Gretchen Unico

Gretchen Unico joined WYEP in January 2022, but her love for music blossomed at the age of 14 when she discovered The Monkees. Since then, she has been captivated by the unique sounds of the ’60s and ’70s eras. Her fascination with the diverse genres of those decades is fueled by the interesting stories behind the evolution of each music scene. Gretchen’s passion for music extends to vinyl records, of which she started collecting in high school. She relishes the experience of playing vintage albums on her turntable, feeling connected to the history and memories embedded in each record. Through her love for music, Gretchen has opened herself up to a world full of endless possibilities, and she looks forward to discovering more hidden gems from the past.

She is delighted that WYEP’s playlist comprises a perfect blend of vintage and contemporary music. By featuring newer artists alongside the classics, the station offers exposure to emerging musicians while also paying homage to the legends whose music continues to resonate with audiences.

Gretchen Unico is WYEP’s Creative Services Producer & a part-time host on Sundays from 11 AM to 2 PM.

Some of my favorite music to play on air is something from The Replacements’ 1985 album Tim. This record strikes a really rare balance, sounding raw and almost thrown together while each song is so carefully crafted with strong melodies and really clever, cutting lyrics. Tim has all of the best elements of the alternative rock movement years before it truly went mainstream, and the band was so ahead of its time. Even though The Replacements are much more popular now than when they were active in the ’80s, there are still so many people who have never heard of them, and most rock stations still don’t play them. So, it’s exciting that we have as much of their music as we do on WYEP.

One of the most memorable concerts that I was lucky enough to attend was the last one ever held at the Civic Arena in 2010 with two of my all-time favorites: Carole King & James Taylor. I loved hearing all the classic songs that I grew up with performed live by two legendary artists who have such great onstage chemistry, and I spent the show singing along with my family who attended with me. Carole King has always been an inspirational figure to me, and seeing what ended up being her final tour at this historic venue was incredibly special.

Memorable interviews: I interviewed Colin Blunstone of The Zombies, which was such a wonderful conversation. We spoke for over two hours about the history of The Zombies and the 50th anniversary of the album Odessey & Oracle. He was so gracious with his time and just a lovely, down-to-earth person overall. I could have talked to him forever!