A mainstay of the Cleveland rock scene, he led the Michael Stanley Band during the ‘70s and ‘80s. After a short stint on local TV he spent more than 20 years on air with 98.5 WNCX, starting in 1990.
A mainstay of the Cleveland rock scene, he led the Michael Stanley Band during the ‘70s and ‘80s. After a short stint on local TV he spent more than 20 years on air with 98.5 WNCX, starting in 1990.
By: Holly Gleason
courtesy Belkin Mgt
When the Michael Stanley Band took the stage – from their early record-setting mid-70s stands at the original Agora Ballroom or 10-night final run at the rotating stage Front Row Theater, not to mention the record-setting four-night SRO appearances at Blossom Music Center or the two nights at Richfield Coliseum that sold out faster than led Zeppelin – there was an urgency forged by the city of Cleveland’s zeitgeist. No matter how tough things got, MSB created music that swept sometimes tens of thousands of locals up in its expansive view of life in “Our Town.”
Stanley passed away last weekend at the age of 72. Author: Dave Dino DeNatale Updated: 12:29 AM EST March 9, 2021
CLEVELAND
Editor s Note: The above video aired on March 6, 2021
As you drive around Northeast Ohio, chances are you will come across a billboard that pays tribute to Michael Stanley.
The billboard has a picture of Stanley with the tribute Forever Your Town, a nod to My Town, one of the biggest hits of the Michael Stanley Band. MSB recorded 11 studio albums and set concert attendance records at both the Richfield Coliseum and Blossom Music Center. My Town and He Can t Love You both were Top 40 hits for the Michael Stanley Band. The band broke up in 1987, but Stanley continued to play his music to audiences for decades to come. He also would go on to host several local television shows and serve as the afternoon drive host on 98.5 WNCX for more than three decades.