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If radio ever felt personal to you, this episode will bring back a lot of memories.
This week on Here's What We Know, we sit down with Chicago radio legend Garry Meier, one half of the iconic Steve and Garry afternoon show that defined a generation of radio listeners.
Garry opens up about how Larry Lujack's sarcasm on WLS first pulled him toward broadcasting, what it was actually like to work alongside his childhood radio hero, and the story that sparked his on-air partnership with Steve Dahl.
The conversation moves into the night that made Garry Meier a piece of American pop culture history: Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, where a stunt built around smashing records grew into a forfeited baseball game and international news coverage. Garry pushes back on how the event has been reframed over the decades and explains what he actually witnessed that summer night in 1979.
From there, the two Garys talk about the business side of broadcasting: why big radio companies loaded themselves with debt buying up stations, why hiring managers now care more about a resume than a demo tape, and why podcasting has become the format radio should have evolved into decades ago.
If you remember what radio felt like before it became all business and no personality, you're going to enjoy this one. Listen now!
In This Episode:
- How Larry Lujack's WLS show inspired an entire generation of radio hosts
- The real story behind meeting a childhood hero and finding out they're human
- How the Steve and Garry partnership started with an offhand comment about gas prices
- The night of Disco Demolition Night and what actually happened at Comiskey Park
- Why the disco backlash has been mischaracterized in the years since
- What went wrong with corporate radio consolidation after FCC ownership rules changed
- Why podcasting outperforms traditional radio for long-form conversation
- Behind-the-scenes stories with Sam Kinison, Albert Brooks, Garry Marshall, and Paul McCartney
- Garry Meier’s induction into the Radio Hall of Fame
This episode is sponsored by:
Dignity Memorial
Reed Animal Hospital
Bio:
Garry Meier is a Radio Hall of Fame inductee and one of Chicago's most celebrated radio personalities. His legendary career includes groundbreaking partnerships with Steve Dahl, multiple No. 1 radio shows, five A.I.R. Awards for Best Afternoon Talk Show, and recognition by Talkers Magazine as one of America's most influential talk show hosts. Today, Garry brings the same sharp wit, curiosity, and engaging storytelling to The Garry Meier Show, where he continues to entertain audiences with thoughtful conversations, humor, and commentary on life and current events.
Website: https://garrymeier.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-meier-571478187/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGarryMeierShow/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/garrforcelive
Connect with Gary:
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