Former Monkee Micky Dolenz Joins CBS-FM

[musicradio77]

Here is an article from the Daily News website:

WCBS MONKEES WITH MORNING SLOT
By DAVID HINCKLEY

Micky Dolenz, a Monkee in the 1960's and, more recently, a star of "Aida" on Broadway, has been hired as the new morning host on oldies WCBS-FM (101.1), starting January 10th.

"This will be a gas," Dolenz said yesterday, ad the station hopes it will also fire up the ratings engine.

WCBS-FM has slipped the last five years as its long-time audience has aged, leading it to eliminate most 50's songs and play more '70's.

General manager Chad Brown says Dolenz will further enliven the sound.

"He's the final piece to get us back to where we were," said Brown. "We had him as a guest in October and he was so good we decided to make a run at hiring him. He was receptive, and we're thrilled it worked out. He brings a real freshness and energy to the radio station."

Mornings are the most competitive and lucrative part of the broadcast day. Harry Harrison held that spot at WCBS-FM for more than 20 years before he retired in early 2003, and the show was in the top 10 most of those years. Afetr Harrison left, Dan Taylor took over until this fall.

Hiring famous non-radio personalities has paid off in the past for some stations, such as Isaac Hayes at WRKS (Kiss-FM) and RuPaul at WKTU. Other hires have been less successful, such as Danny Bonaduce at WBIX.

"It's a gamble," said Tom Taylor of the trade sheet Inside Radio. "Radio is always harder than it looks."

Dolenz said he's ready.

[Steve M.]

Take the last train to Clarksville!