John Patterson was not what I expected... or was he? Not being tremendously familiar with “eclectic folk music” as he terms it, I guess I should have thought more down to earth than corporate suit. It’s those WITF people. They’re so professional, and they always look so crisp. When I finally met John with his softened mountain-man features, friendly, almost playful smile and sporting a very practical pocket watch, I knew my perception and expectations about this interview would have to change.

John finished his on-air stint and we walked across Kunkel Plaza to a quiet spot to do the interview.

We started talking about his show. The Chords Are Stacked airs on WITF FM every Saturday night from 8:00pm to 1:00am. Again, as John terms it, “It’s very eclectic music, mostly acoustic, with Folk, some Traditional, a little Celtic, World, Cajun Zydeco, and a hint of Blue Grass.” I admit I’ve had a little experience with what he deals in, but not much.

I asked John what got him started in radio and why an eclectic music format. He told me that he’s been doing the show since 1986 (that’s 12 years folks), and it seemed to happen naturally. John teaches American Studies at Penn State Harrisburg (and rightly so with his Masters in Folklore and his Ph.D. in American Studies). He started the Susquehanna Folk Music Society in 1985. Sometime shortly thereafter, he was invited as a guest on a WITF folk music program. Shortly after that, he became the host and programmer of what is now a truly successful program. “I thought it would have been a very uncomfortable feeling, talking into that microphone.” John said. “But, just imagining the people listening, makes it a very pleasurable experience instead.”

“What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?” I asked. John paused. He answered: “It’s all funny to this humorless wretch. It’s all fun and funny.” He continued. “When you play complete sets based on a single theme, you tend to get a little silly. Several years back, I did a lot of works by people named Rogers.” I knew I should never have asked why ‘Rogers’, but I did. His response, “When you’ve done complete sets on food, especially desserts, sets on animals, sets on income tax time, sets on diners, sets on airplanes, and sets on the Carlisle Auto Show; a set on people named Rogers doesn’t seem so far fetched.” His point was that there is a great deal of wonderful music out there that falls into the eclectic category. John has been at this so long that he can group music into some very unique sets.

His ability to “program” such creative sets has grown him a very dedicated and intense listening audience. He has regular listeners from every age group. He commonly exchanges letters with his listeners and keeps in touch with listeners that have moved out of the area as well. Some have even sent him music from their new homelands across the globe.

I asked John, “You’re in your 13th year, what keeps you doing the show?” He replied, “In this world, where you walk into the local music superstore and the Folk Music bin is the one that’s always empty, I give my listeners something to think about.” “So you do it for the listeners?” I asked. “No, not really, I do it mostly for myself.” John said. He went on to explain that for him each show is like a journey. Programming the show is like a trip that allows him to experience music and culture from all over the world without ever leaving the studio. “I need to play the music I want to hear because I wouldn’t know what to play purely for someone else.” It’s not that John is being selfish, but more that he wants to accomplish something. He wants to show that the music he plays appeals to a lot of people. Even if the entire show is dedicated to the color blue! (My personal request.)

John’s comment about his interaction with his listeners made me ask where he gets his music. “I’ve got a pretty big library now,” he comments, mentioning that his wife is about to clobber him for taking up so much room with all his records. “A lot of the new music comes from the record companies, the older music I have and explore a lot. But, occasionally a listener sends in a field recording that is just wonderful.” For those who are “folk musically-challenged”, a field recording is one done “on the scene”. It’s also how a lot of the grass-roots music has been preserved. Remember, the idea of folk music, and folklore, is that it’s passed down from generation to generation without being written down.

“Also, I like to feature local artists as much as I can.” John added. Letting the listening audience know that the type of music John plays is alive and well in the Central PA area is very important. Folk music has a large following, with regular concerts year round.

At some point in the interview, John and I started talking about the Internet, (go figure), and what impact that has had on his search for eclectic music, and it’s origins. John began to talk about a song he plays called “Love On The Line”, when, in a very matter of fact fashion, the woman sitting next to John turns around and says: “Hey, we met on the Internet a few months ago, and now we’re married!” pointing to her smiling newlywed next to her. That’s right folks, they met in a poetry chat room and got married, but that’s another story.

My final question for John, (which I used to ask all the time, but haven’t asked a radio personality in a while), was: “Have you ever locked yourself out of the studio?” John thought hard. Then he thought some more. Then he answered, “No, but it took them eight years to give me a key. I consider that a pretty memorable event”

You can e-mail John Patterson at JSP1@PUS.EDU, but before you do, listen to his show “The Chords Are Stacked” on WITF 89.5FM, Saturday nights from 8 to 10pm.