95.7 WQMF

WQMF Trivia: WQMF came into existence in 1981. Previously the frequency belonged to WQHI. WQMF's first owner was Frank "Bo" Wood, whose family owned WEBN in Cincinnati. In the 1986, WQMF sold for around $5 million to Otting Broadcasting. WQMF is licensed to Jeffersonville, Indiana. WQMF had a sister station, 105.9 WQNF, a Class A FM licensed to Valley Station in Kentucky.

WQMF radio personality Ron Clay - who, as "Uncle Ron" on Louisville's airwaves, was known for his often outrageous, raucous, occassionally offensive and faintly foul-mouthed antics - died yesterday. He was 41.

Clay died of lymphatic cancer at Humana Hospital-University of Louisville. He had completed chemotherapy this spring without missing a day of work with his radio partner, Troy Roebuck, until late June.

The Binghamton, New York native started in the Louisville market in 1978 at WLRS-FM, after performing his routine in Kansas City, St. Louis and Long Beach, California.

Clay was a second-generation DJ, following in the footsteps of his father, Tom Clay, who was a radio personality in Detroit and Los Angeles. For the past three weeks Tom Clay had been a stand-in for his son at WQMF.

It didn't take long for the younger Clay's reputation to hit listeners' ears in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Bu 1982, Clay had teamed with Terry Meiners to host the popular "Morning Sickness" show on WLRS. Together they were the airwaves' resident wise guys, playing a kind of can-you-top-this game of one-liners between records.

Their act was irreverent and zany. Their shticks featured larger-than-life characters, double-entendres and bizarre situations. Clay and Meiners gained a young cult following who listened to shows such as Celebrity Deathwatch, Maniac of the Day and Psychic News.

In 1983, Clay and Meiners defected from WLRS to the rock station's archenemy, WQMF. The defection landed them in Jefferson Circuit Court, and the matter was later resolved with the team prohibited from using material they developed at WLRS.

After three years as a team, the two bad boys of radio split. Meiners left for WHAS, and Clay stuck with WQMF. Clay took a California job in 1986, but returned to WQMF after a few months with a morning show called "Uncle Ron's Asylum."

John Page Otting, president and chief operation officer of WQMF, called Clay one of the country's top morning DJs.

"He was regarded by his peers across the country as one of the great morning men in America," Otting said yesterday.

"His style was unique. I was reading a book recently where his name was mentioned among the top five names, with the likes of Howard Stern and Rick Dees. In one word, he was brilliant."

Clay also was known to be very generous with his time - if in comical ways.

In 1988, Clay - mimicking Orson Welles' theatrics - managed to get handcuffed and hauled off to the Clarksville Town Hall after telling a joke that was unflattering to Indiana police. The well-planned arrest and subsequent statements by WQMF station officials and police were so realistic that hundreds of listeners called to offer support for Clay and money for his defense.

It turned out to be a hoax. Clay had staged the stunt to help raise money for the Spouse Abuse Center in Louisville.

Clay said it didn't bother him to have his three children hear him tell his gross jokes on the air.

"I don't do anything I'm not comfortable with," Clay said. "I have no qualms about my kids listening to the show. They've heard all those words at school and they even bring home a few new ones I haven't heard."

Clay is survived by his wife of 21 years, the former Sonia Cleary; two daughters, Kasey and Kori; a son, Kenneth; his father, of California; his mother, Rose Marie Phillips of New York; and four sisters, Candy Basey, Becky Wilfong and Kim Quinones, all of California, and Chris O'Dea of New York.

A private funeral will be held; the body will be cremated. Willhite-Ballard Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy or donations can be sent to L/L Research, P.O. Box 5195, Louisville, Kentucky 40205.

WQMF Airchecks

Ron Clay and Terry Meiners Beaver Bit #1
4:39 - 1641 KB

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