His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. Samuelson is a 2003 National Radio Hall of Fame inductee. 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? As for why his listeners love him so, Max has a few ideas: Orion is reliable, credible and accurate. "The American Farmer's Best Friend for Over Sixty Years" tells about his humble beginnings on a Wisconsin dairy farm and how his big dreams led to a Hall of Fame career in broadcasting, travels to 43 countries, dinner at the White House and, most importantly, the trust of the h Norma Sirott: When you were growing up in Wisconsin, did you have ambitions to be a broadcaster? Garth. Samuelson was heard on WGN radio in Chicago for sixty years as the station's head agriculture broadcaster from 1960 through 2020. That teacher, Robert Gehring, went far out of his way to help a kid who really needed to catch a break. Samuelson now hosts a similar show, This Week in Agribusiness, on RFD-TV, along with Armstrong. Few partnerships in agriculture are as easily recognized as that of Max and Orion again, by first names only. Orion Samuelson was just 27 years old when he made his way up North Michigan Avenue, striding toward the Tribune Tower. Samuelson's first day on the air at WGN was on September 26, 1960 at "milking time", 5 a.m., at age 26. While at WGN radio in Chicago, the "Big O"covered agriculture and food production, met with U.S. presidents, travelled to dozens of countries, and encountered many foreign dignitaries, all while reporting on the contributions of American agriculture to the U.S. and world economy. His early work was based in Wisconsin and he was working in Green Bay when his big break came and he headed south to Chicago in 1960 to work at WGN Radio where he served as head agriculture broadcaster, presenting16 agricultural reports daily. Why? Manage Settings I couldnt believe it was happening, he says today. Cause I didnt think I was very important and then somebody said 60 years. And so even-tempered. We would talk about the European Community and the blocks that were put up against our products. Armstrong also hosts a three-minute feature, "Farming America", on the Tribune Radio Network. He has two children. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and Executive Editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six magazines throughout the eastern Corn Belt. She would never subscribe. I sat at a table with Glen Campbell and Bob Dole and we became good friends., Subscribe to receive top agriculture news, Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters. I would, I would like that a lot. "Thank you for loving Jamie and celebrating the goodness in him," McDonald wrote on Twitter. "The Big O," as he's known, will continue to deliver five or six daily business . Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, near LaCrosse. Since July 2009, Armstrong has been director of broadcasting for Farm Progress. The winner of more awards and inductee in more halls of fame than he can count, Samuelson said one of the honors he cherishes most is the honorary doctor of letters degree he received from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001. Three years into his tenure at WGN, Samuelson was the staffer that read the news of the John F. Kennedy assassination. So, its one of those what might have been stories but I value my relationship with my wife, Orion says, laughing. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. Sirott: What would you like the first sentence in your Wikipedia entry to say about you? In addition to working with farmers and ranchers, Orion Samuelson has also been involved with activities outside of the agricultural industry, including emceeing at the Tournament of Roses Parade with co-host Pam Minick. 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). Luckily for farmers, Samuelson had once considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before heading off to radio school. Wellman farmer Clint Whetstine stands in front of destroyed pens and barns from tornado. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. Reliable and true., And quotable. In the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Armstrong. Orion Samuelsons decades of agriculture reporting has helped farmers understand the latest Washington policies and he has also helped all audiences appreciate the importance of agriculture to our communities and to the economy.. CHICAGO Becoming a successful broadcaster requires the ability to be a good listener. [1] He produces and hosts the Farm Progress America and Max Armstrongs Midwest Digest daily radio programs. Luckily, a copycat recipe is easy enough to copy. The hall of fame broadcaster and Chicago media icon says he'll end his run at the end of the year. [7] The induction ceremony took place on May 27, 2016, where Armstrong was honored along with 6 others. Orion Samuelson was honored at the 2010 Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo in Wisconsin Dells. Read full biography, Yes, Orion Samuelson is still alive April 24, 2023 / 10:16 AM / CBS Detroit. After high school, Orion headed to the University of Wisconsin on a scholarship, determined to learn how to be a radio announcer. CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) One of the most famous voices in radio will end a remarkable 60-year career later this month. 