I was so stunned and saddened when I heard the news that Doug Hoerth died on Wednesday. I loved listening to him, and at times, talking to him whenever I had the opportunity to. Like you, I listened to him religiously. I heard a lot about Uncle Dougie from his years at WTAE Radio. But I never had the chance to listen to him frequently until late 2004, by accident.
In late 2004, I started a morning/early afternoon job at the Mellon Bank Client Services Center Downtown. And at work, I started listening to Jack Bogut on WJAS. However, as if it were a godsend, when Mr. Bogut was on vacation, I turned the dial to WPTT. And that is when I first heard Doug. And I continued to listen to his talk show, and eventually his oldies show on WJAS, for the next 3 years!
I loved the fact that he brought all of his callers, and all of his listeners from all walks of life together. Especially since he constantly mentioned to his audience that he couldn't stand then President George W. Bush, and he couldn't live a day without watching Fox News. His show wasn't about politics, his show was about his listeners coming together despite their differences in politics, religion, etc. and have a great time hearing his stories of his storied career, and at times his personal life. It was the stories about his personal life that made me laugh day, after day. Not to mention, it was his stories about his personal life that made me listen to him day, after day, knowing that he was my escape for the trials, turmoil and tragedies of our modern day society.
I was so hooked on Uncle Dougie, that I was a frequent listener of his Rockin' Oldies show Sunday nights on WJAS. For Uncle Dougie, it was like he was, forget a kid in a candy store, he felt like a kid who lived in a candy store! And I too felt like a kid who lived in a candy store! Even though the music that he played, songs from the 1950′s and early 1960′s, I wanted to also escape the trials, turmoil and tragedies of modern day music, by simply going back in time to an era when music was music. Nothing more, nothing less. One time in the summer of 2005, I brought my little hand AM/FM radio with me to Kennywood, so I could listen to his Sunday night oldies show while in line waiting to ride some rides, and while I was eating there. And I loved listening to his oldies show so much, I actually listened to his show, believe it or not, aboard the Racer at Kennywood! I also loved it when he ended his oldies show honoring some of the people who influenced his love for original rock n' roll music. People like the Big Bopper, Lou Gossett (Sr.) and Alan Freed. And he honored Alan Freed by saying the same line to close his show, that Alan closed his. He said; “Thank you so much for listening, bless each and every one of you all, and…. GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY!”
I honored Uncle Dougie, a person who I frequently called on during his daily talk show on WPTT, and oldies show on WJAS, by putting a painting of Doug in the studio as a profile picture on my fan page on facebook.On the 4th of July in 2005, myself, and one of my friends, had the great honor of meeting Mr. Hoerth before he broadcasted his talk show on WPTT live from Point State Park on our way to of all places, the Pirates-Phillies game at PNC Park. He once referred to PNC Park as; “An awesome baseball park, with an awful baseball team!” I can't remember in detail what he said in terms of my brief conversation with him, but I remember his approach to meeting the people who listened to him on a consistent basis was like the approach of another well-known Pittsburgh celebrity, and friend and colleague near and dear to Pittsburgh's heart and soul that last January, like Uncle Dougie this January, left us to soon, Yvonne Zanos.
On Mr. Hoerth's facebook wall, I wrote this about his last day on the air in 2007:
December 7th, 2007, the REAL day Doug Hoerth died. The day that his radio show, and his career, were over. There will never, ever, be another person, host or human being that was as talented, smart, funny, hilarious and loving like Uncle Dougie.
The death of Doug Hoerth was the death of the greatest era in Pittsburgh radio, with the most elite array of talented talk show hosts in the nation, including Mr. Hoerth. I will always remember him as one of the greatest people to ever live the life of a great american hero. For Doug Hoerth was one of my heroes. And if you ask me, I hope I speak on behalf of every fan who loved, and listened to him when I say, as long as you have the great memories of Uncle Dougie, a part of Uncle Dougie will live on in all of us. R.I.P. Uncle Dougie.
♥ Co-Frequent Caller/Listener,
Robert Hester
