In November 1972, WMMS was sold to Malrite Communications, a Michigan-based firm that relocated to Cleveland upon purchase. In September 1995, he was hired to do nights at WRKR-FM in Kalamazoo, MI. In 2014, Springsteen finally released the Agora concert officially on CD and download. [83][89] Lisa Dillon, Ric Bennett and Tom Renzy also would depart the station that same day. [51] On July 31, 1947, W8XUB began broadcasting at 100.7MHz. In July 1973, John Gorman joined WMMS as music director and was promoted to program director and operations manager two months later where he remained for thirteen years. Two of her audiobook projects were nominated for Grammy awards in the Best Spoken Word category. That will never be done again. Since 1998, he's hosted "America's Workforce" a one-hour program sponsored by labor unions on WERE-AM/1490. He now works for Progressive Insurance. During his 16-year tenure, WMMS was consistently one of the highest-rated radio stations in the country. [121] The Jacor purchase closed on August 10, 1998; 59days later, on October 8, 1998, Clear Channel Communications won a bidding war for Jacor in a $6.5billion deal. Seth "the Barbarian" Williams took the overnight shift when Pennington moved to evenings in 2001. Matt was part of the early days at Cleveland State Universitys radio operation that only broadcast to the cafeteria, but soon after he got in on the ground floor of WMMS during its eventual transition to the Buzzard. The music structure also was modified at this time as artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince soon found airplay on WMMS. He briefly worked mid-days at the end of his career, but soon retired. (Plain Dealer file photo), Dillon got her start in Cleveland radio in 1988 on WMMS-FM/100.7, working on the morning show with Jeff and Flash. Buzzard Morning Zoo video featuring Mr. Leonard. Needless to say, for health reasons, this contest changed the way promotions were done going forward at WMMS. One of the first black DJs in Cleveland radio, he worked at WIXY-AM/1260, and became one of the WIXY Supermen. [131][132], In September 2007, WMMS management chose to "de-emphasize" both The Buzzard and WMMS call letters, referring to the station as simply "100.7", save for the FCC-mandated legal ID at the top of every hour. [72] Rather, WMMS adopted a buzzard as its mascot in April 1974 because of the then tenuous economic state of Cleveland less than five years away from becoming the first major American city to enter into default since the Great Depression[73] and the winged-creature's classification as a scavenger. [151] In addition to the live broadcast, the show is available on demand through iHeartRadio; and can be downloaded as a podcast through iTunes. Cleveland Police wearing riot gear were called in just as headliner Green Day took the stage. The show also drew national attention after holding a book burning party for Fifty Shades of Grey on July 8, 2012. Students were protesting the bombing of Cambodia by the United States Armed Forces. From 2007-2014, she was owner and CEO of Life After Your Divorce, a company that worked with people going through divorce. [51] In order to firmly establish a separate identity, and to reflect the station's ownership,[55] the WHK-FM callsign was changed to WMMS on September 28, 1968. DJ additions included station engineer Ric Bennett as "Rocco the Rock Dog,"[86] Scooter (WMMS music director Brad Hanson), former WRQC nighttime Personality and later WNCX Afternoon Drive and Production Director, Tom "Jack" Daniels (who returned to the Cleveland airwaves after a successful stint as Program Director of WLEV, Allentown, PA), Lisa Dillon[86] and station veteran Matt the Cat,[86] (who returned to the midday slot in 1990 after a two-year absence.) The other DJs in the photo are, from left: Billy Bass, Doc Nemo, Vic Boc and Pat Mack. [148][146][152][153][154][155], A devoted fan of heavy metal, Cox considers himself more of a comedian than a disc jockey. [141] Maxwell was known for having feuds with other radio personalities during the show's time at WMMS, including Rover of Rover's Morning Glory and fellow WTAM afternoon host Mike Trivisonno; by 2009, Maxwell had become the number one afternoon program in several key demographics. Yes, the station had lost its way for a bit, but MMS was the standard. It's about an ex-Marine who is a hitman in the Midwest on March 25th. WMMS also streams it's coverage of selected games on iHeartRadio, even outside of the Cleveland market. People in radio say he was not an easy guy, that dealing with him was like a daily root canal. 4, their fourth album, which had been released the previous year, but dug deep into their back catalog for a crowd-pleasing set that featured all of the hits and a hefty selection of deeper tracks that were also fan favorites. