Tired of singing chipmunks, dogs barking jingle bells and reindeers running over your relatives? Then a holiday musical special on 1340 WTRN is the perfect cure for the common Christmas song. Former Tyrone resident, record collector and radio announcer Bill Dann produces and hosts a program entitled “The Lost Hits of Christmas” set to air on WTRN Sunday, December 22nd from noon until 6 pm.
Bill Dann has spent two decades in radio, in Bellefonte and State College before moving to Tyrone a decade ago. He was with WTRN and then relocated to Clinton County where he’s a part-timer with WBPZ radio in Lock Haven, and in addition is employed by AT&T.
Dann has always been a collector of records, and has one of the largest and most varied selections of music of any private collector. Dann also produced a Memorial Day patriotic program which he also provided to WTRN radio, as well as a Labor Day feature that aired earlier this year.
“This holiday season, Bill chose some of the less-familiar Christmas songs because there tends to be overkill of the same group of familiar songs,” said WTRN’s Cary Simpson.
Some of the rare lost christmas classics that will be featured during the show include “Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus” by Joseph Ferrer and “Ding a Ling the Christmas Bell” by Lynn Anderson.
WTRN owner Cary Simpson said, “that at this time of the year lots of people are wrapping gifts, making cookies, decorating their Christmas tree and they can turn on the radio and listen to christmas songs they will remember, but not the ones that you hear sixty four times on the radio or playing in a store. There is so much good music this time of the year that doesn’t get played. Christmas music plays with our emotions and this radio special will do just that”.
Dann’s idea may be picked up by a national record sales company, intrigued by his unusual approach, in which case, Dann would be shown on the cover of the album as the “originator and collector” of the holiday songs not normally heard on radio stations from New York to Los Angeles.
Bill is married to the former Kathy Jones of Tyrone, and they presently live in Woolrich, but return to Tyrone often to visit with relatives and friends.
Don’t miss this exclusive holiday special served family style with all the trimmings on 1340 WTRN, Sunday, December 22nd from noon until 6 p.m.
