| We would like to welcome you to the
Official Polka Pit Stop website. We are so glad you
stopped by and welcome any comments and or useful
suggestions that you may have to make this website
better for you and our guests.
The Polka Pit Stop is a American-Slovenian Polka Radio
Show (also known as "Cleveland-Style" polka and waltz
music) which can be heard all over the United States and
is recognizable by the "driving" and energetic, but
smooth, sound! It is this combination that makes it so
special.
The show is hosted by Ed Gould and his
two sons Matthew and Eric. The show was the "brain
child" of WQTW's station manager, Mark Kuhns (aka: Marko
Polka) while Ed and his sons were installing a computer
based and operated broadcasting system at the station.
The computer system was installed to replace some of the
"dinosaur" equipment, like commercial cart machines and
turn tables, which are being phased out all over the
world. It also plays a key roll in broadcasting polka
music nightly from 12AM - 5:30AM without interruption,
as well as enable the radio station DJ's to perform live
remotes in CD quality sound, instead of using telephone
lines, which degrade the quality of the sound.
After installing the computer system,
Ed and his sons began the tedious task of installing
thousands of songs on the computers hard drives. After
"ripping" about five hundred polkas onto the computer,
they decided it was time to try the system over the
airwaves of Latrobe and Greensburg Pennsylvania. Ed
started playing polka music and opened the microphone
and invited listeners to call in with requests, so that
he could test the speed and ease of performing a "quick
search" of the data base. Being it was just before
4:00AM, Marko didn't think they would receive a single
telephone call. However, much to their surprise, the
telephone began ringing off the hook! The "test" became
a full blown radio show broadcast.
The listening audience loved the great
sound of the "Cleveland-Style" polka music. Marko
turned to Ed and suggested that he host a radio program
on the station playing Slovenian "Cleveland-Style" polka
and waltz music. While Ed had experience in live audio
and recording studio engineering, he had never operated
a broadcasting console. After some coaxing from his
sons and Marko, he decided that he would take to the
airwaves.
Two weeks later, Ed, along with his
oldest son Matthew, launched their first official show
and the rest is history! The website was launched a few
weeks later and the archived shows are uploaded for you
to enjoy at any day or time. Also, you can listen to
the show LIVE as it is being broadcast at 2:00PM -
4:00PM, as the show is live streamed in True Stereo CD
Quality! |