For those who missed this story about one of my WRFM “stars,” or will enjoy reading again … this is an encore of a Musings which first appeared on this page five years ago! NOTE: If you remember Jim, please share a memory or comment about him through the link at the bottom of this page.
If the name Jim Aylward is recognizable and familiar to you, it’s likely that you lived in the greater New York City area during the latter part of the last century. Furthermore, it’d likely be because he was the very popular morning host on WRFM for about a decade beginning in the mid-1970’s and continuing ‘til April 1986, when the programming format and call letters were abruptly changed and the entire WRFM air staff was dismissed.
However, several years earlier, Jim’s talents as a writer were demonstrated by what you read above and below. Aunt Martha is totally the creation of Jim … he wrote every word of these monthly messages which Aunt Martha shared with the readers of Modern Grocer, the publication serving the vast food industry in the greater New York region.
Going back to the beginning … not long after I became manager of WRFM in 1969, Jim came by seeking a position on the air staff. I was impressed by his skills, plus he’d done some work previously for WRFM and its sister shortwave station, WNYW. Still, all I could offer at the time was a couple of weekend spots. It wasn’t long, though, until we needed another full-timer to handle an afternoon music show on WNYW, and Jim took on that position.
After a few more months passed, our Dear gAbby girl, Marion, tendered her resignation. She was our Promotions and Public Relations Director … what a perfect role for Jim to step into, which he did. By that time, we were flying high as WRFM’s ratings exploded and, thanks to our strong listenership among the ladies, the food purveyors were coming on board. It was time to cement our position with those who marketed food and related products … and who better to handle that job than Aunt Martha!
Another place you may have seen Jim’s name, especially if you purchased recordings during the 1960’s and 70’s, was on the back of albums, as Jim wrote what’s called the “liner notes” for numerous albums released on the RCA and Camden labels. In late 1970, the Camden label released this Living Strings WRFM Tribute LP, on which the liner notes were written by Jim:
Jim grew up in the community of Reading, Massachusetts, located to the north of Boston. While spending much of his professional working years in New York City, he retired to New Port Richey, Florida, where Alicia and I had the pleasure of lunching with him a couple of times prior to his passing about four years ago.
Oh yes, Jim did have one book published, released in the early 1980’s and written in the wry wit style that you see in the Aunt Martha Very Big Market Reports! Copies can still be found on Amazon.
This is a fabulous trip down Memory Lane! I can recall with great clarity listening to Jim in the morning with my mom (her favorite station!) and always recall him spelling out his last name, and the tag, “Always remember to do something nice for somebody else.”
Thanks for those kind words about Jim. He was a great, very talented guy. After the station changed formats, he retired to Florida. He settled in New Port Richey and occasionally had an article published in the St. Petersburg newspaper. My daughter and family live about 10 miles north of where he was and we happened to be down there when one of his pieces was published, which enabled me to find him and spent some time with him on 3 or 4 occasions before he passed away about four years ago.
I’m so sad to read of Mr Aylward’s passing. What a gentlemanly tone he gave to mornings at WRFM. I was almost torn when he mentioned, one fine morning in 1977 (I believe), ‘Welcome back to our neighbour, WNCN’ – my husband and I looked at each other and promptly flipped the dial, but not without a considerable pang. We still listened on Saturday mornings – wouldn’t miss ‘Today’s World at Large’ for, well, the world! And thanks for filling us in on what happened to him. Shocking that the entire staff were dismissed out of hand.
I used to listen to Jim before I got married and once married introduced him to my wife. She loved the music. In February's he would always play "Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow," by Harry Simeone. Took me ages to find the record. Seems it was cut in the UK, but I still have it. I am still looking for a group Jim used to play of a folk song called "Freight Train." It was an upbeat version with a great bass voice doing the obbligato: "Freight train, freight train going so fast…bum, bum bum bum…" If you know who sang it I'd love to get it if I can. I had it on reel to reel tape. (I always set up my tape recorder to the radio station in the hopes of getting a good song.) At one point I got "Freight train," on reel to reel but alas, with the years it went the way of the dodo bird. I recall he would always spell his last name and he did mention he wrote a Christmas song which didn't quite make the Hit Parade. I'm also looking for another piece he used to play…a beautiful instrumental rendition of Serenade from the Student Prince. In fact it so moved me, my wife and I used it as our Recessional in our wedding. We were a bit ahead of our time for Catholics.
