1968... As a high school student and FM DJ on 91.5 FM in York County, Virginia - John Heimerl pointed a Radio Shack antenna east at Norfolk, trying to receive “The Sounds of Life” with George Kello on WRVC 102.9. WRVC became progressive WOWI. Barely receiving the signal, he hoped that one day the new Progressive WOWI would get “more power to the people”, and finally, it did. He was amazed at the sound of progressive rock music and the people who played it. In 1973, he made his way down to Norfolk to visit afternoon DJ Rollie Bristol. The station then originated from a copper-covered wooden box that was WOWI’s second studio. literally in a storage area behind an old Colley Avenue store-front. Spending an afternoon with Rollie helping pull music from the floor, he knew what he wanted to do. That taste of progressive radio was never forgotten. In five years John was program director of WMYK-94 and Zam-1110: 50,000 watts AM, and 100,000 watts FM. By the late 70's, it was one of the most listened-to rock stations in the Central East Coast.
After a 50-year career of programming and technology at calls such as WYCS, WCWM, WRAR, WQRK, WMYK, WZAM, WCMS, WFLI, WJTT, WHYW, WRXL, WKHK and WHRO/WHRV - in retirement John enjoys family, antique vehicles and keeping progressive music alive through altradio.
