.com. The site also has archive information on past programs,
as well as information on upcoming broadcasts.
In
addition, some pre-taped "Homegrown Music" live studio concerts are
being aired on WVIA-TV on selected Fridays at midnight, and the station
recently released an 18-track CD, the "Homegrown Music Sampler,"
featuring a variety of artists who have performed on the program over the
years.
"To
me, it's a great deal of fun to introduce people to new music," says
Graham. "There's just something about it. ... I find it a lot of fun to
say `Hey, listen to this. This is really interesting.' ...
"After
25 years, it's still fun doing that."
(Alan K. Stout has written about rock and pop music in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1992. His weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu," airs every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, Bloomsburg.)
