Paul Sidney, Dead at 69

I was on the WABC music Radio web site last week and read the news Paul Sidney, general manager of radio station WLNG died Wednesday night. As late as Monday, Paul was trying to order a pizza from Conca D'ro, while in the hospital. Paul was with WLNG since 1964. As a matter of fact, the owner of the station at the time lived behind me on Howard St.
I first visited the station in November 1963 on a cub scout field trip, about two weeks before Kennedy was assassinated. A small three room building, with the noisy, air cooled 500 watt AM transmitter right next to the DJ's Boothe. Chris Johnson was the DJ that November afternoon. It was a daytime AM station that signed off at sundown.
Paul was known for his afternoon show, Paul's partyline. I remember about 1965 walking downstreet after school one day and seeming him do a remote in the front window of Spitz's Furniture and Appliance store dressed in pajamas. He was advertising one of their beds.
Paul was known for his storm coverage and remotes. His life revolved around radio. He will be missed. His favorite bench next to the five and ten will get a plaque in his memory. Knowing his health was failing, I recorded about a 90 minute air check of his 2008 Christmas show that he has done every Christmas morning since 1965. Sag Harbor has lost another of it's real characters.
The late great Paul Sidney