After 26 years of “rocking the mic on WPGC,” radio legend Albie Dee bid farewell to the station last Sunday night.
Three days later, he reflected on his first memories of moving away from his hometown in Connecticut to join the WPGC family.
“I was the first DJ to be hired for WPGC in June of 1987,” he said. “It was exciting and scary at the same time.”
Although the DMV has changed considerably in the past two decades in Albie’s eyes, he affirms that the music has essentially remained the same.
PHOTOS: Albie Dee’s 25 Years at WPGC
“It’s gotten much more diverse with many different people from many different backgrounds, but the music hasn’t changed, the music tastes haven’t changed. It’s the same way as it was in 1987 as it is in 2015,” he said.
One of Albie’s “Top 3″ memories from working at WPGC was the very first Birthday Bash.
“We held Birthday Bash at a gay club [and] back then, people were nervous about a gay club,” Albie remembered. “We didn’t sell tickets in advance, it was pay at the door. We had no idea the response we were going to get.”
According to Albie, the event sold out within 45 minutes and around 5,000 people showed up.
Another memory Albie will never forget during his time working at WPGC is when he played the tambourine on stage with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars.
“Here’s a white guy who has no rhythm on stage with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars,” he laughed.
Along with great memories came long-term friendships.
Albie reminisced on throwing MC Hammer out of the radio station for showing up late to an interview and eventually receiving an apology three months later, hanging out with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith in the studio during the “Parent’s Just Don’t Understand” days and Diddy calling him at WPGC to promote his parties on-air when the now hip-hop mogul attended Howard University.
Now, Albie wants to continue to grow his brand.
“WPGC didn’t change me as a jock. It gave me the opportunity to really spread my personality,” he said.
Albie Dee leaves WPGC to work as a program director at an urban station similar to WPGC in Salisbury, Md. Keep up with Albie Dee on Twitter at @AlbieDee.
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