You might not know this fun fact as yours truly is no stranger to the tri-state region. Before I settled in the town of Great Barrington, my primary residence was south of the border in Litchfield county as I resided in the village of Lakeville from 1993 to 1996 before moving out to eastern Connecticut. That's because I spent about three years as a country and western radio personality at a daytime AM radio station in Sharon (no, my attire did not consist of a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots) as the format was similar to our sister station, WNAW in North Adams. I could say it was a fun experience as the audience was loyal and true to this format and we were personality driven over the airwaves.

Upon residing in the north west corner, I discovered that some notable celebrities maintained permanent or part-time residency in this vicinity and some of these folks have also been spotted in our neck of the woods here in Great Barrington. Here are the top 5 "famous folk" who call this area of our tri-state region home:

1) MERYL STREEP:

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The Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actress resides in a private estate in the outskirts of Salisbury, Connecticut. Her most notable works included winning Oscars for her performances in "Kramer vs Kramer", "Sophie's Choice" and "Out Of Africa". She graduated from locally based  schools including Vassar College in neighboring Poughkeepsie, New York and Yale University south of Litchfield county in The Elm City of New Haven, Connecticut and is a 2014 recipient of The Presidential Medal Of Freedom.

2) KEVIN BACON:

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The star of "Footloose" also calls the Litchfield Hills home as he resides with his wife, Kyra Sedgewick (star of "The Closer") in a vicinity that borders Lakeville and Sharon. You never know when Kevin and his brother, Michael (aka The Bacon Brothers) will be jamming at a venue near you as they have been known to perform in the friendly confines of our listening area. Some might not know this, but his first movie appearance was in the original "Friday the 13th" film back in 1980 and he was superb in the 1982 Barry Levinson film "Diner". He also had bit parts in the CBS soap operas "Search For Tomorrow" and "Guiding Light" and the rest is history.

3) JANE CURTIN:

2019 Nantucket Film Festival - Day Four
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An original "Not Ready For Prime Time Player", Jane was part of the talented, ensemble cast when "Saturday Night Live" made it's debut on NBC back in 1975. She also co-starred with Susan St. James in the 80's sit com "Kate & Allie" and created a world of comedic magic with John Lithgow in the 90's NBC comedy "3rd Rock From The Sun" as she portrayed Dr. Mary Albright who was Dr. Solomon's girlfriend, although she did not know he was an alien disguised as a human being. Jane continues to appear in local theatrical productions as she calls Sharon, Connecticut her permanent home base alongside her husband, Patrick Lynch. She also appeared in one of my "Let's Talk" segments on WSBS in 2019 and I was fortunate to meet her not once, but twice in my life. A true gem in our tri-state region, for sure.

4) MICHAEL J. FOX:

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The star of TV's "Family Ties" and "Spin City" has been battling a series of health problems after his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease has limited his ability to travel from the west coast. Many consider his role of Marty McFly in the "Back To The Future" trilogy as a pinnacle of cinematic history where his chemistry with Christopher Lloyd (aka Doc) was priceless in nature. Michael and his wife, Tracy Pollan are part-time property owners of an estate in the outskirts of Sharon, Connecticut as we hope to welcome him back east down the road. May God bless him each and every day.

5) TOM BROKAW:

Portrait Of News Anchor Tom Brokaw
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The former NBC Nightly news anchor would head north from New York City during the weekend to his retreat in Cornwall-On-Hudson, just south of Sharon. These days, he is enjoying his retirement out west at a ranch in Livingston, Montana (aka Big Sky country) as he remains in remission after a bout with multiple myeloma. If you're wondering, Brokaw's property in Litchfield county is still standing as his residency is also on a part-time basis.

(Some background in this article courtesy of Wikipedia)

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