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Where are they now?

This is purely the result of pulling out a big box of old airchecks. Anybody know what ever happened to these Northeast Ohio radio personailities?

Debbie Ullman WMMS,WKDD

Fig Newton 1220/WGAR, WWWE, WOIO,Canton

Sweet Richard WCUE/1150

Steve Lushbaugh WMMS

Chuck Meyer 1220/WGAR, WWWE

Stevie "Baby" Michaels WFMJ Youngstown

Michael C. Richards WHOT Youngstown

Jerry Vincent WHLO

W.D. Sanderferd (sp?) WGCL G-98

Shelley Stiles WMMS, WCUE-FM

J.R. Nelson G-98, 1220/WGAR, WBBG, WMJI
 
> This is purely the result of pulling out a big box of old
> airchecks. Anybody know what ever happened to these
> Northeast Ohio radio personailities?
>
> Debbie Ullman WMMS,WKDD
>
> Fig Newton 1220/WGAR, WWWE, WOIO,Canton
>
> Sweet Richard WCUE/1150
>
> Steve Lushbaugh WMMS
>
> Chuck Meyer 1220/WGAR, WWWE
>
> Stevie "Baby" Michaels WFMJ Youngstown
>
> Michael C. Richards WHOT Youngstown
>
> Jerry Vincent WHLO
>
> W.D. Sanderferd (sp?) WGCL G-98
>
> Shelley Stiles WMMS, WCUE-FM
>
> J.R. Nelson G-98, 1220/WGAR, WBBG, WMJI


I know where a few of the above names are. Jerry vincent is a pastor at Faith Family Church in Canton. Last time I heard about him, Michael C. Richards was in advertising in Youngstown. Sweet Richard died a few years ago. Shelly Stiles became a missionary and was in Africa a few years ago. The rest, maybe someone else can help out.
>
 
> > This is purely the result of pulling out a big box of old
> > airchecks. Anybody know what ever happened to these
> > Northeast Ohio radio personailities?
> >
> > Debbie Ullman WMMS,WKDD
> >
> > Fig Newton 1220/WGAR, WWWE, WOIO,Canton

Fig left WWWE back in 1988, and "Dancin'" Danny Wright replaced him. I'm far too young (back then, age six!) to know whatever happened that caused his departure. But he apparently had left the airwaves for good.

> > Sweet Richard WCUE/1150
> >
> > Steve Lushbaugh WMMS
> >
> > Chuck Meyer 1220/WGAR, WWWE

Last I checked, Chuck retired after WWWE let him go in early 1996.

(BTW: Chuck's producer at WWWE, Todd Richards, is on WBWC/88.3 Sundays 1a-3a with his long-running "Running Late" program.)

> > Stevie "Baby" Michaels WFMJ Youngstown
> >
> > Michael C. Richards WHOT Youngstown
> >
> > Jerry Vincent WHLO
> >
> > W.D. Sanderferd (sp?) WGCL G-98
> >
> > Shelley Stiles WMMS, WCUE-FM
> >
> > J.R. Nelson G-98, 1220/WGAR, WBBG, WMJI

J.R., for health reasons, retired from radio in 1998. He lasted at WMJI until then; mainly as their commanding imaging voice. (Chuck "bigwoody" Matthews was at WMJI back then, and can verify this.)

J.R.'s still heard on WMJI - still reading the countdown numbers on Don Jackson's "Top 5 at 5."

- Nathan Obral
 
> This is purely the result of pulling out a big box of old
> airchecks. Anybody know what ever happened to these
> Northeast Ohio radio personailities?

> Michael C. Richards WHOT Youngstown

Mike was out of the business the last time I heard anything about him. Dunno how long that's been case.

A mutual friend played part of one of Mike's WHOT airchecks over the phone to him awhile back, to which he replied, "where the hell did you find *that*?" :) He apparently lost all of his old tapes years ago in a basement flood.
 
>
> Fig left WWWE back in 1988, and "Dancin'" Danny Wright
> replaced him. I'm far too young (back then, age six!) to
> know whatever happened that caused his departure. But he
> apparently had left the airwaves for good.


