European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sidelights a radio a Urban hits can count on Walt baby Lovely Ron Mckinney staff writer if there is any key to the Success behind Walt baby love disc jockey supreme let it be gauged by the longevity of his weekly Urban contemporary music countdown radio show in a business known for its ruthless endings. Love is the effervescent voice behind the count Down which plays the top 25 Urban hits during a two hour nationally syndicated program carried by the armed forces radio and television service. This year Marks his 10th year for a Maverick program that was initially deemed successful by surviving its first two years. Love Isnit accepting that Label of Success just yet. Quot i still done to see it like that. I still done to say that i made it a love said in a Telephone interview from his los Angeles office at radio amp records a music Trade newspaper. Successful or not loves engaging enthusiasm has followed him throughout his life. He has gone from being a Whiz clerk with the 82nd airborne div at fort Bragg n.c., to a trend setting disc jockey on major top 40 radio stations spanning the country to the Host of the countdown. Because of his experience in the military a six years 11 months in the army during the 1960s a love feels a special connection to his military audience. Love says that americans across the country Are All meaningful to him but the troops of the armed services Are special. A i lived the same life they currently live. And in be never forgotten it and it was a positive part of my life a he said. He does no to forget much. When love is on the air he is not just interviewing recording stars and celebrities. He stalking with friends. Take Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson. A i was part of helping their careers Blossom but More importantly they found out that i was this real person and they responded to my personality and let me respond to theirs. And so consequently we be become friends us opposed to just business associates a love said. Love May be playing to the big City airwaves these Days but the Youthful innocence of growing up As Walter l. Shaw or. On a Turkey farm in Creighton fa., has never left him. Those Small town roots play an integral part of loves interviewing style. Instead of being overbearing and probing in his questions the avuncular love sets the tone with his Hearty laughter As he asks How the group color me Dadd came together or How Vanessa Williams got her big break. A i try to ask questions that i think the Basic person who is not around the music Industry or radio business would ask a he said. Those same roots Are evident any time love keys the Mike. He manages to balance his show with celebrity interviews  mail and talk of religion and family. A a in a not trying to Jam something Down people s throats but one of the things that i think is missing from american society today is the strength of our family and the strength of what the country was founded on which was a belief in god and being Good neighbors helping one another Quot he said. Love who will confess Only to being in his late 40s, said the difference Between top 40 and Urban contemporary radio stations is that the latter Are Community oriented. As an example love mentioned a letter he received shortly before Christmas from a woman in Detroit whose children lived with her Mother in Mississippi. He said the woman expressed sadness that she did no to have the Money to visit her children during Christmas. Love along with an Arista records executive paid for her trip. A i done to have enough Money to take care of the whole world and i know that there Are other people with problems but it was right at Christmas and i was like a Man How can you have a Good Christmas and ignore this a a love said. Later the woman sent a letter expressing her thanks and yuletide photographs a a that a what makes my show different. The other ones the Only thing they do is a Here a another record. Here a another commercial. And guess what people shut your  whereas my trip is a Tell me what son your mind people. Ill play the music and ill try to make you smile a Little bit. But at the same time i want to give you a Little bit of reality that a going on around  a love figures his Best interviews Are when he talks to one of his friends a Houston Jackson Luther Vandross or members of the of jays the whispers and Bell big Devoe. Not All of the interviews turn out so Well. While some groups a like Jodeci a acknowledge that they do made it Quot once they a been interviewed by love on the countdown there Are others who weren to so kind. One of those experiences came last year when love was interviewing three members from take six. Quot the three that came to visit us just seemed like they did no to want to be bothered Quot he said a they were like a what is this Why do we have to do this a so i said a Why done to we just end it Here and let Vou Guys go a a they finished that interview but it never made it on the show. Love said that was the first interview in his 10 years on the countdown that was Cut out a i feel bad about that Only because i like their music and i like what in be heard them say Quot he said. A but then my interaction with three members of the group did not work. There was just no chemistry at All. So hey i failed at that. And if i did no to fail at that we All failed Quot love enjoys More than talking. He likes listening especially to a hot song with a beat that gets the continued on p Ige 9 love As sgt. Walter l. Shaw or. In Thailand in �?T65. Page 8 a sunday March 29. 1992