Have a 'Hanks-giving' with Oscar-winning actor picking Pittsburgh radio station playlist

Scott Tady, Beaver County Times
·2 min read
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PITTSBURGH - Tom Hanks takes control of Pittsburgh’s WYEP-FM (91.3) on Thanksgiving.

Western Pennsylvania's lone independent, adult alternative music station announced Academy Award-winning actor Hanks has hand-picked every song WYEP will play Thanksgiving Day, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It's a special “Hanks Giving” day of music, curated by Hanks, who stars in the Ambridge- and Bellevue-made movie "A Man Called Otto" arriving Christmas Day in select theaters, then for wide release in January.

Tom Hanks picked 100 songs for Pittsburgh's WYEP-FM to play Thanksgiving Day.
Tom Hanks picked 100 songs for Pittsburgh's WYEP-FM to play Thanksgiving Day.

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"Hanks is not only a beloved star of cinema, but he’s also a music fan with a far-ranging knowledge and appreciation of early ― and mid-1960s rock ‘n’ roll ― and the wealth of music that has been informed by those formative sounds of surf rock, R&B and vocal pop that typified the era," a WYEP press release said. "His directorial debut, 1996’s (Erie made) 'That Thing You Do!', was an exuberant ode to that music and those musicians."

Tom Hanks garnered an Oscar nomination for his performance as Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” [Sony Pictures]
Tom Hanks garnered an Oscar nomination for his performance as Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” [Sony Pictures]

Between "A Man Called Otto," set in Pittsburgh, and his portrayal of Pittsburgh icon Mr. Rogers in 2019’s "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," Hanks can by now be called an honorary Pittsburgher, WYEP contends. A connection between WYEP and the new film’s production crew led to Hanks providing a song list to share exclusively with WYEP listeners for Thanksgiving.

Tom Hanks' latest movie filmed in Ambridge.
Tom Hanks' latest movie filmed in Ambridge.

Hanks provided WYEP with an eclectic and fun list of 100 songs for the station takeover, with a 66-year timespan —ranging between music from 1956 all the way to a duet released a few months ago between Elvis Costello and Hanks’ wife Rita Wilson.

WYEP’s “Hanks Giving” will air on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. through 7 p.m. Additionally, the 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. hours will feature music curated by WYEP on-air hosts taken from soundtracks of movies featuring Hanks.

Listen live, by visiting WYEP.org

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Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: 'Hanks-giving' finds Tom Hanks curating Pittsburgh radio station songs