Legendary New England Broadcaster J.J. Jeffrey Has Passed Away
Those of us here at the radio stations of Townsquare Media in Maine and New Hampshire learned some sad news about one of the legendary broadcasters who created WBLM and went on to own several of the stations you listen to today.
J.J. Jeffrey, a legendary broadcaster born in Maine and who worked at major market radio stations, has passed away at the age of 84 after a brief illness.
Born Joseph Noyes Jeffrey, Jr. in 1940 in Portland, Maine, J.J. Jeffrey and his business partner Bob Fuller started WBLM radio in a trailer in Litchfield, Maine. That tiny little radio station grew to become a classic rock powerhouse in New England.
Previously, J.J. had worked in Boston, Pensacola, Philadelphia, and Chicago before coming back to his home in Maine and starting WBLM, forming the company Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with business partner Bob Fuller.
J.J. had a booming voice. I remember hearing that voice echo in the halls at Q97.9 and WHOM's old studios on Warren Avenue in Portland. He had a great sense of humor and loved everything about radio. You may remember him in the late 90s doing the news on the Q97.9 morning show with Meredith.
When WBLM had a commercial made for the station the announcer of course was J.J., who you can hear at the beginning of the ad.
J.J was even the person who was on the mic to launch Q97.9 in 1996.
J.J. later branched out to own Atlantic Coast Radio after Fuller-Jeffrey sold WBLM, WCYY, WHOM, WJBQ in Maine and WOKQ and WSHK in New Hampshire.
In 1997 Jeffrey and Fuller were inducted into the Maine Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
It's really hard to put into words how I feel after working with this legend for the short time that I did. He left a big impression on me and many others who got to work with him and he will be sorely missed.
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