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. Politically, Samuelson is a significant supporter of the use of ethanol fuel as derived from corn, as he feels its use will help American farmers. For 42 years, Max Armstrong and Orion Samuelson have partnered together, first on WGN radio, and later on the TV Show U.S. Farm Report, until creating the show This Week in Agribusiness.[1]. When they went on remote broadcasts, he included them in dinners. Sirott: You had to be pinching yourself at times along the way? Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association. Orion spent one Sunday at then-Rep. Denny Hasterts house, running through the possibilities. Later, Orion would earn an honorary doctor of letters from the U of I. Samuelsen missed significant time over the last month as the diagnosis got worse. That was the ticket. 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. Shes a beautiful lady and a beautiful partner, he says. WGN Radios Orion Samuelson has graced airwaves throughout the heartland in places across the Midwest and beyond. He was also on President Ronald Reagans short list for secretary of agriculture, which ultimately ended in John Blocks selection. What's behind shortages of Adderall, other meds? That is unheard of in this industry., Field Editor's Blog @AgNews_Doran: Best wishes to Orion in his retirement https://t.co/abTEj8w1v7. As a kid, Orion served as "that voice on the radio" that I became . Orion immediately set to work shaping WGNs farm programming after he aired up his tires and mastered the elevators, of course. I think you should do it, Orion recalls. One newscaster spent a week fathering Orion through three floors of studios, until he knew where to go and when to be there. In addition, the farm broadcaster also met several stars including Sophia Loren, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The University of Illinois presented Samuelson with the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. For 60 years, Orion has commanded a room without even stepping into it. These stories were also translated into Max Armstrong's Tractor App, launched in 2013. An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. The family farm includes Johns parents and their three children. 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. That mildly understated assessment launched the phenomenally successful WGN career that Orion is now retiring from, 60 years later. Orion and his first wife adopted two children, David and Katheryn. Thats a lesson we should all learn, he adds quietly. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Madonna. Manage Settings Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It would also be the last first day Orion Samuelson would ever have. Then I realize weve got more work to do., The question Samuelson has been asked the most is, What is a frozen pork belly?. Wind noise is frequently loud on the tape. 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. joined Orion at WGN in 1977, and as they spent the next 43 years together on air, they developed a seamless rapport. Max Armstrong was named an Honorary Master Farmer in 2018 by Prairie Farmer Magazine. 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. 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 (/rin/ OR-ee-n; born March 31, 1934) is a retired American broadcaster, known for his agriculture broadcasts and his ability to explain agribusiness and food production in an understandable way. 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. Orion's spirits are high and he is looking forward to returning to the airwaves as soon as he gets the 'go ahead. . [6], During the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Max Armstrong. From hosting the WGN Radio Barn Dance to breaking the news to Chicagoans of the JFK assassination. "The Big O," as he's known, will continue to deliver five or six daily business . 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? The rest of the tape follows Orion Samuelson (who created and hosted U.S. Farm Report for WGN Radio AM-720), at the 1991 Farm Progress Show in Dalton City, IL. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. [2] Career[edit] The farm broadcaster duo also assisted with Farm Visit Sundays which was organized by the University of Illinois Extension. He also made history by being the first agribusiness broadcaster to be inducted into the National Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame. 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. He was born on March 31, 1934 in . 