Lubinsky no longer on Sirius
National News:T.J. Lubinsky has ended his "Doo Wop Gold" program on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 5. This program leaves just two live programs on the channel. Lubinsky, who did the show from his Pittsburgh-area home, seems to have fallen victim to the personnel cuts Sirius-XM has been making since the merger.
PBRTV was a guest of the program earlier this year when Lubinsky honored veteran DJs Charlie Apple, Porky Chedwick and Chuck Brinkman.
Update: T.J. checked in with us after we posted the original story. He says, "I think it's more a loss for Pittsburghers everywhere - the show was a worldwide portal to Pittsburgh and "the Pittsburgh Sounds" with most of our listeners growing up here, or going to school here, or with family here. I don't get it at all. Not my choice." Meanwhile the decision was apparently made by the new programming team of Kid Kelly and Jon Zellner.
Meanwhile T.J. still does a live program every Sunday night on New Jersey's WJRZ-FM and wjrz.com. The format features doo wop, rock, pop, Motown and folk from the 50s - 70s from 7 - 11 pm Eastern Time.
Readers’ Forum
Of course TJ’s off the air at Sirius! Isn’t doo wop ususally one of the first things a station bounces, when they’re in financial trouble? Glad TJ still has the NJ gig. The kid does a hell of a great job (Needless to say, I also love the PBS shows he produces with Henry).
Between Sirius and XM, they have more channels than they know what to do with—and I can’t imagine some of them have terrific listenership (I expect that they’ll be cuting back elsewhere). It’d be nice to keep a little doo wop respite for the relatively large, loyal masses who love the stuff and are dog tired of the mainstream stuff that commercial radio plays. Still, I’ll concede, maybe not enough doo wop fans were subscribers. Shame.
Sirius/XM may HAVE to start selling ads (and cut their subscription rates) if their stock goes any farther into the toilet. Soon, you’re gonna need a drain snake to find it.
Ed Weigle
Ed Weigle - November 08, 2008 at 07:18 am
That’s really too bad. I liked what TJ was doing with his Sirius show and played some really great songs from the Doo Wop era. Hopefully “Mister Music” Norm M. Nite will remain with Sirius with his wealth of musical knowledge. The decade channels should emphasize the feel of each era and what radio was like back in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. At least I can still check out the “Doo Wop Diner” every other Saturday on Cool 101.7 in Meadville from 10am – 1pm
Tom Lavery (URL) - November 08, 2008 at 08:15 am
Make that Norm N. Nite. My apologies. I was rather surprised that Sirius re aired TJ’s show on Sunday night. He wasn’t bitter and was hopeful that his show may return someday. I doubt that’ll happen. I renewed with Sirius XM for another year because they still cater to a lot of formats that a lot of radio stations have simply given up on. While there are a few good options like WYNE 1530 or WGRP 940, they are limited in terms of daytime power. However, Mel should talk with Bill Shannon & Captain Dan about putting their sound on Sirius. Their variety with WYNE is the best I have ever heard and would be great on Sirius. Just my $0.02 worth.
Tom Lavery (URL) - November 11, 2008 at 07:58 am
I agree with all of the comments made here! Here’s a guy who’s grandfather had Savoy Records of which a lot of the early Doo Wop groups were recorded on! I just don’t get it. If they need subscriptions to increase their revenue, why would they do this? Lousy martketing I say!
T J will be on PBS here in NYC WNET on November 29 with a countrywide Doo WOp show. So he wil still live on in spite of this outcome! What a loss!
Dennis G from Flatbush Brooklyn!
Dennis Goldensohn - November 18, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Even in the South we love TJ. We listened to TJ’s show on DishNetwork. We will miss him and sinse we don’t live in the East we don’t have a another source for Doo Wop. Our loss.
Anne Hutchins - November 20, 2008 at 6:39 pm
This Sunday evening I turned on Sirius — Channel 6 (60s)was playing corny music hosted by a dead DJ (Wolfman Jack). Channel 5 (50s) was playing “Thumbalina”. The rest of the evening was just as bad. To Sirius: Bring back TJ, and stop messing around with Cousin Brucie’s schedule!
Pete - November 24, 2008 at 10:29 am
Us Sirius customers got the short end of the stick on this deal, now we have Wolfman Jack on, I mean, give us a break, they have a 1 hour Doo Wop show that is the pits, on at mignight, great for the west coast, well, not so great, show stinks anyway. Give us our TJ back, gosh, they pay all these DJ’s to sit and sound stupid and they let go of the BEST they had, I give up on them. What a mess. It was a merger, XM took over, it is all their formats now. We have to listen to Rockabilly on channel 5, give me a break. Give us TJ back!!!
Katy - November 25, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Katy, you’re the first person I’ve heard to say that Sirius subscribers got the short end of the stick. The fact is Sirius took XM over…not the other way around. It was actually surprising that so much of XM remained in tact.
Eric - November 26, 2008 at 10:08 am
What can we do to get TJ back on Sirius XM? I know alot of people miss the show. I am a lifetime Pittsburgher and love the Pittsburgh sound.
