The Port Washington Public Library is celebrating the life and legacy of longtime resident and pioneering FM radio DJ Pete Fornatale with a new exhibit now on view in the library’s History Center Annex at 1 Library Drive.
Fornatale, who died in 2012 at the age of 66, was a trailblazer in progressive FM rock radio.
He began his career at Fordham University’s WFUV in 1964 before moving on to influential stints at WNEW-FM, K-Rock, and back to WFUV. Known for his eclectic musical taste, insightful interviews, and thoughtful commentary, he built a nearly 50-year career that inspired artists, colleagues, and listeners alike.
Ashley Harding, library community relations director, said it launched the exhibit during the week of what would have been Fornatale’s 80th birthday to highlight both his professional accomplishments and his deep ties to Port Washington, where he raised his family after moving there in the early 1970s.
In addition to his radio career, Fornatale was a successful author, interviewer, TV commentator, concert producer and supporter of numerous charitable and nonprofit causes.
Artifacts on display include the tape recorder Fornatale used to capture interviews with artists such as Brian Wilson, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor and David Crosby; handwritten playlists from his “Mixed Bag” radio program; photographs with music luminaries including Bruce Springsteen and Carly Simon; original cassette copies of interviews; and rare video clips from his personal archive.
The exhibit also features a career timeline, manuscripts from his books and memorabilia from his decades on the air.
Many of the materials were donated by Fornatale’s family, with additional items on loan from Tony Traguardo. Traguardo worked closely with the DJ during the last six years of his life and helped bring him to numerous library programs. Elizabeth Agramonte curated the exhibit.
The exhibit is open to the public in the Port Washington Public Library History Center Annex.
