TEANECK—If you’ve ever listened to the “Mayor Pete” show on WFDU-FM radio, 89.1 on the dial, you might be surprised to learn that the silky-smooth disc jockey spinning tracks from the 1950s through the ’80s is former Tenafly mayor Peter Rustin, who helmed the Tenafly government for 16 years, ending in 2019.
“Mayor Pete” is just one of WFDU’s newest DJs, though he’s been on the air only for a year or so. And the musical mayor talks about his hometown and Bergen County to keep listeners up to date on area and music happenings.
A nearly half-century Tenafly resident, Rustin was one of nearly two dozen WFDU DJs who met with hundreds of avid listeners and devotees of WFDU’s “retro radio” format on Saturday, March 16 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the FDU Student Union building on the Teaneck campus.
Rustin has two shows on WFDU: on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 a.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
We also spoke with “Mike B.”, another relatively new and popular DJ on the station, who lives in Englewood. Mike B., or Mikey B., as he’s also called, works 1 to 4 p.m. on Fridays, hosting Friday Fun on the station.
If you remember when listening to the radio was the thing to do, and your favorite DJ played your favorite songs, then you are likely already a fan of “retro radio” WFDU-FM, 89.1.
The oldies station held its first meet and greet on March 16, and featured a chance to meet deejays and a community of fellow listeners who still want to hear friendly patter and pop and rock music selections you simply cannot find anywhere else.
Opie, WFDU’s general manager, program director and an on-air host, told us, “It was truly heartwarming to have so many smiling faces on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University. Seeing how much the listeners love and appreciate the radio station and its hosts really means the world to all of the volunteers that work so hard to keep this music on the air. “
The meet and greet was a key driver of the station’s February fundraising drive, where listeners made a donation and got to chat in-person with the station’s DJs, the personalities who add so much to the music that WFDU plays.
Hundreds of listeners jammed the Rutherford Room in FDU’s student center to kibitz, cajole and talk turkey with favorite DJs over musical memories and have a chance to put some faces to the popular DJs they hear regularly.
Moreover, for the DJs, it was a chance to meet and learn a little more about their most loyal listeners, who made a generous donation to attend the event and keep the not-for-profit WFDU-FM station on the air for another year.
Opie had invited Northern Valley Press to attend the fundraiser and interview some “local” DJs and residents living in our coverage area.
(Disclosure: This reporter and his wife guest-DJ’d on Opie’s former Friday afternoon show on June 2, 2023, and had a fantastic hour spinning an eclectic lineup of ’60s and ’70s tunes, made more enjoyable by Opie’s upbeat repartee and musical knowledge.)
DJs: Tenafly’s ‘Mayor Pete’ and Englewood’s Mike B.
Mayor Pete told us, “I started in radio during my college days. During and after college I worked on commercial radio in upstate New York. I then took a 52-year hiatus from radio. In 2023 I cold called the WFDU station manager who graciously asked me to come in and train on the current equipment. A few months later, I hit the airwaves and now have two regular shows.”
He added, “I enjoy playing the music, the soundtrack of my younger days, I truly appreciate the opportunity to share it with my audience. The phone calls and emails are a joy. I continually run into or receive phone calls from Tenafly residents, who reinforce how much they love the music and how cool it is to have their former mayor on the radio. I enjoy highlighting my hometown and my neighbors appreciate it.”
Mayor Pete told us being on the radio adds to his life. “When friends I have not been in touch with for many years call up and tell me that they have heard the show and a friendship is rekindled. Also I’ve had more than one lady call up to thank me for playing a song that was very special to them and their late husbands.”
Mayor Pete said he loves WFDU’s retro format. “WFDU allows their hosts the freedom to play whatever music we wish to play. Each show is different and the format and freedom we have gives us the opportunity to shape our shows in a unique style. Listeners recognize this and appreciate our individuality.”
