On a humid, summer Saturday afternoon, the third floor of the African American Museum of Philadelphia was cool and comfortable, even though the place was bustling with people dressed to the nines.

The event was the First Annual Living Legend Music Awards, held June 27 in honor of Black Music Month, giving props to musical masters like Chubby Checker and saxophonist Bootsy Barnes (a regular at Ortlieb's in Northern Liberties).

One award recipient stood out in particular, if only because he was the only white one. Fishtown resident David April was honored for a genuine appreciation of African-American music. He's been playing it on the radio for 17 years and listening to it for a lifetime.

Every Tuesday night, April, 43, treks from Fishtown to Hatboro for his two radio shows on WRDV Hatboro (107.3 FM in Philadelphia). On "Gospel Train," April spins traditional gospel from the 1930s through today, and his other show, "The Roots of Rhythm and Blues," features blues shouters, jump bands and other beat-heavy danceable tunes.

April is a fanatic when it comes to black music, eager to share listening experiences more than an academic tautology of who sang what when. He is a kind and humble man, easily recognizable as the tour guide from Philadelphia Brewing Company and a co-founder of the Fishtown Beer Runners - a "drinking club" that runs.

"David is an important part of the PBC family, the first impression that people get about what we do and who we are," said brewery co-owner Nancy Barton. "I think when people come to take the tour they can tell that he loves what he's doing and truly likes people."

April grew up in Virginia, and his sister would bring home jazz and soul records from college at Southwestern Missouri State in Springfield. Those first experiences at age 8 with James Brown and the Ohio Players stuck with April, even when he was rocking out to Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC in high school.

At the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, April took interest in 1950s rock and roll and doo-wop. Buddy Holly and The Five Keys were played out on the old Technics, and April's pursuit of roots music reached an apex when he heard Wynonie Harris' hit 1951 song, "Lovin' Machine."

"Lovin' Machine" is electrifying, a hard groovin' club banger that demands motion. You can't help but tap along or shake a leg, trying to invoke the jump and jive common in the dance halls of that time. All this organized commotion at the behest of Harris, who has a great set of pipes, wailing about his newly built "Lovin' Machine."

"What spoke to me about that music is that it was genuine," said April. "The element of authenticity and the stories told with early rhythm and blues are just incredible."

According to April, a lot of these songs didn't receive radio play because of their risquŽ material for that time. "They were singing about women, whiskey, and loaded dice: all the elements that go into a great R&B song, and you can dance to it," said April.

From the R&B of the late '40s and '50s, April continued to journey back even further to some of the deepest roots of African American music. He liked the vocal group sound in the vain of groups like Dion and the Belmonts (most notable for "Teenager in Love"), but felt the sound was "too bubblegummy" for him.

Then one day, April found an LP on Vee-Jay records of the Harmonizing Four, a traditional gospel group from his home state of Virginia. The first track "His Eye is On the Sparrow" moved him deeply, and he's been on the gospel train ever since. April even met the Harmonizing Four in the early 1990s.

"It was the equivalent of a kid meeting Mickey Mantle or some kind of sports figure," April recalled happily. "They were my idols, and at first they seemed curious about why I would know so much about their music. But then they realized that I respected it, and they were thankful that they were remembered."

It is part of April's mission for these artists to be remembered, listened to, and appreciated, and WRDV FM is a perfect outlet for doing so. After completing a Masters in History Museum Studies at Cooperstown Graduate Program in Upstate New York, April made his way to Doylestown Pa. to run the Fonthill Museum. One day, April discovered WRDV FM while scanning the airwaves.

"It sounded really cool," he recounts. "There was a DJ playing some really cool soul and R&B, and he was doing it with the 'platter patter,' where he could actually talk in between the records."

One of the most notable aspects of David April's life of sharing music are his visits to The Care Pavilion at Walnut Park, located at 63rd and Walnut streets in West Philadelphia. April ended up at The Pavilion because of "Mabel," a regular caller on The Roots of R&B and Gospel Train.

"Mabel would call me every Tuesday; first she'd update me on the Philly sports scores, then request a song and dedicate it to the folks on '3 west.'" April continued, "It didn't' take me long to figure out that she works as an aide in a nursing home, so I finally said 'Mabel, I'm gonna come visit you' and I've been doing it ever since."

The nursing home is predominantly African American, and patients really respond to the music April plays. "Not only does it evoke their memories, but it's sacred music too," he says. "I've seen people in their 90s get up out of their wheelchairs and try to dance, or they'll cry and sing and remember the music. It's so powerful."

But even with such great contributions to the community, April's humble attitude shines through in conversation. "I hope when I'm at that age, someone will come to my nursing home and play me Led Zeppelin or whatever," he jokes. "It gives my work a sense of meaning and shows me that music is truly the universal language."

You can hear David April's "Gospel Train" show on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by his "Roots of R&B" from 8 to 10 p.m., at 107.3 FM, Radio Delaware Valley. Shows can also be streamed for free online at www.wrdv.org.¥¥