Remembering a Legend
By Novice Johnson
If you lived in South Florida during the Late 60’s, you probably woke up listening to the radio as you dressed for work, or while the children were getting ready for school. When you got into your car, more than likely, the radio was turned to 1470 AM at the station we called our station, WRBD Rockin’ Big Daddy Radio. As the early 70’s rolled in, we were moving and grooving to the best in R&B and Gospel music, starting off in morning drive with Joe Fisher. He took us through the traffic jams and the weather reports, the school lunch menus and the news of the day. His deep and powerful voice kept us in the know as he became more than a Deejay.
Joe Fisher was raised in Palm Beach County, where he started early making money by delivering newspapers, and eventually becoming a grill master selling BBQ. Before he used his voice on the radio, he was a member of a singing group called the Chanteers. Always willing to give back, he also served in the United States Army. After he served his country and after the Chanteers stopped singing, Joe found his niche in the world of Black radio.
As a team player, Joe watched and learned quickly from the management and owners of WRBD. Soon he became the top on-air personality, and he started climbing the ladder. After duties as Music director and Program Director, Joe became the General Manager. He worked along with Mother Frances, Crown Prince, Madhatter, Jerry Rushin and more. As any great coach would do, he began to expand and compose a bigger team of winning on-air personalities that included James T., Chico the Virgo, Dr. J., Duke Ellington, Connie Clare, Magic, and Novice Johnson reporting news and sports, and more. When FM radio came into play, WRBD AM became partners with WCKO FM and On Air personalities such as Rodney Baltimore and Randy Franklin evolved. With the station thriving with high ratings and advertisers, Joe made sure to remind us that we were the community’s station, and our outreach was just as important than our voices over the airwaves. Under his direction we had a major role in David Deal Play Day, The Ms. WRBD pageant, there was a softball team, and we travelled to meet our fans in the Bahamas, where the station could be heard from sunup – sunset. We aired a live high school football game of the week every Friday night. And, if there was a local or national news story or event of significance, it was Joe Fisher who would give his commentary and advise the community.
In his later years, with his wife Pat and his family’s support, Joe had a few bouts with illness, but he always seemed to bounce back. From Betty Wright to Jimmie Bohorne, to Michael Stirling, to Paul Lewis of the Old Skool Gang, there is a long list of local and national recording artists who have thanked Joe Fisher for the role he played in their careers. At a recent memorial service celebrating the life of Joe Fisher, James T. mentioned the legacy Joe leaves behind as he said, “Joe was a leader, a teacher a businessman and a friend. I am because he was.” Dr. J (Julian Wright) said, working with Joe Fisher was like attending Joe Fisher University, followed by attending James T. University, we had a remarkable team with a very special, unbreakable bond.” Chico the Virgo said, “I can’t sum up remarks about the impact of Joe Fisher in two minutes. He paved a way for us to go from on-air personalities into roles as music directors, program directors and community servants.” Rodney Baltimore said, “Joe had a presence and a voice, he was respected on and off the air. He will truly be missed.” Jerry Rushin spoke of how he was influenced by Joe when he said, “I saw this car he was driving, his house and his friends and I said, I want all of that. I saw how he ran to HIS radio station, and I said, “I want to do that. And, when I had the chance to go from an on-air personality to upper-level management, a lot of what I did was based on watching Joe.” Cedric Hollywood stated that “I never worked for Joe, but he produced some of the most successful radio personalities in the state of Florida. Joe was a legend in every shape of the word.” As he reflected, Jimmie Bohorne said, “There will never be another Joe Fisher, there isn’t enough we can say or do to thank him.” And lastly, I said, “Joe taught us, guided us and prepared us for bigger and better things, he didn’t want good, he wanted great. He was nicknamed BIG FISH, but those of us who worked at WRBD thought it an honor to call him Boss.” He loved to end his broadcasts with the words, “God Loves You and So Do I.” So, in closing on behalf of all the WRBD/WCKO staff members, his family, and the community, I say, “Thank you Joe. God Loves You and So Do We.”
