WPKN Archives: Amy Wachtel*Night Nurse

Host profile: Amy Wachtel*Night Nurse

 Amy Wachtel, better known as The Night Nurse, has been loving, promoting and playing conscious reggae music since the early 1980’s. She was the founder and editor of the Reggae Route section of CMJ’s bi-weekly tip sheet, the New Music Report for close to a decade. Writing about reggae and touching base with US & Canadian DJs who had regular reggae programs, opened up a large network of colleagues, contacts and connections for her. “Rockers Arena” made its radio debut in 1983-4 on WBAU-FM, Adelphi University’s radio station, and was a Monday night fixture there into the early 90’s. Amy’s passion for Roots Reggae music, and its message of Solidarity, Unity, Justice, Equal Rights, Truth and One Love led to various jobs from marketing, promoting, dj-ing in clubs and on the air, mc-ing concerts, doing publicity for record companies and artistes, writing bios and reviews, among other things. She was on the well-known Caribbean station WNWK 105.9FM in the mid-90’s and brought “Rockers Arena” to internet-based store front Soho station Radio Lily. Her moniker - the Night Nurse - is an ode to one of Reggae’s most beloved singers, Gregory Isaacs, who’s song of the same name is a perrenial favorite among reggae lovers. Amy also feels that reggae is a “soothing, healing” music, and she herself is much more of a Night person.