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The Home of the Buzzard-W-M-M-S-Cleveland


Okay, so I'm a sentimental old fool. But the voice of Len "Boom" Goldberg and that legal ID still resonates within me. I was a faithful listener in my late teens and early twenties after I kicked the WIXY habit. I don't care to discuss what I was doing in those days, however, since I try to maintain a family friendly blog, but I still, to this day remember what their long time lineup sounded like to this day. To your right is a picture of me from 1976. Draw your own conclusion.

I remember Jeff and Flash and the Morning Mind Exercise, Matt the Cat with the Coffee Break Concert, Kid Leo and his playing Bruce Springsteen at the end of his show Friday afternoons leading up to Murray Saul and the weekend salute-gotta-gotta-gotta-gotta-gotta-gotta-gotta
GET DOWN! Denny Sanders, who was program director then had his turn. From 10pm to 2am it was one of my instructors at the WIXY School, and a fellow WIXY grad, Steve Lushbaugh. Overnights belonged to Betty Korvan.

The 'mms I listened to "back in the day" was album oriented rock, or AOR. While the top 40 stations would play "Young Americans" by David Bowie, we would hear all the cuts from the album on the Buzzard. In the seventies, you would see the buzzard on clothes more often than Chief Wahoo. And you could call the station any hour of the night and have an actual conversation with the jock, unless, of course if it was Kid Leo, who was a jerk. (Someone on the message boards referred to him as "Kid Ego"). And it seemed that most cars in Northeast Ohio had at least one WMMS bumper sticker.

I haven't listened to 'mms in years, so why am I writing this? The Buzzard has flown the coop and probably won't be coming back. But then again, it's been on life support for years. Another part of my life soundtrack becoming a distant memory. It's now time for some of the good folks that brought us the unique sound that was the buzzard to put together a tribute site. Then our youth is only a mouse click away.

Radio hasn't had a local flavor in quite awhile, and it won't come back as we knew it. Just a fact of life that I have to accept.

Other photos in this post are from top Ed "Flash" Ferenc, present photo, Kid Leo with Bruce Springsteen, 1976 and John Gorman with Murray Saul.

Comments

Liquid said…
Hey, hey, hey!
Love the pic.....Man, you are sporting some hair, eh?
Love the post!
Liquid said…
Oh, and, LOVE the hair too! :)
Liquid said…
And the "dimples" and pretty lips!
Oh my! :)
Liquid said…
I should probably stop now, right?
Liquid said…
Nahhhhhhhhhh........can't help it!
You are still,
darn good lookin'!
The Curmudgeon said…
Thanks for the recent visits; I'll even forgive the Albert Belle swipe.

I'm a softie for radio memories, too. In Chicago, in 1974, we only needed two buttons on the car radio (well, except for the Sox games) -- WLS and WCFL.

And it sounds like the Buzzard would be at least roughly analogous to WXRT in Chicago which I started listening to in college... or ... well, never mind.

I don't get all the references, but I can identify with the sentiments.
Unknown said…
Is there any way to get a copy of the "weekend salute"? I lived in Ohio from 1973 - 1075 and listened to the Buzzard. I have yet to find a station as good as this one was at that time.
Kathi said…
ahhh. MEMORIES. long ago in a far away land of CLEVELAND i once lived. moved to flint Michigan in 86. but the buzard "left town" after i did. but OHH. Fridays at five will ALWAYS be the sound of BORN TO RUN and THE WEEKEND START. even my son remembers THAT trio of WEEKEND BEGINNING sounds. GOOD memories never to be again.. ah sad and alas.

kathi
flint mi

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