Soon after, the station revered back to the Progressive Rock format to battle WNCR of Nationwide Communications, itself filling the void created by the brief absence of WMMS on the album rock scene. [47] Owned by Malrite Communications from 1972 to 1993, subsequent consolidation in the radio industry saw WMMS change ownership five times in seven years, and has been in iHeartMedia's portfolio (originally under the Clear Channel name) since 1999. Gun rights advocates on the other hand, have warned this could bring unwarranted scrutiny on the overwhelming majority of law-abiding gun owners. Where are They Now? Pittsburgh Radio Personalities BuzzardFest 2000 took Place on June 30, 2000 at Nautica on the Flats West Bank. Springsteen Concert Poster - Agora - August 9th, 1978, Springsteen - Agora - Scene Magazine - August, 1978. [87] Unable to service its growing debt, Malrite chose to leave radio and sold off all its remaining properties in 1993:[37] WMMS went to Shamrock Broadcasting, the Roy Disney broadcasting firm. [102], While the change in programming alienated many longtime listeners, many of whom switched to WNCX and their full-time classic rock format, WMMS boosted its ratings for the first time in years with a new, younger audience. Additionally, Rover was the Midwest replacement for Howard Stern under CBS's Free FM branding concept following Stern's move to Sirius Satellite Radio in 2006, originating from Chicago's WCKG. 100.7 WMMS | iHeart The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Needless to say, for health reasons, this contest changed the way promotions were done going forward at WMMS. Springsteen and the band hit the stage full throttle, opening appropriately with a cover of "Summertime Blues," with Springsteen promising, "I'm a gonna raise a fuss/ I'm a gonna raise a holler.". In 1976, Bash began the tripped out tradition of playing Funkadelic Maggot Brain in its entirety every Saturday night at midnight. Cleveland's Rock Station- call: (216) 578-1007 toll free: (800) 348-1007 twitter: @wmms www.wmms.com | text: 35192 |Home of Rover's Morning Glory, See more 100.7 WMMS- We love to post about Cleveland, music, sports- and funny stuff we find out on the internets. [120] Meanwhile, ownership would change yet again as Nationwide Communications was bought out by Jacor in November 1997. [58][59] During this time, WMMS used slogans derived from its call sign: first as "Music Means Satisfaction", and later as the place "Where Music Means Something". Photos. The new logo depicted the sex, drugs and rock and roll image that the owner was looking for. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In studio, WTAM sports director Mike Snyder hosts The Tip-Off Show, The Halftime Report, and The Nightcap Recap the network pregame, halftime, and postgame shows, respectively. David Helton who at the time was working for American Greetings is the man responsible for giving us the iconic symbol we still use to this day. Dean DePiero, then mayor of Parma, criticized the song and its accompanying YouTube video: "It's pretty sick. [120] Finally, The Bob & Tom Show aired in the time slot from 2006 until April 2008. [137][138], In 2000, the station turned to Wakin' up with Wolf and Mulrooneyhosted by Bob Wolf and John Mulrooneyfrom Albany's WPYX, which initially continued to originate and simulcast the program. Ken Schneck. The stations involved are WMMS (FM), WTAM (AM/FM), WMJI (FM), WGAR (FM), WHLK (FM), WAKS (FM), WKAS (HD2) and WARF (AM). Boom also spent time on the Buzzard Morning Zoo and filled in during other air shifts. Buzzard Morning Zoo video featuring Mr. Leonard. Gorman returned to the Buzzard for a second brief run from 1994-96, but has spent most of the past 20 years as a radio consultant. WMMS-FM started up on Sept. 28, 1968, as a progressive-rock station, and earned fame as one of the country's most successful rock stations in the '70s. "[110] Studios were moved again to a combined facility in the suburb of Independence, Ohio. Matt remains one of the most popular air personalities from WMMS' fifty year history. wmms radio personalities successful heritage brands After leaving WMMS, he moved to WMJI-FM/105.7, as program and operations director. In time, the station adopted new slogans reflecting the callsign: "We're your Modern Music Station" and "your Music Marathon Station. [53] One lucky WMMS listener won a Harley Davidson signed by Sammy Hagar! Nighttimes, 1968-1970. After being diagnosed with obscure condition known as POTS, the WMMS radio personality is searching for answers and working to put her life back in order. Fowler works for country station WGAR-FM/99.5, and Cronauer is an on-air personality for WKYC-TV/Channel 3 and The