Former WIXZ and KQV personality dies
February 17, 2021“Bachelor Jeff” Christie, who was a WIXZ (1360 McKeesport) afternoon personality – later mornings – beginning in 1971 and evenings at KQV (1410) beginning in 1973 has died at the age of 70. In the mid 1970s he moved on to Kansas City and after some eventually dropped the on air moniker for his real name – Rush Limbaugh.
After he was fired in 1983, Limbaugh moved to the West Coast where he took over for Morton Downey, Jr. Eventually ABC Radio Network offered him an opportunity on WABC in New York and his show went syndicated across the country in the late 1980s.
16 years old on the 61C bus on the way to meet Jeff Christie at the Baum Wilson building, Long Run and Walnut housing 1360 WIXZ Radio. He greeted me at the door as if I was his long time friend. Welcoming, friendly, nicest guy I ever met in the radio business. After 37 years in radio myself, 31 as production director, employee at WTAE AM/FM and TV I have met a lot of really great radio people, some not so great. Rush Limbaugh the name on the FCC 3rd endorsed license on the station wall I saw that day was a wise, down to earth successful broadcaster that never changed the way he treated people and I was happy to see that. He not only enlightened conservatives but also liberals who listened long enough to know he was a good person. RIP Rush. I will miss you. Larry Gerson
Great remembrance! My dad listened to Rush’s talk show all the time, a top notch broadcasting pro and orator.
I’m not surprised Rush was known as a friendly nice guy, I didn’t think he was an angry person, just had a lot of bluster. I’ve heard of others who are opposite their on-air personas, which makes sense, you’d get tired of yourself, or at least have to work hard to keep up that intensity all the time!
Boomer
Always heard that Rush was on KQV, but didn’t know about his time at WIXZ! With WIXY as a sister station in Cleveland, I wonder if Rush (as Jeff) tapes could have aired there?
As a kid, Rush had a junior broadcaster device and his mother listened to his shows in another room.