It is believed that Al was born on April 17, 1934. The native of Gloversville, New York came to Hartford to attend Trinity College (Class of 1956). An article in the Sunday Herald on August 19, 1956 referred to him as announcer Allan Shortal. An ad in the same newspaper on January 6, 1957 indicates Al Schaertel and WPOP's Bruce Douglas shared duties playing Hartford's Top 40 Tunes weekday afternoons from 1:45 to 5:00 p.m. A Hartford Courant item published on February 16, 1957 said Al hosted the Wax Works Top 40 Review. His radio career was interrupted by a stint with the U.S. Air Force, where he attained the rank of captain.

Later, Allan had a lengthy news career with ABC, Radio Free Europe and the Armed Forces Network. In March 1969 he joined the news staff at WJAS in Pittsburgh and, later, did fill-in at KQV News. Al became a stock broker and did business reports for the Associated Press Radio Network.

Alan Robert Schaertel was living in Grand Rapids, MI when he died on September 25, 2019.

WYBC, the student-run station at Yale University, is where Boom-Boom got his first radio experience. WPOP is where he got his second, replacing Lance Christian on the Saturday and Sunday midday shifts.

His current whereabouts are unknown.

During most of his time at WPOP, Bob hosted the Connecticut Ballroom from 3:00-8:00PM featuring pop records, but he started as a part-time weekend jock. Incidentally, Connecticut Ballroom was established when WPOP was known as WONS in November 1951!

In a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt, Bob locked himself inside of WPOP's 600 Asylum Street studios on Sunday, January 11, 1959 and played the Children's Marching Song for 12 hours, supposedly in order to get a full-time job. General manager Phil Zoppi and station advisor Ken Cooper played the stunt with a straight face even when 300 Trinity College students marched en masse to the studios demanding some other music be played. Hartford police sent 20 cops to break up the rally and Bob's place on the fulltime staff was secured.

After WPOP, Bob worked at WEXT West Hartford, CT, and later at WHAY in Farmington.

Bob lives in Stuart, Florida (e-mail); see his note (1/7/10).

Born Walter John Huss, the man known to Connecticut listeners as John Scott grew up in Wethersfield but got his first radio experience at WPAC in Patchogue, Long Island. John got his first Hartford radio job at WDRC FM. Dan Clayton hired him from there to take over the overnight show from Gary Girard. He was replaced by Bob Branigan (#2).

John's radio career took him to WNHC New Haven, CT; WTHE Mineola, NY; CKLW Detroit, MI; WCBS FM New York, NY; WWYZ Waterbury, CT; KDES Palm Springs, CA; KHTX Riverside, CA; KDHI FM/KQYN AM Twentynine Palms, CA.

John lived in southern California, working as a digital editor, producer and voice talent at Cold Call Cowboy Productions; he died May 26, 2005 at the age of 62. See his note. (7/30/01)

John worked at WPOP twice, on either side of a stay at WLAN Lancaster, PA; he also worked at stations in Atlantic City, NJ and KINT in El Paso, TX before joining WPOP for the all-night show. But he was no stranger to Connecticut, having been born in Avon. He graduated from Avon Old Farms School and attended Rennselear Polytechnic Institute and local universities. After his second stint at WPOP John worked at WDEE in New Haven and was program director when it changed call letters to WCDQ in the fall of 1967.

Bob Paiva remembers John's terrific pipes got him a weekend position at WABC New York, but he was let go after only a couple of weeks.

John Homer Sherman II died on January 26, 1973 in New Haven; he was 28.

Sheldon Sunny Shores was born in Pennsylvania and graduated from Cheltenham High School and Temple University. He worked as a deejay in his hometown on Wyncote. Lou Morton brought him to Hartford from WAMS Wilmington, DE. His shift was Sunday nights from 7:30-10:00PM. He was often heard filling in on other shifts. For several months in 1971 there was lots of motion on WPOP's midnight-6:00AM shift. Bobby Rivers left March 14th, replaced by Bill Coffey, who moved to a daytime shift in July and was replaced by Ric O'Connor. When O'Connor moved to middays in January, 1972 Shores took over the overnight shift. Sunny was famous for his "flip-a-nickel" weather forecasts.

