97X

Episode 58: Elizabeth Cannon, our Riverbend Friend

97X, Music, podcast

“The Lovely & Talented Elizabeth Cannon™” started working at Riverbend Music Center (Cincinnati’s 20,000-person capacity outdoor concert amphitheater) as an usher when she was 16… and wound up staying there for nearly 15 years. For most of her tenure, she managed Riverbend’s marketing, working closely with local radio and TV stations and record labels on media buys, ad scripts, promotions (ticket giveaways, meet-and-greets), artist interviews, and more. As a 97X listener in high school and a Miami U. grad, she always had a special place in her heart for the tiny modern rock station in Oxford… and the feeling was mutual.

Elizabeth fills us in on her behind-the-scenes work at Riverbend… including why a mullet man was making a sick kid’s heart achy-breaky, and who was cool and who was a tool in CS&N (and sometimes Y).

Elizabeth said 97X was a key reason that Riverbend was able to book up-and-coming acts, because the record labels always wanted to know if there was a local radio station playing those artists. Without 97X, concerts like Lollapalooza, Lilith Fair and H.O.R.D.E. might’ve bypassed this market.

Kneeling: Damian and Rictile. Standing L to R: Steve Baker, Linda Balogh, Jae Forman, Julie Maxwell, Doug Balogh, Phil Manning, salesperson Joe Throckmorton, Brian Ewing, Dave Tellmann and salesman Chris Adryan rocking the sweet fannypack. Sitting on car: Laura Kim
Julie Maxwell applies a temporary tattoo at a Riverbend show.
Jae Forman (left) and Dave Tellmann (right) on the infamous butt coolers at Riverbend.

Episode 57: Doug & Linda Part 2 (More Fun in the New Radio World)

97X, podcast

In the second part of our interview with 97X station owners Doug & Linda Balogh, we find out why Steve Baker was the soul of the station, Dave was Mr. Sunshine, and Linda was the lady behind the curtain. Doug also talks about “buyer’s remorse” at his welcome BBQ and Linda recalls the 97X mission statement and the baby in the file cabinet. Oh, and we hear about how the Rainman movie appearance happened… and how legendary record exec Howie Klein freaked out about it.

Photo from a 1997 article about 97X in Spin magazine.

Doug and Linda talked about how indispensable Steve Baker was. Bake could — and did– do it all for the station for more than 20 years.

The Bakerman in the old 97X studio
Gentleman Jim Mercer with Bake at a Miami University football game

Nowadays, Steve Baker is the Assistant Athletic Director/Director of Broadcasting for Miami University. Please read this post to learn more about just how amazing “The Bakerman” truly is. (Also, our interview with Steve is in Episode 4 of the podcast.)

Dave Tellmann in the production studio

Doug and Linda also talked about how Dave was always in a good mood. I couldn’t agree more. We had as much fun off the air as on, thanks to Dave, who was (and still is) always making us smile.

Kathie Lucas at right with her “baby in the file cabinet” daughter Sophie
Ad from Everybody’s News

The famous scene from Rainman:

Linda and Doug (center) with their children Marty (left) and Kristy (right). The award referenced above was presented by Ron “Jetson” Poore and Phil Manning

Episode 56: Doug & Linda Balogh, the First Family of 97X

97X, Music, podcast

Doug and Linda Balogh bought 97.7 FM in Oxford, Ohio in July of 1981, adjusted the format to modern rock in September of 1983, and spent 23 years giving their heart and soul to a “mom and pop” radio station. 97X’s signal was tiny, but its impact was mighty, and Doug and Linda guided it every step of the way. In the first of a multi-part interview, Dave and Damian talk to Doug and Linda about why they got into the radio game in the first place, and the station’s formative early years.

Doug & Linda from the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Enquirer Magazine article published June 2, 1985

In our interview, Doug mentions the significance of a cover story about 97X in June 2, 1985 edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Sunday magazine. Thanks to 97X superfan (and Episode 25 guest) Mark Griffin, you can read the entire article here — complete with 1985 ads!

World-famous cover model Danny Crash (a.k.a. Dan Reed)

Mark Griffin’s heartfelt tribute to 97X can be found on his blog. We highly recommend it.)

Unlike corporate-owned commercial stations where music is chewing gum and DJs’ on-air personalities range from vapid to outrageous, family-owned WOXY drew in people devoted to the best in new music. 

Mark Griffin in his blog post about 97X – linked above
Ad for 97X’s move from High Street in uptown Oxford to 5120 College Corner Pike.

