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. Thank you . The hall of fame broadcaster and Chicago media icon says he'll end his run 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. Reverence, always. Garth. He broadcasts live from the show, then walks around and does reports in front of a video camera. I tend to wait until tomorrow, but she said, Look at this now, because we dont wait, Orion recalls. "How do you say goodbye to a man who made everyone feel like a friend?". All rights reserved. Ontario, Wis., looked like home. As a kid, Orion served as "that voice on the radio" that I became . It turns out he had a flesh-eating bacteria working on his throat. He wouldnt walk again for two years. Having trouble filling a prescription? Chicago radio legend Orion Samuelson is out of intensive care and recovering from heart-valve replacement surgery, his wife said Wednesday. Particularly when I, on a Sunday, went with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Prime Minister of India to see the Taj Mahal. 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. He was honored at the 2010 Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo in Wisconsin Dells. Last check: 1 year ago. Everyone loved him the engineers and everyone behind the scenes, he describes. ", Now Samuelson looks back on a splendid career he never could have imagined. Enjoy the next phase of your life. U.S. Farm Report continued without Samuelson after his departure. 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. "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?. Farm Report in 1975 and. You arent alone. I can recall the volume going up and our little voices being muted in my grandpas truck when Orion came on. Kathryn Samuelson, Judith Samuelson, Gloria Samuelson, James Warren and Lois Long, and many others are family members and associates of Orion. in 2005. Orion Samuelson started his career at WGN Radio in September 1960, when the presidential election involved Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. Last . After a few years, audiences finally began to wane, and the program ceased live performances after 1957. . The man continues to repeat the introduction until Orion continues. As for why his listeners love him so, Max has a few ideas: Orion is reliable, credible and accurate. 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 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. During his over 60 years as a farm broadcaster,. Sirott: You had to be pinching yourself at times along the way? Orion Samuelson is a 89 years old American broadcaster from . Samuelson retires on December 31 after marking more than 60 years with the . The second is a parody of the poem " A Visit from Saint Nicholas ." [1] He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Famein 2003. We collect into a small bunch the flowers, the few flowers, which brought sweetness into a life, and present it as an offering to an accomplished destiny. He transcends generations, says Cerro Gordo, Ill., farmer Jared Gregg. I couldnt believe it was happening, he says today. Samuelson's first day on the air at WGN was on September 26, 1960 at "milking time", 5 a.m., at age 26. Orion through his work ethic, knowledge and personality had earned the respect of the people there and that helped me immensely when I came on board, he said. And today theyre the biggest producer and the biggest exporter of soybeans. 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. But times and tastes changed, and in early 1960, ABC bought WLS and converted it to a rock-and-roll station. After graduation, he moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where he lives with his wife, Heidi. Why? Orion immediately set to work shaping WGNs farm programming after he aired up his tires and mastered the elevators, of course. His voice is synonymous with agriculture news and after January Orion Samuelson will be stepping away from the microphone. Samuelsen died Saturday night at the age of 48, surroundedby McDonald and their three children. So, its one of those what might have been stories but I value my relationship with my wife, Orion says, laughing. Monticello, Ind., farmer Brian Scott says his grandpa said the same thing after nearly every lunch: Orion said . When I started, Orion was so highly regarded by everyone at WGN. These days, Orion is dialing back obligations and busy recovering from back surgery. Armstrong was a member of NAFB for 40 years before being elected president. He currently co-hosts (with associate Max Armstrong) the Morning Show on Saturdays. 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. Samuelson: It took me and I still cant believe this, but it took me two weeks to make the decision that I would leave Green Bay and go to Chicago, because Im a country boy. 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]. Samuelson has spent over 60 years perfecting this talent, first at radio stations in Wisconsin before starting his job at Chicagos WGN Radio in September 1960. 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. In addition to hosting his signature farm reports on radio and TV, and anchoring "The Noon Show" from 1960 to 2003, Samuelson emceed "The National Barn Dance" and read the first bulletin on the air of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. In 2017, Max Armstrong was elected President of the NAFB. 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. Max Armstrong (born June 13, 1953, Owensville, Indiana) is an American agriculture broadcaster from Chicago, Illinois. Truman. Through the years Samuelson has remained active in organization dear to his heart including 4-H and FFA. If someone brought Orion fresh sweet corn or asparagus, he shared it with the engineers. Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. Three years into his tenure at WGN, he was the staffer that read the news of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Registered in England and Wales. The University of Illinois also presented Samuelson with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters. Jim was very professional, and I learned several things from him that I still use, Orion says. [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. Their operation includes 125 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation. The feeling is mutual. 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. That, I thought, explained a lot. It is the dying refrain of a completed song, the final verse of a finished poem.Andr Maurois (18851967). 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. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay. Farm Report in 1975 andThis Week in AgriBusinessin 2005. FAIRY TALE? You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. 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. I think that a lot of people recognize that without agricultural trade, we would be in far worse condition because our farmers produce so much more than we can consume. Orion is now single. 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. COVID-19 has complicated traditional funerals. Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. The bronze plaque is in the sidewalk outside the Tribune Tower studios at 435 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. 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. When Armstrong started at WGN, he was surrounded by announcers and personalities who were significantly older. Orion and his first wife adopted two children, David and Katheryn. Dont make a mountain out of this lets wait and see what weve got was his approach to crises large and small. 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. And yes, those programs often started and ended with an Ole and Lena joke. It wasnt what you would call prime farmland, he says. At Purdue University, Armstrong received honors as an "Old Master" in 2005 and was recognized as a "Noted Alumnus" in the 2009 'Facts at Your Fingertips.' Thats why I tell young people today to learn everything you can about everything and youll always have a job, Samuelson said. Norma And Im looking at that building, this monument that the man built for his wife. All rights reserved. "They werent teaching me to be a broadcaster, they were teaching me to be a writer. joined Orion at WGN in 1977, and as they spent the next 43 years together on air, they developed a seamless rapport. Like the farmers hes served all these years, Orion celebrated that last first day on the job long ago. 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. They serve with their local 4-H and FFA programs, their school district, and are active in their church's youth and music ministries. I would, I would like that a lot. In addition, Samuelson hosts a three-minute daily "National Farm Report", and a weekly commentary, "Samuelson Sez"; both are syndicated to various stations across the country through Tribune Broadcasting's Tribune Radio Network. 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. Fox says disease is getting tougher, These were the deadliest national parks of 2022, List of most expensive ZIP codes released, These are the cheapest days of the week to buy gas, Correspondents Dinner requires balance: Comics, Oklahoma students attend star-studded Christian revival, Expert: Some bright spots in spring housing market, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Wind noise is frequently loud on the tape. And then I shook hands with Mikhail Gorbachev, you know, two of the world leaders and went to England to broadcast live from their Royal Agriculture Show and when you say, who are the most important people: the farmers, the ranchers and the food producers are, and then all the others came after that. I think whats worked so well for us is that were different enough to really complement each other, Max says. Samuelson: Well, because we were able to talk more than planting corn or soybeans. An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. 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. Whats been your reaction to this outpouring of love for you? 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. 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. 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. Copyright 2023. Orion Samuelson, 86, informed his bosses he'll retire at the end of the year. That's because he'd dropped out as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison after only three months. [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. Join bestselling author Brad Montague in a Flip Live Event that inspires learners worldwide to embrace their creativity. CHICAGO ( NewsNation Now) One of the most famous voices in radio will end a remarkable 60-year career later this month. "[10], For 22 years, Armstrong contributed his time as an appointed Fire Commissioner in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. For over 60 years, Orion Samuelson has been the voice on the radio and a trusted member of the farm family. The pair were married in 2001. In the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Armstrong. The first is a short musical number (in thirty-two-bar form) in which Yogi shops for his wife and, considering buying a nightgown for his wife but not knowing her size, opts to buy her a carpet sweeper as his gift to her. Indeed, entire generations have grown up on the farm conditioned to shush around the table or in the truck or across the milking parlor when Orions voice came on the radio. He will be turning 90 in only 335 days from today (01 May, 2023). They had a lot of misconceptions about the role food producers play in our economy and our society, Samuelson said. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. A. Gloria took the sensible route, thinking it too taxing to campaign following a recent throat surgery. Samuelson now hosts a similar show, This Week in Agribusiness, on RFD-TV, along with Armstrong. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. They also spend about five weeks a year at their home in Scottsdale, Ariz. 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. Few partnerships in agriculture are as easily recognized as that of Max and Orion again, by first names only. Max Armstrong joined Orion at WGN in 1977, and as they spent the next 43 years together on air, they developed a seamless rapport. In the clip the announcer says, "Now, here's Orion Samuelson," but Orion seems not to have heard! But he remembers the first time he spoke competitively: My knees never stopped shaking!. That is unheard of in this industry., Field Editor's Blog @AgNews_Doran: Best wishes to Orion in his retirement https://t.co/abTEj8w1v7. Samuelsen also made regular appearances on Fox 2 and wrote periodically for the Detroit Free Press. The scholarship is presented to a college student seeking a career in agricultural communications. 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. He is a part-time farmer and has experience as a banker with an emphasis on agriculture and residential lending.. 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. Orion's net worth hovers over $250,000 - $499,999 with a yearly income that's about $175 - 199,999. He also made history by being the first agribusiness broadcaster to be inducted into the National Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame. And then you start dreaming. 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. It would also be the last first day Orion Samuelson would ever have. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Other people hear it differently than I do, thank God! He went one further when he got Orion into public speaking contests. [2] Career[edit] His final broadcast on WGN was the noon business report on December 31, 2020.[16][3]. We would talk about trade with China. 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. He was much better than I would have been, Orion reassures. That teacher, Robert Gehring, went far out of his way to help a kid who really needed to catch a break. 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. 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. 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. [3] He considered becoming a Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. 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. Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazines coverage. [3], Since August 2005, Armstrong has been co-host and co-founder of This Week in AgriBusiness, owned and produced with Samuelson. [12], Samuelson serves as a Board Member Emeritus for the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation (IALF) having previously served as chairman of the board. But mainly, hes told agricultures story from downtown Chicago, where he became a media icon and a beloved hall of fame broadcaster. "Well go back and forth to Arizona and not have to worry about setting the alarm clock and making sure Im ready for the next report," he said. Kate Sullivan so grateful for CBS 2 run, 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. It makes sense, he says. Like regular Orion, Air Orion will retire soon, too. Orion Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, near LaCrosse. 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. "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 Today, Samuelson and his wife live about 50 miles west of Chicago. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. In 2010, the City of Chicago named the corner of Illinois Street and Cityfront Plaza Drive Orion Samuelson Way.. Orion Samuelson was just 27 years old when he made his way up North Michigan Avenue, striding toward the Tribune Tower. He has has served on the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees and in 2017 began working with the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to raise $500,000 to support livestock programming. Copyright 2022 agrinews-pubs.com. "We will celebrate his life, but are taking time to figure out the best way. just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications. "So many memories," he said, "and theyll be with me as long as Im around.". 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. The new routes will shave off 40,000 miles and 6,000 minutes of travel time annually, according to the FAA. Orion Samuelson and his wife, Gloria, rode in the local parade as Grand Marshal on the final day of the festival. 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. "The Big O," as he's known around the station, will continue to deliver five or six daily business reports for WGN until he hangs up the mic and rides off into the sunset with his wife Gloria. You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. 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. Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, near LaCrosse. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue recently honored Samuelson with a proclamation heralding the broadcaster's long career in ag journalism.