Michael Tearson

 

Michael Tearson, who does a terrific show on Friday nights on the local Burlington College radio station, used to be a DJ at WMMR, where AOR - Album Oriented Rock was first introduced by Dave Herman(?) in the mid-60s.

I met Michael through Bill Vitka, the News Director at MMR when it was the Number 1 radio station in the country, as well as Philadelphia. I worked with Vitka on a number of stories - the biggest being the use of prisoners for testing of drugs by the Army and University of Penn professors, including Dr. Kligman, who tested dioxin.

I sat next to Michael at Vitka's wedding and got Michael to be the Master of Ceremonies at the 75th anniversary of the Flanders on the Ocean City boardwalk, when the late Robert Hazard, the Original Comets and Mike Pedicin, Sr. also performed.

When I was sitting with Tierson at Vitka's wedding, I was surprised to learn that he is a frustrated actor who wanted to be a character actor in movies and TV, with Harry Morgan (MASH) being his Hollywood idol.

His shows on BBC - the Pulse of Burlington County - always have a theme and are always great, full of nostalgia and great tunes.

Vitka moved to California where I hooked up with him in San Francisco when I was on the road with Brian in the late 70s, and then again in New York City where Bill is still working as an announcer/reporter with CBS Radio News.