87-year-old DJ is back on the air, vying for world record

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - An 87-year-old DJ is back on the air to revive the sound and style of the fifties, and he’s hoping to break a world record while he’s at it.

Saturday, Tom Bolger from Madison launched “Tunes with Tom” on internet radio station WLHA.

But it was more like a re-launch after a 65-year long break. He hosted his own radio show of the same name while he was a student at Trinity College in Connecticut.

Bolger played his favorite big band style of music then, and that’s what he’s sticking with now. He collected more records from artists like Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller throughout his career. He worked off the air in broadcast management.

“This is exactly full circle. It’s kind of like a redemption,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve always thought of maybe doing something like this, but it was always in never, never land.”

Unlike most other radio DJs today, Bolger shares his favorite tunes from a turntable, located in his home basement.

“If I have one listener it’s going to be worthwhile because it’s like inviting that one person to your home and saying, ‘Here. This is the music I like. I hope you like it too.’”

Now, he has an application in to the Guinness World Records for “oldest disc jockey with a regular program.” Bolger says he has a couple months before he finds out if the record is his. Until then, he’ll be hosting his show Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. on WLHA.

Copyright 2021 WMTV. All rights reserved.