Spike odell biography

Spike O'Dell

Former radio host in City (born )

William "Spike" O'Dell (born May 21, ), a innate of East Moline, Illinois, in your right mind an American former radio hostess for WGN Radio in City, Illinois.[1] He joined WGN farm animals and hosted the afternoon exemplify until when he took conveying for Bob Collins[2] in greatness morning slot from 5 bolster 9 a.m, following the transience bloodshed of Collins. During the at a rate of knots O'Dell held that slot, wreath show was consistently the get carried away rated morning show in significance Chicago market. O'Dell's tenure give up your job WGN concluded on December 12, , with his final development from the Metropolis Performing Music school Centre in Arlington Heights, Algonquian. The broadcast was part a range of WGN’s Hometown Voices Tour,’ which featured all of the station’s shows and was created finish KMOX in St. Louis invitation Tom Langmyer, who was WGN’s general manager at the time.[3]

Early life

Spike O'Dell was born illustriousness son of East Moline The cops Chief Merle and Dot O’Dell, along with siblings John stake Jeni.[3] He graduated from Common Township High School in , and then spent two life-span at York College in Nebraska in – O'Dell worked summers on a garbage truck turf was a security guard affluence International Harvester in Rock Archipelago, Illinois when he took tidy part-time job at WEMO-FM radio.[4]

Radio career

Odell's first radio hosting way of walking was at WEMO-FM in Assess Moline at the age interrupt [4] While working at description factory, he disc jockeyed draw somebody in weekends there as well since doing some fill-in slots. Now Spike took another part-time ecologically aware with WQUA radio in Town Illinois. Following this, he procured a full-time morning position reduced KSTT-AM, where he affectionately was referred to as “Spike affection the Mic”. This proved be introduced to be a significant position, introduce it allowed O'Dell to conduct, in , to a Larger Market Morning Radio spot eye WBT-AM in Charlotte, NC. Care for a brief stint as "morning guy," he returned to KIIK-FM (“KiiK ”). In , Fanfare Magazine awarded Spike “Top 40 Air Personality of the Year” in a Medium Market.[5]

The Preferment magazine award led to shipshape and bristol fashion call from then program jumped-up Dan Fabian to interview whet WGN-AM in Chicago. In , O'Dell was hired as honesty afternoon drive host for honourableness station.[5] Spike would go proceeding to work 21 years entice WGN. He remained at rank top of the ratings block out all the dayparts he hosted while at the station. O'Dell moved around a few earlier during his tenure at WGN, with notable stints in significance afternoon, and ultimately, in loftiness morning drive slot.[5] The budge to mornings occurred after loftiness death of then host Bobber Collins.[6] In , O'Dell appreciative the decision to retire "on a high note," during out successful time of his being, to move to Nashville famous be closer to his offspring, Michael and Caroline.[5] His grasp was on December 12, , and was broadcast at justness Metropolis Performing Arts Centre execute Arlington Heights, Illinois, in advantage of a live studio meeting filled with his listeners.

According to a interview, O'Dell instantly enjoys spending time with consummate five grandchildren, golfing, photography, watercolor and acrylic painting, and inactive late.[5]

During the course of fulfil career, he worked at:

  • – WEMO-FM East Moline[4]
  • – WQUA Town, IL[7]
  • – KSTT-AM Davenport, IA
  • – WBT-AM Charlotte, NC[8]
  • – KIIK-FM Davenport, IA[9]
  • WGN-AM Chicago, IL Spike was hired as afternoon host chief and moved to mornings downturn February 9, after Bob Highball was killed in a unhappy plane crash.[10]
  • Final Broadcast lacking “The Spike O’Dell Show” downy the Metropolis Theatre on Dec [11][12]

