Mad Daddy Memories - Reflections on Radio’s Gothic Beatnik

Mad Daddy Memories - Reflections on Radio’s Gothic Beatnik

Janice & Mike Olszewski

Foreword by “Cousin Brucie” Morrow

180 pages

6x9 size

ISBN 9798905350818 paperback

ISBN 9798905350825 hardback

What drove the man we remember as the Mad Daddy? So much was hidden beneath that hooded cape. Pete Myers was a genial, soft-spoken gentleman who was quick to greet you with a polite smile, maybe a few words of small talk, and usually little else. He became a different person when his radio engineers switched on his mic, and Myers became his “lovable, laughable” self. But there was another switch that only he controlled, one that demanded attention with a maniacal cackle spouting non-sensical rhymes like a machine gun. It was his alter ego, the Mad Daddy, a character that some thought might have been his real personality and one that took him to a tragic end.

Following publication of Mad Daddy - Myers, Mintz and the Moondog and How Cleveland, Ohio Changed Rock Radio, a number of key people came forward to add to Myers’ legend. They included historians, radio professionals, researchers, artists and even former co-workers, all with their own take on Myers and Mad Daddy’s legacy and what might have led him to his eventual decision. We’ve included their comments in this book. Let’s visit once again with one of the most talented, yet complicated, radio personalities ever, Pete “Mad Daddy” Myers.

“I was on CBS This Morning for 16 years as the weatherman and entertainment reporter and covered the Oscars, the Country Music Awards, The Grammys and the Golden Globes.  But you might not have known that before that I was a rock and roll DJ on the radio. It was one of the best gigs I’ve ever had. They always say to find a job you like and it’s not work, and I did. It was eye opening to know about the shoulders I was standing on.

“This book tells you that and more.

“It takes you back to the days of early radio, in a great way, and you may know many of these names and their styles. It also introduces you to capes, masks, and howling at the moon. In those days you had to get folks’ attention. And boy, did they.

“Do you know of Mad Daddy? You will after this wonderful read. He and those early DJs whose shoulders we stood on were never boring and did all kinds of things on the air. It was a different time. Kids were just being introduced to rock and roll and the times they were changing.

“Speaking of which, I find a lot of voices on the radio today leave me wanting more.  These guys didn’t. A great world awaits you.

“Dive in and find a wonderful, entertaining, learning experience.”

-          Mark McEwen, CBS News Personality