Shores moved on to WLEE in Richmond, VA where he was reunited with WPOP music director Bob Paiva. In 1974 he moved to Florida doing weekends at WINZ Miami and WFTL Ft. Lauderdale through 1981. After obtaining a Master's Degree in Education, Sunny became a high school teacher in Sunrise, Florida where he founded student station WKPX. In 1985 Sunny headed west to California, where he was chairman of the math department at San Jose High School. In 2013 he returned to Pennsylvania and lived in his family home.

Sunny died on September 12, 2020 in Wyncote, PA; he was 72 (2/9/23).

Thomas Green Shovan was born in Concord, New Hampshire on October 6, 1939. He began his radio career at the age of 15 at WKXL in Concord, NH and worked at various New England stations (including WSMN Nashua. NH; WKBR & WFEA Manchester, NH; WJAB Portland/ Westbrook, ME; WKBK Keene, NH; WTSA Brattleboro, VT) before landing at WMEX in Boston. Hired away from WDOT in Burlington, VT., Tom joined WPOP as production manager and occasionally did on-air shifts. An item in Billboard Magazine (January 14, 1967) read:

"Tom Shovan, formerly with WPOP, Hartford, Conn., has joined WPTR, Albany, NY, and is billed as the world's largest deejay."

Tom left Hartford for the night-time on-air shift at WPTR Albany, NY. In 1968 Tom became vice president of operations for the Star Group (WKIP) in Poughkeepsie, NY, later programming WHVW in nearby Hyde Park, NY. In 1970 he bought WFIF in Milford, CT. Tom later worked in promotions for a record company owned by singer Wayne Newton. After several years in Los Angeles, Shovan moved to New York where he ran C.R.N. Media Inc., which distributed syndicated radio programs. He was editor of PULSE, an industry trade publication and distributed syndicated programs like Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 and Dr. Laura Schlessinger.

Tom died in New York on April 9, 1999 at the age of 59.

Born on August 24, 1943, Gilmore LaMar Simms was one of Connecticut's most colorful - and controversial - disc jockeys. A veteran of WTMA and WONO in Charleston, WLOF Orlando,and a station in Phoenix, Simms arrived in Hartford fresh from a legal skirmish in San Antonio. He and WPOP's Woody Roberts worked at KONO and both resigned to go to cross-town rival KTSA in April, 1966. KONO went to court and got an injunction to keep them off the air within 50 miles for 18 months. Woody settled into morning drive at WPOP and he installed Lee to replace Ken Griffin (who jumped ship to WDRC a month later) from 7:00PM-midnight.

After reading a pimple cream commercial during his first show, Lee unleashed a tirade of angry calls when he described how terrible it is to get close to your girl only to have a zit pop. A Hartford Courant article a month after Simms hit town described him as "the crazy new WPOP disc jockey who doesn't like anything (including Hartford)." A Hartford Times article on January 13, 1967 quoted Lee's feelings about Hartford:

"He dislikes it 'intensely.' He thinks the kids 'dress like slobs.' He says the people are 'impolite.' On the air he contends, 'I'm rude and crude and impolite because you are....'".

Lee was the first to call downtown Hartford's new Constitution Plaza Constipation Plaza. He was arrested for telling his listeners to go there and have a snowball fight. Simms was famous for breaking the music format, going off on lengthy tirades.

When he left WPOP in 1967 he went right back to KTSA in San Antonio, later returning to KONO. Lee briefly returned to WPOP in December 1967 through January, 1968 to host 6:00-9:00PM. Point of Hartford radio trivia...Lee's last on-air appearance in Hartford was during the kickoff of WRCQ AM's oldies format on September 21, 1974.

