Suzy Waud on Energy 105 WNRJ Pittsburgh | October 27, 1989

Yet another from Robyn Watts’ huge collection includes this generous dose of CHR from the Steel City. This is another one of those stations that’s apparently been gone for quite a number of years (which is why a google image search turns up nothing). Still, a great sounding late-80s version CHR station that really made it’s mark on Pittsburgh. And, as a footnote, WNRJ was at 105.7 and actually licensed to Hilliard, Ohio.

Suzy Waud… love that voice! Can one of our visitors tell us if she is the same as the female jock on our WLS AM/FM composite elsewhere on this site? We’d sure love to know! Be sure to leave a comment below.

35 Comments

  1. This is actually “Stereo Quad” Suzy Waud. Not Suzy “Y.” Most of Suzy’s success was in Columbus OH at various stations. I had the pleasure of meeting her in Chicago once, when she did a shift for us at 92 Kiss FM. She had worked with our program director, Chris Shebel at 92X/Columbus.

  2. not sure if Suzy was on WLS in Chicago or not…but she spent the majority of her career as “Stereo Quad” Suzy Waud in Columbus Ohio on 92X…she most recently did mornings on a rock outlet there. Recently read an article in a Columbus paper that she now owns and operates Subway resturants around Dublin Ohio. Thanks for the aircheck, she was always one of my favorite female jocks.

    Travis Jones
    West Virginia University
    Mountaineer Sports Network

  3. DannyK

    The name of this dee-jay is actually Suzy Waud (not Suzy Y) … and she called herself “Stereo Quad Suzy Waud”. Prior to her gig in Pittsburgh, she was a dee-jay for many years on 92-X, WXGT in Columbus.

  4. DannyK

    As a follow up, The Other Paper recently did a story about Suzy. Suzy and a partner recently purchased of a Subway franchise in greater Columbus.

  5. Eric Folk

    Stereo Quad Suzy Waud helped usher my ears into adolescence. Remember how she used to yell, “it’s FRIIIII-DAY!” Loved that. I hope she’s doing well.

  6. I’d love to know what happened to this station? It sounded like a strong competitor to B-94.

  7. Suzy Waud

    Hi guys, thanks so much for your kind words. Geez, you guys know me better than I do! You’re pretty much right on all of the above, but I don’t own Subway restaurant(s), however I did own one. Left my corporate spokesperson gig and decided to be the master of my own destiny, buy a Subway. Wished I had owned one 10 years ago before all the saturation. Did well on it but decided it owned me, so I sold it in record time and to run my own home based business, couldn’t bear to give another royalty fee to Fred Deluca!
    Anyway, miss the good ‘ol radio days, but I know they’re gone. Take care all, feel free to get in touch. Thanks for listening.
    Suzy Waud

    • Mark Daniels

      Hey Suzy, It’s Amy Mark’s wife. Columbus 92XFM. Drop him an e-mail. He would love to hear from you. Miss you and those days. Hope you are doing well.- Amy

    • The Real Scott Miller

      Yes, those were some fun times at WNRJ, huh Suzy? I remember the time I was going off the air and Mike Frazier was coming on. My last break I said, “Mike Frazier is coming up and will play BUFFALO STANCE if he gets 100 calls for it in the next half hour!!!” Mike didn’t speak to me for a week.

    • Suzy,
      It’s F.R.I.D.A.Y. … Missining ya here in Columbus, Ohio and the good old days at QFM-96..

    • Kathleen Henry"kd8ktb"

      Dear Suzy,
      Best of all to you and yours, Been wondering what course you took in life. When I lived in Cols OH from 1986 to 1992 I taped on a cassette tour show with all my fav songs and you yelling Iy’s FFFFFFFriday. It is my classic favorite tape. Since we moved back to Chicago then and now back here in Niles . Michigan I have never heard any radio station as great as yours. I got my Ham license in 2009 ans have enjoyed talking to people all over the world on CQ100 on my computer.. Miss ya girl Hope you are keeping well
      Kind regards,
      Kathleen

    • bill martin

      Suzy, remember me I worked for you at the club. How was that great husband of yours. Hope you are wll and happy. Thanks for giving me the job to keep veeryone safe including you.

    • Bill

      I miss you Suzy. I would listen to you on 92X Fm. in the 80’s. You cranked out some GREAT 80’s jams.

  8. Dustin Rigsby

    Suzy Waud(or Sussue Wah-ood)is exactly what radio needs these days ! IT’s boring and stereotypical…no originality as it seems everyone seems to be impersonating Stern. I grew up listening to Suzy and miss listening to her on the radio.

  9. Travis Jones

    Suzy…great to see you on here and glad to see you are doing well. I have only been able to find two airchecks of you…one in Columbus in 1984 and of course this one. Would love if you would share some more tape with us.

    Take Care

    Travis Jones
    Mountaineer Sports Network
    West Virginia University

  10. DannyK

    Ironically, shortly after this station changed its format, the WNRJ call letters ended up in Columbus on 105.7 “The Power Pig”. WNRJ was a start-up rimshot broadcasting from Marysville. Had a great sounding morning show with Mike Motley formerly of 92-X and WBLZ Hamilton-Cincinnati. At 3,000 watts, the signal sucked except along the northern edge of Franklin County, but it was still a great sounding station.

      • Danny K.

        No, I mean 105.7 the Power Pig, also with the call letters WNRJ in Marysville (since relocated to Hilliard). Motley was originally on 92X, then went to WBLZ. I’m guessing he knew Rob Case from when he worked at 92X because after he got canned at WBLZ he ended up as the morning guy on WNRJ, which was owned by Rob.

