Louis Armstrong gave Cincinnati's most famous jazz radio personality his name.

        New Jersey-born Arthur Pedersen was starting his radio career in 1947 when he introduced the jazz great at a Reading, Pa., concert.

        “Louis couldn't remember "Arthur,' so he called me "Oscar',” Mr. Pedersen says.

Treadwell

        Mr. Pedersen was looking for an on-air name for his jazz show. He also did news and wanted to separate his radio personae.

        Inspired by Mr. Armstrong, “Oscar Treadwell” was born.

        Radio remained a sideline as he supported his family with sales jobs. But jazz remained his passion, as the Pedersens moved around the country.

        With his deep, mellow voice and deeper jazz knowledge, his reputation spread. By the early '50s, he had an afternoon show in Philadelphia featuring guests such as Rosemary Clooney. But his favorites were the “jazz cats.”

        He also hosted Sunday concerts. “Once, we had Miles Davis, Fats Navarro and Clifford Brown onstage,” he says. “And you know how much we charged — $1.50.”

        The jazzmen showed their gratitude for the airplay and gigs. Charlie “Bird” Parker once even promised to update his radio theme song.

        A few months later Mr. Pedersen got a call from producer Norman Granz, who told him, “ "Bird and Diz (Gillespie) just did a session and they named the piece "An Oscar for Treadwell.' I was shocked,” he recalls.

        Others followed — tenorman Wardell Gray's “Treadin' With Treadwell” and Thelonious Monk's “Oska T.”

        In 1960, a sales job brought him to Cincinnati. He and wife Caroline raised four children, and he still found time for radio. After starting on WZIP, he became a mainstay of Tristate jazz radio with lengthy stints on WNOP (1965-1973) and WGUC (1973-1996).

        In October 1999, his wife of 50 years died after a long illness and “Oscar Treadwell” ended his radio career. But at 74, his love of jazz still burns.

        “The beauty is it never ends and can never be repeated,” he says.

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