Jim Harper will retire. His last day on air at Greater Media’s WMGC(FM) in Detroit will be Dec. 23; he’s been with the station 10 years but has much deeper roots in local radio.
Greater Media Market Manager Steve Kosbau called Harper “a true Motor City legend.”
Harper started in radio in 1967 at age 13 at WYNZ(AM) in Ypsilanti, Mich., hosting a weekend show about teen issues.
According to a bio from Greater Media, Harper then worked for stations including WHMI(AM) in Howell, WAAM(AM) in Ann Arbor and WIID(AM) in Garden City. In 1975, he became midday jock on WDRQ(FM) Detroit. He did a stint in Texas radio, returned to Michigan in 1976 to host an evening show on KXYZ(AM) and then was PD and midday host at WDRQ.
In 1977, he moved to WNIC(FM) as morning host and later became program director. In 1984, Harper left to become part-owner and morning show host at WDTX(FM) in Detroit and part-owner of WNCX(FM), located in Cleveland.
In 1987, he returned to WNIC(FM) as morning host and later went on to serve as program director and vice president of operations. He joined his current station in 2001.