  11. NatronaHeightsGuy

    Thanks for posting this!! In case anyone forgot, when WYDD transitioned to WNRJ, they ran the continuous loop of Leonard Nimoy saying “Pure Energy” for a few days prior to the launch. I believe someone even called the police over this stunt, as they thought something happened to the DJ! First song played on WNRJ: Debbie Gibson, “Electric Youth.” You could walk into just about any Pittsburgh area mall store and hear WYDD / WNRJ. They played the songs before they became “hits” and didn’t overplay the heck out of them. Today’s FM does not measure up to these types of stations!!

  12. WE MISS YA SUZY!!!!! You are the FRIDAY goddess i remember the old 92x days that 1 famous word yelled louder than the sound barrier “columbus’s 80s station” still lives today(and so does friday night 80s) and we talk about you every friday(especially on my show) we love you suzy and you are always remembered on the station for being columbus’s “official friday party woman”!!!! email us suzy!!!!!!!!

  13. WOW! It was great to hear Suzy again. The Real Scott Miller and I did the morning show. Mike Frazer, who is still doing a great job at 3wS was our afternoon person. Kelly Pigeon was our much abused intern. He is working for KDKA (Radio) News. Our Production Manager (and voice-over guy) was known simply as “Bo.” Man, what I would give to return to do one more show with all of the other crazy people who worked there. Thanks for this retro memory!

    • Jodi (Zangrilli) Cook

      Many blasts from the past in this post! Great times those were! WYDD / WNRJ was my “initiation” into the media industry…I was fortunate to have been able to work with all of you during those days and I cherish the memories.

  14. J. P.

    Suzy Waud – what a nice name and voice. What jingle package is heard here … and does the voice of Ernie Anderson appear in this aircheck by chance?

    • Hi J.P.,

      Didn’t see your question until now, but the jingles were TM’s “Dallas Power” package. The VO artist was Dude Walker.

      For some reason, I was credited this aircheck. Sorry, I can’t take credit for this one. The only one that I’d remember sending of Suzy was one when she was doing nights on KRBE/Houston from 1990, but that’s about it.

  15. shane clark

    SUZY!!!!! OMG! I HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU! I DONT KNOW IF YOU REMBER ME BUT…ITS ALL GOOD! I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU….IF YOU EVER READ THIS AND E-MAIL ME IT WOULD BE GREAT! SHANECL202@YAHOO.COM I HOPE YOU DO! NOT A WEIRD-O- JUST SOMEONE THAT LOVE YA! (FROM COLUMBUS WDJX) I MISS YA SAYIN THUNDER WHO-WHOS! LOL

  16. Ford Shankle

    Suzy…how are you? I occasionally bump into Mike Frazer and talk about the crazy days at WNRJ. Working there got me through my mid-life crisis. I actually reproduced! My newest wife and I have been married over 21-years. When she suggested that we have children, I said (because of my Native American heritage) well, OK, but only if we assign Tribal and/or nature names…so they are Cheyenne and Willow. Cheyenne is 18 and Willow (at 5’11”) is 14. I now spend most of my time chasing away boys like I was. I guess karma is at work. I guess I deserve the payback. Have you ever heard from Beau Mathews? Scott and I make contact every year or so…fordshankle@comcast.net. Suzy, tell what you are doing!!ou

  17. Catt…Mike Frazer, who was our afternoon guy at WNRJ, is working at WWSW (94.5) in Pittsburgh. I think he knows how to reach Suzy, since he had talked about setting up a reunion party for the entire crew….Thanks, Ford

  18. This was 104.7 WNRJ in Pittsburgh, PA. It was not licensed in OH. It was licensed to Millvale, PA if memory serves. I was employed there at the time. In fact on the night this skim’d air-check came from (which we had to do and turn into the PD) I was in the studio with Suzy eating pizza. She was one hell of a woman. The brief time she was at the station was a great time for me professionally as she was gracious enough with her time to mentor a young kid coming up in the business.

    • Ford Shankle

      Rob, WNRJ was owned by Nelson Goldberg and the license was New Kensington (Pittsburgh). Often, I think of the great and crazy times all of us had there! Rich Anton, who was the afternoon person, is working at WUUZ in Franklin/Meadville, PA. I see him every so often at one of his appearances. He hosts the summer concert series from Conneaut Lake Park (what there is left of it, after another fire destroyed the club on the lakefront…..thanks…Ford.

      • Was it New Kensington? For some reason I recall KPA being New Ken and YDD being Milvalle. But that was a long time ago and your memory may well be better than mine. Wow, I haven’t heard about Rich in at least a decade. Glad to hear he is still working and doing well. And glad to see you as well, Ford, pop up on here and YouTube. I’m happy to see your still kicking it (and not the bucket!). Cheers man.

      • Danny K.

        The 105.7 Frequency was one of those 80/90 stations licensed to Marysville, Ohio (about 30 miles outside of Columbus), since moved to Hilliard (with the stick in Downtown Columbus). The late Rob Case (Casagrande), a former 92-X DJ and radio entrepreneur, was the licensee and took the WNRJ call letters, which must have been available after the Pittsburgh station changed call letters.

        Mike Motley, Rob Case and Suzi Waud all worked at 92-X/

        I hope this eliminates the confusion.

  19. My name is Ford Shankle…I and “the real Scott Miller” were the morning team on WNRJ. Our production director was a man by the name of Beau Mathews. Does anyone know where he is?….Thanks!

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