WFUV to Salute Rich Conaty and THE BIG BROADCAST This Weekend

WFUV (90.7FM/wfuv.org) Program Director Rita Houston has announced that the public radio station will salute the irreplaceable Rich Conaty and the heritage of his unique show, The Big Broadcast, in a two-hour special, Remembering Rich, on Sunday, February 26 at 8 p.m.

Conaty took over an existing Sunday night program as a Fordham University student in early 1973, renamed it The Big Broadcast, and was the host for more than 2200 shows that drew on his voluminous record collection and his encyclopedic knowledge of the jazz and pop of the 1920s and '30s. He died on December 30, 2016, at the age of 62 after a battle with cancer.

Produced and hosted by WFUV Saturday night DJ Paul Cavalconte, Remembering Rich features recollections from friends and colleagues, interspersed with many of Conaty's signature recordings. Guests include Vince Giordano, who with his band The Nighthawks, has performed music of the Big Broadcast era throughout the 40-year timeline of the radio show, rock musicians Lenny Kaye and Marshall Crenshaw, journalist Will Friedwald, and fellow WFUV hosts.

"WFUV stands for music discovery," says Houston. "On weekdays that revolves around the diverse world of rock, but on weekends that opens up to a wider palette that reflects the personalities of each host. Rich was passionate about listeners of all ages discovering the music he loved so much." Crenshaw recalls, "Years ago Rich did a spot for his show where he said, 'If you think this music is old, remember if you've never heard it before, it's new to you.'" "Rich and The Big Broadcast had nothing to do with nostalgia and everything to do with time travel," comments Cavalconte. "He easily projected himself into the era of his music, but remained contemporary and youthful in his approach. It wasn't an exercise in sentimentality but in curiosity about the past as a destination to explore."

WFUV General Manager Chuck Singleton adds, "Rich left us with a wonderful legacy in his 40+ years of programs. If possible, the station would like to play a role in preserving that legacy."

WFUV (90.7 FM, wfuv.org), New York's source for music discovery, is a noncommercial, member-supported public media service of Fordham University for almost 70 years. WFUV has received national recognition for its award-winning weekday format of adult album alternative music, award-winning local news and sports, and a diverse weekend lineup. WFUV's robust website has extensive audio archives, videos, song playlists, an events calendar, blog and other resources.

Photo Credit: Gus Philippas