Rudy & The Elftones

Sure, Mitch Dolan is the president of Citadel Broadcasting's O&O radio group. Sure, he's also president and general manager of WPLJ (95.5 FM).

But he keeps his options open.

"If some Beatles tribute band needed a mediocre rhythm guitar player," he says, "and I could make a living at it ..."

Hey, it's the season for dreams.

Meanwhile, Dolan satisfies his inner ax man by playing guitar in Rudy and the Elf-Tones, the WPLJ/WABC house band that can be heard Thursday morning playing Christmas songs on the annual WPLJ Blythedale Children's Hospital show

and then tomorrow pays its first visit to Don Imus on WABC (770 AM).

The Elf-Tones began 17 years ago, when Dolan arrived at WPLJ and found morale was lower than the South Pole. One of his answers was to form a band, and one of his fellow players was Steve Borneman, then in sales and now president and general manager of WABC when he's not drumming for the Elf-Tones.

Vocalist Carla Scott is also an original, and other Elf-Tones include Matt Sucich, Jack Maldonado, Leslie Slender and, new this year, associate Sean Hannity producer Lynda McLaughlin.

"There are some really talented musicians in the group," says Dolan, joking that: "It's a good thing Steve and I were founders and we wear suits, or we might get voted out."

The band also plays every year for WPLJ's client party at the Rainbow Room, under the name the Gross Impressions.

But their public signature is Rudy and the Elf-Tones and their showcase gig is Blythedale.

The Elf-Tones warm up the crowd at the start of the show and later, when stars John Mayer, Rob Thomas, Pat Monahan and Elliott Yamin are playing, the band circulates through the hospital playing for children who can't leave their rooms.

"It can be hard sometimes," says Dolan. "seeing what a tough hand so many of these kids have been dealt. But this show is one of the most important things the station does. It defines what the station is about."

It's also given the Elf-Tones opportunities not available to your average living room guitarist.

"Over the years, we've played with Rob Thomas, Bon Jovi, Bobby Helms and a lot of stars," Dolan says. "They've all been great to us, too, even though we have our limits. We rehearsed a song for Rob Thomas in A and when we got there for the broadcast, he asked if we could take it down to G. I said, 'No, Matchbox 20 may be able to do that, but these are the Elf-Tones. If we rehearsed in A, we play in A.'"

Dolan doesn't read music, but he does own "more guitars than many people would consider reasonable," and he plays at home.

"Like a zillion other kids, I first picked up a guitar when I saw the Beatles on 'Ed Sullivan,' Feb.9, 1964," says Dolan. "That's been my passion since. They say the secret of life is to figure out how to get paid for doing what you love - and to me, playing guitar in a Beatles tribute band would still be the ultimate gig."

Thursday, December 20, 2007

- Daily News - David Hinckley