PERSONAL BIO: ART VUOLO, JR.
In 1985, a leading trade paper, Radio & Records, dubbed
Art Vuolo as "Radio's Best Friend."
Art Vuolo (pronounced Vo-Low), Jr. is actively involved in radio, television,
video production and journalism. He is a 1969 graduate of Eastern Michigan
University with a B.S. degree in speech. In his senior year at EMU he developed
the concept of RADIOGUIDES designed for people who travel. Since 1972 his
company has published over 100 million such guides directing listeners to their
favorite programming. He has worked with many of the nation's most prestigious
companies and radio stations. Today, he is president of the company he founded: The RADIOGUIDE People,
Inc.
Art first lived in Newark, NJ, spent 11 of his "wonder years" in Indianapolis,
IN (where
his passion for radio began) and has been a resident of Michigan since August of 1962. He
got into radio by assisting the late Jim Shelton who (at that time) was
Indiana's best known radio personality at 1070/WIBC in Indianapolis.
With the advent of home video in early 1976, Art was one of the first to
purchase a Sony Betamax VCR. In 1981 he was a guest on a dozen radio and TV talk
shows regarding the subject and was a columnist for the first home video
magazine known as Videophile. In 1979 he took his love of both radio and video and
combined them into "Vuolo Video Air-Chex." They are video field trips into the
studios of many of America's best radio stations for an educational and often
very entertaining inside perspective. It is a whole new way to LOOK at radio!
His tapes are in several museums and have been featured at countless
radio conventions!
Today, he maintains one of, if not the largest, video library in the country of
radio-related video.
In 1985 Radio & Records called him "Radio's Best Friend" and he has
been known by that moniker ever since. However, the first person to use
that "handle" was famous radio programmer and personality Scott Shannon in the
late 1970's while at WQXI in Atlanta, GA. Fellow DJ John Leader, who today
is among the top voice-over talents in the USA, picked up on it and used it
while writing the Street Talk column in R&R.
Art has written about radio for local newspapers, websites and national trade
publications, and currently writes for the Daily Oakland Press in the Detroit
area. He is married to the work he loves. He has severe workaholic tendencies
and seemingly works 25 hours a day, assisting all of those seeking his
help. Art lives and works in Novi, MI a northwest suburb of Detroit.
He was made a lifetime member of the Ypsilanti Area Jaycees, was the 2001
recipient of the prestigious Rockwell Award by The Conclave in Minnespolis, and has helped
countless people get into the broadcasting business. Art Vuolo, Jr. is a one-man
walking campaign for the radio industry who actually believes that honesty, and
being nice to people, is still in vogue.
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Nice words from Tom Kent
This note was written in 2006 by my friend Tom Kent, who is a legendary radio
personality and record company executive. He's worked at some of
America's best stations from WLS in Chicago to KLIF in Dallas and WHBQ in
Memphis! It has not been posted as a
form of public adoration, but rather because of it's sincere content. We
all like to know that what we do is appreciated and these words touched me
deeply.
It's early Sunday morning and I'm
killing time on this crazy Internet prior to getting ready for church.
I came across Scott Childer's WLS site. I'm looking at all the
pictures...
and there I am looking young and cool...and look, it's Art Vuolo
with John Gehron.
Suddenly without warning, it
hit me like a brick wall.... reality! The river of time continues to
move with it's absolute certainty and along that river are the memories we
cherish. I'm thankful this morning for you Art. Whoever coined
the phrase "radio's best friend" absolutely nailed it. You
have been there with your camera and your smile for a very long time.
I think I speak for the entire radio industry when I say this. You are
loved...you are appreciated! Maybe we don't take the time to say it
often enough but it needs to be said and it needs to be said often.
Two words my friend. Thank you. Thank you for putting those sign
posts along that river of time so we can all take a glimpse back.
Without those sign posts, we are doomed to lose our way as we travel down
that river.
May I say this? You have
become an inspiration to a generation of radio fans and friends who love
this business and who are amazed at how one life can impact so many.
Your unselfish generosity with not only capturing a part of history
with this great industry but your unwavering personal sacrifice in support
of so many of us personally, make you a friend indeed. Thank you for
being "radio's best friend."
Tom
Kent
Cleveland, OH
Click here
to read Art's R&R Profile!
E-mail Art Vuolo
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