David Custis, of Wyndmoor, record collector extraordinaire. (Photo by Sandor Welsh Photography) by Nicole Bowman David Custis has been a client of Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels since 2012. Born and …
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David Custis, of Wyndmoor, record collector extraordinaire. (Photo by Sandor Welsh Photography)by Nicole Bowman
David Custis has been a client of Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels since 2012. Born and raised in Montgomery County, he currently resides in Wyndmoor. He was a member of the Springfield Ambulance for 22 years and even won the 1969 PA Employee of the Year award. Although David has spent almost his entire life in Springfield Township, his legacy in the world of radio reaches across the country and beyond.
David’s passion for music began when he bought his first record in 1942. Since then, he’s been collecting and cataloging his collection, which now exceeds 59,000 records. What does one do with such a collection you may ask?
In the late 1970s, Mr. Custis convinced the owner of the Wyndmoor radio tower to let him air a radio show out of a small shack at the bottom of the tower. He began by recreating the music of “Your Hit Parade” from his own collection into compilations and sending them out to LA to the original hosts of the show, Andre Baruch and Bea Wain.
Before long, his station became the No. 1 radio station in Philadelphia, according to Mr. Custis. He produced more than 150 reprisals of Your Hit Parade, which aired in more than 200 markets including Canada and Tokyo.
Mr. Custis currently houses his collection of original records as well as recordings of Your Hit Parade and other compilations on CDs and tapes in five full rooms of his Wyndmoor home. When asked what he is going to do with his collection now, Mr. Custis chuckles and says, “I’ll be 90 in May, and I’m still trying to get my life started.”
While he would love to find a buyer who would appreciate his vast and historical collection, this kind of attitude will certainly keep him young, especially when surrounded by such amazing music!
More information about Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels at chestnuthillmow.com or 215-233-5555.
* Reprinted, with permission, from “Meal Times,” the newsletter of Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels, whose motto is “Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer.”
