His given name is Lawrence Travagliante, a mouthful for sure, and the kind of name that’d bust the bank if you were printing softball jerseys.
But millions of rock fans know him as Kid Leo, the greatest rock DJ of all time in the opinion of this half-deaf boomer. Kid Leo’s still doing his stuff 4-7 PM on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on satellite radio (channel 25 Sirius, channel 59 XM). “Little Steven” is Steve Van Zandt (AKA Miami Steve), legendary E. Street Band guitarist, Tony Soprano’s main man, Silvio Dante, and evil music pusher. 
From 1974 to 1988, Kid Leo spit into the microphone at WMMS-FM (The Buzzard) in Cleveland. Back then, the format was called ‘Progressive Rock’, a fancy way to say album rock or whatever the hell vinyl the DJ wanted to play. From ’79 to ’87, WMMS was named Radio Station of The Year by readers of Rolling Stone (this is a bit of a cheat as legend has it the #1 vote was the response “Radio sucks”). Still, WMMS was a force and one of the main reasons the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame is located by Lake Erie. Kid Leo was one of the key drivers of WMMS. I was an avid listener, when the signal wafted into the outer reaches of northeastern Ohio.
He’s the guy your parents warned you about when you were growing up, the one who had no job, smoked one Pall Mall to light another, smelled of stale whiskey, swore colorfully, had a stack of well-worn Penthouses, drove a muscle car way too fast and would happily buy you and your under-aged friends some PBR on the sly–providing there was a six or so in it for him.
He knew all the bands and all the songs, with an unrivaled record collection, and would craft a playlist that’d have you riding an emotional roller coaster– like you had a fist in your gut. At the end of his musical journey, he’d deliver you exhausted and begging for another ride ‘round the track.
Before the days of manufactured boy bands, ‘focus-grouped sounds’ and crossover media megastars, Kid Leo identified and gave air cover to interesting, compelling artists he thought were worth hearing–– Springsteen, Bowie, Patty Smith, Pretenders, Ramones, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Mink DeVille, Graham Parker and The Rumour, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Waits, on and on and on. He nestled them in deep tracks of great bands and great songs from obscure bands you felt shamed for not knowing.
It was an audio stew that continually coaxed your fingers to dial the volume control knob louder and louder and louder still until blood trickled on your shoulders.
On Friday’s at 6PM, he officially ushered in the weekend for northeast Ohio by playing Springsteen’s Born to Run , and it was like the green flag had been dropped.
Kid Leo conjured musical magic that made beer taste better.
He ended each shift with his guttural signature, “It’s time for me to punch out and wash up” and that about said it all. Kid Leo worked in the rock and roll mill, manufacturing one hell of a good time. At the end of his shift, he was dirty and spent. And so were his listeners.
If you’ve never heard him, he’s worth the price of admission to satellite radio. Join Kid Leo during one of his work shifts, work up an honest sweat and see if you don’t agree he’s the best there is and quite possibly the best there ever was.
It’s fun to read this and think back on radio station personalities that really made you love radio. (Not much of those around on commercial radio now, that’s for sure.) In my youth, I deeply fell for, hook line and sinker, all the talent on WNEW-FM in New York. They made you want to stay up too late because you didn’t want to miss anything!
Thanks for the nice words. Yes, it’s a shame what commercial radio has become. Check out Kid Leo — you’ll re-kindle your love of radio.
Great article. Not only did I have the opportunity to listen to his show and appreciate the great music, his unique presentation and knowledge of the songs and artists, special guests he had on the show (many artists stopping in before playing a big concert that night, etc.) but I also had the pleasure of working at the station (WMMS) with him when I was in the sales department.
He is truly a “class act” on and off the air. He was passionate about the station and not only understood the programming perspective,but the business aspect as well. He would work hard to creatively find ways to involve major sponsors in his show without compromising the integrity of the programming. Very well-respected by his audience and co-workers alike.
I will definitely be checking him out on Sirius!
You worked in the glory days of radio at the best station in the land. WMMS was a point of pride for everyone in Cleveland and northeastern Ohio. Hope whatever you’re doing today brings you a sliver of the happiness you enjoyed then, and more. Thanks for reading.