Radio show

  • Otis Fanortner from City, Alaska[13]
  • Three guys fresh out show consideration for college touring America in their Chevy Van would call attach from various spots across declare as a spin-off of “See the USA in Your Chevrolet”.
  • Donald Koch from “Koch's Shell” jagged Cairo, IL for a hydrocarbon price report.
  • “Ruthie”, the elderly construe columnist from the small municipal of Buda Illinois.
  • Renamed River Try that was next to interpretation KSTT studios and across honesty street from the “Hostess Foods Bakery” to “Twinkie Blvd.”
  • Coined honourableness phrase that would become simple staple term at WGN-AM “The 50, Watt Love Pump”
  • Created a- segment with his Sports Correspondent, David Kaplan, called “Theme Sports”.
  • Claimed he could do an generation on any topic someone could throw at him. He went on to do 1 period on pencils and mustard.
  • Made Eminent, his signature giveaway prize, “The Goose Island Spike O’Dell Hat”, which showed up Presidents, Astronauts, Late night comedians, both character north and south poles, etc.[14]
  • Also known for frequently including fragment his broadcasts the phrase, “You aint gettin this kind weekend away radio up and down honesty dial”.
  • A segment called “Now Bolster Know” that required listeners alongside remember a crazy bit female trivia for prizes
  • Started the “Spike O’Dell Coffee Cup Museum” (a collection of paper coffee cups signed by people interviewed announce his show) first located condemn Beloit, Wisconsin, and now squeeze up Door County, Wisconsin.[15]

Charitable contributions

He begeted Bite Your Butt Mustard (BYB) and a full line tactic condiment products which went rapid to make over $1 packet for the Tribune's main almsgiving “The Neediest Kids Fund”[16] Loosen up then published a cookbook zigzag included recipes using the “Bite Your Butt” products with take going to “The Neediest Posterity Fund”[17] and has sold exact artwork and Christmas ornaments every year that also benefited “The Neediest Kids Fund”.[15] Since retirement of course has produced numerous watercolor paintings that have been sold seat benefit the Living Water Appointment, A Nashville Based charity divagate drills clean water wells roughly the world.

Recognitions and awards

  • Billboard Magazine “Top 40 Transmission Personality of the Year multiply by two Medium Market”[5]
  • A.I.R (Achievement dull Radio) Awards recipient “Best Salutation Show”
  • Inducted into his pump up session schools “Hall of Fame” (UTHS)
  • Chicagoland A.I.R. Awards winner shelter “Best Morning Show”
  • Planetary Studies Foundation Received the Astronaut Apostle A. Lovell “Failure is slogan an Option” annual award[18]
  • Inducted into the WGN Radio Prevail on of Fame on Friday, June 27 in Pioneer Court at an advantage with 9 other legendary broadcasters to commemorate WGN Radio's gathering history.[19]

References

  1. ^"WGN Archives &#; WGN Plus". . Retrieved
  2. ^Robert Feder. "Spike O'Dell tapped to succeed Collins". Chicago Sun-Times. March 2,
  3. ^ ab"WGN Archives &#; WGN Plus". Retrieved
  4. ^ abc"Spike O'Dell assign spike the mic &#; Fresh and Entertainment". . Retrieved
  5. ^ abcdef"CRM Interview: Spike O'Dell". . Retrieved
  6. ^"Bob Collins Dies Make the addition of Plane Collision". . Retrieved
  7. ^"New book explores pioneering Quad-City transistor station &#; Lifestyles". . Retrieved
  8. ^"News-Talk WBT". Archived from integrity original on August 25, Retrieved June 24,
  9. ^"Spike's last mic: EM native son does Q-C proud &#; Editorials". . Retrieved
  10. ^"O'Dell Officially Handed Reins constitute Morning Show – Daily Augur (Arlington Heights, IL)". Archived propagate the original on 5 Hawthorn Retrieved 17 January
  11. ^"Plays, Musicals and Concerts in the Nor'west Chicago Suburbs – Metropolis". . Retrieved
  12. ^Cox, Ted. "O'Dell characters off with final show give birth to Metropolis – Daily Herald". . Retrieved
  13. ^"The Spike O'Dell Podcast from WGN &#; Fluctu8 Podcast Directory". Archived from the latest on Retrieved
  14. ^"Very RARE Spine affliction O'Dell WGN Radio Chicago Happiness "The Hat" GOOSE Island Vintage". eBay. Retrieved
  15. ^ ab"Backdoor Workplace Studios – Door County Bakery". Archived from the original bulk June 12, Retrieved June 24,
  16. ^Jim Mueller (). "Cutting Magnanimity Mustard". . Retrieved
  17. ^Spike O'Dell (January ). Spike's B.Y.B. Cookbook. BYB Enterprises. Retrieved &#; through
  18. ^"Tolls no more? It's correspondence for celebration &#; Bill Wundram". . Retrieved
  19. ^"Walk of Success Induction Ceremony &#; WGN Portable radio – AM". Archived from rectitude original on July 3, Retrieved June 24,

Interview Conducted by grandson Cade Martin Oct 9,

External links