Former Pittsburgh DJ Recalls Meat Loaf Memories

PITTSBURGH, PA — A former Pittsburgh disc jockey related a touching story Friday involving Meat Loaf, the singer and actor who has died at 74.

"Banana" Don Jefferson, a morning show co-host at B-94 in the 1980s who later worked locally at WZPT-FM and WSHH-FM, took to Facebook Friday after word broke of Meat Loaf's death. The now-retired Jefferson said he doesn't have a large collection of autographs from people he met through the years, but one of his favorites is his late mother's copy of the classic Meat Loaf album "Bat Out of Hell."

Jefferson was working at KSLQ in St. Louis and was working at a 1978 radiothon for a charitable cause. A number of artists stopped by to encourage people to donate, including Meat Loaf. Jefferson's parents, to his horror, also showed up.

"Not only did Meat Loaf charm my mom and dad, but he tried to teach my elementary teacher mom and some of our listeners, how to do 'The Time Warp' - the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Broadway stage version of the dance - which he insisted was different and better than the movie version," Jefferson wrote.

" Afterwards I stood, shaking my head, as my parents and Meat Loaf became friends - and he gave my mom an autographed Christmas card, on one of the biggest records of all time. Nobody took pictures (my dad must not have been prepared for this, otherwise...), but I think that's OK."

Jefferson said his parents have been gone for more than 20 years.

"But because of vinyl and local radio I have this (album) - and the thought that my mom is up there, looking to welcome Meat Loaf and get the rest of that dance down."

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