7pm-8pm

When Radio Was is Radio Spirits’ nationally syndicated radio program which is hosted by old-time radio expert Greg Bell. Having graduated from the University of Illinois, where he studied theater and film, Greg Bell’s broadcasting career began in his home state’s capital, Springfield, Illinois. Over the next twenty years (almost), he learned the radio business thoroughly through stints as a music DJ, news director, national talk show producer and program director in locations all around the country, including Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Boise, Idaho; and Washington, D.C.
Growing up in Central Illinois, nearly smack dab between St. Louis and Chicago, allowed Greg to enjoy both rich and rewarding radio markets. As a matter of fact, in one of those quirky coincidences, he developed his appreciation for old-time radio and historical trivia by listening to a show hosted by one his professional predecessors — the original “When Radio Was” host, Art Fleming.
“I was born just after the ‘Golden Age’ of radio, so my discovery of ‘The Shadow’, ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Fibber McGee and Molly’, ‘Dragnet’, Jack Benny, ‘Suspense’ and so many others came gradually, and usually late at night,” says Greg. “Like all kids my age, I was spoiled by TV, but the power of the storytelling drew me in and I marveled at radio’s ability to fully paint a picture with only audio as a brush.”