Okay, maybe that sounds like a nightmare scenario to most station owners…
But is has happened or will happen on Saturday, Oct. 23.
At least according to Dr. Dr. Thayer (that’s not a stutter), the owner of WZPH(FM) in Zephyrhills, Fla. (that’s not a misspelling), it’s going to happen. WZPH is an LP sitting at 96.7 on the FM dial.
According to the good doctor, his station will have played 1 million songs in a row without a commercial break over the last six years.
At first blush that might not reflect beneficially on the WZPH sales department, but it was all part of the doctor’s plan. Plan for what isn’t actually clear.
But is it is all in good fun.
WZPH is an oldies station and has been for 24/7 nonstop for those last six years. It’s volunteer-run, with a tongue-in-the-cheek at all times.
To give the station a sound a cut above the usual threadbare volunteer-run LPFM crowd, Dr. Dr. Thayer (real life day job: high school and DeVry Institute math teacher) ordered 1970s-style jingles from PAMS, home of the 1970s jingle. How’s that for dedication!
Continuing his wacky fun, the Dr. and his crew of equally addled volunteers conduct community events (often in their “Zephyr Power Heroes” on-air personas). Events like the Halloween Howl free concert, scheduled to coincide with song number one million. Held in beautiful downtown Zephyrhills, the concert will feature a collection of “oldies” tour musicians; top of the list Bill Pascali, currently touring with the New Rascals (actually made up of half of the original “old” Rascals, not too bad for most oldies acts).
The Dr.’s next goal? Perhaps 1 billion songs in a row, though that will take 57 centuries according to his calculations (he is a math teacher, I remind you).