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 dont you wonder about the kid who beat him? ), I dont know what happened to the guy who came in first, Orion says, laughing. But he remembers the first time he spoke competitively: My knees never stopped shaking!. He went one further when he got Orion into public speaking contests. In the clip the announcer says, "Now, here's Orion Samuelson," but Orion seems not to have heard! The first was the cancellation of the network broadcast in 1952. In fact, it might be what they like about him best. From 1977 to 2009, Armstrong was the agri-business broadcaster for WGN Radio[2] before the program transitioned to a weekly Saturday morning show and accompanying podcast entitled The Morning Show with Orion and Max. Orion Samuelson AIS-V-L-2009-002 3 those sermons, never thinking that I'd someday be working (laughs) in the same studios that the Colonel was in. Jim was very professional, and I learned several things from him that I still use, Orion says. The new routes will shave off 40,000 miles and 6,000 minutes of travel time annually, according to the FAA. Over the past six decades, Samuelson said, he has worked with some of the greatest broadcast people, including Wally Phillips, Bob Collins and Spike ODell. [5], In 2001, Armstrong was named Farm Broadcaster of the Year by the NAFB. Ontario, Wis., looked like home. Serving on a three-member board, he hires and promotes full-time firefighters and paramedics for one of the highest-rated (ISO 1) fire service organizations in the United States, the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District.[11]. The Radio Hall of Famer had said he hoped to be back on WGN in time to celebrate his 55th anniversary with the station September 25. CHICAGO Becoming a successful broadcaster requires the ability to be a good listener. 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. 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. Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazines coverage. And then Id drive 17 miles to the radio station, Id get home in time to help milk cows at night. He is a part-time farmer and has experience as a banker with an emphasis on agriculture and residential lending.. Hell retire from WGN Radio at the end of this month, recording a landmark 60 years on WGN and creating original television programs such as U.S. No ones shared more airtime with Orion than Max, and hes the first to admit he got a lot of spillover from Orions popularity. We dont quote the frozen pork belly market any more, but my quick answer to that question is, if you had a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich today, you had a frozen pork belly, Samuelson said. I love being in the countryside and on farms. McDonalds is now offering its Big Mac sauce in prepackaged dipping cups but it aint free. Orions realm is in the city with the movers and shakers.. When Armstrong started at WGN, he was surrounded by announcers and personalities who were significantly older. Luckily for farmers, Samuelson had once considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before heading off to radio school. ", Now Samuelson looks back on a splendid career he never could have imagined. Read more:Orion Samuelson: Explaining agriculture to ChicagoHow Orion became beloved in agricultureWhat Orion means on the farmMax on Orion: Champion for the American farmer, Senior Editor, Prairie Farmer, Farm Progress. 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. All rights reserved. Samuelson considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. Sid and Mona Samuelson made a good life for Orion and his younger sister, Norma. Armstrong was a member of NAFB for 40 years before being elected president. "So I think Ill find things to do.". Hes originated broadcasts from all 50 states and 44 countries. Max Armstrong's Tractor App received a Best of NAMA award, along with awards from the American Agricultural Editors' Association and American Web Design awards. From meeting with government officials and dignitaries around the world to serving as a mentor to young men and women preparing for careers in agriculture. [15], On September 23, 2020, Samuelson announced his retirement from WGN Radio. Samuelson is a 2003 National Radio Hall of Fame inductee. Orion was bridging the gap between the farm and the city before anyone else in the country thought about it., The first time I heard Max do the Farm Bureau reports, I said to my producer that if we ever need to get an associate at WGN farm department, Im going to call him, Samuelson recalled. I saw agriculture through the eyes of my TV cameraman and I had the opportunity to shake hands with people like Fidel Castro and Mikhail Gorbachev, Samuelson said. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. In the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Armstrong. April 24, 2023 / 10:16 AM / CBS Detroit. [4] The show is a weekly agriculture television show, produced by OMAX Communications, LLC in cooperation with 22 Creative Group and Farm Progress. Garth. Orion Samuelson started his career at WGN Radio in September 1960, when the presidential election involved Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. 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. Perfect for elementary students, homeschoolers, and libraries! He was cut from the same cloth as Paul Harvey. Orion tuned in for Bert Wilson calling Cubs games, and he listened to the National Barn Dance every Saturday night on WLS what was then the Prairie Farmer station to hear stars like Gene Autry. [1] Broadcast History [ edit] Armstrong's first job out of college was for the Illinois Farm Bureau as a Broadcast Editor, which was where he met Orion Samuelson. DePue: I must tell you that I've got a military background. Last check: 1 year ago. Farm Report in 1975 and. 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. Samuelson now hosts a similar show, This Week in Agribusiness, on RFD-TV, along with Armstrong. The Wisconsin farm boy got a lot of surprises in Chicago, including flattened tires for parking in the wrong spot and a missed market report or two, thanks to slow elevators in the Tribune Tower. Orion Samuelson was just 27 years old when he made his way up North Michigan Avenue, striding toward the Tribune Tower. He has two children. Armstrong also hosts a three-minute feature, "Farming America", on the Tribune Radio Network. I didnt know what cattle dairy and beef were.. