Local Baltimorean Resurrects Role of DJ with Launch of DJGreyhound Radio

New online radio station’s segments capture the nostalgia of the 60s, 70s, and 80s

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, June 14, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Baltimore, MD (June 14, 2023) – Video may have killed the radio star back in 1981 with the debut of MTV, but no one back then could foresee that streaming music platforms would essentially “kill” the DJ. But for Baltimore local, Vern Shird, the role of the DJ has been resurrected with the launch of DJGreyhound Radio.

For those who grew up tuning in daily to their favorite local radio station, the DJ that was on air while you were listening was just as important as the music itself. The DJ not only served as the gatekeeper of the music selection – whether it was upbeat pop hits during the morning drive or romantic ballads during the late evening hours – but they provided listeners that personal connection to the music, perhaps through an anecdote or commentary interjected between songs. It’s that personal connection that DJGreyhound Radio is striving to revive.

Music has always played a role in Shird’s life. He collected music during his childhood, took guitar lessons in a failed attempt to form an adolescent garage band, and got his first paid DJ gig at age 19. By listening to music and to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40^® at an early age, Shird became quite the music historian as he reached adulthood. Fast forward several decades and Shird’s music passion has led him to fulfill a childhood dream, to run his own radio station, with a twist. “In a world that seems so divided, my goal is to unite people by creating music programs they can enjoy for a few hours a week, reminisce, discover something new, and shut out the noise”, states Shird.

After 20 years, Shird retired from his wedding DJ business (“DJGreyhound DJ Services”) at the end of 2022 and ventured into the world of online radio. Partnering with LIVE365, one of the longest running Internet radio networks, Shird re-branded to DJGreyhound Radio in April and launched the station last month. The format is Classic Hits: Billboard top 40 from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Besides its base playlist, the station also features top 40 hits that aren’t played much on terrestrial radio (“The Vault”).

In addition to playing music 24/7, DJGreyhound Radio offers three weekly programming segments for Shird’s “Radio Friends”, a phrase he prefers over “listeners”. One segment is a Motown Monday Lunch Hour that features an hour-long block of music from Motown and its subsidiary labels. The segment airs every Monday at 12noon eastern. Another segment is the DJGreyhound Radio Groove, a two-hour retro dance party music block that features top 40 music from the late 60s to the late 80s in the genres of classic soul, funk, disco, and high energy dance. The segment airs every Saturday evening at 8pm eastern. The third segment is the Retro Oldies Brunch, the station’s cornerstone that revives the listener’s personal connection to music. Each weekend, Shird hosts this nostalgic show that features “The Year That Was”, a music showcase highlighting a random year between 1960 and 1989. Shird provides anecdotes about the artists, songs, and includes briefs on the year’s news events and pop culture. Once a month, a “Special Music Feature” is showcased in lieu of a particular year. The weekend show also includes “Three of a Kind”, a music trivia game that Shird occasionally used as an icebreaker with wedding guests. Shird wraps up each show with music and anecdotes from the “DJGreyhound Radio Vault”. Shird says, “Music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s is frequently used in gaming soundtracks and included in current movies and tv dramas so the show can actually appeal to multiple generations and provide a bit of history behind the songs.” The Retro Oldies Brunch airs at 10am eastern every Saturday and is re-broadcast every Sunday at 10am eastern. Be sure to mark your calendars!

You can access DJGreyhound Radio through https://www.djgreyhound.com or directly through the station’s portal at https://live365.com/station/DJGreyhound-Radio-a30702 on LIVE365 and bookmark it to your favorites. You can follow DJGreyhound Radio on Facebook or Linkedin to get exclusive programming information.

DJGreyhound Radio supports greyhound rescue and adoption efforts.

Vern Shird
DJGreyhound Radio
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