Obituary
Former WEMU News/Program Director Clark Smith Dies at 74
The MAB learned late last week that former WEMU-FM (Ypsilanti) News and Program Director Clark Smith passed away April 7 at the age of 74. Originally hired as News Director in May of 1983, Smith was named Program Director in 2007 and filled both positions until David Fair was named News Director in August of 2012.
Read MoreLongtime Northern Michigan Broadcaster Vic McCarty Passes Away
Longtime Northern Michigan radio and television personality Vic McCarty has passed away. He died April 6 at Munson Hospice House in Traverse City. He had been battling stage 4 metastatic cancer.
Read MoreLongtime WOOD-TV Weatherman Buck Matthews Dies at 97
Buck Matthews, who for years was a household name in West Michigan as a WOOD TV (Grand Rapids) weatherman and show host passed away this past Monday (3/30). He was 97.Matthews joined WOOD-TV in 1961 and remained on air for more than two decades.
Read MoreFormer U.P. Radio Host Bruce Nelson Passes
Following his years in the Air Force, he worked at multiple radio stations in Kentucky. Nelson returned to Michigan in 1972 and was a well-known radio personality for WDBC, WBDN and WCHT/WGLQ, retiring in 1993.
Read MoreWest Michigan Radio Icon Reese Rickards Passes
One of the longtime voices of West Michigan has died. WBCT-FM (Grand Rapids) operations manager Dave Taft announced in a social media post that former DJ and host Reese Rickards died this past Tuesday (2/24).
Read MoreIn Memoriam: Ismael Ahmed
This past week, Wayne State University’s WDET-FM (Detroit) shared the sad news of the passing of Ismael Ahmed, the longtime host of This Island Earth and a beloved voice on the station. Ahmed passed away this last Saturday (1/31). He was 78. In a story posted on its website, the station noted that “Ismael was more than a broadcaster — he was a tireless advocate for culture, community, and justice, and his work touched generations across Detroit and beyond.”
Read MoreFormer Detroit Radio Air Talent Steve Monkiewicz Passes at 75
He had a lifelong passion for radio and spent many years doing what he loved, working for several Detroit-area radio stations including WXYZ-AM, WABX-FM, WRIF-FM, WCSX-FM, WLLZ-FM, and WWWW-FM.
Read MoreFormer Detroit Radio Host Jerry St. James Dies at 74
Jerry St. James was a solo act in Washington, DC, Minneapolis and when he arrived in Detroit in 1977 at WDRQ. He was paired with longtime Motor City mainstay Jim Harper at WNIC. At his next stop he teamed up with Jeff Detrow, a northeast Ohio DJ, and the chemistry was instantaneous at Magic 95 WMJC (now WCSX 94.7).
Read MoreR.I.P. Keener 13 DJ Bob Green
Detroit has always been a bastion of great radio talent and one of the best was Bob Green. He was one of the original Key Men of Music at WKNR (Keener 13) rubbing elbows with legends like: Gary Stevens, Robin Seymour, Mort Crowley and Jerry Goodwin.
Read MoreDonald Beans: 1940-2025
The MAB learned over the holidays that longtime broadcast engineer Donald J. Beans passed away on December 1 at age 84. Beans worked for the University of Michigan Public Radio stations WUOM-FM, WFUM-FM and WVGR-FM taking care of the radio transmitters for 19 years before retiring in 2006.
Read More