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band!" Mama, come get your baby boy! [144] Rover's contract with CBS was set to expire, but it was an affiliate contract inherited from the Free FM stintCBS transferred him back to WKRK-FM after WCKG cancelled itand not a talent contract, thus he was not subject to a non-compete clause. Jeff and Flash were accompanied by a list of other talent over the years which made up the Buzzard Morning Zoo. When WMMS program director John Gorman found out Rio was not under contract in Houston, he offered Rio a job, and the comedian eventually moved to Cleveland. Bruce held on to the innocence and the romance. WMMS News anchor, Mike Olszewski paints a picture of the scene on that dreadful day. [146] Rover is under contract with WMMS through 2022. She introduced Rush when they got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in June 2010. Already strained by ongoing contract renewal negotiations, the incident further alienated the two parties, and by November of that year the show was cancelled. From celebrities and high profile sports stars, to iconic DJs who know music, SiriusXM has the best hosts in radio. He would read some commercial copy and then "throw them in the bash bucket where they belong" and openly criticize music he didn't care for. (Cleveland) - One of our co-workers in the IHeartMedia Cleveland newsroom has passed away. [140] The Maxwell Show gradually evolved from airing mostly music to all talk, with Maxwell joined by WMMS music director Dan Stansbury and Tiffany "Chunk" Peck, the program's phone screener. Kid Leo's boxing announcer themed introduction welcomed both the fans in the audience at the Cleveland Agora and the many more listening on the network radio broadcast, to the evening's "Main Event," the 10th anniversary concert celebration for WMMS, which would be hosted by The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. EC horror comics, Fritz the Cat, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Looney Tunes all served as inspirations for the "bird of prey with attitude" concept. She stayed on when the station switched formats to modern rock in 1992, becoming 107.9 The End. Listeners signed up to participate in the contest What would you do for $5,000 which took place at Dicks Last Resort on the Flats East Bank. During this time, with Denny Sanders as his creative services director and Rhonda Kiefer as programming assistant, WMMS broke all Cleveland ratings and revenue records. Cox's intelligence, humor, and willingness to do a variety of on-air stunts for the show led to his hiring as a producer. Those guys are f--kin' heroes!" ", "We had the right staff, the right soundtrack at the time. "[61], Under the leadership of station manager Billy Bass and program director Denny Sanders, WMMS helped break many new rock artists nationally, most notably David Bowie. Springsteen's music had become an important cornerstone of the Buzzard playlist and his profile had risen nationally, thanks to the release of the Born to Run album, with the title track quickly becoming an 'MMS staple that would endure for decades. During his time at WMMS, Bass coined the phrase, "Cleveland: The Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World." Len "Boom" Goldberg's unmistakable voice was heard for three decades on 100.7 WMMS. The station also started to devote weekend programming to the classic rock format. Widely regarded as one of the most influential rock stations in America throughout its history, the station has also drawn controversy for unusually aggressive tactics both on and off the air. (Plain Dealer file photo), A DJ at WMMS-FM/100.7 in the 1980s, Stein went on to work in programming at Westwood One and Launch Radio Networks. who killed athena in the witch of portobello; what game relates to a rainbow; ventura county obituary past 3 days; sri lanka parliament election 2015 preferential votes; According to her LinkedIn page, she now works as a freelance voice actor and author. [39][40] Noted filmmakers, including Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous) and Paul Schrader (Light of Day), have called on both TheBuzzard and its personnel while preparing for various rock-themed productions. [104] John Gorman was named Program Director of the Year (Rock) in 1995. In 1958, both WHK and WHK-FM were sold to Metropolitan Broadcasting, itself renamed MetroMedia two years later. Denny left WMMS to start another local station, but returned for a long stay at WMJI. The movie is loosely written about director, Cameron Crowes life who as a child did in fact write for Rolling Stone and spent time on tour with bands like Led Zeppelin, Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He now runs his own music consulting business, LJT Entertainment, and is program director and an on-air host of "Underground Garage" on Sirius XM Radio. One of their biggest contributions to our fine city was spearheading a grass roots effort to get