Frank “Bo” Wood Jr., the creator of WEBN and Cincinnati’s “Commissioner of Fun, has passed away at 83.
WXVUreports that Wood passed away on July 29. The Cincinnati icon had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
Wood established WEBN-FM along with his father, Frank Wood Sr.in 1967. Frank Jr. transformed it into a rock station that some have referred to as the”zaniest”Radio stations in rural areas during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
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Jay Gilbert began his career at WEBN in 1974 and remained with the station for 38 years, during which he refers to as the station’s peak period. He held multiple roles, with a focus on being a DJ. He has warm memories of Wood.
Frank was unique, a visionary, a leader, a shrewd businessman, a joker, and a friend,” Gilbert stated. “His talent at WEBN was in hiring skilled individuals, then giving them space, and later supporting them when they did things that upset others. This city would be much different without him.
Gilbert said in a Tribute article for Wood in December 2024even though Wood’s illness caused him to forget many of the daring tricks the station had pulled, he and the people he employed turned the radio station into “Cincinnati’s No. 1 frequency,” which was cherished for many years.
“WEBN’s massive ratings from the late 1980s have still not been surpassed by anyone,” Gilbert wrote, crediting the numbers to Wood and the “clever” risks he took.
Tom Sandman spent seven “excellent years” at WEBN, beginning in 1975. He was present for the inaugural Riverfest fireworks display and the moment the station’s popularity rose alongside radio powerhouses such as Boston’s WBCN.
After WEBN, Sandman began working at WBCN. He attributes this opportunity to Wood and his experience at the Cincinnati station.
“Bo spoiled me for life,” Sandman remarked. He was still a student when Wood recruited him. Following his time at WEBN, Sandman mentioned he had anticipated every other station to be equally chaotic, only to discover that wasn’t the case.
He was among the early figures of FM Rock in the United States,” Sandman stated. “He created a persona based on humor, innovation, and being a witty troublemaker.
Sandman recalls Wood as someone who was generous with his time, generous with his compliments, and had an unusual personality. Wood often invited individuals from the station to his house.
His peculiar nature, Sandman noted, enabled WEBN to stand out among a dozen competing radio stations in the region back then. Many attempted to imitate Wood, but they failed because Wood’s concepts originated from his inner “whimsy.”
He urged individuals to create their own items,
“There wasn’t anyone like him,” Sandman stated.
Wood took pleasure in enjoyment.
Frank made fun much more than a three-letter word,” says Jaqui Brumm, who collaborated with Wood as WEBN’s vice president and general manager in a 2014 Enquirer article. “There wasn’t anything he touched that wasn’t turned into the maximum amount of fun possible. And it didn’t always involve getting into trouble.
Frequently, his and his colleagues’ concepts were quite fanciful.
The key is that everyone enjoys laughing,” Wood said in the article. “It unites people. However, sometimes you have tomakeIt happened. You have to light a match once in a while … “That”isa metaphor, you know.”
This story is developing.
This piece first was published on the Cincinnati Enquirer:The originator of FM Rock in the United States, Frank “Bo” Wood Jr., has passed away at the age of 83.