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue recently honored Samuelson with a proclamation heralding the broadcaster's long career in ag journalism. From 1975 to 2005, Samuelson also was the host of U.S. Farm Report, a weekly television news magazine dedicated to agriculture. [2], Politically, Samuelson supported the production of ethanol fuel from corn, to help American farmers.[8]. It was devastating. CHICAGO (December 17, 2020) - WGN Radio announced that reporter Steve Alexander will assume responsibilities from agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson beginning in January. He also serves on the Farm Foundation Bennett Round Table, and is a former member of the board of the Agriculture Future of America, the Board of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, the board of directors of the Foods Resource Bank, a former trustee of the Cornerstone Foundation of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois and a former member of the board of trustees of the National 4-H Council. On December 9th 2010 the southwest corner of E. Illinois Street & N. Cityfront Plaza Drive was named 'Orion Samuelson Way' by the city of Chicago. 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. Related:Orion Samuelson: Explaining agriculture to ChicagoHow Orion became beloved in agricultureWhat Orion means on the farmMax on Orion: Champion for the American farmer. Parent PLUS loans offer limited relief options but some borrowers can still access lower monthly payments, loan forgiveness and more. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. I think I should be able to, he quipped last week. 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. He was much better than I would have been, Orion reassures. Reverence, always. Thats what I did and it took me a couple of weeks to convince Max to make the move from Bloomington to Chicago. Obviously the highlight of my career is the opportunity to work with farmers, ranchers and food producers because theyre my favorite people, he said. Thank you. [9], In 2015, Armstrong published his first book, titled "Stories from the Heartland. Orion says he tried to pass along two pieces of advice to his children: Always be honest in what you do, and speak your thoughts, but dont let politics or religion destroy relationships. Orions first marriage ended in divorce, and his second wife died of Lou Gehrigs disease. After graduation, he moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where he lives with his wife, Heidi. 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.. 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. [3] He interviewed and or met every US president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Donald Trump,[5] including John F. Kennedy (when he was still a Senator), Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton,[6][5] and finally, after he was 20 years out of the Oval Office, Harry S. Kathryn Samuelson, Judith Samuelson, Gloria Samuelson, James Warren and Lois Long, and many others are family members and associates of Orion. Youve educated a lot of people though, havent you? On 97.1 on Monday, the station's programming was one long, emotional tribute to Samuelsen, starting with Stone and Heather Park in the morning, and carrying over to Doug Karsch and Scott Anderson in middays. If you dont listen to your interview guests response, you wont be able to respond with something that is knowledgeable.. 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. He spoke with the president of the United States just as easily as he spoke with a Chinese farmer in a rice paddy or with the kid whod just won champion steer at the state fair. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. combine platform head from Case IH on display at 2023 Commodity Classic, at the end of this month, recording a landmark 60 years on WGN and creating original television programs such as U.S. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. Everyone loved him the engineers and everyone behind the scenes, he describes. After all, I am Norwegian. 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. And today theyre the biggest producer and the biggest exporter of soybeans. His surgery went well on Monday, he is out of ICU and looking forward to checking out of this luxury hotel (hospital) as soon as he gets a bit more strength back, Samuelsons wife, Gloria, wrote in an email. U.S. Farm Report continued without Samuelson after his departure. Samuelsen worked in the Detroit sports-media landscape since 1994, at a variety of radio stations, but most notable WDFN 1130The Fan and WXYT 97.1 The Ticket. Orion Samuelson is a 89 years old American broadcaster from . Sun-Times editor Chris Fusco leaving for California news startup, My childhood dream became the honor of a lifetime, Robservations: Sun-Times moving to Old Post Office; ABC 7 opens weekend anchor slot; Medill tracks local news decline, Robservations: StreetWise raises cover price; Sventoonie takes a break; Friends of Chicago Reporter mark 50. 