Dale "Truckin' Bozo" Summers WB6OM

Every trucker here knows who he is. Dale Summers, "The Truckin' Bozo" from 700 WLW has passed. He was 68. Dale traveled many miles with me. He kept me informed and entertained. Sadly I never put him in my log.

 

I remember when I started working a job that required me to work nights. FM was out -- it just isn't what it used to be. So I started tuning around on AM. WLW was strong and so i started listening - and it that's when I became aware of Dale Sommers. I got hooked and listened to him til he retired. Once he was in FLA and on Sirius/XM, I did not listen anymore. But I listen to ATN at night these days, Steve during the week and the knucklehead on the weekends rofl.

Good stuff. I'm not a trucker, but I can imagine Dale kept a lot of drivers awake at night who otherwise would have fallen asleep from boredom. I was listening to Steve the other night "getting the facts straight" about him and Dale. It was interesting, and of course only Steve's side.

RIP Dale

Mike

 

In Memory of
[h=1]Dale The Truckin' Bozo Sommers[/h] November 26, 1943 - August 24, 2012

Obituary


DALE SOMMERS, better known as "THE TRUCKIN' BOZO', whose overnight truckers' show aired on CLEAR CHANNEL Talk 700 WLW-CINCINNATI from 1984-2004 and in syndication before, moving to XM RADIO/SIRIUS XM RADIO's ROAD DOG channel for afternoons. SOMMERS, 68 years old, died on Friday, August 24, 2012 in the loving care of his family and Hospice of Citrus County.

SOMMERS worked in radio in several markets, including EVANSVILLE, CHARLESTON, WV, KANSAS CIY, MIAMI and SAN DIEGO before, returning to CINCINNATI and launching the overnight show. His son Steve Sommers, took over the WLW overnight, "AMERICA'S TRUCKING NETWORK" show in 2004. Upon, retirement; closed a 45-year career in radio. For the past 20 years, Bruce Dale Sommers, who was born in Tennessee, on Friday, November 26, 1943 to Glenwood and Betty (Cosby) Council; moved to Cincinnati at age 13, has entertained truckers nightly from midnight to 5 a.m. on WLW. The station's strong signal, a network of about a dozen stations established through Clear Channel radio and satellite radio allowed him to build a national fan base.

Long-haulers loved listening to Sommers in the wee hours. Before the days of cell phones, they would call him from rest areas and truck stops. Sometimes, just to offer a hello, sometimes, in need of help.

Sommers has helped solve several crimes. In 1986, he was chatting off-air with a regular caller known as "Mississippi Lady," who was at a 24-hour convenience store near Camilla, Ga. Sommers heard her tell someone, "You can't come back here." The woman then hung up. Sommers called Camilla police, who knew a store clerk with that nickname. Within minutes, the robber was caught.

Before becoming the Truckin' Bozo, Sommers worked for several local radio stations, and elsewhere nationally, including Kansas City, Evansville, Ind. and Indianapolis.

Sommers' nickname reportedly came from his former boss at WLW, Randy Michaels. During a station remodeling, Michael saw Sommers kick a wall whose supports had been removed. The panel crashed across a desk.

"God, you're a bozo," Michaels said.

The name stuck.

Sommers was a Kentucky Colonel, enjoyed photography and was an amateur ham radio operator.

Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Sharon K. Sommers of Hernando, Florida; sons, David Sommers and wife Christine of Ohio, Steve Sommers and wife Lisa of Cincinnati, Ohio, Kevin Sommers and wife Charisse of Kentucky, Jason Sommers of Houston, Texas, Sean Compton and wife Rita of Chicago, Illinois and Brian Mitchell and wife Magda of Ft. Worth Texas; daughter, Crystal Sommers of Evansville, Indiana; nineteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Services in Ohio to be announced at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastgate Community Church Building Fund, 3235 Omni Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45245.

Arrangements entrusted to
Fero Funeral Home
www.ferofuneralhome.com


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WB6OM SK

73 K2HAT