Tearson Bites the Dust at WMGK
There's a time honored, but not so honorable tradition in broadcasting. On-air talent hardly ever gets to say "so-long" to listeners or viewers when they're being canned. Today, the ax fell on WMGK's Michael Tearson. But will you hear the tree fall?
Tearson Bites the Dust at WMGK
There's a time honored, but not so honorable tradition in broadcasting. On-air talent hardly ever gets to say "so-long" to listeners or viewers when they're being canned. Today, the ax fell on WMGK's Michael Tearson. But will you hear the tree fall?
One of Philly's true pioneers of progressive rock radio, Tearson broke into the biz with his late 1960s years at a then student-run, all-volunteer WXPN, then moved to WDAS-FM, for many moons to WMMR and later back, briefly to a now professionally steered XPN. Tearson has been holding down the fort at WMGK since April 2002 with a two hour (6 to 8 a.m.) "Saturday Morning 60s" heritage music show that he put together with amazing first hand knowledge and a great record library from his South Jersey home studio.
But this morning, MGK program director Charlie Lake told Tearson the party is over after this Saturday's show. And since that episode (and several more) are already in the can, M.T. won't get to say his farewells. A pity. This isn't just "another one bites the dust," it's one of the classic rock outlet's true "keeper of the keys" getting locked out, no longer to share his small insights and big picture perspective, or what veteran reporters like to call our "institutional knowledge."
Tearson is sanguine about the whole thing, joking that doing his show from home kept him out of the line of fire (and firing) for much longer than most. And he's got gigs going on Sirius/XM satellite radio, heard regularly on the Blues channel and often doing fill in (including today) on Classic Vinyl.
Still, as Leonard Cohen wrote and sang, "Hey, that's no way to say goodbye." Wonder if Tearson wasn't being prescient the other day, when he posted the survey question on Facebook "What's your favorite kiss-off song?"
Contact Daily News staff writer Jonathan Takiff at takiffj@phillynews.com.
having a show on sirius/xm is only slightly above doing a podcast in the show biz cesspool ...oh well, radio broke somebody else's heart this time...ive been there before. sincerely twitter.com/dannyozark— danny ozark- unfortunate, but times change...rock is not dead, but who listens to the radio anymore?...and who's next Pierre Robert?— dude
- Grew up listening to, and always liked Michael Tearson. Seems like a nice gentleman. C'mon out to San Francisco, Michael - You'll have an audience out here!— philly2sf
- Michael Tearson has what so many "on air personalities" these days don't - incredible musical knowledge. IMO, 'MMR's best days were when they employed Tearson, Bubba John Stevens, Earl Bailey, Pierre Robert, and DiBella. Those guys KNEW music. Good Luck, Michael!— uncle meat
- Always enjoyed listening to Michael Tearson late nights circa late 70's/early 80's .Used to doze of to him in high school after a few hits of maui wowi, trying to figure out who sounded more stoned mellow, me or him. Good luck to him.— joe smith
- Sirius XM has 20 million paid subscribers, Danny O.— Jonathan Takiff
- I remember the show, for headphones only , that he used to do. It was awesome! Good luck MT!— Jackc1962
- I bumped into him in an elevator going up to WMMR offices to see a freind of mine for lunch. We had a nice conversation, he was in cut-off jeans shorts and a t-shirt, I was in a suit. I forget what question I asked him, but as we getting off he answered, "I don't anything about that, I'm just a dj here." His witty remark made me like him and his show even more. Good luck, Michael, we're all hitting the hill on the way down to Florida with our plaid pants, white belts and shoes.— phillyroll
- The show on on Sirius is awesome ! Deep Tracks. Like classic Q radio days. F. MGK - their loss. And Dibaldi stays !! Haha..— franka
- "You're fired!" (HTML deleted)— The Baron
- Totally agree, MMR back in the 80's was the best. Nikki hoy, and don't forget Joey bag o donuts Bonnadonna!— phillysportguy
- and people ask why I'm crotchety...
— CrotchetyOldMan - and people ask why I'm crotchety... (HTML deleted)— CrotchetyOldMan
- and people ask why I'm crotchety... (HTML deleted)— CrotchetyOldMan
- and people ask why I'm crotchety... (HTML deleted)— CrotchetyOldMan