Episode 55: Dan Bockrath, our CityBeat Buddy

97X, podcast

Dayton native Dan Bockrath left San Diego in the mid-90s, returning to southwest Ohio and joining forces with editor John Fox to publish CityBeat, Cincinnati’s alternative weekly newspaper. One of the first media partnerships they formed was with 97X, because championing local music, arts and culture was their raison d’êtra and 97X listeners were open-minded and adventurous. We talk to Dan about that synergy, CityBeat’s sponsorship of Midpoint Music Festival (MPMF), and his ongoing love affair with live music in local clubs.

Dan was the publisher of CityBeat from its inception in November of 1994 until December of 2015.

CityBeat sponsored MPMF for many years, and Dan McCabe (at right in the photo above with Dan Bockrath) was responsible for booking the amazing lineup of up-and-coming bands/artists. (We spoke to Dan McCabe, now co-owner of MOTR Pub and The Woodward Theater, in Episode 48.)

Dan backstage at a Los Lobos show in 2011… we’re very jealous!

Episode 54: Terrence Burke, from Screed Zine to Master of Puppets

97X, Music, podcast

In the mid-80s, Terrence Burke came to Cincinnati from Boston, where he was weaned on a steady diet of Beantown’s finest alternative/indie/college rock stations. He quickly discovered 97X and was hooked. After a few years back in Boston, he returned to Cincinnati in 1993 and was so enamored with how the Cincinnati/Dayton music community had blossomed that he published a ‘zine about it called Screed. (He made several appearances on 97X’s Local Lixx during this time.) Terry also hosted a show at WAIF and worked at CD World, so he was fully immersed in the music scene. After his father passed away suddenly in 2001, Terrence decided to pursue his life’s calling of bringing joy to kids via his Wump Mucket Puppets shows. Terry’s a DIY guy to the core, and it was a real treat to catch up with him. 

Here’s Terry joining 97X DJ Dan Cromer on the Local Lixx show on January 18th, 1996 -this episode features songs from Brainiac, Throneberry, The Wolverton Brothers and Stitch.

Local Lixx on 97X, Jan. 18, 1996 with host Dan Cromer and guest Terry Burke
Terry at Screed Zine world headquarters
97X ad in Screed
Terry and Shawn Riggs, co-workers at CD World. Check out the new release board in the background.
Terry on the air at WAIF-FM. He hosted Dr. 13’s Audio Lab and also appeared on the local music show Kindred Sanction
  • Terry with Carol Spinney (puppeteer for Big Bird and other Sesame Street characters)

Here’s a profile of Terrence and Wump Mucket Puppets on PBS.

Terry and his father in Oxford, OH in 1986

Find out more about Wump Mucket Puppets at their website and check out tons of videos on their YouTube channel. Here’s a link to the Wump Mucket Puppets Etsy shop.

Episode 53: Stase, a credit to middays

97X, podcast

Stase worked weekends at 97X in 1995-96, and then handled the midday shift in 1997. She got the gig partly due to the fact that her previous job was working alongside Rictile (in his side hustle) at GE Credit… and partly because she went to the same high school as 97X co-owner Doug Balogh. But what sealed the deal was her effervescent personality, which remains intact 25 years later. We chat with Stase about super-deluxe parties on the party patio, unbreakable piñatas, the Michigan Mafia and pandemic parenting. 

Stase commandeered her daughter’s room for our video chat

We challenged Stase to track down a high school yearbook photo of 97X co-owner Doug Balogh, and she came through with flying colors… or flying black and white, actually:

The pride of Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn, Michigan
The mascot for Doug and Stase’s high school was Thunderbirds, but Doug will always be “The Falcon” to us.

Stase worked middays during the “Station of the Year” year.

Episode 52: Brian Ewing, an Overnight Success

97X, Music, podcast

Brian Ewing spent the early to mid-90s on the air at 97X, including three full years doing the overnight shift, which surely must be a record for “the cave.” During that same time, he was also playing in the local band Messerly & Ewing, so music ruled his life. We talk to Brian about his 97X days, including party patio drunks, open mike nights, long-distance tea-brewing, and rocking the vote.

Phil Manning, Damian and Brian “Rock the Vote” Ewing at the 97X 10th Anniversary Show at Bogart’s.

After leaving 97X, Brian still performed as part of Messerly & Ewing. They won the 97Xposure band contest in 2002, and continued to release new music and play gigs through 2014. Here’s their 2011 release on Bandcamp:

And here’s Messerly & Ewing performing live in July 2009 with their full band, featuring MPMF co-founders Sean Rhiney (bass) and Bill Donabedian (drums).

