Happy 80th, Art Vuolo!
• Today, September 30, 2025, marks a very important milestone in our humble industry — the eternally youthful Art Vuolo, National Treasure, videographer-to-the-stars, and “Radio’s Best Friend” turns 80 years old! Amazingly, Art has tirelessly devoted most of his life and career to capture on video life in the radio industry, from jocks on the air to days of coverage of countless radio conventions.
Art’s love of radio began in 1960 at the age of 15, and in 1979 he began documenting on video some of radio’s best on-air talent, inspired by an 8mm film of the legendary B100/San Diego created by Shotgun Tom Kelly. Art has spent a lifetime bringing people together in the radio industry, and to properly pay tribute to him on this most auspicious occasion, a veritable who’s-who of radio royalty — well over 100 A-list personalities — showed up at his house in Michigan on Saturday for a massive pre-birthday celebration!
Among the illustrious attendees: Dick Purtan, Paul W. Smith, Mojo in the Morning, Jim Kerr, Dusty Rhoads and Jim LaBarbara, along with Gary Jeff Walker from Cincinnati, Minneapolis legend Chuck Knapp, Joey Reynolds, Dave Logan and John Records Landecker. From SiriusXM: Phlash Phelps, Shotgun Tom and programmer Lou Simon! By all accounts the party lasted from noon until well after midnight, also serving as an impromptu radio reunion, as most of the guests hadn’t seen each other for years. Art said it was a phenomenal finale!
Chuck Knapp (“The Knapper”) snapped this photo of Art holding a priceless gift — a classic re-working of the famous CKLW Big 8 logo from the 1970’s, designed by Kevin Gershan, former longtime producer of Entertainment Tonight, and CBS TV and NY TV Producer, Steve Langford.
Oh, and please take four minutes and enjoy this awesome video tribute to the birthday boy himself, courtesy of Jim Hampton & Jim Feliciano.