He WAS life in NE Ohio for about 15 years. He was rock and roll personified, and “world-premiers”, the best concerts, “meeting” the groups with his insightful, irreverant on-air interviews, and making music MUCH MORE than just a song. From high school through college, then beyond. He was gruff, he was mean, he was in-your-face emotional, and every day brought something new in the way of music and in the way of his presentation. This is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of his signature sound in Cleveland: We didn’t listen to the radio when Leo was on, we “experienced” radio. It doesn’t happen any more. His was a show that was part education, part kick-ass and F#@*# your parents, and each day you KNEW you were hearing history. I worked at the station as well, on the air, and I wanted to be like him, revered by the masses, but no one could BE him. Alone on the throne. His legacy lives today, along with his station-mates, on the North Coast, as they coined it. John Gorman, Matt the Cat, Betty, Jeff and Flash, Boom, Dia, BLF, Murray Saul, a few others, plus Walt, Carl and John Chaffee. Glory Days? You bet. Sing with me… My, my, hey, hey, No one can (or ever will) make radio rock that way.
You’re absolutely right. Hearing Kid Leo today on XM/Satellite only reaffirms how crappy the state of commercial radio is today. To hear him again, is well worth the price of admission for satellite radio.
Thanks for the article on the epic Buzzard’s Roost and their ringleader, Kid Travagliante. Other kingpins were Denny Sanders and Steve Lushbaugh. Flashbacks of the mysteriously legendary Record Revolution, Coventry Village, the Belkin Concert club and the pushers sashaying along the entrance to pre-concert Cleveland Public Hall chanting “windowpane, windowpane, windowpane”…
You obviously bore witness to the glory days. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, just looking thru a book written by John Gorman on “MMS”. What a flashback.My brother, sister & I had the whole upstairs of our home to ourselves, mom worked 2nd shift.Come Friday, after school, my brother opened his bedroom door & blast came the stereo & WMMS. Murray Saul, “gotta,gotta,gotta, get down damnit”!party time, then ‘Monday morning, I got Friday on my mind,” finally finishing off with Kid Leo’s signiture “Born to Run- by “The Boss”. What memories! Thanks to the entire team at MMS for bringing us real music we could party to.World Series of Rock, Agora Ballroom, The Coliseum, The Stadium, Blossum, Belkin!
Those were indeed the glory days of rock and Cleveland. Thanks for sharing.
Satellite Radio did not gain so much popularity as expected, maybe because of the reason that it is expensive.~.`
Expensive, yes, but worth it to avoid the awfulness that is commercial radio.
Yes, yes you can.
Would listen avidly to WMMS … and the Friday show for sure … “It’s national bee week … eat your honey for the weekend”..”La La La Hunta”… Murray Saul … best place for Rock n Roll bar none.
Thanks for collecting Lint. Couldn’t begin the weekend until WMMS released the madness. Best radio ever!
i remember when the kid got married- i was working at the place he had his reception- the band that played was southside johnny and the jukes- i remember seeing a person resembling frank zappa walk in the back door of the kitchen,and asking him if he was zappa- he just smiled. i also remember asking the kid for his autograph-in the middle of his wedding reception- not surprised- he was as gracious as could be and provided it along with a picture of him and i with his wife- a class act- keep rockin kid
Thanks for the great tale of the Kid. SSJ & Jukes plus Zappa– wish I’d have been there. I assume the reception wasn’t dry.
I never heard Kid Leo. Will probably have to spring for a Sirius subscription in my next new car, possibly an after-market Sirius radio. In New York in the late 60’s and early to late 70’s, we had great album rock on WNEW-FM. When a new, important album came out, they played the entire first side, took a brief break, then played the entire second side. If a DJ liked a particular piece of music, you knew you’d hear it over and over during his or her show. Scott Muni (sp?) was the lead DJ, as I recall. Other DJs at the station included Pete Fornatale, Jonathan Schwatz, Vin Scelsa, Dennis Elsas and Alison “The Nightbird” Steele. All of them were knowledgeable insiders. If you listened to the station, you were part of the rock music world even if you were just an ordinary stiff. Boy, do I miss that station!
Those were the days, when every major market had at least one station worth listening to– one not slavish to some Automatronic5000 playlist of the same four or five songs in heavy rotation every hour on the hour.
