James 'Jim' W. Santella

Jim Santella, 86, known as the Father of Progressive Rock in Buffalo, passed away on May 10, 2024 in his home from complications of Parkinsons disease. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, he loved everything about Buffalo and always called Buffalo home. Jims first job in radio was in 1967 at WBFO-FM, then a college radio station, with a program called Time Out For Jazz. He ended his career 45 years later at the same station, now an NPR affiliate, playing the Blues on the extremely popular weekend show and hosting Theater Talk. He was the first DJ on the first FM rock station in Buffalo, WYSL-FM, January 9, 1969. Everything thats classic rock now was new back then. He was fired six months later after playing a joke that went bad, but that allowed him to go to Woodstock in August 1969. He was promptly rehired when some jocks were found with weed at the station. Jim always said he wanted two things. To be smart and funny. He was all that and more to his hundreds of thousands of listeners. He was a velvet voiced with a soft-spoken personal manner and a wicked sense of humor who came across as everyones best friend. He went on to the famous WPHD-FM and infamously walked off the air on his birthday, April 24, 1974 in protest of managers reducing the number of albums in the library. Told hed never work in radio again he quickly became a country DJ at WWOL as Joel B. Williams. He was on the startup team for the well-known precursor to 97 Rock, Q-FM 97. So many listeners still remember him fondly as their guide to new music. Jim was the program director at the wild and crazy WUWU-FM where they once played Psycho Chicken for 24 hours straight! Jim had an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz, rock, the blues, and country. He was also known as a jazz DJ for Jazz in the Nighttime. His very special contribution came as he volunteered to work Christmas mornings as Santella Claus. He combined old holiday favorites with rock tunes and special stories and poems, long before stations today copied that holiday format. Jims second love was theater. He worked for the Buffalo news for 25 years, writing music and theater reviews. He began the show Theater Talk in 1992 and did it until his retirement in 2012. As an actor he performed at the Alleyway and other companies. At WNED-TV he was the floor manager for comedian Mark Russel for 20 years as well as producing several local shows. His first love was jazz and as a drummer he played many venues in Buffalo during the 1960s. He received his B. A. In English and his Masters in Media Studies from U. B. The first FM-DJ inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame, he is also in the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame along with many other awards and accolades. His well received memoir from 2015, "Classic Rock Classic Jock" is still selling strong. Those who knew him loved him for his intriguing conversations, his genuine sense of humor, his jaunty black hat and in his later years, his fight to stay healthy and persevere over Parkinsons. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Mary Lou Wiltberger, his sister Jerri Kazmierczak, his deceased brother Bob (Mary Santella) his son Joel (Laura), grandchildren Marco and Sawyer, Brothers-in-law Len (Judy Meyers), Don (Diane), John (the late Michael Rizzo) and the late Paul Wiltberger; Sisters-in-law Joni (the late Bob Fiene), Peggy (Brian Hart) and Lori (Mark Ender), as well as many nieces and nephews Visitation will be held at the Lombardo Funeral Home (Northtowns Chapel) on Wednesday, (5/29) from 3:30 - 7:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Blessed Sacrament Church, 263 Claremont Ave., Tonawanda on Thursday morning (5/30) at 9:30 o'clock. Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim's memory to WNY Parkinson's Foundation or to Buffalo Broadcasters Association. Listen this weekend for a tribute to Jim on 97Rock