On the eve of his 60th anniversary as the booming voice of agriculture and business at WGN 720-AM, Orion Samuelson says it's time to retire from the Nexstar Media Group news/talk station. CHICAGO (September 24, 2020) - WGN Radio announced that legendary agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson will retire on December 31, shortly after celebrating his 60th anniversary with the station. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. So I should recover very quickly.. On December 9, 2010, the southwest corner of E. Illinois Street & N. Cityfront Plaza Drive was named 'Orion Samuelson Way' by the city of Chicago. Sirott: Well, Orion congratulations. Samuelson: And I did! Orion Samuelson is a 89 years old American broadcaster from . Later, Orion would earn an honorary doctor of letters from the U of I. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. Enjoy the next phase of your life. CHICAGO Becoming a successful broadcaster requires the ability to be a good listener. I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas - Wikipedia Hell retire from WGN Radio at the end of this month, recording a landmark 60 years on WGN and creating original television programs such as U.S. For 42 years, Max Armstrong and Orion Samuelson have partnered together, first on WGN radio, and later on the TV Show U.S. Farm Report, until creating the show This Week in Agribusiness.[1]. Max Armstrong joined Orion at WGN in 1977, and as they spent the next 43 years together on air, they developed a seamless rapport. "Thank you for loving Jamie and celebrating the goodness in him," McDonald wrote on Twitter. [5], In 2001, Armstrong was named Farm Broadcaster of the Year by the NAFB. At Purdue University, Armstrong received honors as an "Old Master" in 2005 and was recognized as a "Noted Alumnus" in the 2009 'Facts at Your Fingertips.' Copyright 2022 agrinews-pubs.com. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. Orion Samuelson, 86, informed his bosses he'll retire at the end of the year. Samuelson: Well, Ive been pleased obviously, but by the same token, Ive been stunned. From meeting with government officials and dignitaries around the world to serving as a mentor to young men and women preparing for careers in agriculture. She would never subscribe. I think that a lot of people recognize that without agricultural trade, we would be in far worse condition because our farmers produce so much more than we can consume. , who would go on to found the agricultural communications program at the University of Illinois. We would talk about the European Community and the blocks that were put up against our products. Gloria says those are among the traits that have made him successful that and being generous with his time and talents, especially with young people. He served as master of ceremonies for thousands of shows and crowned dozens of queens, using his own plane to travel efficiently. Im still amazed at how many people say, I love that voice., They also appreciate his interviews, likely because hes a self-proclaimed better listener than a speaker.. We would talk about trade with China. She began her career with Prairie Farmer just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications. He gave an emotional update last Monday on the air, saying he wasn't saying his goodbyes, but colleagues feared otherwise. Samuelson Named Grand Marshal of 2016 Pumpkin Festival He spoke with the president of the United States just as easily as he spoke with a Chinese farmer in a rice paddy or with the kid whod just won champion steer at the state fair. Ag broadcaster Orion Samuelson will sign off after 60-year career I walked into the studio and I thought, Im working with some big names at a big radio station veterans and theyre going to ignore me! But they did just the opposite, he says, laughing. Once Samuelson started his job at WGN, it didnt take him long to realize that urban people didnt understand farmers or ranchers. Experts warn symptom may return with new COVID strain, 'Waste of time': Community college transfers hit students, Texas baseball player hit by gunfire during game, With Title 42 set to end, White House braces for surge of migrants, Michael J. Orions high standards of reporting, thought leadership, articulate expression and caring spirit continue to help energize and guide me in my professional interests, and in my life, Evans says. He traveled with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Prime Minister of India to see the Taj Mahal. National Association of Farm Broadcasting ("NAFB"), "The Morning Show with Orion and Max | WGN Radio - 720 AM", "National President Election Profile: Max Armstrong", "Armstrong Earns Plaque On The WGN Radio Walk Of Fame", "Seven honorees named to WGN Radio Walk of Fame", "Max Armstrong's Tractor App Now Available", "Max Armstrong // Purdue College of Liberal Arts", "Max Armstrong Named Honorary Master Farmer", Chicago Radio Spotlight interview with Max Armstrong, Max Armstrong's Tractor App in the Daily Herald, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Max_Armstrong&oldid=1122875638, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Armstrong also was awarded an Alum Certificate of Distinction from the College of Agriculture and a Sagamore of the Wabash, given by the Governor of Indiana. Samuelson received a specially engraved Norwegian horse plaque to commemorate the occasion from presidents of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, the Wisconsin Soybean Association, the Wisconsin Agri-Services Association and the Wisconsin Pork Association. ORION-Richard Duane Samuelson, 93, of Orion, passed away Tuesday, April 27, 2021, at his home. But he remembers the first time he spoke competitively: My knees never stopped shaking!. Reliable and true., And quotable. Whats been your reaction to this outpouring of love for you? Yet even tragedy has a silver lining, because what do you do when youre confined to your bed in a Wisconsin farmhouse? [3] He interviewed and or met every US president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Donald Trump,[5] including John F. Kennedy (when he was still a Senator), Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton,[6][5] and finally, after he was 20 years out of the Oval Office, Harry S. And then you start dreaming. He broadcasts live from the show, then walks around and does reports in front of a video camera. In addition to its syndication run, the show is broadcast on RFD-TV. If a story is worth doing, then check your facts and make sure you do it right, Jim would tell me.. Not even