ASHLAND — In 2017, Ashland University’s radio station 88.9 WRDL embarked on a vintage venture, successfully playing vinyl records over the air for 24 hours straight. Since then, WRDL has completed the endeavor two additional times.
This year will be no different: WRDL will face the challenge once more beginning at midnight on Saturday, April 17 for the sixth annual Vinylthon.
Students, alumni and faculty will take turns spinning obsidian plates on top-of-the-line turntables, sending sweet vibrations through the community’s speakers. There will be 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s music played throughout the day, but listeners can also expect to hear tracks that span from the 1930’s to the 2020’s.
Derek Wood, general manager of 88.9 WRDL, started planning the Vinylthon tradition when he was hired at AU in the fall of 2016.
“My big focus as general manager is to do things at WRDL that no other station is doing: live music, unique formats, unique genre-based shows, unique personalities; Vinylthon combines all of those elements,” Wood said. “Vinylthon not only celebrates the uniqueness of what we do at WRDL, it now celebrates us getting a little bit back to normal.
“Normally, WRDL is doing Vinylthon at this time of year. Last year, we didn’t get to do so because COVID hit and things kind of stopped; so now we get to celebrate for two different reasons.”
College radio is a unique medium because the stations are not tied to a corporation and money is not involved, which gives the department more freedom than other stations. They can try new things and be creative without a higher-ranking entity’s permission.
The station has won the Golden Slipmat award three times, presented to stations who play vinyl records for 24 hours straight during Vinylthon.
“I had not heard about Vinylthon until Derek told me,” said David McCoy, Chair of the Journalism and Digital Media Department. “I’m a product of a generation where that was our medium; I grew up on vinyl records.
“If you would have told me in 1983 or 1984 that someday in the 21st century vinyl would outsell CDs, I would have called you crazy. We will be doing (Vinylthon) from the newest college radio station in the country.”
WRDL’s on-air studio recently underwent a massive remodeling project thanks to a generous gift from an alumnus.
McCoy kept most of his record collection for nostalgic purposes. On Saturday, he and his high school daughter Cassie will hold the title of DJ for a Vinylthon shift, twirling tunes from relatively new groups who continue to release their music on vinyl.
Over the years, WRDL has added to the department’s record collection. They are accepting record donations from community members who are willing to give them up to a good home.
Those willing to donate their vinyl collections can contact Derek Wood via WRDL’s Facebook page.
Vinylthon is a testament to the collaboration of Ashland University’s journalism and digital media department faculty, past and present students, and their listeners. Community members can make song requests during the event by calling 419-207-4889.
“It’ll be single-handedly the best sound that WRDL has produced for vinyl records in quite a long time,” Wood said. “I guarantee nobody will do it better than WRDL does on Saturday, April the 17th; and if somebody is doing it better than us, we’ll play their favorite song.”
