Live Sunday: Radio Personality Dennis Elsas

Elton John. John Mellencamp. Pete Townsend. John Lennon.

These artists are musicians many enjoy listening to, but few have the chance to meet them.

Radio personality and rock star interviewer Dennis Elsas has met them, and many more. And he'll be at the Ossining Library Foundation’s Words & Music Concert Series, which kicks off Sunday, Mar. 3 at 2 p.m. with "Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets," multimedia presentation.

Elsas had a front row seat for rock’s greatest era and will share his favorite stories and experiences from interviews with John Lennon, Elton John, Jerry Garcia and more. He can currently be heard on-air every afternoon at WFUV 90.7 FM and nationally every weekend on Sirius/XM Classic Rewind 26.

Patch posed four questions for Elsas as a preview to his Sunday show:

Patch: When did you know you were going to be  DJ/Radio personality? 

Elsas: I grew up loving rock n roll and radio in the 60's. As a kid I never imagined I might actually have a life-long career doing this. Got my first experience as one of the founders of my college radio station—WQMC at Queens College. A few years later I joined WNEW-FM and just kept doing it.

Patch: What rock and roll song changed your life?

Elsas: It's too hard to pinpoint one song!

Patch: Do you have a favorite interview?

Elsas: Yes, John Lennon. It was two hours live on-air with one of my rock 'n' roll heroes that turned out to be a historic radio and Beatle event. My website archives have highlights from all my favorite interviews, including John Lennon, Elton John, Jerry Garcia and Pete Townshend (all part of my show Sunday. Other memorable interviews include George Harrison, Neil Young and Elvis Presley.

Patch: How did this show come about?

Elsas: A few years ago when I launched my website I decided I wanted to share some of my favorite on-air moments with the online audience—like John Lennon explaining the meaning of “Revolution Number 9,” Pete Townshend discussing why he smashed all those guitars and Jerry Garcia exploring the relationship of the Grateful Dead to drugs...the first time I was asked to present these, the show was born.

Hosted and curated by Ossining resident Alan Marzelli, the Words & Music series brings well known singer-songwriters and recording artists to the Library’s 200-seat Budarz Theater for free Sunday afternoon concerts. All performances begin at 2 p.m. For a preview of the show Elsas will be presenting in Ossining, click here.