The four major non-commercial FM stations in the Capital district - WRPI, WAMC, WCDB and WMHT-FM - all celebrated birthdays in 1987. WRPI was the only one to have an extensive documented history, The First 30 Years, which was broadcast on Sunday, November 1st, our 30th anniversary, and repeated on Christmas Day. The First 30 Years attempted two goals: First, to acknowledge the hard-working and gifted individuals of the last three decades (and more) who put WRPI on the air and have kept it on; and second, to demonstrate our long-standing commitment to technical excellence and musical diversity. Almost 200 hours of work over an eleven-month period went into tracking down old WRPI personalities for their reminiscences; locating old tapes, most of which hadn't been played in years; and going through the files of the station and the Rensselaer Archives for the information that could be useful for this undertaking. Many current members contributed their time and experience to the project. Sixteen interviews were recorded, but three were not used due to time limitations, and some that were used had to be shortened considerably. Three more interviews were done live that night, making the special over seven hours long, but interesting and enjoyable, and it certainly met the goals I had in mind. Currently, we are attempting to make copies of the show available to general listeners and station old-timers; but for the Summer 1988 Repeal we'd like to devote some space to three people who were crucial to our development as one of the nation's leading college broadcasters. Herb Dahm, Ralph Asher and Chuck Phelan all spoke with me in September and October of last year, and I chose to edit their interviews into monologues so there would be less of me and more of them.
[Introduction] [Ralph Asher] [Herb Dahm] [Chuck Phelan]