Mad Daddy! A Celebration of How Cleveland Changed Rock Radio!

Pop-up Daytime Summer Storyteller

 
 
 
 

Doors open at 12:30pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 2:00pm

• Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
• FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
• In addition to our regular menu, a Prix Fixe 3-course dinner special is available for just $25
• This week’s special
  • Wavy Gravy Fries – Crispy Fries, Beef Gravy, Cheese Curds
  • Batty Bucks Chicken Salad – Served on a Fresh Croissant, Lettuce, Tomato, House-made Chips
  • Mello Jello – House-made Pretzel Salad with Key Lime Jello

Story topic this week…

Mad Daddy! A Celebration of How Cleveland Changed Rock Radio!
“The story of Pete Myers and his on-air persona, the Mad Daddy, is finally set straight in Janice and Mike Olszewski’s ultimate bio of this legendary Cleveland radio god. This long-anticipated tome is a bubbling brew of history and hysterics, filled with facts and foibles of the fast-talking disc jockey who unknowingly influenced generations of bop-infested no-counts, and reset the horizontal for all inspired radio to come. Essential reading and absolutely recommended!” – Miriam Linna, Cramps/Norton Records/Kicksville Radio
 

About Pete “Mad Daddy” Myers

Pete Myers “The Mad Daddy.” was a Northeast Ohio radio legend thrilling Cleveland and Akron audiences with a rapid fire delivery over heavy rock and roll when that type of music was described as “the devil under your child’s pillow.” Born from the pages of Mad magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and his own twisted humor, Daddy gave his legion of followers a whole new way to communicate and helped define the power and influence of the youth culture that emerged in the 1950s. He tried to get permission to fill Lake Erie with Jello, and even did a death-defying sky dive over the lake to keep his name in the headlines and give away Zorro records. After relocating to New York, he later realized what he loved and left behind in Cleveland which may have led to his tragic end. This is a rare opportunity to meet people who saw Myers’ “Mad Daddy” first hand and are keeping his legend alive. A production crew will also be on hand for an upcoming documentary.

Johnny Holiday Bio

Johnny Holiday is one of the pioneers of Top 40 radio in Cleveland and markets across the country. Johnny worked with Pete Myers both at WHK and at WINS / New York and remembers a man of two personalities. One was a laid back but fun-loving radio performer who gave way later in the day to a manic Gothic beatnik who spit out rhymes like a machine gun and united his young audience into an army of pop culture fanatics.
 
 
 
 
 

Jim LaBarbara Bio

Jim LaBarbara is another of the classic voices of Cleveland radio. Known for his work at KYW and WIXY, Jim was with Mad Daddy at his final appearance at the Cleveland Arena and offers keen insight into his character behind the scenes. He also has the insider view of how Pete Myers’ death affected his co-workers and acquaintances and his lasting influence on radio and TV hosts that followed him.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Miriam Linna Bio

Miriam Linna has a long history promoting the legacy of Mad Daddy. As a founding member of the Cramps she helped Lux Interior bring his love of Daddy’s on-air antics to a whole new generation. Plus, as president of Norton Records, Miriam issued the critically acclaimed Wavy Gravy CD that preserved the rare recordings that made Pete Myers a legend. Norton’s limited edition vinyl Mad Daddy Memorial EP Vol. 1 has also become a highly sought collector’s item.
 
 
 
 

Janice & Mike Olszewski Bio

Janice & Mike Olszewski are long time authors researching and documenting Northeast Ohio’s significant role in creating and defining pop culture trends and the people who follow them. Their latest book, Mad Daddy – Myers, Mintz and the Moondog and How Cleveland, Ohio, Changed Rock Radio, is getting national attention and focusing on the city’s role in defining the tastes of Baby Boom America.
 
 
 
 
 

The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.

See all Cleveland Stories dates here.