After building a radio station in his basement at age 13, Banana Joe Montione was bitten by the broadcasting "bug!" Growing up in Pittston, PA in the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from Philly and New York, Joe listened to such legendary stations as WARM/Scranton in his hometown area, and out of market signals such as WABC/New York, and at night WCFL and WLS from Chicago.  Then it happened...Joe tuned in a nighttime signal from Philadelphia.  It was King George Michael at WFIL!  This had to be the hottest station on the planet!  

On the day Joe got his driver's license at age 16, he took a demo tape he made in the basement studio, and ventured off to Philly to meet Jay Cook, then PD at WFIL.  Without an appointment, Jay agreed to meet with Joe, and listen to his tape.  Jay said he had "potential" and should get on a local Scranton area station ASAP.  As Joe was leaving Jay's office, in came George Michael.  Joe, flabbergasted at meeting his radio hero said "George, when you decide to leave WFIL, I'm going to be the one to replace you!"  George said "Go for it!"  

In 1974 George Michael went on to WABC/New York, and Jay Cook hired 19 year old Banana Joe from a station that had just kicked off 8 months earlier, the first FM #1 Top 40 station, Y-100/Miami, where legendary programmer John Rook had just transferred Joe from KTLK/Denver.  Coincidentally, it was John Rook who had earlier programmed those two stations Joe listened to from Chicago, first WLS, and then WCFL.  It was at Y-100 that Rook came up with  the "Banana Joe"  image, complete with Safari Suit, Banana Mobile, and even a pet monkey.  Rook, one of Joe's most prolific mentors said that the "Banana Joe" image fit Joe's act, as he "went bananas" with energy, passion for the music, and a true connection to the listeners.

After a great #1 run at WFIL, Banana Joe went on to become #1 at CHUM/Toronto, and a rejuvenation of KHJ/Los Angeles, while becoming "Air Personality of the Year" in 1981.  In the eighties, Banana was CO-Owner of WTLQ/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and WHTF/Harrisburg/York, leading both stations from worst to near first ratings as VP/Programming.  Joe returned to Los Angeles at Premiere Radio Networks during their amazing run to become America's #1 Radio Network.  Joe was National Affiliate Marketing Director, and held creative programming positions while at Premiere.  

Simultaneously while at Premiere, Joe joined KIIS-FM, creating the Banana Joe Flashback Show in 1991, the first retro show to feature 70's and 80's hits, again a #1 success story.  While in LA, Joe also appeared in movies and theater, such as "Mulholland Falls" a motion picture starring Nick Nolte and Melanie Griffith, and a long running stage comedy costarring with the late Vic Tayback in "an Oasis In Manhattan".

Joe diversified into Country Programming at Premiere's BIG DOG 92.5, KZDG/Denver achieving major growth during the Country Revolution. Other Country credits include mornings/PD at WWGR/Ft. Myers, FL and WAKT/Panama City, FL.  where Joe's Morning Show was simulcast on WPGX-TV FOX-28.  AC credits include Programming Gannett's WUSA/Tampa to the top of the 25-54 heap from 1993-1995.  Joe met his wife Kris at WUSA/Tampa, where she was VP Marketing & Promotions.  

In 1998 Chancellor Media announced the second Jammin' Oldies station would be MAGIC 102,  KTXQ/Dallas.  Joe kicked off the station as its first and only morning personality until the station was sold and the format was changed.  KTXQ achieved top 5 ratings 25-54 in mornings within 9 months!  Simultaneously while at KTXQ, Joe delivered morning shows via ISDN to sister stations WOCL/Orlando and KHYL/Sacramento, hence the beginning of BANANA JOE RADIOTRAX.

Now maintaining his consulting/Voice-Over business, Joe has diversified into Talk Radio with "The Joe Zone"..Not Liberal, Not Conservative...NO LABELS!  The show can be heard in Los Angeles at Infinity's KLSX-FM. Joe lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kris and Lhasa Apsos "Rusty" and "Eddie," "Lenny" the parrot, and  "Ricky" the cockatiel, along with his babies (the cockatiel's babies) "Dallas" & "Baby," Joe enjoys Italian cooking, boating, golfing, the animals and helping to make your station #1!  

It's a long way from that  basement studio in Pittston, PA to an all digital multitrack facility in L.A., but the results are the same...great talent comes through every time!  Since the formation of Banana Joe RADIOTRAX, Joe has been heard coast to coast and Worldwide on Jones Radio Network's, Premiere Radio Networks, All Comedy Radio, and The Air1 Christian Hit Music Network, along with tracking and imaging for stations around the country.