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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 36, Number 14 Thursday, April 9, 2020 THE Page 2 April 9, 2020 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 About the Cover e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] For our Easter edition cover, we asked talented http://www.thebeacher.com/ local photographer Amanda Tonagel to produce PRINTE ITH Published and Printed by something for us, and what she came up with T T A S A THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS is absolutely charming. The young girl in the picture? None other than her daughter, Greta. Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is Thanks to Amanda for sharing her wonderful also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. talent with us! Spirit of Radio by Andrew Tallackson A few years back, John Landeck- er was promoting his book Records Truly Is My Middle Name with a live broadcast at Galveston Steak- house. Playing a few tunes, signing copies of the book, he’d invited his Chicago publisher, along with a few others in the radio industry, to at- tend. The freedom the legendary radio personality had, to say and play whatever he desired, fl oored his pals “They could not believe it,” Lan- decker recalled. “They said, ‘You play whatever you want from your computer? You have 10 minutes with one of your sponsors? I said, ‘Welcome to Michigan City.’ They couldn’t believe it. They thought it was fantastic. “It is so far away from what is allowed in Chicago. Anywhere, in fact. It’s hard to fi nd another ra- dio station that would allow us to do what we do. In Chicago, it was like having your arms tied behind your back. Here, how long you get to talk, the music you play: whatever you want.” John Landecker. In 1977, Bill- board’s Radio Personality of the Year. In 2017, a double whammy: National Radio Hall of Fame in- ductee and recipient of Indiana’s highest distinction: the Sagamore of the Wabash. Truly, a storied career as a Top 40 disc jockey: part of the radio bible for anyone who reveres Chicago greats like Landecker, Dick Biondi and the late Larry Lujack. Before the COVID-19 pandemic John Landecker does a live broadcast before receiving the Sagamore of the Wabash during a hit, Landecker was tapped to add 2017 ceremony at Barker Mansion. Beacher fi le photo by Paul Kemiel another distinction to his 50-year THE April 9, 2020 Page 3 broadcast career: induction into the National Asso- ciation of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The 2020 NAB Show was slated for April 20 at En- %HDFK2IÀFH 0DLQ2IÀFH core At Wynn Las Vegas. That event was postponed, 1026 N. Karwick Road 4121 Franklin St. and while nothing is set in stone, Landecker says it (219) 871-0001 (219) 874-2121 is his understanding the ceremony may now be in October in Nashville. $320,000 Plans were in the works at The Beacher to sit down for a nice chat with Landecker at about this time. But even before COVID-19 escalated to where it is today, the challenge was, what could we write that hasn’t already been published. The guy is an open book. In fact, he published a memoir, Records Truly is My Middle Name, that contained so many insights, memories, anecdotes and stories, it was a must-have for fans. 3767 PONCHARTRAIN DRIVE, NEW BUFFALO LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! 2 bedroom, 1 bath in the Village of Michiana. Home sits on 2 beautiful lots 97x127. Gas fireplace, hardwood floors, Pella windows & 9-yr-old septic. Needs a little updating, but given its location, the investment is worthwhile. A true resort community with million-dollar homes. T MICHELE CIHAK (DFK2IÀFHLV 0XOWL0LOOLRQ ,QGHSHQGHQWO\ 'ROODU 219-861-2073 • [email protected] 2ZQHGDQG 3URGXFHU ZZZFDIÀOLDWHGFRP 2SHUDWHG DESIRABLE LOT! John Landecker and Mike Dempsey, photographed during a live remote broadcast at Brandt’s Old Fashion Emporium. Provided photo What hasn’t been explored is the latest chapter Situated in a in his life, that of extending his celebrated legacy country-like area into Michigan City, specifi cally over the past fi ve of well-built years with pal Michael Dempsey through their self- produced “Tropical Oldies Radio” show on WEFM. homes. Just That became the starting point for this interview, an hour from conducted by phone two days after Landecker’s Chicago, 30 73rd birthday. Asked how he celebrated, it was clear minutes from COVID-19 had not dulled his sense of humor. South Bend, “I watched TV in one room, I went into