Call On Me - Tanya Tucker - 1989 -  (Album - Strong Enough To Bend)

  Tanya Tucker still has an incredible following afteR ALL these decades.  Breaking through at age 13 in the early 1970's she had a real nice resurgence that began in the mid and late 80's and continued for some very good years helping country launch a huge decade.  She also at that time recorded maybe the best music of her career.  Tanya's incredibly distinctive voice was always welcomed by fans on the radio whether it was when she was a kid, a teen, or adult.  This song is among her very best overall.  This peaked at number 4, and was smack dab in the middle of a long run of many top tens and number ones that ran from 1986 till 1994.  True, it is a bit more pop country than anything else, but her soulful performance is the clear star of this song. Her few notes below most register is simply fantastic.  Tanya Tucker is an icon, she has been a part of the American music scene for a half century, and just a couple years ago was winning Grammy's.  Never duplicated - Tanya Tucker - Call On Me.

My Full Profile On Tanya Tucker

Working the overnight air shift on WQMX has so far been a great experience for me. It has certainly been much different than I have previously been accustomed to, in a multitude of ways. My days are completely upside down in terms of my schedule, but it is actually working out nicely with all things considered. I have had some sleepy nights where I wondered if I would make it to the other side of the night with my eyes still open, but I've found that cranking the studio speakers and chugging an energy drink will keep me going. Constantly feeling tired wasn't going to work for me, so I had to adjust from my initial plan.

I originally thought that I could just catch up on sleep during the weekend, but with all of the fun we participate in with WQMX and my activities with friends and family, I had put my sleep to the wayside. This put me back even further, and come Thursday or so of the next week I felt like I could sleep a full 24 hours. Additionally, I've read research that claims you need consistent sleep and oversleeping on the weekends does not work in the long term.

My solution has been to sleep as much as I possibly can during the week instead. I'm not the type to loaf in bed, and when I'm up there's no going back. Needless to say, it has taken some tweaks and tuning to get right. As it stands, I sleep twice a day on either side of my shift for about 4 to 5 hours. Doing it this way is nice because I can still be up during the daylight hours for a good amount of time, without sacrificing rest. I expect this to be especially key come winter time when our daylight is drastically diminished daily.

There's a few things I'm still figuring out, such as communication ettiquette. For example, is it okay for me to send a text or email at 3 am? I have been scheduling emails to send around 8am, recently. Should I be frustrated with those who know my schedule and still call me at 9am? I usually am! Aside from those considerations, should I eat breakfast or dinner after work? Some 6 A.M. tacos don't sound too bad.... I also live on a relatively busy street where loud cars and motorcycles tend to distrupt my sleep, but I'm not sure there's an answer for that one.

What cannot go unmentioned are my blackout curtains. They have come in clutch and are undeniably a necessity for me now. I like a dark room to sleep in regardless of the time of day, and my curtains make it like a dungeon in my bedroom. I'm quite content with them.

So yeah that's a look into my nocturnal life as a live and local radio personality, and like I said, it's been working out very well. The days go by quicker with them seeming shorter, and it's just crazy to think that I have now been in this role for close to a month. Time truly flies, and with this realization, I have been trying to be more productive in my off-time. I have an extensive to-do list, and every day I try to check off no less than one item. Most have to do with my powersports or cars, and a day in the garage is anything but a day wasted for me. I don't have anything profound or inspirational to leave you off with on this blog, but I would like to remind you to take care of yourself, and make sure you get all the zzz's your body needs!

I had a decently busy day on Saturday. I went to the shoe store and dropped $250 on some new kicks. That kinda hurt to watch my credit card get accepted...lol. I needed new tennis shoes badly, as the ones I have now are starting to really look grungy and have seen better days. My mom went with me because she needed something from the shoe store as well.

Then later in the day, I stopped by my mom's house to help her install new gutter guards on her gutters. Thankfully she lives in a condo and we didn't even do all of her gutters, because I was done. period. haha. 

On Sunday, I did a whole lot of not much and spent the day (and weekend really) putting off cutting my grass. I REALLY need to do that on Tuesday.

You love camping, You love Massimo ATV's, UTV's, Golf Carts and you love HARDY!!!

So join me this Saturday from 1-2:30 for a HARDY Send Me Backstage T-shirt and Ticket Stop.

Check out Countryside Campground and Zombie John's a perfect match for all your outdoor needs!!!!

Can't wait to see you at Countryside Campground, 2687 State Route 43 in Mogadore... bring those future

country concert tickets to get the New Electric Green Send Me Backstage T-shirts. 

And you will receive one free entry when you arrive for the HARDY, Lainey Wilson and Dylan Marlowe Show at the Covelli Center.

You can donate $1 to WQMX Charities to increase your chances.  We draw the winner at exactly 2:30...  See you this Saturday in Mogadore.

