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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 part of the original air staff hired by WKDF, Nashville's progressive rock station, and The X (WRAX).[1][2]

History

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In the summer and autumn of 1974, as a jock of WKDA-FM, Coyote worked on air during weekend and midnight shifts from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM under the alias "Jim Baton" while still in high school. This followed a stint on WKDA-AM where he worked under a number of other aliases. Later that year, he moved to WBSR AM and continued using the same alias to do midnight shifts.

In 1975, Coyote (as Jim Baton) was hired by WERC Birmingham as a nighttime jock.[3] 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". In one of his acts, Coyote faked his own murder on air, which led police and paramedics to storm the building expecting to find the culprit.[4] This led to a five day suspension, the first of many that would be handed to him as a disk-jockey. Calhoun wrestled a live black bear before a packed house at Boutwell Auditorium in 1976, and the fight abruptly ended after he hit the bear over the head with a folding chair.[4] When asked why he did it, Coyote replied "He started it."

In 1979, Coyote Calhoun resigned from his post at WERC and left for Los Angeles to do stand up comedy.[5] In 1981, Coyote moved to KPRI-FM to do 7–12 AM and officially became a provocateur of new wave and post punk music on commercial radio. While in San Diego, Calhoun worked as a shock jock under a consultant named Reid.[citation needed] In 1982, after a stay in Denver, Coyote J headed back south from California with the intent to play new wave music.[3] Coyote took the specialty show gig at WAPI-FM Birmingham (95 Rock).[3] In 1983, Coyote was transferred to WABB-FM Mobile, the sister station of I-95, where he did afternoons and his new music show for PD Leslie Fran (99X Atlanta). He also won the Bobby Poe Air Personality of the Year award. It was presented to him by Nashville colleague Scott Shannon.[citation needed]

In 1985, Coyote J landed the 7–12 AM opening at WQUE-FM New Orleans. At Q-93, Coyote J 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. Q-93 flipped from contemporary hits to urban in late 1986 and Coyote was cut loose.[citation needed]

Coyote J found himself back in Birmingham in the spring of 1987, once again employed as a night-time jock for WZBQ, Z-102 (competing against other Top 40 stations in the area I-95, as well as WKXX, KICKS 106).[6] Calhoun reintroduced his Sunday night show as The Edge to Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and surrounding areas.[5] While at Z-102 in 1988, Coyote found himself in the middle of controversy once again due to him stunting Z-102 with a classic rock format, airing songs by Boston, Mountain and Pink Floyd, culminating with Calhoun getting fired live on the air.[3] Coyote was being escorted out of the building by police officers from the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Steve Russell and Coyote began fighting over the live microphone. Coyote was reinstated for a short time afterwards but was let go from Z-102 for keeps in 1989.[5]

In 1989, Coyote J was hired by I-95, a competitor of Z-102. I-95 operations manager, Randy Lane, made him part of their new morning team to replace the popular duo, Mark and Brian, who had left for KLOS Los Angeles. The Morning Wake Up Service with Andy, Trey Matthews, and Coyote J debuted in the spring of 1989. I-95 decided not to resign the trio in 1992. In 1992, 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, Coyote J was hired as one of the original air talents to help launch alt outlet The X (WRAX-FM) in Birmingham.[5] Between 1998 and 2002, Coyote wrote music reviews for The Birmingham Weekly. Coyote J stayed with The X until December 2006 when the station fell on hard times and flipped to adult album alternative.[citation needed]

In January 2007, The Edge re-debuted in Birmingham on ROCK 99.5 in its usual Sunday night time slot.[citation needed] Coyote J's contract for The Edge with ROCK 99/WZRR expired January 2009, at which time Coyote J retired The Edge.[1] Coyote J returned to ROCK 99 to do a classic rock show in February 2009. Coyote left Citadel Broadcasting on February 14, 2010, after 15 years.

In 2010, Coyote J began collaborating with the German dark wave band Feeding Fingers and co-produced their third album, Detach Me From My Head. Baton has worked with Feeding Fingers and songwriter Justin Curfmans on the band's fourth album.[7] In April 2012, Feeding Fingers released a new single, "Inside The Body Of An Animal", produced by Coyote J and Justin. Feeding Fingers fourth album, The Occupant, was released in late February 2013. Because of Justin Curfmans' relocation to Germany, the album had a number of producers. On this release Coyote J co-produced only three tracks: "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 Coyote J and Dana Culling, was released on March 16, 2015.

References

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  1. ^ a b "DJ Coyote J never plays it safe, and Edgefest will follow suit". Blog.al.com. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  2. ^ "The Alabama Record Collectors Association: June Meeting". Thealabamarecordcollectorsassociation.blogspot.com. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  3. ^ a b c d Taylor, J.R. (September 4, 2008). "Hang the DJ". Archived from the original on November 2, 2011.
  4. ^ a b PodScripts.co. "The Commercial Break - The Rogue Joe and The Stern Coyote Transcript and Discussion". podscripts. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "COYOTE CALHOUN remembers the WSGN-WERC rivalry of the '70s". birminghamrewound.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  7. ^ "Myspace". www.myspace.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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Audios

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From WZBQ

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From WERC

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