Polka music coming back to local radio on 101.7; Jack Michaels makes return

Kelly Urban, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·3 min read

Jul. 1—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Calling all polka lovers.

Beginning Sunday, Forever Media is bringing polka music back with "The Sunday Morning Polka Swing!" on Cool 101.7.

Mitch Edwards, operations manager for Forever Media Johnstown, said they wanted to bring on a show the community would embrace.

"There's been a void for several years, so we figured we'd bring it back on Sunday mornings," he said. "Polka has a good local flair to it, and people of all ages enjoy it. Just look at the attendance of the PolkaFest and different ethnic activities in the area."

The show will be offered from 8 to 10 a.m. Sundays.

"It's a two-hour block, and we're in the beginning stages of bringing it back," Edwards said. "We'll add more to it as it goes on. We want to see what the response is and see where it goes."

The show will feature traditional polka music.

"This is the music that people are used to hearing around here," Edwards said. "It will be very familiar to the polka listener."

He said it's been about seven or eight years since the radio station included polka music.

"So many people have said they listened to different polka parties in the past on different stations, but there wasn't anything like that anymore," Edwards said. "We want to offer listeners something that's a tradition around here that they can't get anywhere else. We want to serve our community better, and polkas are a part of Johnstown."

Along with the radio station, listeners can tune in to the show via the Forever Radio app or online at foreverjohnstown.com.

In addition, a favorite familiar voice is coming back to the airwaves. Radio personality Jack Michaels, who retired in August 2020, is returning to KEY 96.5 for some weekend shifts and fill-ins for vacations.

"We've been trying to add to our staff, and with everything getting back to normal, I wanted to bring someone on who could help out," Edwards said. "We also wanted to have another voice on that was familiar. He's retired, but he still has a love of the industry and being on the air."

He said Michaels' weekend shifts will vary, but listeners can tune in at noon Saturday for his first day back.

"It's a voice that people love hearing, and they enjoy listening to him no matter what age they are," Edwards said. "To be able to get Jack Michaels back, that's awesome."

Michaels said he's excited and cautiously optimistic about returning.

"It's been a couple years, but I never stopped missing being on the air," he said. "I'm looking forward to it."

Prior to retirement, Michaels spent 26 years hosting the morning show for KEY 96.5.

"They're giving me some freedom, so as time goes on I'll try to create some feature and I'm going to mix it up and talk about local issues," he said. "I'll play it by ear, and as the mood strikes me, I'll probably come up with something on the spot. I can't wait to see what happens."

Michaels added that, following retirement, many people would approach him and tell him how much they missed hearing him on the radio.

"That meant so much to me and made me think about doing this again," he said. "It's like I'm getting a second chance here."