Thanks for sharing some of your personal story, Richard. As for the two great recordings which you loved that Jim played, I’ve separately sent you details on the likely versions in question.
At age 53 I'm probably one of the youngest Jim Aylward fans out there. Loved WRFM as a very small child and Jim's voice has stayed with me all these years. Just listening to him on the radio one had the impression that he was a genuinely kind man.
No one ever mentioned that in the mid '60's Jim Aylward worked at a company, SESAC on Columbus Circle, in Manhattan. I was his secretary for about 3 or 4 years, my first job after business school, and I tell you he was the kindest boss I ever had. When I got engaged he gave me a gift, and just before I got married, Jim organized a "wedding shower" for me in the office.. He played the wedding march and everyone gave me gifts. I still have the mixer he gave me–and that was in 1969–I married my Vietnam vet husband, Hugo, who met Jim in the SESAC office, and Jim gave my then fiance some tips how to get into the radio business, I think about him often, and did not know he passed away. These are my memories! A talented, quiet, gentleman. My beloved husband passed away in 2012, due to pancreatic cancer from Agent Orange. Jim liked him and he liked Jim because Jim was a decent boss.
Thank you so very much, Elisa, for sharing your story about Jim.
My mom tells stories of her neighbor, Nell & Jim Aylward in North Reading, MA, in the early ‘70s. Their son lived in NYC & would visit often. She says he wrote a book. I wonder if anyone knows if that’s this Jim?
My apologies for the delayed reply, Shawn … somehow missed your message.
Yes, indeed this was the same Jim Aylward … I remember him talking fondly about growing up in North Reading. In case you aren’t aware, the book is titled “You’re Dumber in the Summer” – I believe it’s still available.
Shawn, if you read further down in my article – https://marlintaylor.com/radio/jim-aylward-and-his-aunt-martha/ – you’ll find a reference to North Reading.
Thanks for the column about Jim Aylward. I started listening about a month into his stint as the morning host on WRFM. His "Aylward Notebook" feature was something that I always looked forward to hearing. In the mid-'70s started a tongue-in-cheek holiday "National Aardvark Week" and he included mentions in his notebook feature whenever I sent him a release (and a membership card).
I had the opportunity to meet him only a few times. He remembered me one time when I was applying for a position at the station and it was probably a year after I first met him at a book signing. He seemed to be the same kind, creative soul that he was on the air.
When the station flipped formats, I was sure that he would land at another easy listening station in the NY metro area or Boston market. A few months after the demise of WRFM, Jim sent me a note that his Aylward Notebook would air a couple of times a day on WOR. (Unfortunately, that lasted only about a year or less.)
In the early 2000s, I stumbled upon his columns at the back of Leaders magazine and a few guest columns in the Tampa Bay Times. I was pleased to see that he was enjoying retirement in Florida. I was saddened to learn that he had passed a few years ago.
I can still hear his voice and closing tag "…and remember to do something nice for somebody else."
He was true gentleman. We need more like that.
Thank you for sharing those memories, Robert.
While I had departed the station prior to his taking over the morning slot on WRFM, I had originally hired Jim for our WRFM team in 1969, but in a different role.
My wife Alicia and I had the opportunity to visit with Jim twice after his move to Florida, as he lived not too many miles from where our daughter Patti and grandchildren were living. It was not long after our second visit, I received a call telling of his passing. There were a couple of his commentaries which aired on WRFM that I wished I had a copy of, they were treasures. I asked if they could possibly be found … was told there was just too much of everything for there to be a search.