Danny Stiles
Encyclopedia
Danny Stiles was a radio personality at WNYC
, WNSW
, WJDM
and WPAT
in the New York City
market. He worked on the radio for 63 years in the New York City area, up to the time of his death.
and Linden, New Jersey
, during The Great Depression. After graduating from high school in 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy after the Bombing of Pearl Harbor. After being honorably discharged due to an injured hip, Stiles went to college and held several jobs before starting his radio career.
, and stations in New Jersey
before returning to Newark on WNJR (AM)
as the "Kat Man." At WNJR, Danny met a young Brooklyn
native who worked as a gofer
, Robert Smith, who would later move to the border blaster
XERB-AM and broadcast as Wolfman Jack
.
Stiles, who called himself The Vicar of Vintage Vinyl, had a loyal fan following and a distinctive radio presence. Immediately prior to his death, Danny was broadcasting from four stations in the New York City area, as well as streaming 24 hours a day on the Internet. The broadcast material came largely from his personal collection of over 250,000 albums, many in their original 78 rpm
format.
Stiles died on March 11, 2011, when he was also being heard on WRCA
, an AM station serving the metro-Boston, Massachusetts, area.
Danny Stiles continues to be heard on the airwaves, with vintage shows aired Saturday nights at 8pm Eastern time on WNYC AM 820, and his website dannystiles.com offers a stream of archived shows.
WNYC
WNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs...
, WNSW
WNSW
WNSW is a radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, serving Northeastern New Jersey and parts of New York City. The station, formerly known by the call letters WNJR, runs an ethnic and brokered format. It is owned by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, Inc..-Early years:The station signed on in...
, WJDM
WJDM
WJDM AM is a local AM radio station serving Elizabeth, New Jersey and the surrounding municipalities with Spanish language programming. The station's transmitter is located in nearby Union Township, Union County, New Jersey...
and WPAT
WPAT (AM)
WPAT is the callsign of a radio station licensed to Paterson, New Jersey. Located at 930 kHz in the medium-wave AM band, the station runs paid ethnic programming....
in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
market. He worked on the radio for 63 years in the New York City area, up to the time of his death.
Early life
Danny Stiles was born and grew up in NewarkNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and Linden, New Jersey
Linden, New Jersey
- Local government :, the Mayor of Linden is . The former longtime Mayor of Linden is 82-year-old John T. Gregorio, who served as mayor of Linden for 30, nonconsecutive years and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which...
, during The Great Depression. After graduating from high school in 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy after the Bombing of Pearl Harbor. After being honorably discharged due to an injured hip, Stiles went to college and held several jobs before starting his radio career.
Career
Stiles's first radio job was at WHBI in Newark on December 2, 1947, buying the air time for $65 a week. His career took him to radio station WHOL in Allentown, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and stations in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
before returning to Newark on WNJR (AM)
WNJR (AM)
WNJR was a commercial radio station based in Newark, New Jersey, on 91 Halsey St. in Newark, NJ. The station broadcast on 1430 kHz with a transmitter power output of 5000 watts.-History:...
as the "Kat Man." At WNJR, Danny met a young Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
native who worked as a gofer
Gofer
A gofer or go-fer is an employee who is often sent on errands. "Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements. The term gofer originated in North America...
, Robert Smith, who would later move to the border blaster
Border blaster
A border blaster is a licensed commercial radio station that transmits at very high power from one nation to another. Border blasters should not be confused with international broadcast stations...
XERB-AM and broadcast as Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack
Robert Weston Smith, known commonly as Wolfman Jack was a gravelly voiced US disc jockey who became famous in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early career:...
.
Stiles, who called himself The Vicar of Vintage Vinyl, had a loyal fan following and a distinctive radio presence. Immediately prior to his death, Danny was broadcasting from four stations in the New York City area, as well as streaming 24 hours a day on the Internet. The broadcast material came largely from his personal collection of over 250,000 albums, many in their original 78 rpm
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
format.
Stiles died on March 11, 2011, when he was also being heard on WRCA
WRCA
- External links :*...
, an AM station serving the metro-Boston, Massachusetts, area.
Danny Stiles continues to be heard on the airwaves, with vintage shows aired Saturday nights at 8pm Eastern time on WNYC AM 820, and his website dannystiles.com offers a stream of archived shows.