New Radio Show "AMICI STREET" Broadcasting from our Local Area
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on July 16, 2026
Picture a street where every storefront celebrates Italian culture—where the music spills out from open windows, conversations flow in English and Italian, and friends (amici) gather to share stories that span generations. That street now exists online, and it's called “AMICI STREET.”
Airing for the first time, on June 1, 2026, a new radio show joined Italian American Radio, broadcasting from here in West Virginia town and now is heard in 15 countries including Italy. Hosted by Stephen Pishner, the show is both a celebration of his band Amici's 42-year journey and a tribute to the Italian heritage that runs through his veins—100 percent pure, from Caulonia in Reggio Calabria on his father's side and San Giovanni In Fiore in Cosenza on his mother's. All of Stephen’s grandparents came from Italy. The new show can be found at italianamericanradio.com and you can learn more about Amici at amiciwv.com which contains all their latest news, music and videos.
The Invitation That Changed Everything
Stephen’s new radio show didn't happen by accident. Johnny Anello, creator of Italian American Radio itself, invited Stephen to join the broadcaster family. Anello had built something extraordinary: a 24/7 free online radio station dedicated entirely to Italian American content—talk shows, heritage programs, food shows, music, comedy, and more. The station is a kind of hub that now houses numerous podcasts and radio shows from across the United States and Australia, all centered on Italian heritage.
AMICI STREET entered this diverse lineup as a music/talk show that will grow to include interviews exploring various angles of Italian culture—history, food, traditions, genealogy, and the ongoing Italian American story. Stephen briefly met Johnny Anello years ago in an Italian Ristorante in New York City and actually spoke on his show, not knowing some day in the future their paths would cross again and this opportunity would come about. Johnny is also know by his stage name as "Johnny Mandolin" a very accomplished mandolin player who also plays jazz and specializes in mandolin music for movies. Johnny resides in New York City and Los Angeles and is the head of Cexton Records.%20(1)%20(2)%20(1)%20(1).jpg)
More Than a Band Name
"Amici" means "friends" in Italian, and that's exactly what this show is about—bringing friends together through music that honors the past while embracing the present. The band itself, formed in Clarksburg, West Virginia in 1984, consists of four singers—Chris Tassos, Mark Dinaldo, Jule Carenbauer, and Stephen Pishner—who weave guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums into a sound that speaks to everyone from “nonna” (grandma) to “nipoti” (grandkids) .
The band’s playlist is a journey through the Italian American experience: from "O Sole Mio" to Frankie Valli, with a little expansion to Neil Diamond's "America" as their signature tribute to the immigrant story. These aren't just songs—they're the soundtrack of a community that honored its roots while building a new home.
A look back: From a Lobby in Clarksburg to the World
What makes Amici remarkable isn't just their longevity, but their reach.
They've performed on the Red Carpet Stage of New York's Columbus Day Parade on 5th Avenue, and in their past, they’ve entertained at Galileo's Ristorante in Washington DC for Placido Domingo's Opera Party, rocked Festa Italiana events from Charlotte to Atlanta, as well as parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and today have become staples at festivals on the Italian scene in West Virginia, namely, the WV Italian Heritage Festival and the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival in Wheeling.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Amici didn't stop—they adapted. First, they performed online from the lobby of Clarksburg's Robinson Grand Theatre, reaching over 8,000 viewers online in what Pishner calls "new territory to be explored in those pandemic days."
Later that Labor Day Weekend, they went professional—performing LIVE from the actual Robinson Grand Stage with a professional camera team for the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, which couldn't happen in person that year.
A Lifetime of Italian Advocacy
This radio show isn't a new chapter; it's continuing a story that began in 1979. That's when he first participated in the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, providing music each year and serving on the Board of Directors since 1987. He has chaired the Catholic Mass Committee, Music Entertainment Committee, and Co-Authors' Forum Committee with his sister Diana Pishner Walker.
This lifetime dedication means AMICI STREET is more than entertainment—it is what now has become his lifelong mission to promote, share, and honor Italian heritage through music and conversation, now amplified through digital media.
The Music You'll Hear on the Show
AMICI STREET features tracks from Amici's recordings, including their latest album "Amici Rockin' The Streets."
You can now find their music on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and everywhere else music lives online.
Their previous CD, "Amici In America" still has songs floating around the digital world as well.
Stephen's musical identity goes deeper than the band.
- He's working on a book about his first trip in 1984 to Italy and finding his Italian relatives
- Released "Sounds of Love," a Sinatra-ish Rat Pack album on streaming sites created a song entitled: "We Will Get Through This Storm", as a song of faith in response to the 2020 pandemic.
- Released "Songs of Grace for The Soul" (featuring a musical favorite by some called: "Quiet My Soul") and "Songs of Hope for the Heart" - both perfect for personal prayer and liturgy,
- Written "This Child," a unique Christmas song about Emmanuel found in the lowly, rejected, hurting, and poor.
- Recorded a Christmas music video, performing a semi-contemporary music version "O Holy Night" with his wife Belinda, filmed at St. Joseph Cathedral in Wheeling, WV.
- He also recorded a music video of a standard favorite "My Way.” His talent has even reached a little on the film scene — he played piano for the church scene in Robert Tinnell's "Feast of the Seven Fishes."
He notes: "In the church scene, you can hear me play the piano, but you can't see me." Ave Maria, the song he played, became his hidden contribution to this film. Denise Roncone, who sings in that movie scene, also appears on some of Stephen’s recording, include an AMICI recording, as she sings “The Prayer”, a duet with Stephen.
Why This Italian American Radio Show Matters
Amici holds a unique position: they're the only known contemporary-pop/folk Italian American band in West Virginia performing Italian music—past and present—in a unique style. For Italian Americans in the region without regular access to culturally specific programming, AMICI STREET can fill that gap, which just a click or two of a button and wonders of internet radio listening. Pishner says, “You don’t have to be Italian to enjoy AMICI STREET or even AMICI." He continues: “You may not be Italian, but I bet your stomach is.”
The “Street” Where the Immigrant is not Forgotten
AMICI STREET represents something bigger than one radio show. It's part of a growing movement keeping the Italian American story alive through digital media. As Johnny Anello’s Italian American Radio expands its roster across the United States, Australia, and beyond, AMICI STREET stands as proof that Italian heritage music and presence still matter—and that the friends (Amici) who carry it forward are just as vital today as they were in 1984.
When asking Stephen how he defines himself in this musical setting, he says: " I think I am an eclectic energetic musician, grounded in faith and Italian heritage." His hope is simple: every note he plays, every song he sings, every broadcast he creates will lift people up and put some joy into their day—at least while the music lasts.
AMICI STREET is that hope realized. It's a “street”, (via an online radio show) where the immigrant isn't forgotten, Italian heritage flourishes, friends gather, and music connects us all.
Italian American Radio is 24/7 and free to listen to.
Tune into Italian American Radio and take a “walk” down AMICI STREET.
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