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Coyote Calhoun (born May 22, 1953), sometimes referred to as Coyote J, is a radio disc-jockey. He was known for his 7-12 midnight show in the 1970s at WERC, a Top 40 station in Birmingham, Alabama. In the 1980s, he worked at Z-102 (WZBQ) and at I-95 (WAPI-FM).

Coyote J was part of the original air staff hired by WKDF, Nashville's progressive rock station, and The X (WRAX).[1][2][3]

History

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In the summer and autumn of 1974, as a jock of WKDA-FM, Coyote worked on air doing weekends and midnights from 7:00 to 12 AM under the alias "Jim Baton" while still in high school. This came after a stint on WKDA-AM where he worked under a number of other aliases.

He went to WBSR AM later the same year, with the same alias, to do midnights and experiment with a top 40 style that he would later bring to Birmingham, New Orleans, and San Diego.

In 1975, Coyote (as Jim Baton) was hired by WERC Birmingham as a nighttime jock. This was because the previous nighttime jock, Chris Foxx, quit over a contract dispute. The company moved him from WERC's AM station to their FM and gave him the alias "Coyote J Calhoun." From 1975 to 1979, Coyote was enormously popular in Birmingham [citation needed]. In one of his more controversial acts, Coyote faked his own murder on air, which led police and paramedics to storm the building expecting to find the culprit.[citation needed] This led to a five day suspension, the first of many that would be handed to him as a disk-jockey. Calhoun wrestled a live black bear before a packed house at Boutwell Auditorium in 1976, and the fight abruptly ended after he hit the bear over the head with a folding chair. [citation needed] When asked why he did it, Coyote replied "He started it."

In 1979, Coyote Calhoun resigned from his post at WERC and left for Los Angeles to do stand up comedy.[citation needed]

In 1981, Coyote moved to KPRI-FM to do 7 to 12AM and officially became a provocateur of new wave & post punk music on commercial radio. While in San Diego, Calhoun worked as a shock jock under a consultant named Reid. [citation needed]

In 1982, after a stay in Denver, Coyote J headed back south from California with the intent to play new-wave music. Coyote took the specialty show gig at WAPI-FM Birmingham (95 Rock) and began spinning another generation's soundtrack.[citation needed]

In 1983, Coyote was transferred to WABB-FM Mobile, the sister station of I-95, where he did afternoons and his new music show for PD Leslie Fran (99X Atlanta). He also won the 'Bobby Poe Air Personality of the Year' award. It was presented to him by Nashville colleague Scott Shannon.[citation needed]

In 1985 Coyote J landed the 7-12AM opening at WQUE-FM New Orleans. At 'Q-93' Coyote debuted an expanded version of his post punk program and began to use the name The Edge. In New Orleans Calhoun began incorporating dark wave, gothic, and industrial music into his new music list. Q-93 flipped from contemporary hits to urban in late 1986 and Coyote was cut loose. [citation needed]

Coyote J found himself back in Birmingham in the spring of 1987, once again employed as a night-time jock for WZBQ, Z-102 (competing against other Top 40 stations in the area I-95, as well as WKXX, KICKS 106). Calhoun reintroduced his Sunday night show as The Edge to Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and surrounding areas. While at Z-102 in 1988, Coyote found himself in the middle of controversy once again due to him stunting Z-102 with a classic rock format, airing songs by Boston, Mountain (band) and Pink Floyd, culminating with Calhoun getting fired live on the air. [citation needed] Coyote was being escorted out of the building by police officers from the Tuscaloosa Police Department who heard the ruckus live on-air and rushed to the station while the manager of Z-102, Steve Russell and Coyote J began fighting over the live microphone. Coyote was reinstated for a short time afterwards but was let go from Z-102 for keeps in 1989.[citation needed]

In 1989, Coyote J was hired by I-95, a competitor of Z-102. I-95 operations manager, Randy Lane, made him part of their new morning team to replace the popular duo, Mark and Brian, who had left for KLOS Los Angeles. The Morning Wake Up Service with Andy, Trey Matthews, and Coyote J debuted in the spring of 1989. I-95 decided not to resign the trio in 1992.

In 1992, The Edge went into syndication. From 1992 to 2002, The Edge aired on dozens of Alabama outlets: WVNA-Muscle Shoals, WQEN Gadsden, WTGZ Auburn, WHHY Montgomery, Z102.5 Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, I-95 and WRAX Birmingham, among others. [citation needed]

In 1995, Coyote J was hired as one of the original air talents to help launch alt outlet The X (WRAX-FM) in Birmingham. Between 1998 and 2002, Coyote wrote music reviews for The Birmingham Weekly. Coyote J stayed with The X until December 2006 when the station fell on hard times and flipped to adult album alternative.. [citation needed]

In January 2007, The Edge re-debuted in Birmingham on ROCK 99.5 in its usual Sunday night time slot. [citation needed]

Coyote J's contract for The Edge with ROCK 99/WZRR expired January 2009, at which time Coyote J retired "The Edge." Coyote J returned to ROCK 99 to do a classic rock show in February 2009. Coyote left Citadel Broadcasting on February 14, 2010 after 15 years.

In 2010, Coyote J began collaborating with the German dark wave band, Feeding Fingers and co-produced their third album, Detach Me From My Head. Baton is currently working with Feeding Fingers and songwriter Justin Curfmans on the band's fourth album.[4] April 2012 saw the release of a new single by Feeding Fingers, 'Inside The Body Of An Animal' produced by Coyote J and Justin.

Feeding Fingers fourth album, 'The Occupant', was released in late February 2013. Because of Justin Curfmans relocation to Germany the album had a number of producers. On this release Coyote J co-produced only three tracks: 'Inside The Body Of An Animal', 'I Drink Disappearing Ink' and 'Paper Dolls Would Eat Glass For Us,' as well as providing financial support.

"Polaroid Papercuts," an advance single from the upcoming Feeding Fingers triple album "Attend," produced by Coyote J and Dana Culling, was released on March 16, 2015.

Revival of The EDGE on the Internet - 2013

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On October 19, 2013, Coyote J debuted The Edge 24/7 online.[5]

The Edge online ceased operation May 27, 2019, after 35 years, while marking Coyote's 50th year in broadcasting.

References

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  1. ^ "DJ Coyote J never plays it safe, and Edgefest will follow suit | AL.com". Blog.al.com. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  2. ^ "Hang the DJ". Bwcitypaper.com. 2008-09-04. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  3. ^ "The Alabama Record Collectors Association: June Meeting". Thealabamarecordcollectorsassociation.blogspot.com. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  4. ^ "Myspace". www.myspace.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "theedge24-7.com". Archived from the original on 2017-03-25. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
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Audio Bits from WZBQ

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Audio from WERC (1970s)

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Coyote J's Music Reviews Archive from the Birmingham Weekly

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