8.8.16 Hero of the Day: Dan Stevens

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A SPECIAL HERO OF THE DAY!

Name: Dan Stevens
Age: ??
Occupation: engineer, radio personality
Last Seen: Grand Rapids
Awarded For: keeping rock radio alive in Grand Rapids despite tragedy

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In the world of radio, I sometimes forget that there's a few folks out there - especially in Grand Rapids  - that are actually doing cool things.

But sometimes, I can be a little too late.

When I was a teen living in repressed northern Michigan, I would spend my evenings listening to the radio. One of the jocks was "Dancin' Danny Stevens, the night jock at WCCW Oldies 107.5 in Traverse City. He had the quintessential nighttime radio show, taking calls from listeners and playing requests. He then ended up at WLDR when it was "Sunny Country 101.9" and ended up here in Grand Rapids where he fired up a small pirate station, first at 103.7 and later at 104.9.

Recently, I had a nice Facebook conversation with Dan (real last time: Harrell) about his sordid time with WLDR and the lawsuit that he won against the station for the slave wages he was making and abusive mistreatment he received from management. After winning his lawsuit, he got the hell out of Traverse City and moved here to Grand Rapids.

But sadly, not everything has been well for Dan. He was injured at his real job and was forced to lapse his renter's insurance. The story only got worse on July 23rd when his upper flat apartment on Grand Rapids' northeast side caught fire. According to Dan, he lost everything except a fire department sweater and (oddly enough) a Bible. Everything that he once owned was destroyed in the blaze, including his station.

Miraculously, the stream to his station is still intact.

In the meantime, he's asking for donations to help him get his life back together. Unlike that asshole who had the puppy mill store at Woodland Mall, I'll be nice enough to post a link to his GoFundMe site. 

I've listened to Rock 104.9 online (the station's signal doesn't reach my spot in Kentwood, plus there's another pirate at 104.9 at 28th and Breton), and its playlist puts WGRD to shame. GRD has gotten too corporate over the years thanks to Townsquare's corporate bullshit.  Hell, they don't even have a Programming Director! All the shots are called from corporate in Connecticut.

In Dan's case, I hate to see a man like him get knocked to the ground like that. Here's to hoping that his station can rise like the Phoenix and give the people of GR a real rock station again!

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