It's my understanding "Fig" had some off air legal issues that had him lose his on air gig. What a great talent! Last I heard he was selling cars. Of course that was in the mid-80s.



> J.R., for health reasons, retired from radio in 1998. He
> lasted at WMJI until then; mainly as their commanding
> imaging voice. (Chuck "bigwoody" Matthews was at WMJI back
> then, and can verify this.)
>
> J.R.'s still heard on WMJI - still reading the countdown
> numbers on Don Jackson's "Top 5 at 5."


True, partly. JR is technically retired due to health issues, save for special projects he does for friends. I heard him on imaging for the WOMC/Detroit Radio Reunion back in Sept. Which prompted me to contact WOMC PD Steve Allan, who put me in touch with JR. IMHO JR is the best tradtional oldies imaging VO. I put him over Charlie Van Dyke. JR of course, for those who don't know, also worked at Z100 in the early 80s, and was the voice of the station before Ernie Anderson. Another Cleveland voice on Z100 at the time? Len "Boom" Goldberg. Z100 and WMMS both Malrite stations at the time. I digress. JR was also one of the first voices for MTV. Not too bad for a guy from Port Clinton, OH.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bigwoody on 01/26/06 07:08 PM.</FONT></P>
 
W.D. Sandaferd...ex-WGCL news guy from the early 70's, ended up in Chicago on FM in the mid-70's....and in the late 70's became Chief Engineer of an AM in Laredo, Texas for about 5 years...and had a bench-tech job later for a number of years.

He's today married, and retired in a small town in Texas...even though he's only in his mid-50's!

A great guy...a what a talent back in his newsman days. He was far more talented than he had any idea.
 
> W.D. Sandaferd...ex-WGCL news guy from the early 70's, ended
> up in Chicago on FM in the mid-70's....and in the late 70's
> became Chief Engineer of an AM in Laredo, Texas for about 5
> years...and had a bench-tech job later for a number of
> years.
>
> He's today married, and retired in a small town in
> Texas...even though he's only in his mid-50's!
>
> A great guy...a what a talent back in his newsman days. He
> was far more talented than he had any idea.
>
Now that is some food for appetite, some of these people I have not heard of or maybe too young to remember. But I know the likes of some others that were not
mentioned.

Doc Reno- WKDD, WPHR mid-late 80's
at Big 105.9 http://www.big106.com/pages/doc.html in Miami
I e mailed him two years ago and he responded about the memories
of NE OHIo

Colleen Brannigan-WKDD, WRQK wqith Spaceman Scott (mornings)
now voiceovers with her own website out of Virginia somewhere
at: www.colleenbrannigan.com

Ruby Cheeks of WMMS fame and also on WNCX and WRQK briefly now in
Mesa, AZ at KDKB: http://www.kdkb.com/showdj.asp?DJID=20138

Wendy Miller who was on the old Y 103, WYFM and WONE
replacing Deeya McKay I believe I am having trouble finding
although there is a Wendy Miller who does middays in Houston
or did rather, at KLOL.

Christie Maxx from WMJI and WQAL disappeared as well.

Jonathan Rush of WKDD successfully hosting mornings at WNOK
in Columbia, SC: http://www.themorningrush.com/
and here: http://www.wnok.com/main.html

Lisa Reynolds of WHOT now mornings at HOT 92 in Harrisburg, PA as
Venetia.

Cat Shannon once a weekend personality at WHOT that I do not know what
happened to.

Both Zak Stevens of WZKL and Mike Benson briefly mornings
on WHBC FM were in Lansing, MI at two separate stations.
Zak supposedly was married to Veronica Vandress from
local radio news.

I can also remember the likes of JR Richards and Gene Wise of WKDD
fame and JR Richards who worked also for WQMX and WNPQ. WQMX as Rick Stevens.

Mentioning the Stevens name, Sean Stevens of WMXY Mix 98.9 in Youngstown
sure sounds like Bill Ryan who worked at both WJER and WQAL. Help on this one.