Too many fatal crashes occur on two wheels every year, and quite often it has nothing to do with the biker or their ability. A motorcyclist is 28 times more likely to lose their life in a fatal collision compared to other motorists on the road, and motorcycles are undeniably more vulnerable in nearly any given situation. Motorcycles are smaller, more difficult to see, and less intimidating than typical vehicles when headed in your direction. This leads to the too common occurrence of people pulling out in front of bikes, hence the need for the social campaign, "Look Out For Motorcycles." 

Unfortunately, the responsibility to ensure a biker lives to see another day seems to rest almost soley on their own shoulders. Driving a car you have a protective shell with seatbelts, airbags, and impact zones. This numbs the driver and detaches them from the dangers of what they are doing. It's quite apparent on a bike, on the other hand. Not only do motorcyclists have to deal with decreased traction, debris/hazards in the roadways, and unfriendly weather/environmental conditions, but we also have to be hyper aware of every single moving object within our eyesight and beyond. We must hold the expectation that we are essentially invisible to others, and that everything is out to get us. There are no givens on a motorcycle, and assumptions can be deadly when other drivers act unpredictably. Despite the increased difficulty in operating, motorcycles are constantly looking out for cars, but that seems to go unrecirprocated. What I'm trying to explain here is that it takes a lot to operate a motorbike in of itself, let alone with traffic and pedestrians all around. 61% of motorcycle fatalities occur within Urban areas. Additionally, 76% of motorcycle collisions are head on, suggesting that often something enters their zone before they are unable to brake in time. 

I don't want to suggest that motorcyclists are always in the right and that every accident should be attributed to vehicular negligence on the part of the car. Factors such as alcohol, lack of helmets, and speeding are substantial contributors to the fatality statistics as well, in reference to the biker. There will always be present danger in riding a motorcycle, but measures such as proper protective riding gear, a sober and clear mind, and loud pipes can make a positive difference. 

This blog comes in a timely matter because August is reportedly the most dangerous time for a motorcyclist to be on the road, with 14% of all fatal crashes occurring within the month. No one should get the call that their family member won't be coming home tonight or ever again, especially when the motorcyclist did nothing wrong. I ride and have many family members and friends that do as well. I have lost friends and seen lives turned upside down from crashes. For me, for those you know, and for those you don't, please look out for motorcycles. 

Statistics cited in this blog and additional information on the topic can be found at: Motorcycle Accident Statistics & Numbers For 2023 – Forbes Advisor

Jake Owen - Down To The Honky Tonk - 2018

This is perfect for Jake Owen.  On the air I've quipped that this is the "greatest song ever written."  OK, clearly overstated. But it's spot on for the kind of song that sets us apart from every other kind of music.  Not many are willing to have this kind of levity and take shots at ourselves by stating in song that having enough, is simply normal and enough.  In country many times we take ourselves entirely to serious. In addition to our strong traditional lineup, we go through phases of super high intensity songs that are over sung, and over done. And the "coffee house angsty songs"  where artists attempt to wow us with some kind of deeper meaning from an open mic night.  A little bit of those go a long way.  Then there's simple songs like this that everyone loves, knows all the words too, and gladly sings along with at the bar.  Jake Owen to me is so versatile and does songs like this real well.  He also can do tough stuff too, and I respect that.  I have been a fan for years and I watched this song go top ten.  Is this "The greatest song ever written?"   Well, on a summer night on the patio or deck of your favorite bar with your friends and a nice breeze?  Well - yes.  Yes it is!

Last Week #18

High School Football is here, and College starts this week!  Browns a couple weeks away yet, but we have to start getting our game day menus together, and this is a GREAT place to start.

Always room for Chili!

Texas Chili? Almost Football Season

Cody Johnson is on a roll right now in the fact that he is recording and releasing songs that really resonate with many listeners.  The chart success is what it is.  It's good but not as strong as our listeners passion for some of his songs. But this new song is just another in a nice line of highly relatable songs that have real feel.  This song is pretty darn good and I feel you are going to share the same passion for this song as you have for his others.

Sunday is National Radio Day and at WQMX we say it all the time...

We are YOUR COUNTRY! We are live and local... You make us what we are and allow us to do what we love.  Thank you for make us part of your day, sharing your stories and sharing parts of your lives with us.  We are part of your community, we are your neighbors and friends.  We appreciate you lending an ear, reaching out to us, supporting our amazing charities and events and above all being you always.

I am honored and wouldn't want to do this anywhere else.  Thank you for turning us on, turning us up and being the best!  

Hard to believe, but week 1 of the High School Football season is here! It's crazy to think that for the next 10 weeks (maybe more depending), it'll be the place to go and thing to do on a Friday night. Most of my years in high school at Stow, we had bad teams. There was one year our record was 1-9 :(. I do remember though that in my senior year, a friend of mine and I said to each other that together we'd go to all 10 games - home & away no matter what.

We did. Let me tell you...we sat through some good games and bad games. I specifically remember travelling over to Kent for the game one week and it was FA-REEZING!!! I thought for sure I was going to get stuck to the bleachers!! LOL. We made it through the whole game though - and the whole season. If you make it out to catch some hs football this Fall, enjoy it!