Remembering Cliff Blake
• We’ve lost another legend — popular longtime radio and record industry veteran Cliff Blake died Monday, March 16 after a tough battle with ALS. He was 73.
The front half of Blake’s successful half-century music industry career included programming and on-air stops at such legendary call letters as WAAF & WZLX/Boston, WFEA/Manchester, NH, WOKQ/Portsmouth, NH, WMZQ/Washington, KFKF/Kansas City and WZZK/Birmingham. [Ed. note: I remember applying for an opening at WFTQ-AM (14Q)/Worcester, MA in the early ’80s when Cliff was the PD. I didn’t get the gig, but he was very kind and professional during our conversations]
The second chapter of Cliff’s career was a transition to the label side, when he worked for Columbia Nashville, Republic Nashville, Arista Nashville, and more recently, a second stint with Columbia Nashville, where he served as Northeast Regional Promotion Director until his “retirement” in late 2018. He subsequently joined Good Company Entertainment to do regional promotion.
Three days before he passed, Blake’s adopted hometown of Dover, NH held a “Cliffabration” parade in his honor, in which nearly 100 of Cliff’s friends and neighbors gathered in a park, then, led by a Dover police cruiser, walked past his home holding signs of support.
Photos of the event are posted on the Made In Dover NH Instagram page, which also posted this lovely remembrance of Cliff: “The parade included friends, family, city staff, elected officials, and colleagues from Cliff’s long career in radio and New Hampshire Public Television.” [Blake was a volunteer and announcer for New Hampshire PBS for 36 years]. “Cliff has long been one of those people who was everywhere in Dover, always giving his time, energy, and heart to the community. This was a chance to give some of that love back.”
As we speak, Cliff’s Facebook page is overflowing with love and condolences from his many friends and colleagues. Feel free to add your own thoughts. [Additional thanks to JC Coffey and Phyllis Stark]
