Doug Fleming 1977-2005

[WYTZZ95FM]

Dear Radio-Info visitor:

This is one of the hardest letters I have had to ever write.

As many of you have heard by now Doug Fleming our site owner and co-founder was missing since last weekend. I am deeply saddened to report to you, Doug has passed away.

His family requested I inform the Radio-Info visitors on this heartbreaking news, and waited until this time, honoring their request.

At this time I am sorry, I can’t provide any details of his death, and there have been no wake/funeral plans made. I promise you, please be patient, you will be made aware of arrangements as soon as the family makes them public.

Any questions or thoughts to be shared, are to be directed to [email protected]. I will NOT be able to discuss any personal details even via e-mail. Please honor that request.

I have been in contact with Tanim, Lance and Sam, during this sad time, as they have worked very closely with Doug, and I know 1st hand, the respect and honor Doug had for these fine individuals that made and make Radio-Info possible. But Doug’s family and I ask please do NOT contact them with questions, as they will not be able to answer them for you.

I have discussed with Sam & Lance, in the next few days they will be making e-mail accounts where you can leave your thoughts so the family can access and read them. Also, Lance, Tanim and Sam will be working on a tribute for Doug to be posted soon on the site.

As I am the person sharing this with you, and if you did not know Doug, my relationship with Doug and his family is as follows.

I have known Doug for a good amount of years. I watched him grow from a teen to an adult. I am a few years older than him, and he always respected me 110%, and I honored him for it. I love him like the brother I never had. He was the kind of person that could light my toe on fire and I could not stay mad at him. He was smart, compassionate, and loved people. And many loved him the same way.

He has a loving mother, father and sister. I have built a relationship with his family, and I always feel at ease when around them and in their house, and I cherish the feeling. Doug lived his life around love and happiness, being guided by his family, making him the great person he was and will always be in our hearts.


Let me say, Doug made it clear to me that he was so proud, thankful and he was honored at every visitor that visited Radio-Info.com, and wished he could thank everyone that visited or participated for making the site as successful as it is today. He never envisioned the site growing to such popularity.

While we are filled with sadness, I know Doug would not want us to be sad for long. So I ask for you to reflect, as you see fit, in memory or prayer, to Doug, his family, and all his loved ones.

Bill<P ID="signature">______________

"Z"
Music Coordinator/Technical Support</P>

 

[CHRles]

This is truly a sad day here on the board. May he rest in peace, and I hope his family will be able to pull through this tragedy.

Charles

 

[mikeo]

We don't always know the person behind something we all enjoy. I never had the opportunity to meet Doug, but reading comments from those who did know Doug, it's safe to say he was more than just the Govenor to our warped radio community we call Radio-Info, he was also a friend to many. Thanks for bringing us togther.

 

[RobertMoore]

My heart and prayers go out to the Fleming family and the Radio-Info staff. He will be missed.

 

[midwestclubber]

> This is truly a sad day here on the board. May he rest in
> peace, and I hope his family will be able to pull through
> this tragedy.
>
> Charles
>
Our Thoughts and Prayers go out to Doug and his Family. May he always be remembered and respected by us here at Radio Info. ......JOSH.....And Family........

 

[Dancerev889]

I am completely numb at this moment. I dont know if most of you know but Doug used to write the radio column for Dance Music Authority Magazine and thats how I met Doug. While I was the General Manager of WDBK-FM, I contacted DMA because I was looking for help getting music to the station. They got me in contact with Doug. It was one of the best connections and the one that brought me into the loop. He introduced me to Energy 92.7 & 5 and also Radio Info and the world wide vibe. I talked to him atleast twice a week about music and what tracks we were missing. In June 2001 he wrote a great article about WDBK which took up the whole page. A small little 100 watt station was getting more publicity than KTU and the others at the time. Because of that article the station started picking up labels that wanted to get us on their mailing list as well as artists contacting me to play their music. Harry Towers was one of the first to contact me. Because of Doug I stand where I am today and he helped me shaped DBK what it used to be. Doug also introduced me to Richard "137" Dalton and later Kris Henderson. Doug would email me constantly wheres the airchecks from the station and that great freestyle music we used to play. I never met Doug in person but always considered him a friend and an ally to me. My prayers go out to his family. Doug loved radio and he loved dance music. If I get a chance I will post the article he wrote on here. Goodbye my friend you will be missed

Brett

 

[CrazyTom]

Although I do not always visit this board, and have never met Doug, let me join in sending my condolences to his family and friends for this very untimely loss. <P ID="signature">______________
Check out DJCrazyTom's dance homepage: www.soundclick.com/crazytom</P>

 

[szorn]

As a Senior Minister in a church in the middle of Illinois' cornfields, thanks to the Radio-Info leadership for giving me a weekly hobby that has become so enjoyable for this radio enthusiast. Doug will be missed I'm sure! My sincere prayers go to his family and to those who knew him well. May God's comfort be with you all.

