Meet Brad Savage | Program Director, Afternoon On-Air Host, Brand Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brad Savage and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brad, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up in Minnesota and the radio was my best friend! I loved listening to radio and how all the stations played a slightly different kind of music. I liked it all. New, old, rock, pop, country, oldies, I took it all in. I wanted to know all the songs and who sang them, and why. I like the emotion and feeling of the songs.

I was never into sports as much as the other kids. Movies and TV are great, but I wasn’t very good at remembering actor names or credits. But with music, I could remember names and years and statistics.

I wanted to pick the songs and host my own show. All I’ve ever wanted to do is pick the songs.

There is magic in the air(waves). Just think: a shared listening experience at the same time all over the city. Many people listening at once.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My radio journey took me to many states and stations, before landing in Charlottesville, VA (106.1 The Corner) in 2006. That led to public radio/noncommercial music discovery at WAPS “The Summit FM” in Akron-Canton-Youngstown in 2015. In 2021, we added a signal in Athens, Ohio, the cool college town market home of Ohio University. We are fortunate to be one of the few stations that is based on music discovery and eclectic programming for like-minded fans of many sounds and eras; not every city has a station like this. www.TheSummit.FM

In the middle of the Pandemic of 2020, I revisited a concept I had done years earlier in college radio at 88.1 KVSC-FM in St. Cloud, MN. The show is called “Cruisin’ The Decades – 100 Years of Music”, and it spotlights one song per decade (all genres welcome) from 1920’s to 2020’s in one hour. It is an appreciation of music history and record collecting. The program went over so well on The Summit FM, that we began producing a self-syndicated version for numerous other radio stations in January 2022.

As of 2024, we are over 100 episodes into the show, and the program is now heard on 53 radio stations around the world including Canada, Roatan (Honduras), New Zealand, Shortwave radio in Germany and USA, and now on the Armed Forces Networks’ “Joe Radio” music format, heard at all U.S. Military Bases and U.S. Embassies worldwide. www.cruisinthedecades.com

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As an obsessive record collector, most of the day would be filled with thrift stores, record stores, and vintage collecting! The new place called “Retro Attic Akron” is an absolute music-and-collector’s dream! It opened just a year ago in an old mill house just south of Akron. They have rooms and rooms filled with vinyl, CDs, movies, collectibles, posters, vintage rock clothing, cassettes, and various ephemera. There are several other notable record stores in this area including: Time Traveler, Square Records, Hollow Bone, Last Exit (in Kent) and The Exchange.

Akron area is also home to a growing beer, wine, and brewpub scene. There are many excellent restaurants and a growing foodie community.

Having two young kids, we are big fans of The Akron Zoo, and Akron Children’s Museum.

Also: there is a growing hubbub around the cool factor of the section of town known as “Kenmore” – on Kenmore Boulevard, this is home to several recording studios, The Rialto Theatre (performing venue), restaurants, thrift stores, coffee shops, etc.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The airwave painters and curators, the hosts and DJ’s and programmers, of the Minnesota airwaves from the 1980’s through the 2000’s…

Website: www.thesummit.fm / www.cruisinthedecades.com

Instagram: @thesummitFM

Twitter: @bradcorner

Facebook: Facebook.com/radiobradsavage

Image Credits
Ryan Humbert Matt Anthony