People in major metropolitan areas on the coasts have all kinds of misconceptions about “flyover country”, but there was this strange and very unique alchemy with alternative radio in Ohio back in the 90’s. WOXY/97X had been established in Southern Ohio back in 1983 and then WWCD/CD101 came along in 1990.

In those early days of the alt format, all the stations were daring and had their own individual personalities. By the time I started full-time at 97X, there weren’t that many ‘heritage’ stations left in the format. The ones that were thriving (*cough* KROQ *cough*) had been reduced to battling it out with their active rock competitors and were spinning nu-metal bands to survive.

At the time that 97X signed off the FM dial in 2004, CD101 was just one of a small handful of independently owned commercial alternative stations left in the country. Its success over the years was due largely in part to their passionate Program Director, Andy “Andyman” Davis. He was on-air every afternoon and had worked his way up the ranks from part-time jock to PD over the course of almost 20 years.

There are not many people in this industry who were as well-liked and genuine as Andyman. The CD101 crew were always like an extended family to us at 97X (of course, our owners had become good pals because they shared something special in common). It was pretty amazing that two of the most progressive alt stations in the country were less than 3 hours apart in the Midwest. I felt a kinship with them and always kept an eye on what they were spinning and what was working well “up the road.”

There was a period of time where I was up in Columbus quite a bit after college. So many of my college radio friends were living there after graduation. I befriended a few folks who worked there at CD101 and I had the great pleasure of going up to the station to attend a few of their “Big Room” performances with Pete Yorn. I also attended CD101 Day several years in a row. Andy didn’t know me well, but he always took some time to talk to me when I was around and I had a great respect for what he did with the station.

When I heard the news of his drowning last night, it really put me in a state of shock. It’s a difficult and sobering reminder of how fleeting life can be and how you can’t take it for granted. Andy’s death leaves a hole in the Columbus music community, but I can’t stop thinking about his family (whom I’ve never met). He has a wife and three kids, his youngest was just born last year. It’s hard to process that.

My thoughts are not only with Andy’s family, but with the entire staff of the station. It is not going to be easy to push forward in the days and weeks ahead. It can’t be easy to get back on the air or back to work while feeling his absence. Andy was supposed to be on vacation this week anyway, so it may not actually hit the hardest to all of them for a week or so, when the man who has guided them for the better part of two decades doesn’t come back walking through the doors.

He may be gone, but his legacy will live on at CD101 every day.

A Memorial Fund has been set up to benefit Andyman’s Family. Donations to the Andy Davis Memorial Fund can be made at any Huntington National Bank branch or may be dropped of at the CD101 studios, located in the Brewery District at 503 S. Front St., Suite 101, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Andyman leaves behind a wife and three young sons. Please contribute to this fund if you can.