The November 1969 Atlantic Edition of TV Radio Mirror featured KQV's Jim Quinn. That article written by Michelle Frank, appears here.
     As the new year was ushered in, Pittsburgh was preparing for a trauma - possibly another San Francisco earthquake, the Johnstown Flood, or the sinking of the Titanic ... right in beautiful downtown Pittsburgh. They were ready for anything - and go the expected - when a zealous, animated, jaunty, vivacious earth-shattering Jim Quinn reappeared at the broadcasting studios of radio station KQV. After an absence of only six months, Jim returned to KQV and received a reception that included thousands of screaming teenyboppers, young adults and grandmothers, as they swarmed the streets to welcome him back home.
     Recalling that frantic day, Jim says, "the turnout was unbelievable. Wherever we went, there were caravans of autos from one end of the city to the other. Some even had 'welcome back' scrawled on their cars in black shoe polish!"
     With a reaction like that, it's easy to understand why the six-foot, blue-eyed, blonde Quinn says that Pittsburgh people really "knock him out."
     Their loyalty to the disc jockey is deep-seeded and goes back as far as 1967 when he joined KQV Radio. With a wacky wit, he still tickles their fancies six days a week from 7 p.m. to midnight.
     Described by the star of "Jim Quinn's Disaster Area," the show is "wild, funny, loud and most of all, it is rumored that listening to it can destroy brain cells in the cerebral cortex," which all sounds very serious to the medical profession, but to those that know Jim, it's great!
     "Anybody who wants to spend five hours escaping from reality doesn't have to indulge in steam bath, an LSD experience, or hiding in a closet. With the aid of my fictitious 'yum-yum' tree, I offer relaxation, and excitement to my friends," the personality says.
     "The man-eating yum-yum tree is able to consume distasteful people, and if my listeners have a teacher or boyfriend they dislike or are angry with, they can vent their hostility by calling me on the air and feeding the undesirable to the tree. After a few gurgles, crunches and 'ganarffs,' the tree chews, swallows and eliminates the unfortunate. Although, it's a healthy and good outlet for the kids." he analyzes.
     Being just 24, Jim understands today's young people, which accounts for his popularity. "The music concept is there, but while I'm clowning. I'm also communicating and it's easy to get close with my young listeners. I really care about what they think, feel and do, and I'll defend them when they are right and gently put them down when they're wrong," he says.
     Sometimes when defending them the object of his controversy is some "bullwork" of the establishment. Besides giving his boss a few gray hairs, according to Jim, he attacks anyone and anything.
     "Most personalities," Jim says, "try to deal with the kids with the outlook that everything is 'groovy kids!' But today's youth doesn't buy that kind of approach. They want someone to talk to them like they were human beings - someone who cares about the things that are important to them, and someone who lends a sympathetic ear to their gripes. The key is to communicate with them on a credible basis," he philosophizes. 		      Our junior psychologist was born, bred and raised in Red Bank, New Jersey somewhere in February 1946m First ambition to him was to be a saxophone player and his enthusiasm for the instrument carried though his high school when he had several bands, Radio first got into his blood during his sophomore year, when he was pushing a record from station to station. Educated at Newark, New Jersey's St. Benedict Prep and Cleveland, Ohio's John Carroll University, it wasn't until Cleveland that he pursued the field of broadcasting. "I hung around WCUY-FM in Cleveland heights so much, they gave me a job," he remembers. 
    In picking up a good backlog of radio experience, he went on to bigger and better things. At WING in Dayton, Ohio, he met up with his heart-warming memory of the day he helped raise more than $13,001 for a 17-year-old girl who needed a kidney machine. "People were coming off the streets to donate their paychecks."
     And back to Pittsburgh, he came across a promise that had to be fulfilled. "I swore to Mt. Lebanon high School that if they lost the championship football game, I would sleep out under their goalpost. They did and so did I." The muscles are still hurting from that sore event. 
     Basically gentle (except for his Irish temper which does not often show itself) and understanding, Jim loves everything that lives. "I hate violence, unless in self defense, narrow minds and prejudice," he admits, and adds that his life is guided by his thoughts, "the hate stops here. hate cannot thrive if you return love and absorb the hate. It can only live if you pass it on; if you stamp it out, it can change the world."
     The loves of his life are fast-paced: sports cars, motorcycles, football, baseball and car racing. The more stable hobbies that he pursues with gusto are girls and amateur radio. Sometimes as a change of pace, he straps some clothes onto his motorbike and goes a travelin' - sans maps and direction - just takes off!
     "I'm happy, and for me it's easy to achieve. I'm doing a job I love, and am living in a city where people did me and what I do. Life is a beautiful experience to touch, feel love and live.' Jim is a tender and peaceful human being who believes that so many people slave, worry and sweat, trying so hard to make life "turn out right" - and when it does, they are too burned out to enjoy it.
     Most of Jim's meditation is done right in his own backyard, which is located in the modern Pennsbury Village apartment. He lives the gay life of a bachelor, partying, joking, entertaining and cooking gourmet, taste-tempting, palate-pleasing dishes. If he isn't careful, some young Pittsburgh gal will eliminate his carefree life.
     "just let her try," the stalwart single warns. With all his talents and contentment, this personable, sensible, wacky and vibrant young man would make a perfect husband for some ambitious gal. She'd also need as much intestinal fortitude as can be mustered up to compete with Jim Quinn's bevy of beauties. The quantity is enough to fill the entire city of Pittsburgh. Have I got a girl for him!
Quinn, a man of many moods: pensive dj reflects on that nite's menu; tries a new dish and toys with hobbies of sportscars, chess and letting the breeze blow his locks.
The real side of Jim is revealed as the bachelor is dressed to the teeth! A girl-watcher from way back, he insists he'll remain in that state for a very long time. We're taking bets that a headstrong girl will rope him yet!
Relaxing after a keyed-up day, Jim shares his dinner with a friend. Basically gentle, he loves everything that lives.

Click on any picture to see larger size in new window