Stan's Bio

The story of a radio junkie who was smart/dumb enough to get out of the business, and has survived without major catastrophe...Stan Davis Potopa's career in the broadcasting/music/production business has spanned over 35 years. The story unfolds...

Stan's interest in using his voice and talent started when he was just a sprout, doing interviews and making fart noises into his dad's old Revere tape recorder. He also had a bent for the technical end of things, repairing (and often breaking) the neighbors' radios & TVs on off-school hours. Remember those big ol' orange GE Tube caddies? Stan still has his! And let's not forget Stan's musical background; those piano, and later trumpet, lessons that reinforced that old adage, "Those who can't do, eventually become producers".

Anyway, at 16 years of age, Stan became an unpaid apprentice at Radio Station WRTA in his hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Hangin' out, gettin' coffee, makin' dubs...learning the basics. Made all the announcements at Bishop Guilfoyle High School, too. Three years later, after a decidedly lackluster freshman year at Bucknell University (spent all his time as Chief Announcer at campus station WVBU), Stan returned, mike in hand, to Altoona, to attend the local campus of Penn State. Shortly thereafter, he was hired at another local station, WVAM as a...you guessed it...full-time part-timer! Here Stan cut his teeth (it really hurt) on the God Squad, the Polka show, weekend airshifts, and all that stuff, and picked up lots of experience. In March of '75, though, it was time to head to University Park, PA, to finish that degree program. It was there that Stan became employed at State College station WMAJ. In case you didn't know, some of the great air, production and news talents of the sixties and seventies came out of lil' ol' WMAJ...guys like John Gehron, who programmed WLS/Chicago in its heyday; Frank Kingston Smith of WABC/New York; Al Resnick, of late Chief of Engineering for ABC Radio; Dan Donavan, one of the original WFIL/Philadelphia "Good Guys"; and many more, all under the tutelage of the legendary Croy Pitzer. For a year-and-a-half, Stan honed his on-air, news and production skills under Pitzer's aegis, working with such talents as the late Doug Flodin, the original voice of Drake-Chenault's XT-40 format; Tod Jeffers, air talent extraordinaire; and Russ Schell, former programming VP at Susquehanna Broadcasting; among others. Stan eventually became Operations Manager (read: babysitter) of automated sister FM WXLR, where he gave San Francisco air personality Jack Kulp his first job.

Well, as cool as it was, the dough wasn't any good. So, amidst a tearful farewell, Stan departed for Parkersburg, West Virginia and station WKYG, where he began a long association with country music. Shortly after his arrival in October 1976, Stan became Music Director of the station. Lured by a few more bucks an hour, Stan migrated across town in 1978 to WADC/WIBZ, where, as Program and Music Director, he initiated a country format on AM, and and AOR (remember that?) format on the FM.

Stan moved back to Altoona late in '79, where he began a five-year association with two old friends: WVAM, which was now a country station, and high-school buddy Tom Riley, who was programming it. As Music Director, along with Riley as PD, Stan turned WVAM into one of the most respected country music stations in the industry, at one time garnering reporting status for all major trade publications. Stan was even honored by Cashbox magazine as Small Market Country Programmer of the Year. (Little known fact: when Stan would hang out in Nashville, he would often write the singles reviews for Cashbox along with the late Tim Stichnoth, then Country Editor of the publication). It was also during this time that Stan became involved in the "music business", working with and producing local artists, and starting his own music publishing concern.

Five years, two owners and a few bounced paychecks later, Stan realized it was time to skedaddle. Sure enough, in October 1983, Stan landed the all-night show on legendary 50,000-watt WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, the home of Jamboree USA and Jamboree in the Hills. Just upon departing WVAM for WWVA, Stan was awarded the first of his two Country Music Association awards for Broadcast Personality of the Year. Later in the year, Stan was presented with a Special Citation by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for his work in broadcasting. WWVA gave Stan a much wider audience, and the opportunity to host the Jamboree, second only to the Grand Ole Opry in longevity of live radio broadcasts. Stan eventually moved to the morning shift, where Arbitron ratings declared him number one overall in the market for two years. In 1985, Stan was awarded the second of his CMA awards for Broadcast Personality of the Year.

In 1987, new owners came in to WWVA, and...well, you know. With a pregnant wife, Stan began a six-month job hunt. Stan took an interim job with...WMAJ in State College as a newsman...on the day his son Stephen was born! He hung out there for three months, then moved back to Altoona again to reside at WFBG for a few years doing middays.

In 1992, the feces hit the oscillating rotor. Stan's wife took the kids and the silverware and moved back with her parents. Two weeks later, WFBG's third owner since Stan was employed decided he didn't fit her mold, and sent him packing. That's when Stan went full circle and took a news job at the place where it all started, WRTA, now a news/talk station.

So, now Stan's wondering...25 years in the business, no retirement, no bennies, $6.50 an hour...what's wrong with this picture? Since he was 16, Stan had been doing the DJ thing, playing records for drunks, derelicts and those persons who get married, and making good money. Recently, he had added karaoke shows to his entertainment conglomerate. So, on January 1, 1994, Stan bit the bullet, and became totally self-employed.

Right now, with the help of God and good friends, Stan's company, PRR Communications is plugging its way through the business world. With DJ and karaoke shows paying the bills (for the most part), Stan has finished his dream project...his own recording studio. Stan's business now also comprises commercial production and voice-over work, music-on-hold productions for telephone systems and the like.

This just in...Stan has been named a lifetime member of the Country Music Association! (3/06)

Stan now resides in his childhood home across the street from his brother, Tom, who, oddly enough, is Program Director and morning personality at Altoona's Rocky 104.9. His spare time is invested in visiting his children, Stephen, 18, and Karolina, 16.

And so it goes...you may write the next chapter...

PRR Communications Home | DJ and Karaoke
PRR Communications Digital Recording Studio | Stan Davis Voice-Over
Music Publishing