Earl Butz had this kind of name recognition. His career led him to have dinner at the White House and travel to 43 countries [4] including Cuba, where he shook hands with Fidel Castro, Moscow where he met with Mikhail Gorbachev, and England to broadcast live from the Royal Agricultural Show (aka Royal Show). On 97.1 on Monday, the station's programming was one long, emotional tribute to Samuelsen, starting with Stone and Heather Park in the morning, and carrying over to Doug Karsch and Scott Anderson in middays. Particularly when I, on a Sunday, went with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Prime Minister of India to see the Taj Mahal. Orion Samuelson has 1 sibling. The show moved to Chicago's WGN-AM, with Orion Samuelson as the show's host, until it finally left the air in 1968. Sirott: Why have agriculture news and farm reports survived on WGN Radio in Chicago here long after that kind of broadcasting ended on other stations? Orion's spirits are high and he is looking forward to returning to the airwaves as soon as he gets the 'go ahead. . Cause I didnt think I was very important and then somebody said 60 years. And Im looking at that building, this monument that the man built for his wife. This would turn out to be his trademark generosity, as he mentored dozens of young broadcasters and interns over the coming decades. Sun-Times editor Chris Fusco leaving for California news startup, My childhood dream became the honor of a lifetime, Robservations: Sun-Times moving to Old Post Office; ABC 7 opens weekend anchor slot; Medill tracks local news decline, Robservations: StreetWise raises cover price; Sventoonie takes a break; Friends of Chicago Reporter mark 50. We collect into a small bunch the flowers, the few flowers, which brought sweetness into a life, and present it as an offering to an accomplished destiny. Moon's first wife, Seon-gil Choi - The Tragedy of the Six Marys The Tigers on Sunday held a moment of silence. You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. Orion immediately set to work shaping WGNs farm programming after he aired up his tires and mastered the elevators, of course. She began her career with. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Orion Samuelson started his career at WGN Radio in September 1960, when the presidential election involved Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Samuelson considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. Samuelsen also made regular appearances on Fox 2 and wrote periodically for the Detroit Free Press. ", Now Samuelson looks back on a splendid career he never could have imagined. Samuelson has spent over 60 years perfecting this talent, first at radio stations in Wisconsin before starting his job at Chicagos WGN Radio in September 1960. But even 60 years later, you can hear awe in his familiar baritone. Having trouble filling a prescription? Over the past six decades, Samuelson said, he has worked with some of the greatest broadcast people, including Wally Phillips, Bob Collins and Spike ODell. Max and Orion spent 31 years together on WGN, until Max left in 2009 to join Farm Progress. His big booming voice was heard daily on 260 radio stations with his National Farm Report and on 110 stations with his Samuelson Sez. He co-hosted the Morning Show on Saturdays and currently hosts This Week in Agribusiness on RFD-TV. Samuelson out, Pearson steps in - Times Gazette Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. It was devastating. Simple country hospitality has always gone a long way, Max says. As that door closed in Chicago, another opened at WGN when the station picked up the farm programming torch and Orion was invited to walk in. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. Sirott: I imagine you still milking cows while youre in broadcasting. [The 90's raw: Orion Samuelson] - Media Burn Archive The first was the cancellation of the network broadcast in 1952. Samuelsen died Saturday night at the age of 48, surroundedby McDonald and their three children. Hes originated broadcasts from all 50 states and 44 countries. [8], On This Week in Agribusiness, Armstrong has a segment "Max's Tractor Shed," which features vintage tractors sent in by viewers. Registered in England and Wales. I think what has been missed by many is that Orion was an agvocate at least 40 years before most farmers knew they should be, said Max Armstrong, who has worked with Samuelson for the past 43 years. An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. Young Orion was a tall kid headed for the basketball team the summer before high school when he was afflicted with a rare disease known as Legg-Perthes disease. She replied that she read them occasionally, and that was enough. U.S. agricultural journalist to earn the Writer of Merit designation and is a five-time winner of the top writing award for editorial opinion in U.S. agriculture. The Republicans were looking for someone to run against Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama. And I cant write. Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazines coverage. And for all of the listeners and for all of us who have had the great fortune to work with you here, we thank you. That is unheard of in this industry., Field Editor's Blog @AgNews_Doran: Best wishes to Orion in his retirement https://t.co/abTEj8w1v7. "So many memories," he said, "and theyll be with me as long as Im around.". This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. [6], During the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Max Armstrong. Thats why I tell young people today to learn everything you can about everything and youll always have a job, Samuelson said. The result: casts, wheelchairs and crutches. Published in La Salle, Illinois, USA, by Shaw Media. Thank you . His voice is synonymous with agriculture news and after January Orion Samuelson will be stepping away from the microphone. Copyright 2023. In those early years at WGN, on both radio and live television, Orion honed his craft and his on-air work, including his signature pronunciation of the word ag-er-a-cul-ture, with a few extra syllables. A beloved hall of fame broadcaster and Chicago media icon if there ever was one, Samuelson, 86, informed his bosses hell bow out at the end of the year. Families from the city would spend the weekend on a farm and then the farmers would go into the city for a weekend.. ), I dont know what happened to the guy who came in first, Orion says, laughing. For over 60 years, Orion Samuelson has been the voice on the radio and a trusted member of the farm family.