Bus Stop
Billtown Bus Stop Radio Hour
The Billtown Bus Stop Radio Hour was a weekly radio show that ran two years (1/5/09 to 1/3/11) on WVYA 89.7FM in Williamsport, PA. It was hosted by recording artist, producer and singer-songwriter Johnny J. Blair. He said, "The focus of the Radio Hour was on music created locally or that has a local connection. Most of the music aired reflected goings-on in Williamsport and surrounding areas, with an emphasis on Americana, hip-hop, jazz, pop/rock, psychedelia, punk, world music, and any visionary music that fits, from tango to techno. There was also a mix of humor, spoken word artists, and 'theatre of the mind'.
"One subtext of the program was the 'Six Degrees of Separation' philosophy. No one is really a total stranger. Everyone is separated from someone else by only six degrees. For example, I booked a guest that provided a connection between Williamsport, John Coltrane, and Sponge Bob by only five degrees!"
The WVYA studio is located in downtown Williamsport inside the Community Arts Center, which sits near a bus stop. "Hence the name of the show," said Blair. "You never know who might get off the bus."
During the two year run, guests included a range of regional music acts as well as world-renowned artists such as Beyondo (Imogen Heap, Sinead O'Connor), Mike Garson (David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins) and ex-Monkee Davy Jones. Non-musical guests included Mayor Gabriel Campana, editor-journalist Richard James, and author Joseph Smith III.
Blair www.johnnyjblair.com is currently performing and recording his own music projects, but hopes these links will be visited as a tribute to Williamsport arts and entertainment history.
