Made from a converted ice cream truck, the WIXY Satellite Studios could go anywhere in town and was a complete remote broadcast center. It appeared at all WIXY functions, helping to spread the WIXY name all over town!
The studios at the WIXY Appreciation Day at Geauga Lake
WIXY brought the Beatles to the Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Aug. 29, 1966. As former WIXY DJ Johnny Canton tells it: "The night I introduced The Beatles in Aug., '66, the crowd broke barriers and police lines, stormed the second base stage at Cleveland's then-baseball stadium. Brian Epstein ordered the group offstage and into the mobile home "green room". He told me he wouldn't allow the group to continue until the concert-goers returned to their seats. I got on the mike and informed the crowd of this and, magically, they returned to their seats in an orderly fashion. What a tense moment, but the concert continued."
Ticket from the 1966 Beatles Concert - Notice the $4.00 price tag!
What better way to stop traffic at 12 noon at the corner of E. 9th & Euclid than to hold a "Most Well-Endowed" contest? Taken from a similar contest in New York, whose winner was named Francine, WIXY had to do it better! This took place in 1968, and drew 10,000 curious onlookers...at the height of lunch hour!
The WIXY Appreciation Days were held at Public Hall, Geauga Lake, and Edgewater Park. They ran from approximately 1968 thru 1972. The WIXY Superman, clad in their blue Superman shirts, ran the show. A rock concert usually ended the excitement.
The crowd gathers for the concert.
WIXY Mobile Studios broadcast from the Geauga Lake Appreciation Days
Dick 'The Wilde Childe' Kemp poses for a photo at the WIXY Appreciation Days
WIXY Appreciation Days T-Shirt
This was the biggest of them all, with attendance topping 120,000! Some of the musical acts included Brownsville Station, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The James Gang, Tony Joe, White, Lobo, Country Joe and the Fish, The Raspberries, and Brewer and Shipley. A thunderstorm ended the festivities early. - Photos and info courtesy of WIXY's Chuck Dunaway
The day after the concert, WIXY morning man Mike Reineri organized "Reineri's Raiders" while
on the air, and over 300 volunteers ascend on Edgewater Park to clean it up -- turned out better than before the concert! Mike (center, in beard) received an award from Mayor Perk of Cleveland. WIXY's Chuck Dunaway is on the left.
This photo shows WIXY DJs Jeff McKee (left) and Chuck Dunaway (right) presenting a plaque to Buffy St. Marie (center). WIXY DJ Gene Taylor, wearing the CAT hat, is behind Dunaway. At the left in the background is WIXY jock Mike Kelly. Our thanks to Jeff McKee for sending this photo and the info!
WIXY co-sponsored this parade with the May Company, in the early 70s.
WIXY's Joe Finan (below, in the gold shirt) took a hot-air balloon ride as a promotional stunt, taking off from a shopping center in Parma. Here are some screenshots from a film that was shot that day.
Like other Cleveland stations of the day, WIXY had its DJs play basketball at local area high schools. They even played the Harlem Globetrotters! The proceeds usually went to the high school or to charity. The picture below is from 1967. Left to right is Bill Clark, WIXY News Director, Lou "King" Kirby, Larry Morrow, Mike Reineri, and (squatting) Jack Armstrong.
This photo of the WIXY jocks was taken around 1972, for a promotion for the musical "Grease" that was coming to Cleveland. The photo appeared in the Cleveland Press.
The DJs include, left to right: Bob Shannon, Terry Stevens, Jeff McKee, secretary Sue Paris, Mike Reineri, Chuck Dunaway, and Gary Drake. To the right of Gary is Connie Grozdanik, who worked in Accounting.
1972
This photo shows WIXY Air Personality Gary Drake tossing out bananas from the upper floor of the WIXY building at 3940 Euclid Ave., sometime in 1973, as part of the WIXY GOES BANANAS promotion. Thanks to Gary for supplying this photo! 
(a modified car that goes in the water like a boat) was used to give boating reports from Lake Erie! Info and photo supplied by Cindy Cassidy.
WIXY's own Johnny Canton had a bit part in the 1970 Universal Studios feature "Airport." Below are two screenshots from his appearance in that movie. - Johnny is on the right, Maureen Stapleton is on the far left.
WIXY's own Johnny Canton had a bit part in the 1970 Universal Studios feature "Airport." Below are two screenshots from his appearance in that movie. - Johnny is on the right, Maureen Stapleton is on the far left.