His career path took on a Rand McNally quality with stops (some brief) at WKYC and WGCL Cleveland; KCBQ San Diego; WJBK Detroit; back to KCBQ; KRLA Pasadena; KROQ Los Angeles; WMYQ and WLVE Miami; KMET Los Angeles; back to KRLA as Matthew Frail; KPRQ Santa Rosa; KFOG San Francisco; KDUK and KORL Honolulu; KYA FM San Francisco; KOOL Phoenix; KISQ San Francisco and a simultaneous run on WUBT Chicago via syndication. In 2005 Lee retired from radio to a hilltop overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Lee was fighting cancer when he took his own life on January 28, 2015; he was 71 (2/9/15).

A graduate of WJPD Marquette, MI, WTOD Toledo, OH and WTRX in Flint, MI, Jim initially did a split shift on WPOP: 5:00-6:00AM (possibly pre-recorded), and 10:00AM-noon. He was also program director. A Cash Box magazine article published December 28, 1963 said that Jim's duties included "producing the syndicated 'Mad Daddy' show for the station."

Jim left WPOP to join the creative staff at MARS Broadcasting, a Stamford firm which produced production aids (like comedy drop-ins and contests) for radio stations. In April 1965 he returned to WTRX in Flint as program director, before moving on to WCOL in Columbus, OH.

For many years Jim has been a patient at a V.A. hospital, possibly in Massachusetts.

Paul grew up in Boston and put in his time on a Navy destroyer, the U.S.S. The Sullivans. After his military service, he drove a friend to an audition at Bill Savitt's WCCC in Hartford and ended up getting the job himself! He was known as Paul Scott.

He was WPOP's morning show host from 6:00-10:00AM but had a little trouble adapting to the early hours. So program director Del Raycee switched him to the news department. After Hartford, Paul did news at WMEX in Boston. Based on the experience he gained on WPOP's Pulse Beat News team, he later spent many years as news anchor at WINS in New York. He retired in 1995 after 30 years at WINS.

Paul (Saul Louis Stockman) died on April 4, 2021 at the age of 90. (5/12/21)

Born in Woodbridge. NJ, Ray was a three-sport man in college (baseball, football & basketball). While in the U.S. Army, he won Uncle Sam's welterweight boxing title. His first radio post was a three-year stint as a sportscaster in Augusta, GA; he was the color man for University of Georgia football. Next, he moved north to New Jersey, where he did play-by-play for Rutgers University baseball and basketball games. He also worked for WDHN FM in New Brunswick. Not surprisingly, his hobbies included golf and swimming. Ray also logged time at WMMM in Westport, CT and WRFC in Athens, GA before becoming WPOP's Tune Tycoon. He held down the night shift from 7:00PM-midnight, and later 9:00PM-1:00AM. During the day Ray managed the record department at Newberry's Department Store in Hartford. In January 1962 Ray was appointed program director.

After WPOP he worked at WHCT TV (Ch. 18) in Hartford, WHAY in Farmington and WINF Radio in Manchester. He later bought WATP in Marion and WKYB in Hemingway, both SC. He later owned WHYZ in Greenville, SC..

Raymond A. Somers died in Greenville on March 6, 2020 at the age of 96 (7/5/21).

Born Jim Hicks on January 25, 1943 in Lockport, NY, this WPOP favorite got his start in radio at South San Francisco High School in 1959-60 when he and a friend built an unlicensed radio station. He spent five years in the U.S. Army. While serving in Korea, he built a country alternative to AFKN. After his stint with Uncle Sam, he played the professional bowling circuit for a couple of years and worked in real estate before landing a gig at KMSL in Ukiah, CA. His next stop was at KLIV in San Jose. He arrived in Hartford as Scott St. James to replace Mike Greene in afternoon drive. He usually used just his last name on the air and made it a point to travel to high schools to get to know the kids who listened to his show. St. James even gave out his home phone number on the air (224-9300). He opened each show with a train whistle, and the words "the Saint James Express is smoking." When Bill Love left for Louisville in August, 1971, St. James took over his morning drive shift. His partner in crime was fellow sports fan Lou Morton. Their frequent guest was then-Hartford Mayor George Athanson. Incidentally, he wasn't WPOP's only Jim Hicks; click here for details on the other.

