Art Bell has died (Coast to Coast AM)

[seatownmedia]

While the content of Art Bell's shows are always mentioned as the big draw, I will disagree. It was simply, Art. He had a magical way of presenting his information in a way that worked late at night when many of his listeners were in bed and trying to fall asleep. His comforting, soothing voice and style were perfectly suited for this late night daypart. He never got angry, he always accepted his callers, and he was always there with a comforting voice even when his message was somewhat alarming. Nobody could do it quite like Art could. While we will never hear Art live again, it is apparent that much of his shows have been archived (i.e. somewhere in the night), and hopefully these shows will continued to be offered posthumously.

 

[Kelly A]

I think Bell should be considered among the great radio broadcasters of our time, up there with Stern, Rush, Larry King, Paul Harvey.

I believe Art was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame back in 2010.

Sadly, some of Bell's inner demons stopped him from continuing his show. He quit the network show at one point because of back trouble. He returned then quit again to move to The Philippines. He returned to the U.S. and signed up to do shows on Sirius XM, which I thought were terrific. He was live four nights a week and got replayed the other nights.

I can't help but think that humans just can't physically and mentally sustain working overnights for years, let alone spending five nights a week chain smoking, pots of black coffee, talking about fringe topics with equally sleep deprived-paranoid callers. It would drive the most calm and sane person to start questioning reality.

But he had a dispute about audio quality and a few other issues with Sirius management and quit that show after a couple of months.

Apparently that was one of Art's many returns from retirement, while he was living in the Philippines due to his last wife not being able to get a U.S. visa. Art tried to use a sketchy Philippines ISP connection from home to do his show which frequently dropped, or suffered from excessive delay and overall quality problems.

 

[wadio]

While the content of Art Bell's shows are always mentioned as the big draw, I will disagree. It was simply, Art. He had a magical way of presenting his information in a way that worked late at night when many of his listeners were in bed and trying to fall asleep. His comforting, soothing voice and style were perfectly suited for this late night daypart. He never got angry, he always accepted his callers, and he was always there with a comforting voice even when his message was somewhat alarming. Nobody could do it quite like Art could. While we will never hear Art live again, it is apparent that much of his shows have been archived (i.e. somewhere in the night), and hopefully these shows will continued to be offered posthumously.

Very well said.

Also, Art also didn't necessarily buy the supernatural theories of every guest in order to pander to the perceived audience the way his imitators often did. He listened with interest but also with a bit of skepticism, as if saying to listeners, "you decide."

He never took himself too seriously.

 

[seatownmedia]

Thanks.

Let me correct the title for the archived programs. "Somewhere in Time", not "Somewhere in the night". Must-listen radio, and again hopefully will continue.

 

[cyberdad]

A true giant who will be missed. RIP, Art.

 

[ThatVoice22]

RIP Art Bell

The Las Vegas Review Journal is reporting that kooky favorite UFO-paranormal investigator "Coast-to-Coast-AM" host Art Bell died of an opiod drug overdose: https://www.reviewjournal.com/local...st-art-bell-died-of-accidental-drug-overdose/ (The article's reference to 'Pahrump' seemed out of place to me - it's a city in Nevada)

I prefer to think that he was beamed-up to the Star Trek Enterprise - - Art Bell, an irreplaceable radio icon.

 

[FreddyE1977]

That's a very sad development. Drugs are a curse on this country.

Pahrump is a real place. I have a friend whose daughter used to live there.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Even at 50kW, WOWO's night pattern made it impossible to get in Kokomo, IN let alone Washington, with the big null toward KEX. WOWO was heard all over the east, and even some places like Minneapolis, but though you can never say never, reception in Eastern Washington was highly unlikely.

What number did you call if you were IN the Rockies?

WOWO sounded like a local station in NC, even after it turned down its night power so WLIB in NYC could stay on at night.

 

[FreddyE1977]

WOWO used to blast into Pittsburgh back in those days.
It was as strong as many of the local AM's. I used to love listening to
Bob Chase and Komet Hockey.