Mentioning of WNPQ, Scott Davidson whom also worked there and at the
old Q 92 was on WHYI- Y 100 in Miami as well as many other south
Florida radio stations for many years. I know his sister personally
and saw her at a recent gathering and Scott is now out of the radio business.

Tresa Robinson from WDOK weekends now in Wenatchee, WA at KSYN:
http://www.kysn.com/tresabio.shtml

I also knew Scott Williams from the oldies WZKL personally and lost track
as to what happened to him as well.

Charlie Kendall from old WMMS in the 70's was mornings for KOLL
I believe in Phoenix.

Don't know if anyone remembers the distinctive Australian
personality from Hot 101 in the 90's Maria Diale and whatever
happened to her?

Sue O Neil from WKDD fame now in Buffalo at Star 102.5:
http://www.mystar1025.com/showdj.asp?DJID=22633

Pam Godfrey, a nice sounding personality on the old WLTF on the weekends
I am also trying to look for. Trish Collins was another good one.

Tim Byrd of WZZP fame now in Florida: http://www.sunny1043.com/timbyrd.htm

And Townsend Coleman who got the transition from WZZP to WLTF
in mornings does voiceovers.

I also recall Doug Sutherland, Ted Lux and Bruce Ryan from there as well.
Wendy Miller, mentioned above, did weekends briefly on WLTF when she
worked middays during the week at WYFM before the WONE stint.

Kelly Kyle of WJER fame also did a Sunday night show in the 80's
on WKDD as well.

I am also trying to look for John Russell who did evenings on WQAL
5 or 6 years ago as well as Johnny Williams who did middays there.

There was also Cat Thomas from WPHR fame last I saw programming
WAPE in Jacksonville and Downtown Eddie Brown whom I still have not found
but did find Skip Presson who programs a station in Orlando, FL.
Rick Michaels who did afternoons, I may have found online, but there
were a number of Rick Michaels.

Also, I wanted to know what happened to Big Dave Nicholas of Hot 92 fame
and the old WRQC as well as WKDD.

Rick Allen has worked everywhere from WRQC, WDJQ, WQMX when it was Mix 95,
WJMO (before the 92.3 The Beat days as Jammin' 92),WKDD of course
WRQK both as Rick Allen and Rick Savage and now of course overnight on
WNCX, fill in at WQAL and Sat. nights at WDOK something unheard of years
back when there was competition in radio.

Jim Albright of WNIR Dating Show fame is now on WHBC AM weekends and a Fred
Chenevey fill in as well.

Joey Harper from the old Gameradio on WNIR and the Sunday night Dating Show was on WHBC FM and now has her
picture on The Summit's website as sales personnel.

Tom Pappas of WHOT I read somewhere last year on the boards went to Las Vegas?

I hope I was not boring here but helpful on triggering some more old names from
our local radio. More to come when I venture into more research of recollections
of names I remember.
 
Jerry Vincent passed through the revolving door at Q92 on his way to church. It was his last stop in radio, AFAIK.

Zak Stevens is married to Veronica Vandress. He's out of radio now, too. Last I heard, Veronica is a reporter at the Canton Repository.

Mike Fete was part of the great defection from Q92 to NPQ in the late 80's. Last I heard, he was an account rep at WONE.

What about Chris Casale? Anyone know where he landed after being blown out of Q92?

Speaking of Dancin' Danny Wright, where does he park his coffee mug now?
 
> Charlie Kendall from old WMMS in the 70's was mornings for
> KOLL
> I believe in Phoenix.

He's now doing a syndicated (maybe satellite?) show now. I saw details in passing, and a Google search might bring it up. It may be in conjunction with the Rock Hall.
 
> Speaking of Dancin' Danny Wright, where does he park his
> coffee mug now?

Seattle. He's also doing a syndicated thing, via the Jones Networks, on their country stations, "Wright All Night". Somebody around C-Town carries it, but I forget who now.
 
