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Unkle Jonathan
Start with a voice smoother than
top-shelf scotch. Add the wit and wisdom of your
favorite uncle. Stir in an encyclopedic knowledge of
rock-and-roll. Top it off with an absolute refusal
to follow everyone else. There you have it—the
recipe for Fryed Rock Radio.
Unkle Jonathan
hosts Fryed Rock Radio—a new way of doing
radio the old way. While today’s AM radio is filled
with visceral voices pontificating pointless
politics, and FM stations play the same worn and
weary twelve tunes in row, Unkle Jonathan
provides a listening experience reminiscent of FM’s
glory days.
Unkle Jonathan
began his broadcast career at WROQ-FM (95Q) in
Charlotte, NC. One of the most powerful FM stations
in the Southeast, 95Q’s trademark was Album
Oriented Rock (AOR). Instead of top-40 hits and
popular singles, WROQ listeners were treated to
extended tracks considered too long by conventional
stations, music by non-mainstream artists, and
albums played in their entirety.
With the freedom to decide what
tracks to play, when to play them, and in what
order, 95Q was a dream job for a young up-and-coming
DJ. Given the opportunity to hone his skills in the
type broadcasting environment that no longer
exists, Unkle Jonathan learned to connect to
his audience through his own unique brand of voice
work, subtle humor, and music selection.
Connect he did. Unkle Jonathan
initially hosted nights at 95Q from 7-to-11 PM. Soon
assigned the mid-day slot following the legendary
Robert Murphy of “Murphy in the Morning”
fame, Unkle Jonathan attracted a legion of
faithful listeners. Success came quick to the
golden-voiced twenty-one year old with the smarts
and savvy of a broadcasting veteran. Promoted to
Music Director and Assistant Program Director,
Unkle Jonathan gained valuable experience in the
business side of broadcasting.
Following 95Q Unkle Jonathan
helped a small rural station WJKR-M (Z-100) develop
into a 100,000 watt broadcasting behemoth that is
known today as WRFX (99.7-The Fox). Along with a
change in call letters came the change from Top
40 to AOR. Unkle Jonathan joined
WRFX as the first well known on-air
personality. Hosting the 6-to-10 PM weekday slot,
Unkle Jonathan continued with WRFX as the
transition was made to the current Classic Rock
format.
Over the years Unkle Jonathan
continued to create and host original shows for WROQ
and WRFX. Southern Fryed Rock Weekends
featured Southern Rock favorites and Psychedelic
Sundays showcased rock from the late 60’s and
early 70’s. His experience includes special feature
and voice work, as well as guest appearances on Rick
Ballew’s “Smokin’ Bluz” show which airs
Sunday evenings on WRFX from 7-to-10 PM.
Without the constraints of a radio
signal and the restrictive interests of commercial
broadcasting, Unkle Jonathan entertains a
global audience hungry for Fryed Rock. Loyal
listeners, Fryed friends, and avid AOR enthusiasts
can join Unkle Jonathan any time of the day
or night, and every day of the week, at
www.fryedrock.com
Mary London
Known as “The Queen of Rock”, Mary London
adds a touch of sophistication and a hint of romance
to Fryed Rock Radio. Mary’s alluring voice compels
listeners to an enchanted musical kingdom where
Album Oriented Rock reigns supreme. A renaissance
lady, with down-to-earth values and sensibility,
Mary London is the perfect co-host to Fryed
Rock’s Unkle Jonathan.
 Born with an insatiable love of music and curiosity,
Mary combed through every liner note as the gypsy DJ
life lead her from Wisconsin to Virginia to
Montana, and on to New Orleans. Along the way she
studied the art & craft of songwriting and record
production. Believing every song tells a story, she
sought to understand the writer’s mind and to
capture the lyrical essence. Mary soon established a
reputation throughout the music industry for her
vast knowledge and incomparable talent.
"After
a year in the Big Easy at WRNO-FM "The Rock of New
Orleans, Mary learned of a new opportunity in
Charlotte NC that intrigued and excited her. The
chance to work with a talented team of rock-and-roll
jocks at WJZR-FM "Z-100" was exactly what she was
craving. As Z-100 transitioned
to WRFX 99.7-The Fox, Mary was pivotal in the
station’s launch. She ascended to the position of
music director while performing as the mid-day host.
A talented interviewer, Mary conducted impromptu
interviews with many of rock’s legends that dropped
by The Fox. Her reputation as one of the top
professionals in FM radio was solidified by her
innate ability to extract the musicians’ true
personalities from the shells of their public
personas.
Following a great run at WRFX, Mary created and
hosted several shows for WROQ including the popular
Sunday night feature “Q Album Shop.” Her
segment “London Rock Notes” entertained
morning listeners prior to the mid-day “Rock
Lunch” that she co-hosted. Along the way Mary
produced two acclaimed Heavy Metal albums—Metal
Mythos Vol. 1 & 2—on her own Nyghtmare Records
label.
At WXRC- Mary was selected to launch another station
metamorphose : Rock95.7. She came in on the ground
floor, programmed the music and hosted the mid-day
slot, then morning drive, then back to midday. Under
her discriminating ear and programming prowess the
station achieved his highest honors, accolades and
ratings, but FM radio—as she knew and loved it—was
changing. Mary recalls, “It was the beginning of the
end for Album Rock on FM radio.”. “it became all
about consultants and less about music. On-air
personalities became automated liner-readers”. With
commercial interests usurping artistic quality, Mary
recognized the need to diversify into other forms of
broadcasting.
As an accomplished voice actor, marketing expert,
painter, and graphic artist, Mary continues to
create , produce and voice commercials for radio and
television, narrations for corporate training and
marketing features. Her goal someday is to do voice
work for cartoons. “I have these little people
inside me screaming to come out...”
When
Unkle Jonathan offered Mary the opportunity
to join Fryed Rock, she instantly exclaimed “HELL
YES!” Together again, Unkle Jonathan and
Mary London provide the soul satisfying
sounds of Album Oriented Rock found only on Fryed
Rock Radio.
Fans around the world are getting
their AOR fixes at Fryed Rock Radio.
Check it out today! |
