Ed Sciaky

Edward Leon Sciaky(April 2, 1948–January 29, 2004) was an American rock radio disc jockey who spent his broadcasting career in thePhiladelphiaarea.

Edward Sciaky
Born	Edward Leon Sciaky (1948-04-02)April 2, 1948 New York City,U.S.
Died	January 29, 2004(2004-01-29)(aged 55) New York City, U.S.
Career
Style	Disc jockey

Early life and education

He was born inNew York Cityand raised inPhiladelphia,where he graduated fromCentral High School,and then fromTemple Universitywhere he majored in mathematics.

Career

Sciaky became known for promoting new talent, helping establish the careers of scores of artists, most notablyBruce Springsteen,Billy Joel,David Bowie,Janis Ian,andYes.Sciaky can also be heard introducingAC/DCon theLive from the Atlantic StudiosCD off their 1997 boxset,Bonfire.

He was one of the first FM disc jockeys who thrived when given the chance to choose their own music, venturing beyond playing pop hits. Frequently, he would play lesser known songs that had personal meaning for himself or listeners. He was a good friend to many musicians who enjoyed his intelligent interviews and his knowledge of rock-n-roll. One of his best recording artist friends was Billy Joel, who at 23, had just released hisCold Spring Harboralbum and was trying to promote it. Sciaky subsequently featured it on one hisSigma Sound Studiosbroadcasts.

Sciaky provided the master tape ofYes's live version ofThe Beatles' "I'm Down"for the band's 1992Yesyearsbox set.

Sciaky's broadcasting career, all in the Philadelphia area, includedWRTI,WHAT,WXUR,WDAS,WMMR,WIOQ,WYSP,WMMR (again), andWMGK.

In 2003, Sciaky'sSunday With Springsteenspecialty show won a "Best Of Philly" award fromPhiladelphiamagazine.

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia[1]posthumously inducted Sciaky into their Hall of Fame in 2005.

Personal life

Sciaky lived on the Main Line, near Philadelphia. His house was home to a substantial, well-organized music collection, as well as a rather large iguana, perhaps five feet long. The resting iguana would sometimes startle first time guests when it moved slightly and caught their attention.

He was married to Judy (Feldshur) Sciaky from 1969 until his death. They had one child in 1985, Monica, an opera singer with a doctorate in vocal arts, who married Eiki Isomura, who has his doctorate in conducting and is the son of violist Kazuhide Isomura.

Death

Sciaky died of complications fromdiabeteson January 29, 2004, inNew York City,at the age of 55. E Street drummerMax Weinbergand singer-songwriterSteve Forbertserved as pallbearers at his funeral, which was attended by 1500 people.