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. And Im looking at that building, this monument that the man built for his wife. At age 26, Samuelson got the call to join 50,000-watt powerhouse WGN, where he began as farm director on September 26, 1960. Growing up on the farm Samuelson was expected to take over the family business, but a leg disease made it impossible to do heavy work. He hopes to give the Illinois State Fair Sale of Champions another go in 2021 working hard to create some magic in the Coliseum for young livestock exhibitors. Thats a lesson we should all learn, he adds quietly. In addition to its syndication run, the show is broadcast on RFD-TV. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and Executive Editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six magazines throughout the eastern Corn Belt. FAIRY TALE? Last night, apropos of little to nothing, one of the hosts intoned that The New York Times and The Washington Post were far too left-wing for her to read. He is a part-time farmer and has experience as a banker with an emphasis on agriculture and residential lending.. After all, I am Norwegian. CHICAGO ( NewsNation Now) One of the most famous voices in radio will end a remarkable 60-year career later this month. [2], Politically, Samuelson supported the production of ethanol fuel from corn, to help American farmers.[8]. 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. Samuelson hosted a similar show, This Week in Agribusiness, along with his longtime collaborator Max Armstrong, until his retirement, and continues to make occasional commentaries on that show with Armstrong as host. They serve with their local 4-H and FFA programs, their school district, and are active in their church's youth and music ministries. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association. Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazines coverage. Hes originated broadcasts from all 50 states and 44 countries. McDonald posted to Twitter on Monday afternoon, her first post since Samuelsen went on the air a week ago and announced his diagnosis and that he'd been battling the disease for 19 months.. Three years into his tenure at WGN, he was the staffer that read the news of the John F. Kennedy assassination. She began her career with Prairie Farmer just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications. In May 1960, one of Mr. Samuelson's first assignments for WGN was to emcee the National Barn Dance, a long running program that WGN had just acquired when WLS radio discontinued its association with Prairie Farmer magazine. That I could explain the strange business of agriculture and food production in a way that was understandable, and that I was a good guy and a good listener. He gave an emotional update last Monday on the air, saying he wasn't saying his goodbyes, but colleagues feared otherwise. 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. Well known ag broadcaster Orion Samuelson will retire this month after 60 years in the field. Theres a saying that todays news is tomorrows history, said Perdue. Memorials may be made to Heartland. David is retired from a career as a trader on the Chicago Board of Trade and has two children of his own, and Katheryn is in the restaurant business. Samuelson, 81, veteran agriculture-business reporter for Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720, underwent the procedure Monday at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The feeling is mutual. He met McDonald when she worked at Fox 2 and was producing for Bill Bonds, and the couple had three children,Caroline, 16, Josh, 14, and Catherine, 11. In 2011, Holly was one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award. Samuelson: Well, Ive been pleased obviously, but by the same token, Ive been stunned. , who would go on to found the agricultural communications program at the University of Illinois. Working with Armstrong was a success, Samuelson said, because both of them are good listeners. And I think, what am I doing standing here? From 1975 to 2005, Samuelson was the host of U.S. Farm Report, a weekly television news magazine dedicated to agriculture. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. The man continues to repeat the introduction until Orion continues. There were host farms in northern Illinois that opened on Sundays for consumers to visit, Armstrong said. Chronology 00:00 Aerial shots of farmland, taken from a . Once Samuelson started his job at WGN, it didnt take him long to realize that urban people didnt understand farmers or ranchers. 