Brian on stage at an Earth Day event
Messerly & Ewing & Woman with Feather Boa
Messerly & Ewing performing live on the Fox19 Morning Show
Takin’ it to the streets…
Midpoint Music Festival 2009
Brian when we chatted via Google Meet last month

Episode 51: Dorsie Fyffe, the Freest of Free Spirits

97X, Music, podcast

Dorsie Fyffe worked at 97X from 1993 to 1998, eventually winding up as Music Director (nominated by Billboard Magazine for “Music Director of the Year”) and afternoon host. During that same era, he led the local band Johnny Smoke, and lived with Tim Taylor, lead singer of Brainiac, and Dave Doughman of Swearing at Motorists. Since then, much like Johnny Cash, he’s “been everywhere, man” – San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas City, Austin, Los Angeles. But he’s still rockin’. We chat with Dorsie about his 97X days and his new Cincinnati-via-Northern California band Beverly Hills Supper Club.  

This photo of Dorsie at 97X sums up the inimitable Dorsie vibe quite nicely:

Dorsie’s new band Beverly Hills Supper Club features Cincinnati-based members including Billy Catfish.

You can check out BHSC’s music on all the major streaming services. Here’s their artist link on Spotify and here’s their latest release:

https://youtu.be/1IMi-XhJ3UA
Lydia Loveless loves Dorsie
Dorsie in Lawrence, KS circa 2013. Pants courtesy of the Herb Tarlek Collection.
Nashville Skyline (not the chili)

Episode 50: More Mark Messerly

97X, Music, podcast

We continue our conversation with Mark Messerly, a key player in the Cincinnati music scene. In this episode, he talks about the genius of his Wussy bandmates Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker, and pays tribute to John Erhardt, who passed away earlier this year. We also talk about his tour blogging (Robert Christgau loves it and we do too!), his day job as a music teacher… and Superchunk.

Mark’s tour diary entries are profound, poignant… and often hilarious as well. (Who doesn’t love a good Snack of the Day review?) The archive is on Wussy’s website here. Robert Christgau, “the dean of American rock critics” loves Mark’s writing. He loves Wussy too – you can read his brief reviews of each Wussy release here.

Mark and Chuck Cleaver both wrote fond tributes to John Erhardt, who played in both the Ass Ponys and Wussy. Read them here.

Mark and his wife Hollie will be doing an episode of the Wussy livestream on Facebook this Friday (11/27).

Yes, you read that right, it’s the 32nd livestream from Wussy band members… each one is a true gem, showcasing brilliant songwriting and playful banter. Check them out here and if you can, cough up some cash for the tip jar.

Episode 49: Mark Messerly, Music Maker For Life

97X, Music, podcast

Mark Messerly has been a key player in the Cincinnati music scene for decades, and he’s still going strong. (No wonder he calls himself a “lifer.”) Mark was the longtime co-leader of Messerly & Ewing, which won 97Xposure in 2002, and he joined Wussy as their bassist that same year when they expanded from a duo to a full band. He also released a 2018 album under the INERT moniker, and his day job is working as a music teacher in the Cincinnati Public Schools district. In this first of a two-part interview, we talk to Mark about INERT, the perks of winning 97Xposure, and what 97X meant to local bands and true music fans. 

  • Mark Messerly and Brian Ewing

Here’s the Messerly & Ewing song “Shallow Grave” which got plenty of airplay on 97X as part of their 97Xposure win.

Messerly & Ewing “Shallow Grave”

Messerly and Ewing-Shallow Grave

“With Pixies/Nirvana-esque dynamics, clever lyrics and giant sized hooks, these supposed Folk rockers teach the world to sing the best local Pop song of the year.”

CityBeat Cincinnati

Check out this CityBeat Local Roots Music Primer from 2001 for a mention of M&E and several other great local bands, including a couple with 97X connections (Big in Iowa featured Mr. K, and Monkey Biscuit was led by Rob Ervin). And here’s a nice M&E CityBeat feature from 2015.

Messerly and Ewing Band, Bunbury 2012 with MidPoint found Sean Rhiney on bass and MidPoint and Bunbury founder Bill Donabedian on drums. Photo credit: Michael A. Kearns

Three Messerly & Ewing albums can be found on Bandcamp.

“Stay classy, Mark!” Photo credit: Merilee Luke-Ebbeler

Read this 2018 “Spill it” feature from CityBeat’s Mike Breen about Mark’s INERT release, a very cool collaborative project with dozens of Cincinnati musicians, writers, poets, and visual artists.

The INERT album can be found (and purchased!) on Bandcamp (link below) and on Wussy’s website.

In the second part of our interview with Mark Messerly (coming soon!), we’ll chat about his work with the brilliant Cincinnati-based band Wussy.

Photo credit: Sean Hughes