Jim Felton, 1946-2014: Radio host met King, partied with the Stones

Jim Brady Felton

Longtime radio personality Jim Felton died Thursday evening at his home in Perrysburg. He was 67.

The cause of death was cancer, longtime friend and former colleague Matt Zaleski said.

Mr. Felton retired six years ago after having worked for more than four decades in broadcast media.

“He was in radio at a time when radio was very fun and very personality driven,” said Mr. Zaleski, who met him in 1979.

Mr. Felton was born Aug. 21, 1946, in Toledo. He took an early interest in radio and began working at WTOL-AM — now WCWA-AM 1230 — as a high school student in 1963.

After graduation, his interest in the airwaves took him across the country to stations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Much of his career was spent in Canada, where he lived and worked for about 18 years. Under the name Jim Brady, Mr. Felton began hosting the morning show at Toronto’‍s CFTR-AM 680 in 1973.

His program “Brady in the Morning” became a rapid success, taking the station from the bottom of the ratings to the top of the market, Mr. Zaleski said.

Mr. Felton returned home to Toledo in 1996. He worked at WRQN-FM 93.5, WRVF-FM 101.5, and WCWA until his retirement from WRQN in 2008.

He remained active, though, doing freelance voice work for radio commercials and political advertisements.

During his career, Mr. Felton met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., George Harrison of The Beatles, and Monty Python’s Eric Idle. One night he partied with the Rolling Stones, Mr. Zaleski recalled.

Mr. Felton summed up his life simply in an April interview with The Blade.

“I’ve had a good life; a great career, great friends, great family,” he said. “I really can’t complain.”

Mr. Felton told friends his final wish was for people to “wake up” and get themselves screened for diseases like cancer.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, whom he married in 2010; son, Edward; daughter, Stephanie, and former wives, Judy Felton and Pat Yancy-Felton.

A visitation will be held for family and friends at the Sujkowski Funeral Home in Rossford from 2-8 p.m. Monday.

A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Contact Marissa Medansky at: mmedansky@theblade.com or 419-724-6368.