There is a wonderful new option for Saturday afternoon 3pm listening being offered by WLIW-FM (88.3) to everyone. Diane Masciale, the Vice President and General Manager of the Long Island public media station was extremely proud and excited about the new programming titled, “Weekend Jamboree with Gene Casey,” featuring long-time Long Island Music Icon Gene Casey. In a phone interview with hamptons.com, Ms. Masciale stressed she had been a long-time fan of both Gene Casey the musician and Gene Casey the man. She explained, “Gene Casey is such a wonderful person and obviously an iconic figure in the music scene, not only across Long Island, but beyond. He has been such a great friend and partner to WLIW-FM and before that WPPB. He has had a long standing relationship with the station.”
Gene Casey’s story is classic Long Island. Although born in Queens his family moved to Malverne, Long Island when he was 3 years old. As a 10th grader Gene said he knew he wanted to play music in front of people. He has explained that although he liked The Beatles, he actually liked the bands that inspired The Beatles – the 1950s Elvis/Chuck Berry/Roy Orbison sound of real rock ‘n roll music. About hosting the “Weekend Jamboree,” Gene is very happy.
He said in an interview with hamptons.com, “ I am delighted because I have been listening to the station in all its incarnations for more years than I care to mention, and I know them and have always felt we’re in this together. Their support of the local music scene is genuine and crucial so I have always tried to be available for fund drives and events. The idea of me getting behind the microphone has been kicked around a bit but this time the stars aligned and the time felt right. I think most music fans and musicians have a fantasy of being a radio DJ so this coming together is a thrill.”
Station V.P. and G.M. Diane Masciale is equally as delighted. She said, “I was looking at the possibility of revamping our program schedule and leaning into even more local than what we have been doing. We have always been a local radio station and we continue to keep focusing on that. “ Then she added, “He (Gene) had said if you are ever looking for a new show…so I immediately called him to say I would love to have a new show with you.”
About the first new show, which is available to stream on https://www.wliw.org/radio/programs/the-weekend-jamboree-with-gene-casey/ . Ms. Masciale said, “ The stars aligned and we are really pleased and honored to have him as a part of the program family of WLIW-FM.” Masciale emphasized she has really been impressed with his first “Weekend Jamboree” show during the Memorial Day weekend, and the deep content including digging up and presenting earliest and original Elvis Presley recordings. She said, “His first show really set the stage for what is going to be such a great program across the board. He had this interview and music from the first, if not the first, Elvis Presley live at some county fair. It was fascinating and mesmerizing to listen to and the context that he brought to it being a musician himself.”
So, what is Gene Casey’s thinking about the philosophy of radio? He said, “ I do a lot of driving to and from gigs, up and down the island, here, there, at all hours of the day. Finding good music on the dial is essential and quite challenging. Satellite radio does not captivate me much but live “terrestrial” radio is a turn-on, a connection, and helps keep me awake at 3 in the morning when I have twenty more miles to go. Also, it is how I actually get to hear new music, which is always welcome.
So to understand his mentors or favorite DJs through his life Gene Casey said this, “I still remember the old WABC AM and WMCA “good guys” on the magical transistor radio, so Cousin Brucie (who is still broadcasting) and Dan Ingram are still part of my pop culture soul, and then FM happened, and I was devoted to Dennis Elsas and Pete Fornatele and the rest at the old WNEW FM. I also have to mention Jack Spector’s Saturday night show on WCBS, where he played great R&B and on which I partly base ‘Weekend Jamboree’.”
The beauty of both live radio and then streaming radio shows cannot be underscored. You can now pick the time and place you want to hear what you want to hear and of course, just turn on your car radio or workplace radio and listen live.
Diane Masciale concluded by saying, “The context (Gene) brought set the stage for something so special. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to bring Gene Casey to WLIW FM audiences…We are just thrilled!”