another room and watched more TV,” he said, laughing. with access by How and when did LaPorte County fi rst arrive on interstate and Landecker’s radar? That is a story he spins in typi- commuter train, cally lavish detail. and minutes to It was around 2002. Landecker and his wife at Lake Michigan. the time lived in a townhouse in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood with two dogs. One was Zeke, an 100 x 129 ft. Australian Cattle Dog. The other, Stella, a rescue For sale by owner pit bull from Chicago Police Department. Austra- $23,500 lian Cattle Dogs are high energy by nature, requir- ing plenty of exercise. As for the pit bull, Landecker 107 Mayfield Drive, Michigan City, IN says he could tell people were not happy with him taking it out for walks, which he says, in true Lan- Call (219) 877-8081 Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 April 9, 2020 ager/partner at WIMS, Landecker came on board, Spirit of Radio Continued from Page 3 taking a stab at Michigan City radio. Now, anyone who knows Federighi would agree, the man is a decker fashion, “really pissed me off. That was pit force of a nature. An individual whose energy level bull prejudice.” may be unsurpassed in all of LaPorte County. So, in a roundabout way, Landecker found a home “He was just the most energetic, upbeat person in the Michigan City area, on County Road 500 West I had ever met in my whole life,” Landecker said of between country roads 900 North and 1000 North, Federighi. one with 10 acres. It wasn’t lakefront or high-end property, but it was precisely what he wanted. He Down the road, however, Landecker admits doing bought the home in one day. The dogs subsequently shows with WIMS during the week, and air time in were happy campers. Chicago, zapped the life out of him. He couldn’t do Landecker also realized he and his wife could both. His last Chicago broadcast was July 31, 2015. save money if they sold the Chicago townhome and Enter Mike Dempsey. commuted back and forth to work. However, his wife He had hosted the local “Tropical Oldies Radio” wanted to stay close to work, so they purchased a show, but once he became Access LaPorte County’s condo in Chicago and kept the home here. Then, life director of operations in 2012, the show went to the tossed him a few curveballs. His radio contract at wayside. But in 2015, he approached Landecker the time in Chicago was not renewed, and his mar- about resurrecting it. Landecker was reluctant at riage ended in divorce. However, he decided he liked fi rst, unsure if he wanted to revisit an “oldies” for- the area: the people, the cost of living. He stayed, mat. But what he quickly discovered was, he and eventually moving to Pottawattomie Park. Dempsey made for one strong on-air duo. As Landecker eased into Michigan City life, which “I call Mike my brother from another mother,” also factored into the equation his continued work Landecker says. “He’s just a great guy, and we hit it in Chicago radio, he became introduced to Michigan off, and have so for years. He’s sort of a force of na- City radio. Warm memories fl ooded back. He was ture. We have a rhythm, it’s what makes the show reminded of his earliest days in radio, when he was fun to do every week. I would never want to do it a high school student working at a station in Ann alone, I can tell you that.” Arbor, Mich. He also discovered Uncle Lou Weber’s Dempsey agrees. “Fun in Michiana Show” at WEFM. “When I was in grade school, I used to hate it, “I thought, this is cool. They talk about their ad- those parent-teacher conferences,” he said. “The vertisers. That’s sort of genius in a way: If you have teacher always said I was trying to be the class a show where that’s the whole content, then play a clown. song every few minutes,” he said. “When you look at John, we’re kind of similar in Later, after Ric Federighi became general man- that respect. We crack each other up, usually on air John Landecker and Mike Dempsey broadcast live from Landecker’s 2017 ceremony in which he received the Sagamore of the Wabash. Beacher fi le photo by Paul Kemiel THE April 9, 2020 Page 5 in Landecker’s words, “a feeling, not a for- mat.” Essentially, he said, it is “brokered programming,” a mutually benefi cial rela- tionship with WEFM where Landecker and Dempsey do the show and WEFM airs it. The program is backed by supporters that include Bosak Honda in Michigan City and Bosak Nissan in Burns Harbor, Current Electric, Galveston Steakhouse, Brandt’s Old Fashion Emporium, L&R Body Co.