Bob Breisinger - November 26, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Hello fellow Doo Wop lovers. I too am very upset with the show being removed from Sirius. I have called and complained MANY times but get nowhere. From what I understand, Sirius bought out XM. If this is correct, why is everything XM? From the programing all the way down to the little radio jingles. No offense to Bobby “B” but his show does not even come close to TJ’s. Cousin Brucie is now on in place of TJ and I have heard Beatles and Neil Diamond songs during his program. Wait, isn’t it suppose to be the 50’s??? I had to tun it off….that was 2 weeks ago and have not turned it back on since.
I do not know why Sirius did this. It was a very poor decision on there part. I paid for a lifetime subscription for Sirius, why now do I have to listen to XM???
Though I am not from the Pitsburg area (New Orleans, La) I have loved the Doo Wop music since I was introduced to it in the 1990’s. I am 33 now, yes SIRIUS if you can read this, there are young listeners out there!!!
What ever happened to “the customer is always right” BRING BACK TJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob Swatz - December 19, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Eric, In my reply, I just meant to say that this was suppose to be a Merger, I am not sure who took over who, but it was a marraige, so it was called, and then all of XM’s formats are kept and the one thing that was the best on Sirius, TJ and his Doo Wop show was taken off and they put on “dead” Wolfman Jack and reruns of Kasey Kasem, I mean, give me a break, TJ was a Wed night ICON, we heard songs we never heard before, he is a library full of so many stories on the groups and how they started and so many other things, one of the BEST shows was when he had on Janey Vogels son, the girl in the original Skyliners, what a show, and what do we get now, a guy that loves to ring his own chimes and that is pre recorded, you call up for a song and it takes a month to come on, I called a few times with requests, as I knew he would not have the songs, TJ had them all, I finally called for a song that I could actually download myself on the PC and it was played a month later by Bobby B. TJ is the Master and I think as paying customers, we should have a say. I was told by an XM exec that they had a survey and this is what was picked, I would like to know who they surveyed, surely not I. I am just very sad that I lost that wonderful 3 hours with a great guy, one I respect with all my heart, as I have called in to him with requests and one time on Sirius he was joking with me about a song, he has personality, plus is the KING of Doo Wop and I respect him most for the fund raising he does for PBS, not many men would do that, they would try to be on the Major channels trying to make money for themselves. Please keep trying to get TJ back, if we do not get him soon, I am giving up on Sirius, I can get TJ on the PC for free, and even though his show is not all Doo Wop, whatever he touches, he makes it fantastic, his Doo WOp on that show is 100% better than what Bobby plays on his 1 hour on Sirius. He plays the real thing. Keep on trying guys, PLEASE, we deserve better than what Sirius XM has given us….Thanks for hearing me out, did not mean to go off on a tantrum, just ticks me off to no end about this situation. Have a good one….
Katy - January 23, 2009 at 6:52 pm
FOR BOB SWATZ:
Please do as I do, keep writing to the big wigs at Sirius and go to XM radio on the net and write to them, keep at them, I do it all the time, I am not giving up, they will have to put up with me until they block my e-mail account from theirs, I let them know the score and the more we complain, maybe then they will see that we are not joking, as Bobby B,he must have got a lot of complaints,I know I sure complained enough about it, I do not even listen to him, I record him on my DVR and listen the next day and keep records of what he is up to and compare things to his and TJ’s shows,( no comparison) as his bell ringing has drastically diminshed though not completely, and he talks like a human being now and not like he is talking to a 2 year old. He still can’t play those Doo Wop songs like TJ, the other nite Bobby played Summer Love by Richard Barrett, one of the most beautiful songs TJ introduced me to, Bobby must have had an old warped 45 and hearing it, I wanted to throw up from the dragging and and all that the record made, it was really upsetting my stomach and to ruin such a beautiful song, if this was real Doo Wop, I would not be such a big fan, but TJ has it all, and if we keep on the Big Boys backs, maybe one day they will listen to us, MAYBE!!! I am not giving up. And good for you, 33 and loving the music, it is the best. Thanks Bob, just give them heck!!!
Katy - January 23, 2009 at 7:11 pm
please listen to the subscribers who are still supporting sirius/xm and bring tj lubinsky back for his doowop program. we faithfully listened wednesdays and again on sundays. it was a great program from a man who seemed to truly love what he was doing. your current programming for doowop is ok, but in no way is in the same league. please reconsider your poor decision and think of your subscribers. regards, dan
dan simpson - February 22, 2009 at 8:26 pm
I do not think Sirius Xm cares about their customers, only money, and that is the way it is going to be, they keep moving shows around, putting specials show against one another on different channels, it is a hoot, they have not a clue as to what is going on, Gosh, Sirius USE TO BE awesome, now it is the same ol, same ol, And Bobby B, well, he is just a worn out recording in my eyes. No comparison to TJ, not even close. Really sad. GET TJ BACK YOU WHACKOS, WE MISS HIM!!!
Katy - July 20, 2009 at 9:55 pm
I cancial my subscribton since they cancial T J if and when they bring him back i’ll come back!!!you whent and messed-up a good thing; sirius xm.
oh stop sending me letters for free anything till you bring back TJ LUBINSKY.
liz - August 26, 2009 at 10:42 am
Wow. I was ready to sign up with Sirius tomorrow. I’ve had the thing free for several days and really like it, but I also like TJ and enjoy his PBS shows. Don’t know if I want to bother with you people if you treat your DJ’s like that.
Tom Rocks - September 05, 2011 at 5:29 pm