Scott left Hartford for St. Louis where he worked at KKSS, KSD and KMOX. His next stop was Los Angeles where he worked for many years at KHJ TV, KMPC, KFI and KCBS FM. He also appeared in numerous TV and film roles. During 2004-2005 Scott did sports talk at KTRS in St. Louis. He then returned to California.

Scott died at the Primrose Senior Care Home in Caonga Park, CA on December 17, 2018 a month shy of his 76th birthday. (12/18/18)

The Real Neal Steele is from Donora, PA and studied at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He had the misfortune of being hired two months before WPOP dropped music for the all-news format in June, 1975. After logging time at WLOB in Portland, ME, he moved on to WHVW Hyde Park, NY and was hired to replace The Rock & Roll Pig on WPOP's night shift.

Neal later worked at WGH Norfolk, VA.

Neal does morning drive at XTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA, play-by-play sports at WLQM in Franklin, VA and is the track announcer at Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA (e-mail). (7/12/20)

Born July 17, 1949 in Malverne, NY, Charley graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, IL in 1971. He was a member of the WPOP News department and was instrumental in launching the station's switch from music to all-news in June, 1975. He began his broadcast career in 1969 at WIRL in Peoria, IL while still in school. His first sports broadcast was at KSTT in Davenport, IA. He arrived at WAVZ New Haven, CT as news director in 1972.

After Hartford, he moved to Cleveland, working at WERE Radio and WKYC TV. In 1978 he landed a morning news and sports gig at WXLO New York. Later he worked both at the RKO Radio Network, WOR and WABC in New York. He also did major league baseball play-by-play as a SportsCenter anchor on ESPN and play-by-play man for the New York Yankess from 2002-2004.

Charley calls balls and strike for the Los Angeles Dodgers (e-mail). On Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago. (6/28/13)

Born on July 27, 1929 in Worcester, MA Dick spent three years in the Army between 1950-53 while attending Boston University. In 1953 he was news director of WBSM New Bedford, MA. In 1958 he left WEOK Poughkeepsie to join WWCO in Waterbury. In 1960 he moved to WNHC in New Haven as a utility jock; in 1963 he moved across town to WAVZ. Dick was hired as a utility man at WPOP from WDEE Hamden, CT, where he served as program director. Initially he hosted a noon-3:00PM music show, plus worked in promotions. Later he spent the week doing news at WPOP using the name Dick Beech; on Sundays he hosted 12:00 noon-4:00PM (and later 10:00AM-1:00PM) music shifts as Dick Stephens.

He briefly hosted morning drive between the departure of Roy Cooper and the arrival of Kilroy.

After leaving The Good Guys worked at WKOX FM Framingham, WEEI Boston, back to WKOX, WAAB Worcester and WBSM New Bedford, MA.

Richard Stephen Bunnewith passed away on October 16, 1982 at the age of 53; see his daughter's note (5/21/02).

Fred was born in Hartford on January 1, 1934. His radio career began with play-by-play of the Southington Little League when he was a kid. His first professional job was in 1953 at the old WHAY and WRCH in Farmington where he was known as Frederick Your Night Watchman. A colleague described him this way: "Never saw anyone work harder to put a daily evening radio show together."

His WPOP duty was in the newsroom during the station's post-music, all-news days, after which he worked at WDRC in Hartford, WBIS in Bristol, and a long stint at WJMJ, the Diocese of Hartford station when it was located in Bloomfield. He retired in 2004.

Oscar (Fred) Swanson died in Bristol on October 18, 2013; he was 79. (10/22/13)

Born in Baltimore on November 5, 1938, John graduated from Trinity College on June 8, 1962. He started as a reporter at WPOP First Person News and replaced Al Benick as news director in 1964. Under the ownership of Joseph C. Amaturo, the leadership of station manager Leland W. Bickford, and John's tutelage, the station provided morning and afternoon drive time highway reports via helicopter presided over by Captain Ken Knudsen. In those days the station also offered live play-by-play of Charter Oaks football games.

In the spring of 1966 John was appointed news director at WNHC AM/FM/TV in New Haven and later worked at stations in New York.

John Laughlin Swope III died in Branford on January 10, 2006; he was 67 (7-5-21).