He added, “I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world; during my college days we talked about the big names in radio and what it must be like to broadcast in large radio markets. WFDU covers the largest radio market (Metro NYC) in the country. It’s a dream job!”
Similar to Mayor Pete, WFDU deejay Mike B. of Englewood was a listener before he got the radio bug. “Most of my radio career has been as a listener. I was never in a studio until seven or eight years ago when I started doing guest DJ gigs at WFDU. My wife saw how much I loved it and suggested I contact the station to see if I could be more involved. Kenny O’Boyle, the station manager at the time, said yes and I started training in December 2022. I went live a few months later, streaming only, then was moved to my Friday FM slot in September 2023.”
Asked about the life of a DJ, Mike B. said, “I love putting together a show, then constantly changing it up, including while on the air. I love that excitement and hopefully the listeners like what I’m doing. I’ve met some shop owners in Englewood that listen to WFDU. They enjoy it as background music. I’ve also bumped into strangers that tell me they listen and enjoy the oldies.”
He said one of his most memorable moments at WFDU was when former station manager) Kenny O’Boyle “crashed” the studio last month—“a crazy surprise and type of homecoming for me. Also when I first started, a few other DJs called to offer their support while I was on the air. Made me feel so good.”
Mike B. told us that he loves “discovering old music I forgot about or maybe never heard. Then putting it together for all to enjoy.” He said what makes it special is “knowing I touch people through eliciting memories,” he added.
The station began broadcasting to the New York Metropolitan area in August 1971 as a result of a concerted effort for its establishment by the administration of Fairleigh Dickinson University and enthusiastic FDU students. “Following negotiations with New York University and the FCC, an agreement was reached for the two universities to share the 89.1 dial position on the FM band.”
It adds that its broadcast signal has a 50-mile radius of its transmitter which is located within the historic Armstrong Field Lab in Alpine. “The AFL is the site of the world’s first FM station, W2XMN, built by the creator of FM technology, Major Edwin Howard Armstrong. WFDU-FM’s range covers the New York City metropolitan area including Long Island and Southern Connecticut. And, with an increase in antenna height and the power rise to 3000 kW, WFDU-FM will have a potential reach to 8.2 million people.”
Northern Valley Listens: Harrington Park, Englewood Cliffs
Harrington Park’s Gary Reinfried told us, “I enjoy the interaction of the DJs and the diversity each one brings to their programs. It’s more about the ‘oldies genre’ than any particular artist.”
He said one of his memorable moments was when his son was on WFDU. “I was a proud papa when my son Kyle did a one-hour guest DJ slot on Kenny O’Boyle’s show,” he said, adding he “enjoys listening to a local station with down-to-earth DJs.”
He said he rarely requests songs but his favorite request was probably “One Fine Morning” by Lighthouse.
Englewood Cliffs resident Jill Bloch told us, “They play oldies music that no one else plays and there are no commercials … It’s great music to exercise to in the mornings.”
She said her favorite artists she hears regularly on WFDU are the Monkees, Paul Revere & The Raiders, and Herman’s Hermits.
She said, “My favorite DJs are Mayor Pete and Opie,” and noted that “the songs they play bring back memories of growing up.”
She said a favorite moment with WFDU was when Mayor Pete played Tommy Roe’s “Sweet Pea” for her dog, Clementine, whose nickname is Sweet Pea.
The event featured WFDU’s retro-radio hosts such as Big Al, Bob Konig, Bob Morris, Brian Norton, Duff Sheffield, Gale Martin, Ian Ranzer, Jack Pignatello, Jacqui Phillips, Jay Wright, Judy Sheffield, Marc Brodsky, Mark Daniels, Mike B., Michael Phillips, Ryan Vincent, Opie, Steve Nicholas, and Mayor Pete.
Also on hand were WFDU specialty show hosts Ghosty, Ron Olesko, Del Gaudio, Robert Harrison, Freddy Hernandez, Bill Hill, and Elaine Rivers.
