Reisman Show marks 45 years

Barry Reisman played his first Jewish record on the air in February of 1965. During the entire month of February 2010, Reisman will celebrate the milestone 45th anniversary of his popular Jewish/American radio program by re-playing various interviews he has conducted over the past four-and-a half decades.

The Barry Reisman Show is broadcast Monday–Friday from 9-10 a.m. and Sundays from 4-5 p.m. on WNWR AM-1540 in Philadelphia. It is also heard worldwide both live and On Demand at www.wnwr.com. The program features a mix of contemporary and nostalgic Jewish music along with interviews and listener phone calls, and is one of the longest-running radio programs of any kind in the entire country.

Some of the interviews that will be broadcast are: Myron Cohen, Jackie Mason, The Barry Sisters, Theodore Bikel, Joey Bishop, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Alan Dershowitz, William Shatner, Dudu Fisher, Betty Walker, Aliza Kashi, Milton Berle, Neil Sedaka, Jan Peerce, and Molly Picon. There are also plans for some surprise celebrities to call in to wish Reisman a happy anniversary.

Asked what the secret of his longevity has been, Reisman replied, “I’m grateful that there is now a bigger demand for klezmer and other Jewish music than there has ever been. Every day, there are new listeners who tune in. In addition, there are hundreds of new Jewish CDs released each year, so I can keep the show sounding fresh and new. The combination of contemporary and traditional music is a formula that has worked very well for the past 45 years.”