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July 4, 2009
What’s On Now?

A Prairie Home Companion®
with Garrison Keillor


Visit a simpler time as Garrison Keillor and friends take listeners on a weekly journey to Lake Wobegon, Minnesota with music, comedy, and the host's beloved monologue.


Also Playing Now:

 WKSU 2 News:
A Prairie Home Companion
 WKSU 3 Classical:
Classical Music with Bob Christiansen


Later Today On WKSU

8:00
Folk Music with Jim Blum
Join host Jim Blum in discovering the best from the world of folk music, featuring the work of legends and others devoted to acoustic sounds.


Sunday On WKSU

12:00
Classical Music with Scott Blankenship


12:00
Folk Music with Jim Blum


1:00
Classical Music with Scott Blankenship


What’s On Now?

A Prairie Home Companion®
with Garrison Keillor


Visit a simpler time as Garrison Keillor and friends take listeners on a weekly journey to Lake Wobegon, Minnesota with music, comedy, and the host's beloved monologue.


Also Playing Now:

 WKSU On Air:
A Prairie Home Companion
 WKSU 3 Classical:
Classical Music with Bob Christiansen


Later Today On WKSU's News Channel

8:00
BBC World Service
For over 70 years, BBC World Service has been the globe's most comprehensive source for news. When news breaks — anywhere, anytime — BBC is there.


Sunday On WKSU 2

12:00
BBC World Service
For over 70 years, BBC World Service has been the globe's most comprehensive source for news. When news breaks — anywhere, anytime — BBC is there.

5:00
BBC World Service
For over 70 years, BBC World Service has been the globe's most comprehensive source for news. When news breaks — anywhere, anytime — BBC is there.

6:00
Other Voices
A weekly presentation of the best in public radio long-form documentary and journalism from across the country and right at home

What’s Playing Now?

Classical Music
With Bob Christiansen

5:51
Mark O'Connor: Song of the Liberty Bell (Nashville Symphony)

6:01
Philip Glass (trans. Paul Barnes): Orphee Suite: Orphee & the Princess (Paul Barnes, piano)

6:06
Medley: Armed Forces Medley (Cincinnati Pops)

6:10
George Gershwin: An American in Paris (Cleveland Orchestra)

Also Playing Now:

 WKSU On Air:
A Prairie Home Companion
 WKSU 2 News:
A Prairie Home Companion


Sunday On WKSU 3

12:00
Classical Music with Scott Blankenship


5:00
Classical Music with Scott Blankenship


6:00
Classical Music with Gillian Martin


12:00
The Baroque Era with David Roden
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WKSU News
From the early 1970's thru the late 1980's one Cleveland radio station not only dominated the local airwaves but also earned a reputation as the best radio station in America. WMMS capitalized on the counter-culture, employing a rag-tag, long-haired bunch of hippies with a passion for progressive rock and creativity to spare. Their leader was the visionary program director John Gorman. His new memoir is "Buzzard: The Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock Radio. "

Rock Radio Memories of the '70s and '80s
Former WMMS Program Director John Gorman Chronicles the Rise and Fall of the Hottest Station in the Nation
Friday, November 2, 2007

Reporter
Vivian Goodman
WKSU's Vivian Goodman reports:

Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (7:44)


Additional Interview Segments:

WMMS Concerts Brought the City Together
Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (0:36)

Targeted not just the counterculture
Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (0:32)

Alleged Ballot Stuffing For Rolling Stone Poll
Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (0:18)

Springsteen's "Born to Run" Was an Anthem
Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (0:34)


WMMS Station ID's & More

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WMMS DJ's

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(Click image for larger view.)

