This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948. To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.
Many of the earlier personalities that were hired on at WBVP were colorful characters. Joe Grazan was no exception. Grazan was brought aboard shortly after the radio station went on the air in 1948. Grazan hosted many different shows and was a popular announcer from the early days of WBVP. Ken Brittten wrote about Joe Grazan’s role at WBVP in the recently published book , Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA. Britten writes: “Joe Grazan was also added to the staff and did the afternoon “Music Beat” program in addition to ‘Ranch BVP’, one of the earliest country western shows in the tri-state district.”
Bill Day is the current C.E.O. at Saint Barnabas Health System, but worked with Joe Grazan at WBVP in the mid to late 1950’s. The following is another excerpt from from Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA. “According to Bill Day, Grazan was quite a character, who also held down a sales position at Montgomery Ward’s Department Store located near the station on Seventh Avenue in Beaver Falls. Reportedly, Grazan would run down the stairs and up the street to the store showroom and try to sell an appliance or two, and then try and sprint back to the station, about a block away, before the song he was playing ended. Day added that this practice didn’t last long once management caught on. Day chuckled as he reminisced about another occasion when Grazan was promoting a dance to be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Brodhead Hotel in Beaver Falls. As often happens in the world of broadcasting when things are done quickly, sometimes preparation before going on the air was slightly overlooked. Grazan fell victim to this practice and stumbled over his words, transposing them, so to speak. According to Day, in a broadcast that probably happened in the late 50’s on WBVP, Grazan proudly announced that there was going to be a big dance “At The Bald Head Broad Room in Beaver Falls.”
Back in the day, Billboard Magazine would publish a section that included news and announcements from radio stations from all over the United States. Periodically, station news from WBVP would appear in the weekly publication. A Billboard Magazine issue from July 9, 1955 included a story about activities at WBVP that read: “Hillbillie talent from WBVP , Beaver Falls, PA, was featured nightly at the week long Beaver County Exposition held in Beaver Falls. WBVP’s Deejays, ‘Albuquerque Al Hallaman’ and ‘Jolly Joe Grazan’, handled the emcee duties, with the show line up including Roy Ziegler and his Range Riders, Skip Sommerville and his Blue Sky Mountaineers and the Valley Boys.”
From the stories that still circulate today, Grazan was a delightful handful for station management. He was a creative, high energy individual who seemed to push the envelope on occasion, but is still very fondly remembered for his days at WBVP.
“70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by Abbey Carpet and Floor, Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County, Farmers Building and Savings Bank, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, The Health Huts, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency, Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins
