‘ The calls always mean so much’
WDVE’s Sean McDowell signs off
Broadcasting on location at the Marriott City Center in advance of the Queen concert at PPG Paints Arena, Sean McDowell figured it made sense to open his afternoon show on WDVE- FM with the backtoback playing of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions.”
That it was his final broadcast in a storied 41- year radio career — all in his native Western Pennsylvania — made it all the more appropriate, as he has helped keep Pittsburgh rockin’ and is going out on top.
Mr. McDowell, the smokyvoiced, shaggy- haired, noted marijuana aficionado and beloved afternoon drive- time DJ at WDVE, signed off Wednesday for the final time to a roar of cheers and applause in a hotel lobby jammed with fans and well- wishers.
“I am so thankful, so grateful to anyone who ever tuned me in, at whatever station I was working at
whether it was in their car, in their dorm room, in their living room, at work, or in their head phones,” said Mr. McDowell, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Howard Hesseman’s DJ character Dr. Johnny Fever on television’s “WKRP in Cincinnati.”
“Thank you so much for listening to me even for a minute over the last 41 years,” he told the crowd.
After studying communications at the University of Dayton, Mr. McDowell started his career in 1978 at WYDD- FM in New Kensington.
The son of KDKA and WTAE- TV legend Al McDowell, he worked at YDD until 1980, and then after two years in Washington, Pa., he was hired by Chuck Brinkman for the overnight weekend shift at the former WFFM- FM in Braddock. He stayed there 13 years, through multiple format changes, before landing at WDVE in 1993.
Mr. McDowell said that he and his wife, Cindy, are staying in Pittsburgh but plan to travel extensively, and that he may explore the idea of a podcast in the future.
Randy Baumann, host of the “DVE Morning Show” since 2000, was effusive in his praise for Mr. McDowell’s ability as a broadcaster, his relationship with listeners, and his font of music knowledge.
“You can’t fake what Sean does. He’s authentic 100% of the time on and off the air. He’s one of the most unique broadcasters Pittsburgh has ever known because of that. His pipes are legendary, but it’s his persona and his perspective that make him a hall of famer.
“Sean gives out the hotline number to regular listeners so they can bypass being on hold and chat with him more quickly. That’s peak on- brand Sean McDowell right there. Not to mention he takes vacations to the site of the most trivial rock’n’roll occurrences — except none of the original buildings are there any longer. That’s how much he loves the music. He travels to the spot where Graham Parsons first rehearsed ‘ Grievous Angel’ except now it’s a laundromat.”
“DVE Morning Show” cohost Val Porter illustrated Mr. McDowell’s kindness.
“He and I both love [ traveling to] L. A. And once he was there right before I was there and he left a gift card for me at a bar at the hotel I was staying at, because he wanted to buy me a drink. That’s just one of a thousand memories I have. He was the most gracious and welcoming guy there could be. I keep tearing up today talking about him. I’m blessed to have worked with him.”
In an afternoon of tributes, WDVE’s 35- year vet Michelle Michaels dedicated her “Electric Lunch” playlist to Mr. McDowell, which included no shortage of sentimental choices like “Long May You Run” by the Stills- Young Band. The Steelers sent him a jersey with his last name on it and the number 41 for his years in radio. Mayor Bill Peduto read a proclamation on air — and did a Sean impersonation. A parade of former WDVE personalities made appearances and one Pittsburgh icon recognized another when Dominic Ierace — better known as Donnie Iris — stopped by.
And so, after a hilarious story about the time Bruce Springsteen opened a bottle of Penn Pilsner for him at Nick’s Fat City on the South Side, and one final “The calls always mean so much,” a career that began in April 1978 with his playing “Love is Like Oxygen” by Sweet ended with “Hot ‘ Lanta” by the Allman Brothers Band, from their seminal “Live at Fillmore East” double album.
Mr. McDowell said he chose it “because of the great ending.”
“It’s like my career. I really lucked out that my career ended the way I wanted it to.”