It was Scott Muni Day for Me at the Paley Center

For readers who are not radio enthusiasts, Scott Muni was a distinguished radio personality who worked at WMCA, WMCA, WNEW-FM, and WAXQ in New York until his passing in September 2004.  I searched the Paley Center's online catalog and found two tributes for him that were held at the Center previously known as the Museum of Television and Radio.

• September 26, 2002 - while he was living
• May 19, 2005 - several months after his passing

At the 2002 tribute, he appeared on stage with Zach Martin who was one of his producers.  The program started with several airchecks and interviews from the various radio stations listed above.  He started in radio while he was in high school and at one time succeeded Alan Freed at WAKR in Akron before he came to New York.  He also related some anecdotes including what happened the night that John Lennon was killed.  He was at WNEW-FM's Christmas show at Radio City where he received a phone call and then rushed uptown to the Dakota.  Much of the session was devoted to questions from the audience that included radio personalities such as Dan Ingram and Meg Griffin.  I was surprised to see radio enthusiasts Mary Shaw and Matt Seinberg seated next to Dan Ingram.

Dennis Elsas moderated the May 2005 tribute with Bill Ayres, Dave Herman, Dan Neer, and Ken Dashow as panelists.  There were recorded tributes by Billy Joel and Paul McCartney.  There were many comments by the panelists and audience members who were in the radio business.  They remarked that Scott introduced obscure recording artists to a wider audience.  They considered Scott a brother to other radio personalities.

I remember Scott best for his syndicated Beatles show called Ticket to Ride that was heard on WNEW-FM Sundays at 11 AM.  There is a radio station with the calls WNEW at 102.7 FM today, but it is just not the same.  I miss the classic rock radio of the Scott Muni era.