Grete Dollitz

Grete Franke Dollitz^[1] (June 12, 1924 – May 9, 2013) was an American classical music radio presenter, classical guitarist, and guitar teacher in Richmond, Virginia. She was born in Germany, and immigrated to the United States with her mother and younger brother in 1935 to reunite with her father, who immigrated five years earlier.^[2] As a radio presenter, she had a deep voice, and used the phrase "Won't you join me?" at the end of her promos.^[3]

Grete Dollitz
Born	(1924-06-12)June 12, 1924 Kaldenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Died	May 9, 2013(2013-05-09) (aged 88) Richmond, Virginia
Spouse	Hans J. Dollitz (m. 1949)
Career
Show	Hour With the Guitar with Grete Dollitz
Station	WCVE-FM
Time slot	7:00 - 8:00 a.m. Sunday
Show	Classical Music with Grete Dollitz
Time slot	6:00 - 8:00 a.m. Saturday 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. Sunday
Country	United States

Dollitz's program, "An Hour With the Guitar" aired in Richmond, Virginia and in other areas for over 30 years, originally on WFMV (defunct), and later on WRFK. Until December 2012, it aired weekly on WCVE-FM. She also hosted a weekly classical music program on the same station, and an annual Thanksgiving program that highlighted musicians in the Richmond, Virginia area.^[4]

American classical guitarist and composer Andrew York is one of Dollitz's former students. Dollitz herself was a student of classical guitar pedagogue and author, Aaron Shearer.^[5] Her personal guitar was crafted by the late Washington D.C. luthier Joseph Wallo (#46, 1963).^[6]

Dollitz retired from WCVE Public Radio on September 12, 2012. A book of letters she translated from German was published on February 12, 2013. The book, called Letters from the Depression: Part 1 details the first year of her and her parents' immigration story through their letters. Dollitz died on May 9, 2013, in Richmond, Virginia.^[7]

References

1. Kay, Ernest (1988). International who's who in music and musicians' directory - Ernest Kay - Google Books. Retrieved 2013-05-16.
2. Winstead, Joy (12 June 1983). "Couple in tune with local arts scene". Times Dispatch. Richmond. p. C1.
3. Lohmann, Bill (25 December 1992). "The inimitable Grete". Times Dispatch. Richmond.
4. "Thanksgiving Tradition Continues on WCVE Public Radio". community idea stations. 2009-11-24.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
5. "The Astonishing LAGU, Andrew York MM '86". USC Trojan Family Magazine. 2002. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
6. "Hour With the Guitar with Grete Dollitz". Richmond, Virginia. WCVE-FM. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
7. "Grete Dollitz, longtime classical music program host, dies at 88". Times Dispatch. Richmond. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.

External links

• WCVE Public Radio: HD1 Schedule (News/Classical/Jazz)