> Doc Reno- WKDD, WPHR mid-late 80's
> at Big 105.9 http://www.big106.com/pages/doc.html in Miami
> I e mailed him two years ago and he responded about the
> memories > of NE OHIo


Doc is PD of BIG 106



Jim Shea, a Power 108 alum (overnights) as well as WZJM, WMJI, is now doing country mornings for NextMedia in Milwaukee. He's also worked in Columbus, Chicago and other places.

John Arthur, formerly of WGAR, then to oldies KGOR/Omaha, passed away in 2004.


Sandy Bennett, former longtime WMJI overnight mistress, and a stint at defunct 92-3/Jammin Oldies, is now middays at Columbus AC WSNY (Saga).


Cousin' Deke, former WMMS Creative Director/Nights, then mornings, is now Creative Director for CC Dallas' KDGE/The Edge. Deke still tracks about 1,000 stations, lol! Great talent, both in front of the mic, and behind it in the prod studio.

Jonathan Tea, former Imaging Director for WAKS and WMMS (under Nationwide), now a freelance VO. He's narrated about 30 A&E Biographies, and most recently you hear him on Best Buy tv spots. Locally he's heard on select Belkin spots and Jared Jewelers radio spots.


>
> Both Zak Stevens of WZKL and Mike Benson briefly mornings
> on WHBC FM were in Lansing, MI at two separate stations.
> Zak supposedly was married to Veronica Vandress from
> local radio news.


Mike Benson was one of my PDs at WHBC.



>
> Charlie Kendall from old WMMS in the 70's was mornings for
> KOLL
> I believe in Phoenix.

Kendall is the VP/Programming for Archway Little Rock. He did have a syndicated show years ago. Not sure if it's still being done. He also does VO work. BIG PIPES!

http://www.koll1063.com/skin/blurb.php?sectionId=176&contentId=58527




> And Townsend Coleman who got the transition from WZZP to
> WLTF > in mornings does voiceovers.
>

Not just any voiceovers, but THEE Voice for NBC's "Must See TV" for years. Still does work for NBC as well as other gigs. He's considered one of the Top 12 TV promo voices, including Don LaFontaine, Chris Corley, Dick Ervasti and Andy Geller (ABC's Lost, etc).




>
> I am also trying to look for John Russell who did evenings
> on WQAL > 5 or 6 years ago as well as Johnny Williams who did middays
> there.

LOVED John Russell! What a great personality, and voice! Listened to him every chance I could.


Where's Spaceman Scott? Last I heard he was working for a candy manufacturer/distributor in Akron or Canton.








<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bigwoody on 01/27/06 02:07 PM.</FONT></P>
 
>
> Cousin' Deke, former WMMS Creative Director/Nights, then
> mornings, is now Creative Director for CC Dallas' KDGE/The
> Edge. Deke still tracks about 1,000 stations, lol! Great
> talent, both in front of the mic, and behind it in the prod
> studio.
>

Deke is also handling pretty much everything (music, etc) for the new Americana HD channel for KZPS in Dallas.

http://www.clearchannelmusic.com/hdradio/


> Where's Spaceman Scott? Last I heard he was working for a
> candy manufacturer/distributor in Akron or Canton.
>

Still workin' with some of the former Malrite folks at the Sweetie Candy Company

http://www.groovycandies.com
 
> Jim Shea, a Power 108 alum (overnights) as well as WZJM,
> WMJI, is now doing country mornings for NextMedia in
> Milwaukee. He's also worked in Columbus, Chicago and other
> places.

Chuck, update. Jim Shea left Milwaukee in late December 2005 and now AM drive at WWYW-FM, a NW Chicago suburbs "greatest hits" station (read: oldies).
 
Hmmm, some more names for the pile...

Paxton Mills (I think I read he was in Denver and passed away)
Kirk Russell Q10/WZZP
Kevin Coan (I believe in NC doing news/VO)
Bob Payton PD of WZZP
Scott Valentine WQAL

From Canton...
Larry Durian
Hymie Williams (I believe he passed away)
Who else was on the Q10 team?
Keith London WCUE and WINW
 
>
> Mentioning the Stevens name, Sean Stevens of WMXY Mix 98.9
> in Youngstown
> sure sounds like Bill Ryan who worked at both WJER and WQAL.
> Help on this one.

