Wayne T. Eddy, the broadcast founder of KYMN Radio, a co-founder of the Northfield historical Society, a dedicated member of the Defeat of Jesse James Days, and perhaps the single biggest promoter of Northfield, itself, over the last half-century, has passed away Saturday morning, at the age of 83.
Wayne was born on May 22, 1941. He grew up in St. Paul, attended Harding High School, and learned the craft of broadcasting at Brown Institute before landing his first job in radio in 1964 at WTMB in Tomah, Wisconsin. In 1966 he took a job at KAUS in Austin, Minnesota, working as a Disc Jockey in the mornings and then serving as the weatherman on the evening news television broadcast.
Wayne came to Northfield in the late summer of 1968 as the first hire by Stan Stydnicki of the yet to be launched 1080 AM KYMN radio. Over the next few weeks, he spent time working throughout Northfield, getting to know seemingly every person in the community and promoting KYMN.
“I moved up here immediately on the 18th and went to work on the 19th at 8:00 in the morning. Stan put me on the street right away to sell advertising, even though there was no radio station. It was physically being built. The tower was going up. But I was so excited. I was 27 years old, I think.”
On September 27th, 1968, it was Wayne’s voice that was first heard on our airwaves, playing Up, Up and Away by the 5th Dimension. Over the next five decades, Wayne’s voice would be heard on KYMN nearly every day as host of the KYMN Morning Show and later the Wayne Eddy Affair, on sporting events, and on special community event broadcasts, including the Defeat of Jesse James Days Grand Parade.
Jeff Johnson, the outgoing owner of KYMN Radio said he learned “everything” from Wayne, but in particular, he learned the commitment to community that is necessary to make a small-town radio station successful. Wayne was deeply involved in so many different organizations, both local and statewide. He would speak with pride about his days with the Northfield Jaycees. As mentioned, he was one of the founders of The Northfield Historical Society and was instrumental in that organization’s acquisition of the Scriver Building, which of course houses the original Northfield First National Bank that the James/Younger Gang attempted to rob.
With his booming voice and outgoing personality, Wayne Eddy was known by every person in Northfield and seemed to know every person as well. Johnson said his impact on the community was felt by everyone who lived here.
“How many events did he emcee? How many parades did he announce? How many towns people did he interview? How many charities was he involved with? You know, he helped found the Northfield Historical Society among other things. And he was so completely entwined with the Defeat of Jesse James Days. Yeah, his impact is immeasurable.”
With the Defeat of Jesse James Days, Wayne served as the General Chair of the organizing committee three times, in 1974 & 75, then again in 1999 & 2000, and once more in 2011 & 2012. As a member of the James Gang Raiders, he portrayed, as he put it, nearly every character in the bank raid reenactment before he finally settled in as Frank James. Playing a role as a bank raider, he said, was always his favorite part of the celebration.
“There’s nothing more exhilarating than dressing up like a cowboy or an outlaw from the 1800s, getting in the saddle, going into town, getting off the horse, going in, robbing the bank, coming out remount and leave or dying in the street. There’s nothing more exciting. It is a blast.”
Wayne served as president of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association and helped develop new educational programs as chair of the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting. In 1998, he was named Minnesota’s Outstate Broadcast Personality of the Year, and in 2007 he was inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Teri Knight, who worked with Wayne in a variety of roles at KYMN on and off over the course of nearly two decades, is a veteran of Twin Cities broadcasting as well. She said with the exception of some of the legendary names from the heyday of WCCO-AM, Charlie Boone, Roger Erickson, and Steve Cannon to name a few, there is no name more revered and remembered in the realm of Minnesota radio broadcasting than Wayne Eddy.
“His personality is bigger than life, and I would call him authentic, committed to community, committed to service, and just an absolute radio icon.”
Wayne was a true champion of Northfield, and he expressed his love for the city often. He was the living embodiment of this radio station for fifty years, at least. Every employee of KYMN Radio, past, present and future owes Wayne our deepest gratitude. This radio station, or as he would say, “Your hometown radio station,” is a part of Wayne’s long and impactful legacy. The KYMN family will miss him dearly.
Our thoughts and our deepest condolences are with Wayne’s wife Julie, and their daughter, Angel.
Contact Rich Larson at rich@kymnradio.net
