Pat St. John
Encyclopedia
Pat St. John is one of the U.S.'s preeminent and longest serving radio personalities
and voice artists. Known as The Dee-Jay’s DJ, he began his radio career on Windsor, Canada's CKLW in 1969, but is best known for his work in the New York City
market on WPLJ
, WNEW-FM, WCBS-FM
and WAXQ
. He also can also be heard on several Sirius XM Radio channels, and has done extensive television voiceover work, including announcing for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
since 2000.
St. John is known for his conversational on-air style with interspersed bits of music trivia, along with "Collectible Cuts" from his extensive record library.
. His last Detroit job was at the ABC
-owned album-oriented rock
(AOR) station WRIF
from 1971 until 1973.
in 1983, and during that era, he was rated by Arbitron
as the city's top-rated afternoon disc jockey.
He left WPLJ in 1987, and returned to his rock roots on WNEW-FM, which had been WPLJ's rival during its AOR years. He became the station's program director for a short period in the early 1990s, and remained with the station until it switched to a hot talk format in 1999.
in Detroit for years.
St. John began his involvement with Sirius Satellite Radio in 1998. Following the service's launch in 2002, he was heard on such channels as '60s Vibrations
, The Vault
, and SIRIUS Blues
, where he has served as format manager. Since Sirius' merger with former rival XM
in 2008, he can be heard on The 50s on 5
, Deep Tracks
, and Bluesville.
He returned to New York radio in 2002 on WNEW's sister oldies station WCBS-FM. In 2004, he moved to WAXQ where he stayed until 2006. In July 2007, he returned to the reincarnated WCBS-FM, where his regular airshift is on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. In February 2008, St. John replaced Howard Cogan as the pre-recorded voice of the Jack
character on WCBS-FM-HD2 and its web stream at ilikejack.com.
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
and voice artists. Known as The Dee-Jay’s DJ, he began his radio career on Windsor, Canada's CKLW in 1969, but is best known for his work in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
market on WPLJ
WPLJ
WPLJ is a radio station in New York City owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC inside 2 Penn Plaza in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building. The station currently plays a Hot Adult...
, WNEW-FM, WCBS-FM
WCBS-FM
WCBS-FM is a CBS-owned radio station in New York City. The station's studios are in the combined CBS Radio facility at 345 Hudson Street in Manhattan, and its transmitter is located on the Empire State Building....
and WAXQ
WAXQ
WAXQ is a radio station with a classic rock format in New York City. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-WFDR:...
. He also can also be heard on several Sirius XM Radio channels, and has done extensive television voiceover work, including announcing for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest is a television program that airs every New Year's Eve on ABC. It has been hosted by Dick Clark since its first airing on Sunday, December 31, 1972. Ryan Seacrest has been the program's co-host since the December 31, 2005 telecast...
since 2000.
St. John is known for his conversational on-air style with interspersed bits of music trivia, along with "Collectible Cuts" from his extensive record library.
Early years in Detroit
St. John was born in Detroit and was raised on the music of Motown. In 1969, at the age of 18, he landed his first gig as a radio personality on Windsor's CKLW, and the following year he moved across the border to WKNRWKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
. His last Detroit job was at the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-owned album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
(AOR) station WRIF
WRIF
WRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
from 1971 until 1973.
WPLJ and WNEW years
In 1973, St. John began a 15-year stint at New York's WPLJ. He survived the station's transition from AOR to top 40Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
in 1983, and during that era, he was rated by Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
as the city's top-rated afternoon disc jockey.
He left WPLJ in 1987, and returned to his rock roots on WNEW-FM, which had been WPLJ's rival during its AOR years. He became the station's program director for a short period in the early 1990s, and remained with the station until it switched to a hot talk format in 1999.
Recent career
After the demise of WNEW's rock format, St. John decided to focus primarily on his voiceover career. He has been the announcer for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in 2000, and continues to do voiceovers for commercials. He was the voice of WXYZ-TVWXYZ-TV
WXYZ-TV, channel 7, is an ABC-affiliated television station in Detroit, Michigan, USA. WXYZ-TV is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company, and is the media company's largest-market TV station property...
in Detroit for years.
St. John began his involvement with Sirius Satellite Radio in 1998. Following the service's launch in 2002, he was heard on such channels as '60s Vibrations
'60s Vibrations
'60s Vibrations was a '60s music channel on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 6 and Dish Network channel 6006. Unlike its counterpart at XM Satellite Radio, The 60s on 6, it was not exactly decade-specific; rather, its musical focus was on the years 1964-69, a period in which the British Invasion,...
, The Vault
The Vault (Sirius)
The Vault was a classic rock music channel that aired on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 16 and Dish Network channel 6016. The channel was officially dropped on November 12, 2008 because of the Sirius-XM merger, and replaced by XM's Deep Tracks....
, and SIRIUS Blues
SIRIUS Blues
SIRIUS Blues was a Blues radio station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 74 and DISH Network channel 6074. The channel was scrapped on November 12, 2008 as part of the Sirius/XM merger, replaced by the similar XM Satellite Radio channel, B. B. King's Bluesville.-External links:* *...
, where he has served as format manager. Since Sirius' merger with former rival XM
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
in 2008, he can be heard on The 50s on 5
The 50s on 5
The '50s on 5 is a commercial-free, satellite radio station on the Sirius XM Radio platform. It plays mostly Top 40 pop, doo wop, and rock and roll hits from the 1950s and early '60s, although they occasionally play historically signifficant songs from the late '40s and mid '60s...
, Deep Tracks
Deep Tracks
Deep Tracks is a Sirius XM Radio channel featuring deep cuts of classic rock music, which encompasses lesser known album tracks, one-hit wonders, concert recordings, "forgotten 45s" and "B-side" tracks. The channel's format resembles progressive rock radio of the early 1970s.Earle Bailey is Deep...
, and Bluesville.
He returned to New York radio in 2002 on WNEW's sister oldies station WCBS-FM. In 2004, he moved to WAXQ where he stayed until 2006. In July 2007, he returned to the reincarnated WCBS-FM, where his regular airshift is on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. In February 2008, St. John replaced Howard Cogan as the pre-recorded voice of the Jack
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
character on WCBS-FM-HD2 and its web stream at ilikejack.com.