Fish, WFHM-FM/95.5. [72] Rather, WMMS adopted a buzzard as its mascot in April 1974 because of the then tenuous economic state of Cleveland less than five years away from becoming the first major American city to enter into default since the Great Depression[73] and the winged-creature's classification as a scavenger. [88] Management ordered a change to the Buzzard by giving it a flat-top and mullet. Steve and Tom would always come up to the station and hang out with me. Here's what some of your favorite personalities from the past are up to now. [38][39] Considered "a true radio legend," WMMS DJ Kid Leo was chosen for Rolling Stone's "Heavy Hundred: The High and Mighty of the Music Industry" (1980) and named "The Best Disc Jockey in the Country" in a special 1987 issue of Playboy. No Doubt shared the 2 stage show at Blossom with Candlebox, Patti Rothberg, The Tragically Hip, 311, and the Holy Barbarians. Win tickets to The Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival, Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Clevelands FM Air Wars, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. WMMS did remote interviews at KSU all morning which included an interview from 1972 presidential candidate, Senator George McGovern, KSU student and gunshot survivor, Dean Kahler, other May 4th wounded who survived, Governor Dick Celeste, current students and others. Matt was part of the early days at Cleveland State Universitys radio operation that only broadcast to the cafeteria, but soon after he got in on the ground floor of WMMS during its eventual transition to the Buzzard. Springsteen's music had become an important cornerstone of the Buzzard playlist and his profile had risen nationally, thanks to the release of the Born to Run album, with the title track quickly becoming an 'MMS staple that would endure for decades. Joining the Chicago native are Cleveland area comedians Bill Squire and Mary Santora, and former intern-turned-phone-screener Cody (Poundcake) Brown. He was also a member of "The Buzzard Morning Zoo" in the mid-1980s. [127] A new airstaff was assembled after the stunt: Tim "Slats" Guinane was hired for afternoon drive replacing Brian & Joe, who were transferred to WMVX, and music director Mark Pennington replaced Bill "BLF Bash" Freeman in overnights. Longtime radio newsman, Mike Olszewski worked over the years for WERE, WMMS, WNCX and WCLV. Other stations carried their birthday show. Tony Tilford, WMMS program director (19992003), WMMS shifted format to active rock on February 17, 1997, under the direction of Bob Neumann, who had previously programmed WNCX and WENZ. [124], Following Jacor's takeover, WMMS ran a "Death of the Buzzard" month-long stunt in October 1998. No. 100.7 WMMS - Cleveland's Rock Station In honor of the station's milestone birthday, we've compiled a list of some of the Buzzard's most memorable DJs and behind-scenes personalities, spanning the full 50-year history of the station. Get Started Channel Hosts In Your Vehicle Streaming HOWARD STERN Howard 100 Hoda Kotb Today Show Radio Peter Mansbridge Canada Talks Sandra Bernhard Radio Andy Erin Burnett CNN Billy Idol 1st Wave Mad Dog Russo Mad Dog Sports Radio During his 16-year tenure, WMMS was consistently one of the highest-rated radio stations in the country. On February 9, 2010, the show aired "Parma State of Mind", both a parody of the Jay-Z/Alicia Keys hit "Empire State of Mind" and a way of continuing the Northeast Ohio tradition of poking fun at the Cleveland suburb. Night on-air personality on The X. [113] The Ramones headlined BuzzardFest '95 the following spring (May 1995) at Blossom;[114] other acts included Our Lady Peace, The Rugburns and Face to Face. Sanders also booked the acts for WMMS' fame "Coffeebreak Concerts." WMMS-HD2, which relays its signal over low-power FM translator W256BT (99.1 FM), is the Cleveland affiliate for iHeart's all-news oriented Black Information Network. For STP vocalist Scott Weiland, who spent time as a kid living in Bainbridge Township and attending grade school in Chagrin Falls, the concert was a homecoming experience and he referenced his time growing up in Northeast Ohio during his conversations with the crowd that evening. WMMS (100.