Coyote Calhoun
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Coyote Calhoun (born May 22, 1953), also known as Coyote J, is a radio disc jockey. Calhoun is best known for his midnight show in the 1970s at WERC, a Top 40 station in Birmingham, Alabama. In the 1980s, Calhoun worked at Z-102 (WZBQ) and at I-95 (WAPI-FM). Calhoun was among the original air staff hired by WKDF, Nashville's progressive rock station, and The X (WRAX).[1]
History
[edit]Origins
[edit]In 1974, while in high school, Calhoun began working on-air as a jock for WKDA. He first worked for WKDA-AM, under a number of aliases. Calhoun then switched to the weekend and midnight shifts on WKDA-FM, working under the alias "Jim Baton". Later that year, he moved to the midnight shift on WBSR-AM, using the same alias there.
In 1975, Calhoun (as Jim Baton) was hired by WERC Birmingham as a nighttime jock.[2] This was because the previous nighttime jock, Chris Foxx, quit over a contract dispute. The company moved him from WERC's AM station to their FM and gave him the alias "Coyote J Calhoun". During one of his shifts, Calhoun faked his own murder on air, which led to police and paramedics storming the building.[3] As a result, Calhoun was given a five-day suspension.
In 1976, Calhoun wrestled a live black bear before a live audience at Boutwell Auditorium. The fight would end after he hit the bear over the head with a folding chair.[3] When asked why he did it, Calhoun replied, "He started it."
In 1979, Calhoun resigned from his post at WERC and left for Los Angeles to do stand-up comedy.[4] He moved to KPRI-FM in 1981, where he covered the 7 AM–12 PM shift. While in San Diego, Calhoun worked as a shock jock under a consultant named Reid.[citation needed]
After a stay in Denver, Calhoun returned to California with the intent to play new wave music.[2] Coyote accepted a specialty show gig at WAPI-FM Birmingham (95 Rock).[2] In 1983, Coyote was transferred to WABB-FM Mobile, the sister station of I-95, where he did afternoons shifts. During this time, he began hosting a new music show for PD Leslie Fran (99X Atlanta). That same year, Calhoun won the Bobby Poe Air Personality of the Year award.[citation needed]
The Edge
[edit]In 1985, Calhoun landed the 7 AM–12 PM opening at WQUE-FM New Orleans. At Q-93, he debuted an expanded version of his post-punk program and began to use the name "The Edge". In New Orleans, Calhoun began incorporating dark wave, gothic and industrial music into his new music list. In late 1986, Q-93 changed their programming from contemporary to urban music, and Calhoun was fired.[citation needed]
Calhoun returned to Birmingham in the spring of 1987, again employed as a night-time jock for WZBQ, Z-102.[5] He reintroduced his Sunday night show as The Edge to Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and surrounding areas.[4] In 1988, Calhoun was fired from Z-102 live on air for stunting with a classic rock format, airing songs by Boston, Mountain and Pink Floyd.[2] Calhoun was briefly reinstated afterward, but was let go from Z-102 permanently in 1989.[4]
In 1989, Calhoun was hired by I-95, a competitor of Z-102. He would join their new morning team to replace the duo Mark and Brian, who had left for KLOS Los Angeles. The Morning Wake Up Service with Andy, Trey Matthews, and Coyote J Calhoun debuted in the spring of 1989. I-95 decided not to re-sign the trio in 1992.
That same year, The Edge went into syndication. From 1992 to 2002, The Edge aired on dozens of Alabama outlets: WVNA-Muscle Shoals, WQEN Gadsden, WTGZ Auburn, WHHY Montgomery, Z102.5 Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, I-95 and WRAX Birmingham, among others.[citation needed]
In 1995, Calhoun was hired as one of the original air talents to help launch the alternative music outlet The X (WRAX-FM) in Birmingham.[4] Between 1998 and 2002, Calhoun wrote music reviews for The Birmingham Weekly. He stayed with The X until December 2006.[citation needed]
In January 2007, The Edge re-debuted in Birmingham on ROCK 99.5 in its usual Sunday night time slot.[citation needed] The show was retired in 2009.[1] Calhoun returned to ROCK 99 to do a classic rock show in February 2009. After 15 years with Citadel Broadcasting, Calhoun would leave the company on February 14, 2010.
Work with Feeding Fingers
[edit]In 2010, Calhoun began collaborating with the German dark wave band Feeding Fingers and co-produced their third album, Detach Me From My Head, with songwriter Justin Curfmans.[6] In April 2012, Feeding Fingers released a new single, "Inside The Body Of An Animal", produced by Calhoun and Curfmans. Calhoun also co-produced three tracks on Feeding Fingers' fourth album, The Occupant, released in late February 2013. These were: "Inside The Body Of An Animal", "I Drink Disappearing Ink", and "Paper Dolls Would Eat Glass For Us". "Polaroid Papercuts", an advance single from the upcoming Feeding Fingers triple album Attend, produced by Calhoun and Dana Culling, was released on March 16, 2015.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "DJ Coyote J never plays it safe, and Edgefest will follow suit". Blog.al.com. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, J.R. (September 4, 2008). "Hang the DJ". Archived from the original on November 2, 2011.
- ^ a b PodScripts.co. "The Commercial Break - The Rogue Joe and The Stern Coyote Transcript and Discussion". podscripts. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ a b c d "Birmingham's Coyote J back on the radio for first time in over a decade". CBS 42. 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "COYOTE CALHOUN remembers the WSGN-WERC rivalry of the '70s". birminghamrewound.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Myspace". www.myspace.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
External links
[edit]- The Golden Age of Birmingham Broadcasting, Black & White
- Coyote Calhoun Inducted into DJ Hall of Fame
- Coyote Calhoun Page listing numerous other articles about him
- Kris Applegate, Legendary Locals of Louisville, p. 63, ISBN 1439645876, 2014, Arcadia Publishing Inc.
- Coyote Calhoun on KET on YouTube
- Coyote J. Calhoun fired live from Z-102 on YouTube
Audios
[edit]From WZBQ
[edit]- Coyote J. WZBQ, Coyote J on WZBQ – 1
- Coyote J. WZBQ, Coyote J on WZBQ – 2
- COYOTE J THE EDGE