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. He was honored at the 2010 Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo in Wisconsin Dells. The Tigers on Sunday held a moment of silence. You arent alone. Samuelson retires on December 31 after marking more than 60 years with the . WGN Radio's Orion Samuelson has graced airwaves throughout the heartland in places across the Midwest and beyond. Chronology 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. 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 received a custom-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. Like the farmers hes served all these years, Orion celebrated that last first day on the job long ago. 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. [1], Armstrong's first job out of college was for the Illinois Farm Bureau as a Broadcast Editor, which was where he met Orion Samuelson. Orion's net worth hovers over $250,000 - $499,999 with a yearly income that's about $175 - 199,999. He currently co-hosts (with associate Max Armstrong) the Morning Show on Saturdays. Since July 2009, Armstrong has been director of broadcasting for Farm Progress. 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. Published in La Salle, Illinois, USA, by Shaw Media. 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.. [8], On This Week in Agribusiness, Armstrong has a segment "Max's Tractor Shed," which features vintage tractors sent in by viewers. And yes, those programs often started and ended with an Ole and Lena joke. Heres how the Chicago media icon has told agricultures story. It is the dying refrain of a completed song, the final verse of a finished poem.Andr Maurois (18851967). There are tens of thousands of folks who are really going to miss you. Autobiography of Orion "Big O" Samuelson, radio broadcaster on WGN in Chicago for over 50 years. Orions stories of growing up on the family dairy in Ontario, Wis., are familiar to listeners: 30 milk cows, six sows, 200 chickens, 200 acres but only 90 tillable. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Experts warn symptom may return with new COVID strain, 'Waste of time': Community college transfers hit students, Texas baseball player hit by gunfire during game, With Title 42 set to end, White House braces for surge of migrants, Michael J. 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. If you eat, youre involved in agriculture is the line hes used thousands of times at such events. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. In 2010, the City of Chicago named the corner of Illinois Street and Cityfront Plaza Drive Orion Samuelson Way.. They plan to divide their time between homes in west suburban Huntley and Scottsdale, Arizona. And he championed the farmers cause. He transcends generations, says Cerro Gordo, Ill., farmer Jared Gregg. Sirott: When you were growing up in Wisconsin, did you have ambitions to be a broadcaster? It was Sept. 26, 1960, and as he headed toward his first day on the job at WGN, a singular thought ran through his head. 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. Plant-based product fixes nitrogen for corn, Report provides rangeland carbon market insight, Kansas State University veterinarian shares tips to prepare cattle for summer, Commodity Classic offers look at latest in ag equipment, tech, Orion Samuelson: Explaining agriculture to Chicago, Max on Orion: Champion for the American farmer. Samuelson has held the same job in the broadcasting industry for 50 consecutive years, second only to Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network announcer Vin Scully. The money-saving move of starting at a community college rarely works as planned. [12], Samuelson serves as a Board Member Emeritus for the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation (IALF) having previously served as chairman of the board. 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. Sirott: I imagine you still milking cows while youre in broadcasting. Not even Earl Butz had this kind of name recognition. He will retire from WGNs airwaves on Dec. 31. The bronze plaque is in the sidewalk outside the Tribune Tower studios at 435 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. 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. "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 hard working men and . Samuelson was inducted into the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame in 2017. She also had high praise for his care at University of Chicago. Orion is now single. There are options, 'Stranger than fiction': Tick bite may cause allergy, How to get out of a payday loan nightmare. CHICAGO ( NewsNation Now) One of the most famous voices in radio will end a remarkable 60-year career later this month. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Samuelsons travels took him to 44 countries. When I started, Orion was so highly regarded by everyone at WGN. Her guest asked her, if she didn't read them, how did she know how left-wing they were? Orion got plenty of practice thinking on his feet, as WGN took the show on the road for 40 to 50 remote broadcasts a year to county fairs, the Illinois State Fair, the Farm Progress Show and more. But inside WGN, his new colleagues welcomed him into the family. A. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association.
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