the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame here in Cleveland. By 1984, the WMMS format moved to an CHR/AOR hybrid, playing a great deal of Top 40 rock singles in hot rotation mixed with album cuts; this new blended rock/Top 40 format was soon known by those at the station as Rock Forty. February 7, 2021 WMMS. Korvan now lives in South Dakota. [148][149][143][150], Radio personality Alan Cox, formerly host of The Morning Fix at WKQX/Chicago and The Alan Cox Radio Show at WXDX-FM/Pittsburgh, took over weekday afternoons as host of The Alan Cox Show on December 16, 2009. Photo: Courtesy of John Gorman), One of the young DJs legendary WMMS program director John Gorman brought to the Buzzard when he took over again as WMMS chief in the early 1990s. Listen To The Most Popular Podcasts On iHeartRadio! He came to the Agora armed with a new album, Darkness on the Edge of Town. Other shows, like The Buzzard Morning Show with Rick and Megalis (Rick Eberhart, Tom Megalis) and WMMS Mornings with Sean, Cristi, and Hunter (Sean Kelly, Cristi Cantle, Hunter Scott), came and went in quick succession. Right up until his departure in 1988, Kid Leo played "Born to Run" as his signature sign-off song every Friday night at 5:55 to kick off the weekend for area listeners. Ken Schneck. [142], On April 3, 2009, The Maxwell Show went on the air claiming that Metallicain Cleveland for the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony the very next daywas playing a free show in the WMMS parking lot later that evening. He joined the station in early 1972 before its sale to Malrite, and stayed in different capacities until 2004. Sanders was instrumental in WMMS' rise. Springsteen and the band hit the stage full throttle, opening appropriately with a cover of "Summertime Blues," with Springsteen promising, "I'm a gonna raise a fuss/ I'm a gonna raise a holler.". The station first turned to adult contemporary, big band, the Drake-Chenault automated Hit Parade '69 and finally Top 40,. [35] The fall 1998 Arbitron books showed WMMS with a substantial increase in listeners; Plain Dealer radio critic Roger Brown commented, "the scam worked" claiming it drove people to listen to the station again for what was supposedly the format's final days. The following local and national media outlets have attributed WMMS with this distinction: The following books have attributed WMMS with this distinction: harvnb error: no target: CITEREFNicks2003 (, "Rock Hall to Celebrate 40 Years of WMMS with New Exhibit", "Radio & Records 1981 on the WMMS Buzzard and Other Station Mascots", "The Media Business; Malrite's Buyout Price Disturbs Wall Street Analysts", "R.I.P. [28][29][30] Owned by iHeartMedia, and broadcasting a mix of active rock and hot talk, WMMS is currently the flagship station for Rover's Morning Glory, the FM flagship for the Cavaliers AudioVerse and Cleveland Guardians Radio Network, the Cleveland affiliate for The House of Hair with Dee Snider and the home of radio personality Alan Cox. The station serves as the FM flagship for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians radio networks. [128] WMMS again served as the FM flagship to the Cleveland Browns Radio Network from 2002 to 2012, with Jim Donovan and Doug Dieken as announcers. [78] Concertgoers occasionally fell or jumped off the steep stadium upper deck onto the concrete seating area far below, causing serious injury. "I think it's like a young nation, the changes of the times," said John Gorman, the station's program director during its 1970s and '80s Buzzard heyday. Among his books: "Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's FM Air Wars." Matt Harris served in the interim until WMMS hired Dick Dale (Bert Morris) from WPLA/Jacksonville. In 1973 WMMS unveiled a new logo The Mushroom. (Plain Dealer file photo), First woman on radio in Cleveland as a morning-drive time DJ at WNCR-FM/99.5 and WMMS-FM/100.7. While both Rover and Alan Cox are primarily "hot talk" programs, rock music airs during regular middays, nights, overnights, weekends and online during Cavaliers and Guardians play-by-play. Win a Monster Zero Sugar prize pack from Circle K! Brian and Joe were the first to broadcast from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's radio station in 1995. See Tenille Arts' Bedazzled Guitar Oct 07, 2020. Gorman returned to the Buzzard for a second brief run from 1994-96, but has spent most of the past 20 years as a radio consultant. "[32] "De-emphasized" in the fall of 2007, the scavenger was revived the following spring to coincide with the station's 40th anniversary and with the arrival of morning personality Rover. In addition to Boom's deep pipes being used every hour in the Top of the hour ID's, station sweepers and commercials, he held two on-air shifts on the weekends which he coined the Boom 'till noon. Hes heard introducing Bruce Springsteens fabled WMMS tenth