Peter Salvatore Fornatale (August 23, 1945 – April 26, 2012)[1] was a New York City disc jockey and author of numerous books on rock and roll.
By broadcasting progressive rock and long album tracks, he was noted for introducing a musical alternative to Top 40 AM radio in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
[2] In 1991 he was co-host of "Paul Simon Live in Central Park" and was often called to be an expert guest commentator on PBS specials, including those featuring Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison, Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor and others.
In the Fall of 1977, Fornatale hosted the syndicated "Crawdaddy Rock Review" featuring interviews with Brian Wilson, Andy Gibb, Phoebe Snow, Karla Bonoff, George Benson, Johnny Winter, Melissa Manchester, Todd Rundgren, David Brenner and others.
[4] He hosted rock-related programs on WNET, PBS's station in New York City, and was an on-air consultant for rock music shows and specials on VH1, MTV and HBO.
The program titled "How Terribly Strange to be 70" looked at the tumultuous history of Simon & Garfunkel, beginning with their early years when they performed as the duo 'Tom and Jerry'.