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio, commonly identified as "TheBuzzard". SiriusXM Channel Hosts | SiriusXM Canada She started at the Buzzard in 1976, and stayed until 1983, working mostly the evening shift. He briefly worked mid-days at the end of his career, but soon retired. He became a part of the heyday of WMMS, which included on-air personalities like Kid Leo, Denny Sanders, Matt the Cat, Betty Korvan, Len Goldberg and the BLF Bash. [114] BuzzardFest II was held the very next fall (September 1995) again at Blossom and featured performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Alanis Morissette, Jewel, as well as the Dance Hall Crashers, Eleven, Green Apple Quick Step, Prick and Sons of Elvis. [94] Station management initially claimed that Alford acted alone,[93] however WMMS Promotions Director Heidi Klostermanworking under the name Heidi Kramerlater pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted disruption of a public service and a misdemeanor of receiving stolen property; Greg Smith, a former Klosterman colleague, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of breaking and entering. Subscribe Now To Listen Your Favorite Songs On Demand! Gorman has also written a book about his days at WMMS, "The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock Radio." He helped launch progressive-rock radio as a DJ and programmer at both WMMS-FM/100.7 and WNCR-FM/99.5. Eventually moved to WNCX-FM/98.5, where she was a popular afternoon-drive deejay for a number of years. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. WMMS sponsored the concerts. Win a Monster Zero Sugar prize pack from Circle K! [98][101] Gorman brought back the original Buzzard design, now drawn by David Helton's successor Brian Chalmers. [44][45][46] Seven years later, members of the station's staff and management pleaded guilty to disrupting a national broadcast of The Howard Stern Show that originated via the local Stern affiliate, cross-town rival WNCX. In 2014, Rover pleaded guilty to four misdemeanors in relation to the illegal use of fireworks and a confrontation with an off-duty police officer at the Whiskey Island marina in downtown Cleveland. In 1973 WMMS unveiled a new logo The Mushroom. WHK-FM became one of a handful of commercial stations in the country to try that format, many of which were owned by MetroMedia. On August 9, 1978, there was no hotter ticket in Cleveland. [137] Cantle later called the failure of Sean, Cristi and Hunter as "a real team effort" and compared herself unfavorably to Johnny Manziel: "too young, too overconfident and too drunk to handle the responsibility however I have no intentions of playing Canadian football". (Plain Dealer file photo), Matt Lapczinski, better known as "Matt The Cat," started at WMMS-FM/100.7 in 1974, fresh out of Cleveland State University. 26 memorable DJs and radio personalities from WMMS-FM's past: The Buzzard turns 50 This year, WMMS turns 50. "[61], Under the leadership of station manager Billy Bass and program director Denny Sanders, WMMS helped break many new rock artists nationally, most notably David Bowie. Murray Saul joined the WMMS staff as a salesman. 26 memorable DJs and radio personalities from WMMS-FM's past: The He made his debut on WMMS in 1984. [161][162] The House of Hair with Dee Snider also airs on Sunday evenings. Mr. Leonard, the self proclaimed assistant public service director made appearances on the Buzzard Morning Zoo for many years. Denny Sanders & Fred Griffith. He was vice president of education and public programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum from 2000-2003. WMMS also airs The Week in Cox, a weekly recap show on Sunday mornings. Meet the ABC4 Utah Team Pittsburgh Radio Personalities Recently retired from WDVE, longtime DJ Sean McDowell isn't sitting still. About Stacy | 105.9 The X Goldberg is at right in the photo above, with Jeff Kinzbach in the WMMS studio. Kid Leo Interviews Van Halen April 20, 1980. [26][38][39][75][76][77], The World Series of Rock was a recurring, day-long and usually multi-act summer rock concert held outdoors at Cleveland Municipal Stadium from 1974 through 1980. She was among the first DJs to put the group's seven-minute opus, "Working Man," into regular rotation. She also worked in TV production in LA, including at "Entertainment Tonight," and as a freelance producer, editor and writer for an audio book abridger. He influenced many listeners of the station and kept the momentum alive pushing new music into the ears and speakers of the audience of WMMS. An Oral History of WMMS, Cleveland's Legendary Radio Station Coaching Great Knute Rockne Born On This Date In 1888, 'Saving Private Ryan' Star Tom Sizemore Dead At 61, Flea Mourns Loss Of 'One Of The Greatest Musicians To Ever Walk The Planet', Roger Waters Shares First Preview Of Re-Recorded 'Dark Side Of The Moon', VIDEO: Cleveland Police Give Details of What Lead to Fatal Crash, Rapist Appeals 8-Year Sentence; Appeals Court Gives Him 11 Years Instead, Amazon Drops Trailer For Final "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Season, Apple Goes Behind The Scenes Of Indie Wrestling With "Monster Factory", Honey Boo Boo's Boyfriend Chased