anniversary show at the Cleveland Agora which is thought to have been the most bootlegged radio concert ever before its official release. Before FM took over the airwaves, before WMMS became the undisputed champ of Cleveland rock radio, WIXY 1260 AM ruled. "[110] Studios were moved again to a combined facility in the suburb of Independence, Ohio. Denny Sanders Denny Sanders 1972 - 1986 Denny Sanders came to WMMS in 1971 from Boston where he'd been working as a DJ from the time he was just 16 years old. [85] Four different program directors, including Rich Piombino and Michael Luczak, came and went with varying levels of success. [168], WMMS has served as the FM flagship station for the Cleveland Cavaliers AudioVerse since 2014, sharing network flagship status with AM sister station WTAM. However, Matt would be dismissed permanently from the station in late 1992, the victim of budget cuts. The WMMS Coffee Break Concerts were booked and directed by Denny Sanders and hosted by Len "Boom" Goldberg, Debbie Ullman, and later, Matt the Cat. His iconic rants have been preserved for posterity on the CD "Murray Saul: The Get Downs, Vol. With content being supplied by journalists and WMMS personnel, it was the perfect companion to what WMMS was doing on air at the time with a focus on the new bands and artists of the alternative music era. The Alan Cox Show is rated #1 in several key demographics, and readers of Cleveland Scene named Alan Cox the best Cleveland radio personality four straight years (201013). (Billy Bass is at far left in the photo, kickin' it with the WHK crew, circa 1968. Craig Ehlo. During his long tenure doing evenings at the station Denny interviewed hundreds of rock stars including the late John Lennon. WMMS beat out large market radio stations like WNEW in New York, WMMR in Philadelphia and KROQ in Los Angeles. During a June 19, 2012 interview with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, the show broke news of the delayed release for Music from Another Dimension!, the band's first studio album in eight years. [53] grand wailea pool menu; under armour ignite slides waterproof. Today, she is an assistant professor of communication at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. Good old Red! Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit, St. Louis they ran another stations birthday party. John Gorman and Denny Sanders left the station in fall of 1986, leading fourteen staff members with them to start rival station WNCX. We had a pretty good run with it in the '70s to the mid-'80s.". Date Unknown, William Lionel Freeman, better known by the name of his long time overnight show, "The BLF Bash" began his radio career in Fargo and later landed on the east coast in Boston. [167] WMMS also transmits text to compatible analog receivers, such as station IDs and artist and song information, via the Radio Data System (RDS); similarly, WMMS transmits text to HD Radio receivers known as Program Service Data (PSD). Boom also spent time on the Buzzard Morning Zoo and filled in during other air shifts. [129][130] Radio & Records twice named WMMS "Rock Station of the Year: Markets 1-25" (200506) as part of the now defunct publication's annual Industry Achievement Awards. He was vice president of education and public programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum from 2000-2003. Signing on in 1946 as the FM adjunct to WHK, the WMMS call letters were affixed in 1968 under Metromedia ownership, having stood for "MetroMedia Stereo" and meant as a compliment to the newly established progressive rock format, but have since taken on a variety of other meanings. [96] Gorman changed the WMMS format to alternative rock,[97] playing new acts like Nirvana, The Offspring, and Nine Inch Nails, on October 27. (Plain Dealer file photo), Matt Lapczinski, better known as "Matt The Cat," started at WMMS-FM/100.7 in 1974, fresh out of Cleveland State University. Cleveland Magazine has also described both Rover and Cox as "talk shows with a rock-oriented sensibility". "The station, like any radio station, it really reflects the people who are running it and the ownership of the station. Following the prank announcement, station management placed Maxwell on probation for 90 days. Kinzbach and Ferenc had already been a morning team with sidekicks since 1976, seven years prior to adopting the "morning zoo" label, so the basic structure was already in place. She left in 1989 to work for Top 40 station WPHR-FM/107. As WMMS-FM/100.7 program director from 1973-86, Gorman led the Buzzard troops on a campaign of conquest that transformed an unknown, FM upstart into a rock 'n' roll powerhouse. As WMMS celebrates the anniversary, both on-air and online, using archival audio, memorabilia and station-related artifacts to offer a cross-section of the station's diverse history and the.
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