The man Milwaukee has woken up with for four decades is hanging up his headphones.
Dave Luczak arrived in Milwaukee in 1984 to become the morning show host on WMGF-FM, an adult contemporary station branded as Magic 96.5 – a studio seat he still holds at the station now long known as WKLH. Luczak will retire this month after more than 40 years of rising long before sunrise to entertain the city over the airwaves.
The morning show at WKLH features a mix of comedy, news, general zaniness and, of course, classic rock. Popular bits include “Dairyland Dumbass,” a roundup of wacky statewide crimes and law enforcement calls, Hollywood news updates, chatter about local sports teams, and humorous banter between Luczak and his in-studio co-hosts, as well as a bevy of on-air guests.
“It’ll be kind of hard to leave it behind,” said Luczak, a Pittsburgh native who turned 66 in October. “I was the first voice on KLH. I’ve been very fortunate to work with some really talented people. While the team has changed over the years, the intent has always been the same – to have a fun time and do an interesting show.”
Luczak and former partner Carole Caine were a Milwaukee radio staple for nearly 30 years on the “Dave and Carole” show, which ended in 2015. More recently, Luczak has continued the success with Dorene Michaels and producer Marcus Allen on “Hometown Morning Show with Dave & Dorene.” Midday host Dave Coombs, who has been with KLH since December 2020, will replace Luczak, teaming with Michaels and Allen beginning in January.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Luczak and the morning show team are riding a wave of overall popularity for KLH. Data showed KLH to be the most-listened-to FM station in Milwaukee and even a standout nationally. In September it ranked No. 31 nationally in share of local audience (9.2%), regardless of format, according to Nielsen ratings published by RadioInsight, an industry trade publication. (Another Milwaukee station, conservative talk station WISN-AM, was No. 2 at 14.3%; Good Karma Brands, operator of WTMJ-AM, is not included in Nielsen ratings.)
“I feel really lucky about the whole thing,” Luczak said. “Fortunately, the ratings are really good right now. You want to go out the right way. I didn’t want people saying, ‘When is he going to leave?’ I’d much prefer people to say ‘I’m going to miss listening to you.’”
Luczak spoke with Milwaukee Magazine at KLH’s West Side studio about his remarkable career in morning radio – almost entirely in Milwaukee – and what life will hold for him once he signs off for the final time on Dec. 20.
How did you get started in radio?
In my high school yearbook, anybody who really knew me wrote something like, “Good luck trying to be on the radio.” They knew what I wanted to do. I told my guidance counselor that I wanted to go somewhere where I can learn the craft of radio. He gave me a few choices. There was this unique situation at the University of Dayton, which owned a 50,000-watt FM station. I decided that was where I wanted to go. I was 17 when I did my first on-air shift.
Before I was done with college another station in town came calling. A friend who had worked at the university radio station with me, Dan Pugh, who became Dan Patrick (who first gained fame as an anchor on ESPN’s “SportsCenter”), was already working at that station. He put in a good word for me and I ended up working there. We did a morning show together. Dan stood up in my wedding. Then he got into TV, and I left to go to Rochester, New York, where I stayed for not quite a year. Then my wife and I moved to Milwaukee in 1984.
It’s a Miracle
During his lengthy career, Dave Luczak has become synonymous with WKLH’s Miracle Marathon fundraiser for Children’s Wisconsin. Since its inception 26 years ago, Miracle Marathon has raised over $30 million for Children’s Wisconsin programs and services. The 48-hour radiothon fundraiser showcases inspiring stories of children battling and surviving illness.
“I’ve hosted every one of those and done every single interview, being the conduit between our listeners and this incredible place, Children’s Wisconsin,” says Luczak. He has a personal connection with Children’s Wisconsin – his daughter, Holly, spent the first eight days of her life at the hospital. “The most difficult thing is trying to elicit the emotion from the families as they re-live the worst moments of their lives,” he says, “doing it not in a way that’s exploitative but in a way that’s almost cathartic for them.”
Luczak will remain on the Children’s Wisconsin Foundation board of directors following his retirement from radio. The 2025 Miracle Marathon will take place May 15-16.
What are you feeling as you process retirement?
Mixed emotions, really, because I will miss the connection with listeners. You become part of the community. That’s what I’m most proud of. The things that we’ve done using our platform to do good. The Miracle Marathon, I’ve hosted every one of those and done every single interview. Being the conduit between our listeners and this incredible place, Children’s Wisconsin. We’ve raised over $30 million. For 26 years, we also did the Christmas is for Kids party. We would give thousands of kids and families a hot meal, a big bag of toys, a visit with Santa and a really fun experience.
Did you envision in 1984 that 40 years later you’d still be here?
Never. I really thought that you had to move around a lot and try to jump up in market size. We’re talking pre-Internet. Now listeners can hear you anytime from anywhere. Back in those days, if you wanted a wider audience, you had to move. But there’s something to be said about building a life in a community and Milwaukee is a really cool place to be. Cindy and I have been married 44 years. She’s been with me every step of the way and it’s just been an amazing ride. We came here with an 18-month-old and now we have children who are 42, 40 and 38 and we have seven grandkids.
