NEWBERG, Ore. — When Jay Lewis launched the Old Radio Companion podcast in July 2020, he didn’t expect many people to listen — let alone an international audience.
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Six seasons later, the show has drawn listeners from across the United States and as far away as Germany.
Lewis, who works as a manager supporting people with disabilities, said he started the podcast after years of encouragement from family members.
“I had wanted to get into radio earlier — do something like this — but I had no idea about it at all,” Lewis said. “My family — I had a couple of nieces who live out of town — were always telling me, ‘Uncle Jay,, you really should be on the radio. You should do podcasts.’”
Lewis said the show’s inspiration came from his childhood. Some of his core memories stem from listening to the radio with his dad, who would sit next to him, tell Lewis to close his eyes, and picture what the radio announcer was describing.
“At a very early age, my dad was a huge influence on the music of the time — the ’40s and ’50s — but also the old radio,” he said. “I would sit and listen with him. As I grew up, I really started to catch on to what an art form it was.”
Lewis credits classic radio personalities such as Jack Benny and Garrison Keillor as influences on the format and tone of his show. Episodes typically open with a monologue and include thematic segments, vintage music, and old newsreels. Episodes usually run between 45 and 50 minutes.
He said he created the show as both a tribute to classic radio and a source of comfort, especially for older adults.
“I wanted it to be a supplement to old radio,” he said. “The show would be kind of the hub, like a radio show, but I wanted it to have some kind of theme. Part of it was, I wanted it to keep people company.”
The podcast appeals to a multigenerational audience, Lewis said.
“We have this older generation that, of course, it brings back memories. But I think also those same people are exposing this other generation to this art form,” he said.
He estimates his listener base ranges from 800 to 1,000 people, including listeners in Canada, Germany, and other countries.
Lewis said some listeners have reached out to share how the podcast has affected their lives. One listener in Philadelphia contacted him after suffering a stroke and credited Old Radio Companion with helping him through his recovery.
“He said the show saved his life. He said, ‘You’re just who you were on the radio, and I felt like you were there for me,’” Lewis said.
Lewis records and edits the podcast by himself in his home studio in Newberg. He writes his own scripts, manages all segments, and funds the operation primarily out of his own pocket.
“Anytime I can get ahead a little bit, I upgrade equipment,” he said.
He occasionally receives financial support from longtime listeners to help offset operational costs.
Lewis said he hopes his podcast provides a sense of belonging and joy to those who might need it, particularly within his community.
“I would want them to pass this on to someone who needs cheering up,” he said. “My show has no politics. It does not sway into anything other than its comedy. It’s just to hang out and laugh and listen to something that was from someplace a lot simpler.”
For more information, visit the Old Radio Companion website or listen on streaming platforms including Buzzsprout and Spotify.