By Poilce For DUIWith Her In The Car, Disney Shows Off First Look At "Haunted Mansion" Reboot, Logan Paul Wants To Get Revenge For His Bro, Todays Bride Wedding Show at John S Knight Center, MAC Tournament at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's a big birthday for The Buzzard. It was in use in 1971 but was discontinued after the band the Rolling Stones issued a cease and desist order against MetroMedia for it resemblance to their logo. Jeff and Flash ruled the airwaves for 18 years on 100.7 WMMS. The ritual lasted through his entire career at the Buzzard. Each daily call-in would include an excuse that was crazier than the last. [167] WMMS also transmits text to compatible analog receivers, such as station IDs and artist and song information, via the Radio Data System (RDS); similarly, WMMS transmits text to HD Radio receivers known as Program Service Data (PSD). Spero is still active as an artist manager. Listen To The Most Popular Podcasts On iHeartRadio! Cox's intelligence, humor, and willingness to do a variety of on-air stunts for the show led to his hiring as a producer. She left Cleveland to take a radio job in Florida. Rio created the Mr. Leonard character over several years at stations in Houston, New York and Philadelphia before his Cleveland debut. [68][69][70] WMMS also began referring to its frequency in promotions as "101 FM", a rounding-off which continued for the next decade. WMMS does not air additional network programming. For the next three hours, spread across two sets, Springsteen did just that, telling stories and playing the best of his catalog, including a lengthy version of "Growin' Up," in which he told the tale of being sent to have a conversation with God about what he should do with his life, encountering Kid Leo along the way, who was "prayin' for more watts" for WMMS. [105] John Gorman, who has since openly criticized the industry's current state, departed for CBS Radio in Detroit, but soon moved to media consulting. wmms radio personalities In 1958, both WHK and WHK-FM were sold to Metropolitan Broadcasting, itself renamed MetroMedia two years later. Good old Red! Brian and Joe talk to Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20. Win a Monster Zero Sugar prize pack from Circle K! The people who put it together aren't even smart enough to know where our city boundaries are." Radio Personality Mike Gallagher Has Died - Newsradio WTAM 1100 (Plain Dealer file photo), A DJ at WMMS-FM/100.7 in the 1980s, Stein went on to work in programming at Westwood One and Launch Radio Networks. (Plain Dealer file photo), Halper worked as a DJ and music director for WMMS-FM/100.7 from 1973-75 and was instrumental in helping the band Rush land a record deal. [26] Station employees went on to take director and executive-level positions in the recording industry, namely with labels RCA, Mercury, and Columbia. Listen To The Most Popular Podcasts On iHeartRadio! The show's big following has spawned an annual summer festival, Roverfest, which has been held in Lorain for the past three years. His father, Herman, created Cleveland's legendary "Upbeat," an "American Bandstand"-style TV musical variety show which aired from 1964-71 and featured live performances of many of the great rock and pop acts of the era, from Simon and Garfunkel to Otis Redding. DJ additions included station engineer Ric Bennett as "Rocco the Rock Dog,"[86] Scooter (WMMS music director Brad Hanson), former WRQC nighttime Personality and later WNCX Afternoon Drive and Production Director, Tom "Jack" Daniels (who returned to the Cleveland airwaves after a successful stint as Program Director of WLEV, Allentown, PA), Lisa Dillon[86] and station veteran Matt the Cat,[86] (who returned to the midday slot in 1990 after a two-year absence.) Morning Show, Promotions Director KGGI. Play-by-play announcers Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus call games on-site. The station serves as the FM flagship for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians radio networks. [120] Geared as a format change to contemporary hit radio (CHR) using the "KISS FM" brand,[30][126] the decision was reversed at the last minute by management. As WMMS-FM/100.7 program director from 1973-86, Gorman led the Buzzard troops on a campaign of conquest that transformed an unknown, FM upstart into a rock 'n' roll powerhouse. wmms radio personalities - startek.tn He now runs his own music consulting business, LJT Entertainment, and is program director and an on-air host of "Underground Garage" on Sirius XM Radio. (Plain Dealer file photo), One of Cleveland radio's most popular -- and enduring -- morning teams, Jeff Kinzbach and Ed "Flash" Ferenc were a cornerstone of