Did you ever give serious consideration to leaving Milwaukee?
There were a couple of times when the offers were extremely good to go to larger, warmer places. In the end, the quality of life here always won out. Your priorities change, too, once you start having kids. Our kids were engrained in the community and they had their friends. My wife comes from a military family. She and her four brothers were born all over the world because her dad was in the Air Force. Cindy was born in Spain, lived in Germany during her middle school years and then moved to California and finally to Arkansas. Not that it was a bad experience for her, but she also understood that there is something to be said about making a life in one community.
Can you see someone coming into the business today like you did 40-some years ago and make a career of it like you have, or is that something of a bygone era?
You would be amazed at how many young, talented, content creators are on local radio stations all over country. So, it’s definitely not something from a bygone era. But there is one huge difference. They are not limited to just one platform. Back in the day, there was just TV, radio and newspapers. Now, radio is simply one of many platforms to which they can contribute.
Is there significance about the local programming of a show in a world where there’s less and less of that?
It’s incredibly significant, especially now, to hyper-focus content. Even though there are many different content platforms, only locally programmed stations are discussing the stories and events that directly impact the lives of Wisconsinites.
What makes now the right time to step away?
I’m still having as much fun as I’ve always had. I still love coming into work every single day. I love the people I work with and making the connection with listeners. But you get to a point when you just know. It’s definitely time.
What will retirement bring?
The first thing I’m going to do is sleep later. I’ve been doing morning radio since I was 18. Pretty much my entire adult life has involved me waking up in the wee hours of the morning. People just naturally assume that I must have gotten used to it. I’ve never gotten used to it. I also want to be able to spend as much time as possible with family. Some of our kids and grandkids are in other places now, so we want to spend some time with them. I want to do some traveling, too. I’ve never been able to take longer than a one-week vacation. And I just want to free up my brain for some other things. For the first time in my life, I’m excited that I won’t have a plan.
What will that first morning be like when you don’t have to get up early and be on the air?
My guess is that I’ll just pull the covers up over my head, look at the clock with one eye, smile a little bit and go back to sleep.
What are your hobbies?
I like to paint. I feel good when I work out. I love to read but I haven’t had a chance to read very much because most of the reading we do is planning for a show or talking about what is going on in the world.
Do you enjoy music?
That’s the reason I always wanted to be on the radio. I love music. It’s been one of the coolest things about this job – who I’ve gotten to interview and meet. It’s beyond amazing.
Favorite bands?
I’ve always been a big Rolling Stones fan. And the Who. Original classic rock. That’s why I love working at KLH. It’s the music that I really truly love.
Favorite concert?
Led Zeppelin at Riverfront Coliseum (in Cincinnati) in 1977, sitting in the radio station seats. I was a teenager. That same year, I got to interview Billy Joel. He was playing at the arena in Dayton. I got to introduce him on stage. How about this one? Rochester, New York. I didn’t really know who this guy Stevie Ray Vaughan was. We went to a club and I have to introduce him. I was standing on the side of the stage. I’ve never seen anybody play guitar like he did.
What else have you enjoyed about the experience?
The things I’ve gotten to do, from flying with the Blue Angels to doing morning shows from Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. All the wedding shows we’ve done. I’ve been the best man in over 200 weddings over the years. Most recently, all the shows we’ve done for Cheeseheads in Paradise (in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic). Hundreds of listeners would come along. I look back on these amazing moments that I got to live because of this job. I’m very thankful.
Any moments on the air that stand out the most?
The comedy moments were phenomenal. When we would have the improv guys in from the Brady Street Comedy Troupe, those were some really funny moments. The musicians we had in to perform live. That’s when radio is at its best, because you don’t really know where it’s going. In Germany doing the show at Oktoberfest, we were in a beer tent with like 20,000 people. There was a huge group of German guys who had been drinking all day and they were singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads.’ We got them to come on the air. None of us realized that they were going to sing every verse of that song. Verses you’ve never even heard before. It was hilarious. Or the moment a few years ago when we were trying to do the “chubby bunny” marshmallow challenge on the air. Then there are other moments that stand out for far different reasons. We were on the air when the planes hit the buildings on 9/11. Other things, too, like the Stevie Ray Vaughn helicopter crash [at Alpine Valley].
Any in-studio disasters on the air?
Oh, yeah. But you get to a certain point where even things that are disastrous can be turned into something fun. There have been some disasters of my own doing. I never personally ever said anything I wasn’t supposed to say on the air but I’ve allowed it to happen by not having my finger on the button quickly enough.
What has been your relationship with the partners whom you’ve share the airwaves with over the years?
Marcus and Dorene are two of the very best when it comes not only to talent and ability but to work ethic. They are my friends, and our spouses are all friends. We’re all friends. In the past, it was pretty much the same but in some cases it was different. But your job is to jell with whoever you’re working with on the air. It’s no different than being in a band or on a sports team.
