About Gene Shay
Lived 1935 – 2020 (aged 85). Gene Shay was an American radio personality.
Gene Shay (born Ivan Shaner; March 4, 1935 – April 17, 2020) was an American radio personality. Shay was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a Jewish family and was a representative of the city's folk music scene. Beginning in 1962, he produced a weekly folk radio shows on WXPN, which was last broadcast on February 1, 2015. He previously hosted shows on WDAS-FM, WMMR, WIOQ and WHYY-FM.
A founder of the annual Philadelphia Folk Festival and its emcee since its inception, he has been called the "Dean of American folk DJs" by the Philadelphia Daily News and "The Grandfather of Philadelphia Folk Music"
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Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Gene Shay's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Gene Shay?
American radio personality
When was Gene Shay born?
Gene Shay was born on 4 March 1935 in Philadelphia.
When did Gene Shay die?
Gene Shay died on 17 April 2020 in Wynnewood.
What was Gene Shay's occupation?
Gene Shay was a radio personality.
What nationality was Gene Shay?
Gene Shay was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gene Shay. https://biography.guide/gene-shay/
MLA: "Gene Shay." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gene-shay/.
Chicago: "Gene Shay." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gene-shay/.
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