WMMS-FM/100.7 during its Buzzard heyday. [144] Rover's contract with CBS was set to expire, but it was an affiliate contract inherited from the Free FM stintCBS transferred him back to WKRK-FM after WCKG cancelled itand not a talent contract, thus he was not subject to a non-compete clause. typify the show's irreverent style. WMMS, WTAM and the other iHeart stations in Cleveland will get a new home this year. (Plain Dealer file photo), First woman on radio in Cleveland as a morning-drive time DJ at WNCR-FM/99.5 and WMMS-FM/100.7. EC horror comics, Fritz the Cat, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Looney Tunes all served as inspirations for the "bird of prey with attitude" concept. In the '90s, it re-focused on alternative rock programming, and in later years, moved into an active rock program with popular talk programs like "Rover's Morning Glory. [95], Already program director at OmniAmerica station WMJI, station veteran John Gorman returned to WMMS as vice-president and director of operations in early 1994. professional boxing referees; uf college of medicine class of 2023; kalalau valley hippies From celebrities and high profile sports stars, to iconic DJs who know music, SiriusXM has the best hosts in radio. [83][89] Lisa Dillon, Ric Bennett and Tom Renzy also would depart the station that same day. She introduced Rush when they got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in June 2010. He would read some commercial copy and then "throw them in the bash bucket where they belong" and openly criticize music he didn't care for. Seth "the Barbarian" Williams took the overnight shift when Pennington moved to evenings in 2001. He first began in radio in 1973 at noted Cleveland rock station WMMS (100.7 FM, "The Buzzard"). Late Friday we received an email from Cleveland radio legend John Gorman, the former longtime PD of the equally legendary WMMS, who shared the sad news of the passing of former longtime WMMS late-night personality Betty Korvan, who died at the age of 67. He was the station's best-known personality and instrumental in breaking artists such as Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Pat Benatar and Mott the Hoople. "[27][36] WMMS played a key role in breaking several major acts in the U.S., including David Bowie, Rush, and Bruce Springsteen. [143] Born in Chicago but raised in Las Vegas, Rover worked for rock stations KISW in Seattle and KXPK in Denver prior to arriving in Cleveland. Those guys are f--kin' heroes!" This feature ran at the exact moment of the KSU shootings twenty years later. Date unknown. Denny left WMMS to start another local station, but returned for a long stay at WMJI. She was on-air from 1993-1997, and had a popular 7-midnight show. Kid Leo interviews David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony before their show at the Richfield Colesium. WMMS Cleveland, Ohio United States Broadcast area Greater Cleveland Northeast Ohio Frequency 100.7MHz(HD Radio) Branding 100.7 WMMS: The Buzzard Programming Language(s) English Format Active rock/hot talk Subchannels HD2: BIN 99.1(All-news) Affiliations Cavaliers AudioVerse Cleveland Guardians WOIO Ownership Owner iHeartMedia (iHM Licenses, LLC) His was the booming voice on the station's hourly IDs, music segues, sweepers, and commercials. [142], On April 3, 2009, The Maxwell Show went on the air claiming that Metallicain Cleveland for the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony the very next daywas playing a free show in the WMMS parking lot later that evening. The top 40 deejays were retained, but it was soon obvious that they were inadequate hosts for a progressive rock format. Monday, October 01, 2018. The Cleveland Free Clinic staffed aid stations in the stadium with physicians, nurses and other volunteers, and through 1977, made its treatment statistics public. In 1995 he was the PA voice introducing acts for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Grand Opening concert at Municipal Stadium. (Plain Dealer file photo), A DJ and music director at WMMS-FM/100.7 from 1974-78. "Born to Run" was the essence of everything I loved about rock 'n' roll. Today, she is a regular DJ on oWOW Radio on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. He became one of the station's most popular jocks during its Buzzard heyday, and was perhaps best known as the host of the live Wednesday "Coffeebreak Concerts." [41] WMMS also lured popular morning personalities Brian Fowler and Joe Cronauer away from rival WENZthen also an alternative rock stationas the successors to Jeff and Flash (Jeff Kinzbach, Ed Ferenc) on The Buzzard Morning Zoo. Bryan Adams Agora photo credit: Janet Macoska, Sammy Hagar Odeon photo credit: Daune Raz.