John Gorman, of the radio consulting firm Gorman Media, visits the Master Control room at WKSU. He was inducted in 2000 into the Ohio Radio-TV Hall of Fame.
April 6, 1976. Bruce Springsteen's only visit to WMMS, which took place the day before he & the E Street Band played the Allen Theater. Back row, Left to Right: Steven Van Zandt (E Street Band), Charlie Kendall, John Gorman, Jeff Kinzbach, Steve Lushbaugh, Matt the Cat, Denny Sanders. Front row: Kid Leo, Bruce Springsteen, Shelly Stile, Dan Garfinkel.
Murray Saul at Norwalk Raceway, Norwalk, Ohio, 1977. The popularity of the Friday "Get Down" weekend salute made Murray a much-in-demand personality for public appearances.
The pre-Buzzard WMMS mushroom logo, designed by Judy Tiburski, sister of then-sales manager Walt Tiburski. This was the station's official logo in 1973 through early 1974.
1984 WMMS staff photo, taken in the lobby of WMMS-WHK and Malrite Corporate offices: Back row: John Gorman, Bill "B.L.F. Bash" Freeman, Tom "T.R." Rezny, Ed "Flash" Ferenc, Jeff Kinzbach. Front row: Elisabeth Pick, Rhonda Kiefer, Matt the Cat, Denny Sanders, Betty Korvan, Len "The Boom" Goldberg, Kid Leo, Dia Stein, Tom O'Brien, Jim Marchyshyn Not shown: David Helton
Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music were superstars in Cleveland long before their national success and Ferry was a frequent visitor to WMMS. The group did not achieve national fame until their fifth album, Siren, and their hit single, "Love is the Drug" in 1975. Left to Right: Kid Leo, Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music), Hal Kaplan (Atlantic Records), Mark Fenwick (EG Records, London), John Gorman.
A WMMS sales department "hype sheet," which was sent to potential local advertisers and national advertising agencies, promoting the success of a WMMS World Series of Rock concert at Cleveland Stadium starring the Rolling Stones. It reprinted the front page of the July 1, 1978 Cleveland Press story on the concert, which read in part, "Many radios were tuned to WMMS, which was broadcasting Rolling Stones music."
A custom ad for the national Performance magazine, which displayed the WMMS relationship through our co-sponsorship of concerts with Belkin Productions, Blossom Music Center, the Agora Ballroom, and the Front Row. The magazine featured a supplement on the unique relationship between WMMS and local concert promoters, a rarity in most cities.
Len "Boom" Goldberg, backstage at the first WMMS World Series of Rock, Cleveland Stadium, 1974. WMMS personalities brought the acts on stage and did between-sets announcements, which provided them and WMMS major exposure since most concerts topped the 80,000 attendance mark.
Murray Saul and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys This was the infamous, but never revealed until now, incident. Dennis Wilson, while watching Murray Saul doing a Friday night "Get Down," of which Dennis was a part and was being filmed for a future television commercial, broke down because Murray's yelling reminded him of this own father, named Murry, with whom he had a troubled relationship.
Governor Dick Celeste guest hosted the morning show and surprised us by knowing all the Buzzard Morning Zoo characters and features. 1986 Left to right: Ed "Flash" Ferenc, John Gorman, Jeff Kinzbach, Governor Celeste, Ruby Cheeks
The Isley Brothers at WMMS, 1975. Left to right: Rudolph Isley (Isley Brothers), Chuck Schwartz (Epic Records), Chris Jasper (Isley Brothers), Ernie Isley (Isley Brothers), Kid Leo, Marvin Isley (Isley Brothers), John Gorman, Denny Sanders, Jeff Kinzbach. Few rock stations played their music, but at WMMS their songs were among the most requested. This was the first time the Isleys visited a rock format station.









Listener Comments:

Un-BEEE-LEEE-VABLE memory jolt. Especially the audio samples. I first read the book and could not put it down, then went to the net for more. Thanks John! Best memory on Mr. Lenard was the corp. memo requiring him to go to Cock's to get a Searsucker suit. When he came in with some bizar lime green outfit the morning crew asked him where he got that? he muttered "I thought they told me to go to Sears!"

Posted by: ElyriaBob (Daytona Beach) on June 29, 2008 8:47AM
Thank you for your fantastic page of WMMS history complete with audio and photos. I grew up in N.E. Ohio and graduated from high school in 1975, and I was crazy about WMMS. Thanks so much for bringing back great memories!

Posted by: Sue (Rochester, NY) on March 21, 2008 4:40PM
I have found the new millinium radio station. The guys at WMMS would love them, they are the next wave of classic good rock with dj's that spin with the best. Visit my nabweekly.ca blog and listen to them live, guarantee you'll love them as much as I do. Amanda Walton Gaston Nabweekly.ca

Posted by: amanda (Canada) on February 10, 2008 1:54AM
DON'T FORGET MARTIN CASEY AKA (CASEY MARTIN),WHO CAME OUT OF KENT STATE AND WENT TO WORK AT YOUNGSTOWN'S WHOT RADIO. I REMEMBER HIM VERY WELL.CASEY MARTIN,- OF OF THE WHOT GOOD GUYS OF THE EARLY 1970'S,FOLLOWED ALLEN SCOTT WHEN HE LEFT WHOT RADIO.

Posted by: JOHN (YOUNGSTOWN,OHIO) on January 5, 2008 10:32AM
More More More Lots Of Memories

Posted by: P Grimes (Wadsworth Ohio) on January 3, 2008 10:47PM
My first job out of high school in 1974 was working at WMMS as the request line girl on Saturday mornings. I continued working at WMMS until 1976 doing odd jobs for John Gorman, Charlie Kendall and Dan Garfinkle. The air checks - especially the 1975 Christmas Carol brought back fond memories of my time at the station. Thank you. Annette

Posted by: Annette (pka Salvatore) (Xenia, OH - now) on December 15, 2007 10:58AM
Thanks so much for your awesome webpage of WMMS history, and the audio is great too, what alot of great memories-thanks again, jim d.

Posted by: Jim Davison (Northfield) on November 2, 2007 4:26PM

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