Yes, Curvin, your next car should definitely have Sirius and Kid Leo as your co-pilot for a few glorious hours of surprising and delighting rock ‘n roll radio.
Of course, beware– the devil’s music may lead to sinning!
I’m 55 and grew up in Cleveland. Kid Leo and the others set the mood for the whole city and were a huge part of what we did on a daily basis.
Must See TV? How about Must listen Radio? It existed then and hasn’t since.
He brought Bowie to town for his first ever appearance in the States.He was personal friends with people like Springsteen who played the Agora,
( 800 people?) for the stations 10th birthday. You probably still have the radio broadcast bootleg. If you don’t, go get it. He played Roxy Music, Blue Oyster Cult, Hawkwind and more along with the Kids beloved “girl bands” that still are played on Sirius. The Donnas and the Cocktail Slippers are a continuation of his love along with Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Spector, and Dusty Springfield.
The Buzzard had a stranglehold on Cleveland and national music trends that has never been matched and sadly, never will.
Cough up for Sirius, it’s worth every penny.
True words, Joey. The Kid is worth a couple bucks a month, and the other jocks on Little Steven’s Underground Garage ain’t half bad themselves.
Thanks for collecting Lint, Joey.
Went to high school with Kid. Actually he was a year behind me. Eleanores bar, 3.2 beer. Enjoy Larry now more than ever. LOL, glory days!!!
So you knew the Kid when he was really a kid? Great. Thanks for dredging up the memory of 3.2% beer. It gave a bladder a good workout, it did.
I grew up in Cleveland and listened to ‘MMS for years. I now live in Los Angeles, and subscribe to Sirius and imagine my surprise when I heard Kid Leo’s distinctive voice coming from my speakers. I felt like a kid back in Cleveland again! Only ‘MMS and M105 were the cool stations back then, and they provided me with a soundtrack for my youth. The jocks also provided me with an education about what real music is–not the watered down crap that passes for rock now. The life has been sucked from radio and rock in general–but to hear what it used to sound like, check out Kid Leo!
Sing it, sister– Kid Leo makes radio waves valuable again!
I was completing my undergraduate at Case Western in Cleveland from 1974 to 1978. WMMS was the heart and soul of the students on campus. It’s was practically a cult experience on weekends to listen to the station. I live on the other side of the planet these days but remember fondly being crammed into dorm rooms at Case Tech on top of the elephant steps and listening to the Buzzard with the volume on max. It was a different time and place that could only be appreciated about 30 light years out in the cosmos now. If you were there you know what I am talking about.
WMMS was a lifeline for many. The Buzzard exposed us to what was new, interesting and worth hearing. Thanks for playing, please keep collecting Lint.
Stumbled upon this great article when looking up Kid Leo tonight.
A lot of buzz about Springsteen’s Agora show release this week.
And yes we have the same name,and both Leo and WMMS fans from back in the day. Wondering if you are originally from Cleveland.
From Hubbard, just outside of Youngstown. Glad you liked the article. Keep collecting Lint! Thanks.
Grew up in Cleveland, mms and Kid Leo were the best. Then living in NYC area was surprised to see I knew just as much if not more about music as wnew listeners, plus saw all the great concerts. Still have my mms mushroom t-shirt. Thanks for the best radio station ever!
Thanks for reading and contributing. Those were the glory days of FM radio, and glad to hear MMS mentioned in the HBO series “Vinyl”–– many bands were broken by this beacon of taste in the midwest. Keep collecting Lint!
Thanks for this post–just came across it tonight. I’m originally from Cleveland Heights and recently published a book on the biblical and theological elements in Springsteen’s lyrics. I thanked Kid Leo in the acknowledgments for playing “Born to Run” every Friday evening, then I sent him a copy of the book (no response thus far but as Miami Steve says: we live in hope).
Thanks, Azzan. Hope and faith that Kid Leo responds. Wishing you and your book the best. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Wish I could have heard him in his hay day……!!!!!! Wounder what such a talented man is doing with his life today.Hopefully enjoying ever minute of it..and still have people enjoy him…..Sounds like a really neet man.
Thanks for reading and contributing. Yes, Kid Leo was an incredible DJ, and I believe he still handles drive time on Little Steven’s Underground Garage radio on Serius XM. Check him out!