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The result: casts, wheelchairs and crutches. The family farm includes Johns parents and their three children. Orion Samuelson was just 27 years old when he made his way up North Michigan Avenue, striding toward the Tribune Tower. Heres how the Chicago media icon has told agricultures story. McDonald now is a TV reporter and anchor at Detroit's PBS station. A montage of photos of the life and career of WGN Radio legend Orion Samuelson.For more, visit wgnradio.com/orion. canceling National Barn Dance outright. Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. Like the farmers hes served all these years, Orion celebrated that last first day on the job long ago. Max Armstrong (born June 13, 1953, Owensville, Indiana) is an American agriculture broadcaster from Chicago, Illinois. They plan to divide their time between homes in west suburban Huntley and Scottsdale, Arizona. This job changed the direction of my career immensely.. The show moved to Chicago's WGN-AM, with Orion Samuelson as the show's host, until it finally left the air in 1968. And we accepted ideas from other people because if you stop learning, you stop living., Orion worked with the Illinois Farm Bureau to put together a farm-city exchange in the early 70s and it was still going in 1977 when I started at WGN, Armstrong said. "[10], For 22 years, Armstrong contributed his time as an appointed Fire Commissioner in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. Having trouble filling a prescription? On New Year's Day 2017, Orion will be alongside the Rose Parade route to co-host with Pam Minick RFD-TV's live coverage of the parade on January 1. Monticello, Ind., farmer Brian Scott says his grandpa said the same thing after nearly every lunch: Orion said . The engineers, stage hands and people on the air liked Orion, so it was much easier for me being the kid coming on board to slide right in because I was welcomed just by working with Orion.. Jim was very professional, and I learned several things from him that I still use, Orion says. His grandparents were Norwegian immigrants, and the first time Orion made his way to Norway, the spot his grandparents chose to homestead made more sense: steep hills with buildings carved into them. That is unheard of in this industry., Field Editor's Blog @AgNews_Doran: Best wishes to Orion in his retirement https://t.co/abTEj8w1v7. And today theyre the biggest producer and the biggest exporter of soybeans. Obviously the highlight of my career is the opportunity to work with farmers, ranchers and food producers because theyre my favorite people, he said. DePue: I must tell you that I've got a military background. Autobiography of Orion "Big O" Samuelson, radio broadcaster on WGN in Chicago for over 50 years. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. I would listen to Maxs ideas and he would listen to mine and that would evolve into stories that made interesting watching and listening on the radio and television stations we were on, he explained. TROY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A Lake Orion man hit the pavement this weekend to run a marathon for a great cause to give back to Henry Ford Health. Orion is currently the host, along with Max Armstrong, of This Week in AgriBusiness - www.agbizweek.com, Read more about this topic: Orion Samuelson, Just how difficult it is to write biography can be reckoned by anybody who sits down and considers just how many people know the real truth about his or her love affairs.Rebecca West [Cicily Isabel Fairfield] (18921983), Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every mans life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.James Boswell (174095), A great biography should, like the close of a great drama, leave behind it a feeling of serenity. He transcends generations, says Cerro Gordo, Ill., farmer Jared Gregg. 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. Orion Samuelson is a 89 years old American broadcaster from . Yet even tragedy has a silver lining, because what do you do when youre confined to your bed in a Wisconsin farmhouse? You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. Sirott: I imagine you still milking cows while youre in broadcasting. These days, Orion is dialing back obligations and busy recovering from back surgery. On the eve of his 60th anniversary as the booming voice of agriculture and business at WGN 720-AM, Orion Samuelson . Truman. He broadcasts live from the show, then walks around and does reports in front of a video camera. Jamie Samuelsen's wife, local TV personality Christy McDonald, thanked friends and fans for the significant outpouring of support in the days since Samuelson died from colon cancer. [3] He considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. ), I dont know what happened to the guy who came in first, Orion says, laughing. Its not for nothing that Orion is known as The Voice of Agriculture. Together, these two farm boys sat down every day in a studio in Chicago and talked about agriculture with a 50,000-watt transmitter and hundreds of networked stations, explaining pork bellies and beef demand to suburban housewives. Orion's net worth hovers over $250,000 - $499,999 with a yearly income that's about $175 - 199,999. Sirott: Well, Orion congratulations. Throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Prairie Farmer owned WLS, airing farm and rural programming such as the National Barn Dance and more. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. McDonalds is now offering its Big Mac sauce in prepackaged dipping cups but it aint free. The pair were married in 2001. Orions first marriage ended in divorce, and his second wife died of Lou Gehrigs disease. 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. He didnt find what he as looking for there, though, and within a few weeks, he transferred to the American Institute of the Air in Minneapolis, a six-month program that promised a radio broadcasting certificate. Orion Samuelson has 1 sibling. 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. Orion Samuelson, American broadcaster Country: United States Birthday: March 31, 1934 Age : 89 years old Birth Sign : Aries About Biography Orion Samuelson is an American broadcaster most widely known for hosting U. S. Farm Report. Join bestselling author Brad Montague in a Flip Live Event that inspires learners worldwide to embrace their creativity. For 60 years, Orion has commanded a room without even stepping into it. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Both shows aired on 190 Midwest stations[7] via first-run syndication. He drove home every weekend to be a polka music disc jockey. Gloria took the sensible route, thinking it too taxing to campaign following a recent throat surgery. According to the website, the country's best known ag broadcaster had deep roots in Wisconsin, with his first 4-H project being a Guernsey heifer calf. [1] He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Famein 2003. 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. I read about this in the encyclopedia, but now Im standing here looking at it. Samuelson: Thats probably one of the biggest compliments I get from city listeners in Chicago or suburbs or other cities who say, I didnt know what soybeans were. He served as master of ceremonies for thousands of shows and crowned dozens of queens, using his own plane to travel efficiently. He called the manager of the station in Green Bay and said he was going to try to steal his farm director.. Armstrong was full-time with WGN Radio for 32 years until 2009. 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. "So I think Ill find things to do.". If someone brought Orion fresh sweet corn or asparagus, he shared it with the engineers. (And dont you wonder about the kid who beat him? Ive gone to 44 countries to cover the agricultural story.I was in Cuba and I shook hands with Fidel Castro, who had a tough handshake, and I thought, if were going to wait for him to go away, were going to wait a long time. He was the voice on the radio but part of the farm family. From 1975 to 2005, Samuelson also was the host of U.S. Farm Report, a weekly television news magazine dedicated to agriculture. Registered in England and Wales. [15], On September 23, 2020, Samuelson announced his retirement from WGN Radio. In addition, the farm broadcaster also met several stars including Sophia Loren, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. [2], Many of those living in the Midwest over the past six decades remember the big, booming voice of Orion Samuelson that explained the business of agriculture and food production in an understandable way. It is the dying refrain of a completed song, the final verse of a finished poem.Andr Maurois (18851967). As a farm boy on a milk stool on a cold January morning in a barn in Wisconsin, I could have never dreamed I would have the opportunity to do what Ive done and meet the people Ive met.. That was the ticket. 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. Through the years Samuelson has remained active in organization dear to his heart including 4-H and FFA. 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 considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. "So many memories," he said, "and theyll be with me as long as Im around.". All rights reserved. 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. On the lighter side, Samuelson and a studio group dubbed the "Uff da Band" once recorded covers of Yogi Yorgesson's novelty songs I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas and Yingle Bells. "When I made the drive in my 1949 blue Chrysler New Yorker 60 years ago, I was very uncertain about what I was getting into, because I was a farm kid [thinking], What will I do in the big city?. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Madonna. It wasnt what you would call prime farmland, he says. Tuesdays comment of the day: Irv Leavitt: I have recently developed the lazy habit of leaving WGN Radio on after a White Sox game, and I've been treated to product that varies from relatively intelligent to downright maddening. She currently serves on the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, the U of I Agricultural Communications Advisory committee, and is an advisory board member for the U of I College of ACES Research Station at Monmouth. Dairy industry works to build trust with Gen Z, 13 ways to have better conversations about ag, A bill that would kill large-scale livestock farms, Weekly grain movement: Corn exceeds expectations. Simple country hospitality has always gone a long way, Max says. At WBAY, he crossed paths with a fellow ag communicator named. It was devastating. I can recall the volume going up and our little voices being muted in my grandpas truck when Orion came on. All rights reserved. In the clip the announcer says, "Now, here's Orion Samuelson," but Orion seems not to have heard! "They werent teaching me to be a broadcaster, they were teaching me to be a writer. I told him Ive done it and you can do it, too., Orion is one of the hardest working people youll every run into he has a tremendous work ethic, Armstrong said. updated October 9, 2020 (Her name, can also be written Sun-kil Choi, Sun Kil Choi or Choi Sun-kil but that is not so accurate.) Before the program was over, hed scored a job at WKLJ in Sparta, Wis., less than 20 miles from the home farm. Moon's first wife, Seon-gil Choi, and Pastor Deok-jin Kim interviewed. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Orion's spirits are high and he is looking forward to returning to the airwaves as soon as he gets the 'go ahead. . Orion Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, near LaCrosse. Few partnerships in agriculture are as easily recognized as that of Max and Orion again, by first names only. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Group Inc. | All Rights Reserved. But inside WGN, his new colleagues welcomed him into the family. CHICAGO (December 17, 2020) - WGN Radio announced that reporter Steve Alexander will assume responsibilities from agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson beginning in January. And trust. As host of "The U.S. Farm Report" (now "This Week in AgriBusiness" with longtime partner Max Armstrong), he became the best-known voice of agriculture in America. Whats been your reaction to this outpouring of love for you? I think Ive made some progress and then Ill get a call or letter from a listener who wants to know how to tell if a watermelon is ripe just by looking at it, he said. He wouldnt walk again for two years. He also made history by being the first agribusiness broadcaster to be inducted into the National Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame. The president of WGN who believed firmly in serving the audience beyond Chicago out into the farmland of the Midwest didnt want a break in the farm broadcast coverage, Samuelson said. They still do a one-hour radio show together every Saturday at 5a.m., and they partner on This Week in AgriBusiness, airing on television stations nationwide and on RFD-TV. And then Id drive 17 miles to the radio station, Id get home in time to help milk cows at night. She spotted early signs of a serious illness one day in 2004, during a television broadcast. And then you start dreaming. "He loved a wicked joke, a good game & a strong gimlet. He listened to the veterans around him, picking out the good things they did that people liked. Thats why I tell young people today to learn everything you can about everything and youll always have a job, Samuelson said. 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. "We will celebrate his life, but are taking time to figure out the best way. An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. Later, Orion would earn an honorary doctor of letters from the U of I. I just wasn't getting what I wanted, which was broadcasting. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. Celebrating 60 Years of Orion SamuelsonAudio|Video|PhotosEmail|Voicemail|Scholarship. [6], In 2016, Armstrong earned a plaque on the WGN Radio Walk of Fame in Chicago. Even farmers dont work that long in a lot of cases and here you are still getting up early and doing what youve done for the last well, since 1952. Orion Samuelson, 86, will retire from WGN-AM/Chicago after 60 years with the Nexstar Media Group's News/Talk outlet, reports Chicago media columist Robert Feder. She replied that she read them occasionally, and that was enough. There was a time we were doing 190 broadcasts per week on WGN Radio and the television show, This Week in AgriBusiness, so we were busy boys.. Sirott: Orion, judging by all the listeners whove been calling us in the morning, people dont care how old you are. Orions realm is in the city with the movers and shakers.. Armstrong was a member of NAFB for 40 years before being elected president. Orion immediately set to work shaping WGNs farm programming after he aired up his tires and mastered the elevators, of course. I tend to wait until tomorrow, but she said, Look at this now, because we dont wait, Orion recalls. Samuelson was inducted into the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame in 2017. That was the latest tribute to Samuelsen, whose death made news outlets across the country, and drew sympathies from many dignitaries in the sports community, including all four Detroit major sports teams.
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