Spiritus Einstein: local music guru remembered

Spiritus Cheese was the on-air handle of a group of local alternative rock fans in Washington, D.C., who in 1969 began broadcasting (then) counter-culture music and commentary on radio station WHFS.

A few years earlier, Jake Einstein, long-time radio businessman, had become the general manager at struggling WHFS, the D.C. area's first FM radio station.

Einstein recognize this as a viable niche and allowed it to blossom. Spiritus Cheese was disbanded, but the music format continued and thrived. The rest is good music broadcast history. The station became recognized and heralded nationwide, accumulating many behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

Einstein went on to purchase the station, and eventually to sell it. [Jump here for an interesting history of WHFS, initially posted in 2000.]

Two weeks ago, I had noted the return of famed WHFS radio deejays to the local airwaves. On Wednesday, Jake Einstein died.

Einstein's theory (proven!) plays on.