PITTSBURGH, PA., October 15, 2015— October 17 has been designated “Rhythm Sweet & Hot Day” in the state of Pennsylvania, honoring the show’s 34-plus years on the airwaves featuring the music of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Representative Joseph Petrarca, D-Westmoreland, Armstrong, and Indiana Counties, introduced the legislation on September 18, and it was subsequently approved by the state House of Representatives.
Citing the show’s appeal to “listeners young and old who appreciate the timelessness of the music which many consider the greatest period in American entertainment,” Petrarca describes the show as “Capturing the essence of musical culture from the 1920s to the 1940s.” The weekly program focuses on both the well-known names of swing and jazz big bands, as well as the lesser-known music of individual artists and “sweet” bands, whose recorded legacy is disappearing.
Started in 1981 by co-host Mike Plaskett and the late Ken Crawford, the show has been co-hosted by producer Dale Abraham since Crawford’s death in 2006.
Rhythm Sweet & Hot airs on 90.5 WESA on Saturday evenings from 6-8 p.m.
