In the almost six years since our founding, our storefront studio at 216 North Guadalupe has hosted the full range of San Marcans and San Martians — scientists, politicians, writers, musicians — anyone with a song to sing, a point to make, or a story to tell. So perhaps it’s not surprising that some of our program hosts have encountered a visitor from the past.
Program hosts have found an unexpected song beginning to play from the computer or one of the turntables. According to Carole Coburn, host of “Friday Night with Care,” (Fridays 8-10 p.m.), “he plays with the technology and inserts songs into the play lists by way of ‘speaking.’ He went so far as to put in “This is Me” from the Greatest Show on Earth after I got frustrated and asked out loud if the glitches were him!”
The mysterious presence has been dubbed “Willy” because he made himself felt during the song “Little Willy” by Sweet. “Little Willy won’t go home, can’t push Willy around, Willy won’t go.” His voice has been heard on recordings of broadcasts. In the station’s first year, volunteers found themselves locked in the studio because the electronic door lock had been disconnected even though no one was nearby. Perhaps Willy wanted company!
