Gary Stevens (radio)

Stevens' interest in radios developed in his early years, growing up in Buffalo, New York. After graduation from high school, he attended the University of Miami. While on break from his studies, he launched his career in 1959 at WWOW in Conneaut, Ohio. Returning to Florida, he also worked at 610 WCKR, 1260 WAME (“Whammy in Miami”), and WFUN 79. In 1961, Stevens joined WIL in St. Louis. Two years later he achieved fame at WKNR (Keener 13) in Detroit, Michigan. In 1965, Stevens moved to WMCA in New York and became part of that station's famous "Good Guys" line up of disc jockeys. While working there, Stevens vacationed in England and returned home with The Beatles ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' album, which had not yet been released in the United States. Stevens played songs from the album on a heavy rotation during his 7–11 pm shift at WMCA, claiming that he was the only DJ in the United States who had access to the songs. Despite his success in New York, after three years at WMCA Stevens left the station, telling his wife that he didn't want to be a 40 year old disc jockey. When Doubleday divested their broadcast business in 1986, Stevens transitioned into media investment banking as Associate Managing Director at Wertheim & Company. He later started his own firm as President & CEO of Gary Stevens & Co., specializing in radio station investments while also serving on the boards of the National Association of Broadcasters, the Radio Advertising Bureau, the Electronic Media Ratings Council, and Saga Communications. ==Legacy==

Although Stevens' work in the entertainment world lasted far longer than his time as a disc jockey, he is best remembered by the public for the years he spent at WMCA, particularly for his early play of Sergeant Peppers. "It was something like we'd never heard before. It was stunning to the ears." Stevens was the last surviving member of WMCA's "Good Guys". "People were not just tuning in to hear music and call letters, they tuned in for a friend, a familiar voice who made you feel good. If you were successful, you knew the secret: how to talk right directly to the audience. Gary had that secret." -- Bruce Morrow “Although Gary Stevens’ accomplishments and influence on the radio industry stretched over more than half a century and was quite profound – kids of my generation, who had the opportunity to grow up in New York during the swingin’ sixties, will always remember him as one of the glorious WMCA Good Guys. His passing truly marks the end of an era.” -- Michael Harrison, Talkers Magazine ==Personal life==

Stevens had a well-known love of sports cars and at various times in his life owned a Corvette, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Jaguar. "He liked attention, he liked dazzle," his son Christopher Stevens said, "He didn't care how fast they went. He liked how loud they were, and he liked the fact that everyone looked at you." In 1966, he met his future wife Frankie, an airline stewardess, while driving a white Lincoln Continental convertible. Within a month, he had proposed and the couple stayed married until his death. They had three children. Stevens was survived by his wife, Frankie; his children, Kristin (Stevens) Sexton, Christopher Stevens, and Victoria (Stevens) Chapman; and his grandchildren, Georgina and David Chapman III. ==References==