Community Post: Interview with Community DJ Deeg Shank
Dolores “Deeg” Shank is the perfect example of a music lover who is committed to the appreciation and exploration of what she loves most. She grew up outside of Philly and at a young age of 12, she discovered Frank Sinatra on a John Denver TV special. Once she witnessed Frank’s charisma and smile, and heard his stylish sing, she was taken. Flash forward to sophomore year of high school, when Deeg would listen to her favorite radio station constantly, which sponsored a four hour show dedicated solely to the lovely creations of Mr. Sinatra. This radio show inspired Deeg to create her own Sinatra show when she arrived at Dickinson College as a freshman.
She loved being a WDCV DJ throughout her time as a student, and missed the opportunity to be on air once she graduated and moved on. But after twenty-three years without WDCV in her life, Deeg returned, and of course continued her Spotlight on Sinatra show, just like she had done as a student. Deeg taught high school for many years, but has now retired from that and taken on dancing. Deeg’s spare time is filled with ballroom dancing, belly dancing, swimming, cooking at the local pool as well as substitute teaching at Big Spring High School during the school year. It is through activities like this that Deeg is introduced to much of the music she listens to outside of Frank. She is very open to ballroom music and Top 40, and in fact recently attended a Justin Bieber concert that was mostly enjoyable. Over the years she has also seen a variety of other artists, including John Denver, James Taylor, Jimmy Buffet, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Buble, and The Rolling Stones, while she laments never having seen Michael Jackson and George Michael.
Her love for Frank has taken Deeg on quite a journey throughout her life. She saw him in concert 12 times throughout his life, one of which he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Additionally, Deeg has met two of Frank’s children, been to his favorite restaurant in New York City multiple times, and has become well known in the Frank Sinatra community due to her full back tattoo devoted purely to Frank. Deeg receives compliments on this creation from those who both love Frank and just barely know about him. She decided to get this tattoo as an homage to Frank, the one artist who has inspired her throughout her whole life. Deeg’s love for Frank stems from his originality and musical expression throughout his years as a famous singer. She admires the way in which he lived his life completely by his own standards, and no one else’s. In Deeg’s opinion, he is a great man, who deserves the recognition she hopes to bring him through her show.
Deeg only plays songs by Frank Sinatra, but she loves playing covers of his songs to spice up her show and bring new voices to her listeners. Her favorite albums by Frank include “Nice and Easy,” an album filled with slow ballads, “Trilogy,” recorded in 1979 when Frank was 63 years old, and a couple Bossa Nova albums created back when Frank collaborated with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Deeg has been sending Frank Sinatra’s music into the air waves for years now, and finds joy in the fact that someone, somewhere will hear his music and smile. This has been proven to her when a listener called in one evening to thank Deeg for playing such great music while they were stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire. Because of Deeg’s radio show, that experience wasn’t as awful as expected. Moments like those prove to Deeg that her music, her love for Frank, and her dedication to WDCV are a positive force in this world.
Listen to Deeg’s show, , from , for an insight into Frank Sinatra’s best creations.
Listen to Deeg’s show, Spotlight on Sinatra, Mondays from 6pm to 8pm, for an insight into Frank Sinatra’s best creations.
If you have any questions, email Julia Ormond at ormondj@dickinson.edu. Thanks for reading!