Scott Zorn

 

[OkumbaPHX]

Sorry to hear about the death of Doug Fleming "Creator" of Radio-info.
Condolences go out to his friends and family.

Thats way to young to be snatched from the world.

Remember we all could go at any time.
So treat everyone with love and respect and live everyday like it could be your last.

 

[reggie]

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends...may he rest in peace

 

[Metro]

This is truly sad news - it goes without saying that Doug will very much be missed...

I first came to know Doug years ago, back when these forums were little more than an unconnected set of free message boards on the old insidetheweb.com site. Doug and I and Tanim (who some of you may know from these forums) used to frequently do group emails among one another regarding radio (format changes, rumors, etc), but more often than not we'd simply end up talking about dance music and the good old days of radio in years past.

Not long after those first emails, Doug brought me on as a regular mixshow contributor for a weekly show he was doing on WBOR, a small college station in Maine, while still attending college in the area. From there on, we'd regularly chat about and email back and forth our thoughts, theories, and must-add records to our respective shows, a line of communication that we'd kept open for years.

Regrettably, I haven't spoken with Doug much in recent years - and obviously, it goes without saying that I wish I had now. He's a genuinely nice person and a bona-fide professional in every sense of the word - a dedicated, knowledgeable, and passionate individual where all things radio are concerned, and a true warrior for bringing dance music to the masses via the airwaves. He will truly be missed.

Rest in peace my friend...

- M<P ID="signature">______________
Marcus McBride
Supermixx/XM
Select Mix</P>

 

[TonySantiago]

I've noted something in reply to Lance on the Ask Radio-Info forum but it bears repeating here since Doug had a strong passion (perhaps stronger than mine) for the dance music format to work in this country.

"In that sense we were "brothers" to that cause since he had a strong belief in the dance music format on the radio (he to Chicago, me to New York City). We've discussed the dance format, what we felt radio was doing wrong with it and were trying to formulate ideas and concepts. Through this board that Doug has created, we've also met other passionate dance fans such as CHRles, WYTZ, RobertMoore, midwestclubber, and professionals such as Richard Dalton, John Parker and Kris Henderson..just to name a few (sorry if I left names out). In that way, Doug helped create "family" (ADDED) and in many ways has helped educate me about the industry (both radio and recording)

No question, we have to keep Doug's legacy going with Radio-Info.com. I'll contribute some funds if it means this board can exist. Unlike other radio boards where you have those that control things with an iron fist, this board allows for all expressions. Whether or not you agree, at least the viewpoints were heard."

Tony Santiago

 

[Brian_105]

> My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and
> friends...may he rest in peace
>



I can't believe this. I can't! I'm in absolute shock. A wonderful individual taken way too young. I had spoken to Doug numerous times by phone, but I only had the chance to meet with Doug in person a couple of times, and regret not having done more of it. Even though not having all that much contact with him, I felt like I've known him for many many years. I'm incredibly saddened by this news, it is hard to write.
I first met Doug by phone when I was working at KLNA Power 105.5 in Sacramento. I was on the air and we were announcing that the station had been sold and that the new owners (Salem) were going with Christian music. We had thousands of calls that day, I had taken hundreds on my shift alone, and one of them was Doug who must have been in the listening area or listening online and found out about it, and he asked a question that every other caller had been asking..."Are you guys really flipping?" But within a few seconds I knew he was not every other caller. He had briefly brought up how terrible it was and was suggesting ways to try and save or prolong the station or look for alternative buyers for the station who might keep it going as dance (as the deal with Salem was not finalized yet). He had even mentioned he would have loved to have gotten ahold of the station. I knew he was no ordinary caller and asked him for his number and called him as soon as I got off of my shift. I put him in touch with our owners and they went on a serious discussion. The next day I remember the owners as telling me he "really knew his stuff." From that point on we had contacted each other at times, and we had met up a couple of times when he had come to Sacramento, including one time where we had tried forever to find a place to eat that was open that late in Sacramento. I had given him some airchecks of Power 105.5 on a couple occassions and remember him describing all the ones he had, and I could see his passion for radio.
I never knew his age, but now knoing he was only one year older than me and all that knowledge he had, just blows me away. He could tell you specific details of a stunt that happened 10 years ago and a low rated small market station in the middle of nowhere, or something else that might be hard to find in a book written on the history of radio. He could tell you the most obscure radio factoid that happened many years ago. He had so many incredible ideas. He had to be one of the most intelligent people I've met in radio or elsewhere, extremely genuine and kind. I tried calling Doug a couple of months ago and couldn't get ahold of him. I wish I would have tried many more times. It had been a while since I had talked to him. I so wish I could have talked to you one more time. I'm in tears. You will be missed, and based on the posts already, we can see the impact that he had on people's lives. My condolences to all his family and friends, and Doug, my friend, may you rest in peace.