Not the same person. Bill Ryan went to Georgia after Q104, I believe.


>
> Sue O Neil from WKDD fame now in Buffalo at Star 102.5:
> http://www.mystar1025.com/showdj.asp?DJID=22633

She's GM for the cluster and PD of CHR WKSE/Kiss 98.5, if I remember correctly.



> Also, I wanted to know what happened to Big Dave Nicholas of
> Hot 92 fame
> and the old WRQC as well as WKDD.


PD of WCOL 92.3 in Columbus




> Tom Pappas of WHOT I read somewhere last year on the boards
> went to Las Vegas?

Correct.
 
> Hmmm, some more names for the pile...
>
> Paxton Mills (I think I read he was in Denver and passed
> away)

Yes, he passed away in 2001.

> Kevin Coan (I believe in NC doing news/VO)

If by "NC" you mean North Canton. :) Kevin can be heard as a part-time/fill-in on WNIR news. And since Kaiser Bill's pretty cheap, I'm sure there's no VT capabilities, so Kevin's live (and interacting with the hosts).
 
Here's some other name's I'd be curious to know about

WABQ- Micheal "The Lover" Payne, King Kurtis, Gregg Anthony ( Iworked with him at WOUB in Athens in the 70's)

WELW- Cris Quinn, Dan Bradford

WNOB-WELW-Fm Jim Kelly(is he still doing golfon CBS ?)Lee Andrews, Fat Daddy

I know I'm realy digging into the archievs of my cranium, should I think of more I'll add them!<P ID="signature">______________
Here's my musical question, Since "The Big Game" is being played in the Motor City, Howz come J.Geils ain't playing at half time with the Stones?"</P>
 
Re: Here's some other name's I'd be curious to know about

> WABQ- Micheal "The Lover" Payne, King Kurtis, Gregg Anthony
> ( Iworked with him at WOUB in Athens in the 70's)

Jim,

Gregg Anthony will be the AM news voice on Urban Talk WERE come Monday, Jan. 30.

> WELW- Cris Quinn, Dan Bradford

Chris "The Mighty Quinn" stops by here every so often. He's CE for the Dale Edwards properties here--WABQ, for sure--and he may be doing some freelance engineering on the side too.

But he really needs to get an air slot in this city! PDs, are you listening?

> WNOB-WELW-Fm Jim Kelly(is he still doing golfon CBS ?)Lee
> Andrews, Fat Daddy

Lee Andrews, the bounced-around PD king of early progressive rock in Cleveland--WMMS, WNCR, WONB. Just when he got a thing goin', the owners would decide they wanted Billy Bass! (haha)

No clue where he is now. I'll take a stab and say California (or Florida)--isn't that where all the smart ones end up? Drinking Mai Tais in the sunshine?
 
Re: Here's some other name's I'd be curious to know about

Greg's a great talent. Back in the day at 1340 WOUB he rocked Athens from 7-9pm!
I did mornings 8-10am befor class!(circa '73-76) Back when WOUB scared the daylights out of WATH, ahh we were a bunch of college kids that didn't know any better.<P ID="signature">______________
Here's my musical question, Since "The Big Game" is being played in the Motor City, Howz come J.Geils ain't playing at half time with the Stones?"</P>
 
Re: Here's some other name's I'd be curious to know about

> Greg's a great talent. Back in the day at 1340 WOUB he
> rocked Athens from 7-9pm!
> I did mornings 8-10am befor class!(circa '73-76) Back when
> WOUB scared the daylights out of WATH, ahh we were a bunch
> of college kids that didn't know any better.
>

That stationb, WOUB, had some great people go through its doors around that time. Shortly before there was Howie Chizek and Joe Tait; then Gregg Anthony and you; and later, I *THINK* my uncle was at WOUB (which was on FM then no doubt) sometime in the earlier '80s.
 
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