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WTIC-FM's Mike West Dies At Age 64

KML0224

KML0224

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/137708/mike-west-passes

I remember him doing the evening shift for WTIC-FM 96.5 from 1977 to 1989, in their top 40 days as 96 TIC-FM. He was moved to make way for AJ (Hammer) in 1989. An old article from The Hartford Courant said he was fired in summer/fall 1991, when he was replaced by Chris "Lear Jet" Leary, who headed north from the Washington DC area. After WTIC, I remember hearing him a couple of times with WKCI-FM 101.3 of Hamden/New Haven. A friend of mine also mentioned that he had worked for the old WWRX-FM 103.7 of Westerly/Providence, a.k.a. 103.7-WRX. Another job he had was with WCTK-FM 98.1 of New Bedford/Providence, a.k.a. 98.1 Cat Country.

R.I.P. Mike! You were awesome! :(
 
He was, indeed, awesome. Such sad news. And a clarification, if I may with respect... he wasn't moved to make way for me at TIC-FM, he most certainly paved the way for me. And I've never forgotten that.

This is the comment I just posted on All Access:

My heart hurts to learn of this news. When I was twelve years old attending summer camp in the Berkshires I used to listen to Westy on then "96 TICS" - it was during the Mike Joseph days - balls to the wall Hot Hits. It was a thrill during the winter to pass through the Hartford area with my family on our way from New York to Vermont for ski weekends because I was able to listen to Mike and TIC-FM for about an hour or so.

My connection to Mike began to come full-circle years later when I arrived in Hartford for college and landed steady part-time work at TIC-FM throughout my time at school. At about the time I was getting set to graduate (with no full-time job lined up) Mike told the PD that after twelve years of nights he was ready for something else and wanted to move into the midday slot that was set to open up. The PD loved the idea but (and here's the part I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams) Westy insisted that he would only make the move if I was hired to replace him at night. So for the first time in a dozen years TIC-FM had a new night jock and Mike got to eat dinner at home. I never took for granted the responsibility I was given. That was the launch pad for so much of my life and all I ever wanted, after taking over his shift, was to make Mike proud and feel like he made the right decision.

To this day I would put him up against any jock from the glory days of radio or today. Natural talent spilled from his soul and you couldn't help but have fun listening to him.

Rest in peace Westy. I'm sure you're Jammin' The Hits wherever you are.

-A.J. Hammer
 
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Not to mention his brief time at WDRC-FM

KML-224 said:
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/137708/mike-west-passes

I remember him doing the evening shift for WTIC-FM 96.5 from 1977 to 1989, in their top 40 days as 96 TIC-FM. He was moved to make way for AJ (Hammer) in 1989. An old article from The Hartford Courant said he was fired in summer/fall 1991, when he was replaced by Chris "Lear Jet" Leary, who headed north from the Washington DC area. After WTIC, I remember hearing him a couple of times with WKCI-FM 101.3 of Hamden/New Haven. A friend of mine also mentioned that he had worked for the old WWRX-FM 103.7 of Westerly/Providence, a.k.a. 103.7-WRX. Another job he had was with WCTK-FM 98.1 of New Bedford/Providence, a.k.a. 98.1 Cat Country.

R.I.P. Mike! You were awesome! :(
Click to expand...

Mike West also did a brief weekend stint at 'DRC-FM before taking ill.
 
I have fond memories of listening to Westy on WCTK in Providence. I remember thinking that he had the perfect voice for the Country format. He was very friendly to callers. He first did nights at Cat Country, and was eventually promoted to afternoons. I think he lasted until the early 2000s there; I am not sure where he went after. Does anyone remember his daily sign off? "Don't forget to feed the birds!"
 
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