Billy Bruce, a beloved part of our community and Ocean 98 Family, passed away on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
From 2009, he hosted a show he devised and created called The Rock Outside The Hall Show on Saturday Mornings. The show was originally one hour. He presented content that dealt with the artists, bands songwriters and solo acts that were not yet in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. His presentation was diligent, demonstrative and even sometimes, delicate. He created his shows for one purpose… the listener. He was able to convey his thoughts on artists not in the Hall through music, his own knowledge and constant research and dynamic delivery. He often dug so deep to provide actual accounts of the history of a subject that he ended up with articles printed at the time an artist was a popular and “in the news”. He intertwined, or “spidered” these musical stories with important world and social issues going on at the times he was speaking of to give us a more complete sense of events occurring simultaneously and places they were centered in.
Most special about his shows, he had first hand knowledge of all the subjects he presented. As listeners, We were truly given the gift of living history.
In 2013, his Rock Outside The Hall Show went to 2 hours on Saturday, and a new show, “The Rock Inside The Hall Show” was introduced on Sunday mornings.
There are too many reasons to count why we will miss him. One thing we all can agree on as fans, friends and listeners… We will all miss his friendly, humorous and dynamic personality… especially, his opening to The Rock Outside The Hall Show “GOOD SATURDAY MORNING”!
Billy Bruce, August 2, 1945 - August 24, 2023