WWDC DC101 Washington – Greaseman – September 1982
Doug Tract, better known as The Greaseman. He is truly a one of a kind radio personality. In an era of 3, 4, & 5 person morning shows, Grease would make radio comedy gold, all by himself. The Greaseman pseudonym originated while he was in college. Grease has said in an interview, “In those days of top 40, everybody who was on the radio was ‘cookin’; cookin’ with the Temptations, cookin’ Four Tops, that kind of thing. Which meant they were really rockin’. One day I said I was cookin’ with heavy grease. It was my way of saying I was out-cookin’ the other guys. I said it enough times, so one day one of the other deejays referred to me as the Greaseman.”
Dougie T was his on air name, but when he became the Greaseman, a different personality appeared. His voice deepened, and he projected the image of a middle-aged tattooed big bellied truck driver, with a swaggering bravado. Over the years, Grease developed many characters, and calls from listeners would often lead to a story of a recurring character from his repertoire, and thanks to Greaseman’s own special language that he invented, & listeners understood, no topic was taboo.
Grease is probably best known for his time on WWDC DC101 in Washington, in the 1980s & 90s, when he was a major force on the radio in the nation’s capital. This aircheck features Grease in his early days at DC101, shortly after he took over the shift from Howard Stern. -Ellis
From the Ellis B Feaster You Tube Radio Aircheck & Classic TV Channel.
I had the fun of working with “Greaseman” twice- in Endicott (where “Greaseman” was born) and in Rochester at WAXC. As it’s told to me by people who were there, Grease (Doug) was playing the soft ‘n easy hits on WENE-FM (then at 105.) and the weekend jock on WENE-AM was ill. Doug was a fan of WABC (in his NYC hometown)-and no doubt dreamed of being a top rock jock. He was on the air on WENE-AM (then a Top 40 station) “Cookin’ with GREASE” – a phrase he supposedly used several times during that shift. It began the life and legacy of “Grease” on WENE, then WAXC, then WRC-AM, WPOP, WAAPE,WWDC and several others. At the beginning he was kinda shy and introverted but as his career grew and he solidified the character he also matured into a well rounded personality. Those of us who were there at the beginning have fond memories of “Grease”..