I hope you have enjoyed the ride, whether you are a listener or someone in the biz. I have loved seeing this country, (always through the windshield of my VW ‘Bug’) and have embraced all the places that I’ve been privileged to live. There is not enough money on this earth to make me trade what I’ve seen–from the Golden Gate Bridge at dawn smothered in fog to the wonderful stillness of Strawberry, Arizona.. .driving Route 66 in the middle of the night.lwell..you get my point. You are smart enough to read between the lines during this story and you know that this life is not all glamor and fun. It’s hard work, long hours and a good dose of loneliness. It’s the type of business where your best friends from twenty years ago won’t return your phone calls if you are out of work, but on the other hand, people will come out of the woodwork and surprise you with their professionalism and concern. Broadcasting is not for the faint of heart-you have to want it, especially in today’s atmosphere. Those of you still in the business know exactly what I mean. One of the most difficult things for me was kissing my wife good-bye and heading out to a new job, hotel rooms and leaving my family to cope with the whole moving process. I honestly believe this is one reason I have so much affinity for the military. ‘A good soldier goes where he’s told’. Leaving the ones I love, whether it has been my decision or one made for me was nothing short of dreadful. One might think that after all the years and all the miles, I’d be tired. I’m not. The passion and excitement I felt about radio as a young man growing up still exists. And to this day, being on the air is one of the happiest times of my life. I have met and worked with some of the most incredibly gifted performers you can imagine, people who truly are ‘touched’. I have also met the Devil a couple of times too. Interesting the different forms he takes, isn’t it?
Life After Radio
I retired from radio in 2025. Doing mornings and voice tracking an oldies station began to take it’s toll on me. I began to feel badly too many days of the week and was virtually sleeping all weekend long to recover. Before I permanently hurt myself, I decided to leave the air and rest. I have always been blessed with great health and I did not want to lose that. I’m asked this question every day. “Do you miss radio?” My answer? Every. Single. Day.
If you listened to me in any of the cities, thank you. I mean that. And if we worked together, and you have a story I might have forgotten about, please contact me through Facebook or Instagram. You can email me too- barrysmichaels@yahoo.com
You know that my goal when I began over 50 years ago was to work at WLS/Chicago. It didn’t happen, but I came close. When I originally built this site, someone at Jam Creative Productions was kind enough to gift me this after looking through my site..
I never forgot that kindness. And, that’s the thought I will leave you with. If you can be anything, be kind.