The Richmond music community is grieving the loss of William “Bill” Lupoletti, who passed away on Oct. 31 after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Queens, New York but a longtime resident of Richmond, Lupoletti was a co-founder of independent radio station WRIR 97.3FM and, for more than 20 years, brought the sounds of world music to Richmonders through his weekly show “Global A Go-Go,” which encouraged listeners to explore beyond borders in what he called “the universal language of groove.” With its iconic tagline, “decolonizing your ears since 2005,” “Global A Go-Go” reached local and international audiences, rebroadcasting on several additional stations around the world.

“Bill’s vision and dedication were instrumental in shaping the station’s ethos; from its early days in a basement to its place as a cornerstone of Richmond culture,” a statement released from the radio station reads. “He was a mentor whose generosity and curiosity made every volunteer and listener feel welcome. Bill was not only a radio visionary but also a passionate connector, using his platform to build bridges for international artists to perform in Richmond.”

The station plans to run past episodes of “Global A Go-Go” whenever possible. Lupoletti’s playlists, music reviews, and other writings are available at GlobalAGoGo.com and a full archive of his radio shows can be found at Radio4All.net.

Below, members of the WRIR community past and present share their condolences and thoughts on what Lupoletti meant to them.

Note: the following remembrances have been edited for clarity and length.

Bradley “Straw” Stabler, Interim Vice President, WRIR Board of Directors

Bill was the best. One of the most open hearted and passionate music scholars to ever do it. What I have to especially praise is that he was a master of presentation. He always knew how to sequence, how to present, and how to augment what he was playing either through insightful commentary or effusive enthusiasm for the artists he played. He had an infectious spirit. I loved his show from the time I heard it in 2005, and he is one of the volunteers I looked up to. Bill was, and still is, one of a kind.

Eric Walters, host, “Wide Ear Folk”

Bill is the person who got me involved with the station before we were broadcasting. He encouraged me to join the board. The determination and focus he showed during those early days was absolutely incredible. Bill had a knack for zeroing in on solutions to obstacles we were facing at the time. He was instrumental in the organization and I wonder if the station might not have come to fruition without him.

Enzo Adimari, host, “Pop Goes the World”

To say Bill was instrumental in WRIR’s success or even existence is a massive understatement. Simply put, WRIR would not exist without Bill. He had a knack for humanizing and making things you weren’t familiar with palatable. My favorite, of course, was his definition of world music. He simply called it “local music from someplace else.”

Phil Ford, host, “The Friday Clock Out”

Bill had a big hand in the station, being a backbone in the early days of its existence. He single-handedly came up with the “Breakfast Blend” concept Monday through Friday morning 6-8 a.m. I remember when I first started volunteering and Bill showed me the index card box which had a listing of the current world music that needed to be played in the rotation. DJs could play more or less what they wanted, but it was Bill that insisted that music from around the world also be represented during those time slots. It was at this moment, as Bill was leafing through some examples in the card box, that he enlightened me to a universe beyond my dumb punk-rock head, which was an entire globe of vibrant, vivacious, decadent energetic, spectacular, creative, experimental and excellent (even superior) music. Bill truly opened my eyes and my ears to what was actually out there. As the years went by, he would also compliment me on my unique balance of playing Cheb I Sabbah or Tinariwen with Dead Kennedys at 6 a.m and that it was quite a wake-up blast. Or he would most always give me the new Juana Molina record to review for the station because he knew I was a big fan.

Over the years, I would occasionally see him because he was pursuing other interests in world music, not only did he still have his show at the station, but he also had a big hand in bringing music to this city with the Folk Festival as well as the new venture with Secret Planet which brought these musicians to places like Révéler and Get Tight. Bill not only showed me, but all of us the power of decolonizing your ears with music from around the world in the universal language of groove.

Anna Creech, former Music Director

Bill came to me over a decade ago and talked me into taking up the mantle of music director, a role I eventually filled for 11 years. He rightly saw both my interest in new music and my professional passion for organizing information. Bill was a great example of what a music or genre director could do for a radio station, cultivating the connections with promoters and record labels, and encouraging the flow of new music to the station as well as connecting that music to specific DJs. Aside from being a genuinely wonderful human being no longer in this world, his loss is huge for the station. I have missed seeing him and chatting with him since the pandemic years, and regret not making more of the time I had when I could.

Rian Moses-Hedrick, public and internal newsletter, WRIR Board of Directors

“Global A Go-Go” was a vibrant celebration of world music, emphasizing the danceable over the folkloric with a groove that truly transcended borders. Bill’s Sunday shows at WRIR were a vibe, and I will miss his spirit of collaboration and appreciation among his fellow radio volunteers.

Doug Nunnally, local music and community engagement, WRIR Board of Directors

Bill’s passion for music and community helped shape the core of WRIR, keeping it a vital voice in Richmond for the past two decades. While the station has remained grounded in local impact, Bill made sure we never stopped listening outwards and ensured we never lost sight of the global rhythms that connect us all.

Kate Andrews, host, “Midtown Swing”

Bill was such an important part of the station, and I will miss him so much. Bill’s mission to “decolonize” ears influenced a lot of us, and when I was playing tons of American funk on the ‘Wednesday Breakfast Blend,’ I asked him to recommend African funk bands that I could play, and of course he came through. Bill was a reliable and knowledgeable and generous person and DJ, and I am glad to have known him.

Inga Schunn, social media and community partnerships, WRIR Board of Directors

I am part of this community and this radio station because of Bill. I first met him while taking [Lupoletti’s wife] Alyssa [Salomon]’s alternative processes class during undergrad (2013) and she invited our class to celebrate the end of the semester at their home. Bill had a twinkle to him, I don’t know how else to describe it. I found out about his show shortly thereafter and was immediately hooked. Nowhere else that I had ever lived (and I’ve lived in quite a few!) was there a radio station that played real world music. He was the first person I met in my life — besides my family and some friends I made in the African and French diaspora — who knew who Amadou Y Miriam were, and would send me their new releases whenever they came.

When I trained to be an on-air DJ, I immediately requested that he be my mentor. I now regret not going to shadow him for more of his shows. He was always so beautifully organized. He not only stressed how important it was to ‘decolonize’ our ears, but how important it was to share information about the music you were playing. He was an excellent teacher; emphasizing the role that radio played in humanizing music and making it accessible. He felt monumental, yet was so approachable. To say I looked up to him is an understatement. He was my WRIR hero, a true Richmond icon. I am overwhelmed with grief knowing I will never be able to ask him about his most recent favorites again. What an absolute legend and immeasurable loss for our city and this station.

Richard Schellenberg, Operations

Bill was a huge part of helping to create Studio C, always inspiring creative freedom. He used it as much as he could and really enjoyed having artists from around the world be able to perform live on the air on WRIR.  He knew how to balance performance with interviews, and challenged our limits often with the number of performers. His knowledge of all music was so vast, and he was a true fan of all these different genres. A true genius and teacher. He worked well with all the sound engineers we have had as volunteers and always was a positive force.

A celebration of Lupoletti’s life will be held at Révéler Experiences on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. All are welcome to join but RSVPs are requested as space is limited. At the request of Lupoletti’s family, donations can be made to WRIR’s Capital Campaign fund to help sustain the radio station he cherished.