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Butterball
Jr.’s
impact
on
Detroit
and its
residents
went
well
beyond
the
airwaves
that
carried
his warm
voice,
comforting
sense of
humor,
signature
charm,
and
in-depth
interviews
to area
residents.
In fact,
the
hometown
hero
coined
the
nationally
recognized
phrase,
"Take
your
souls to
the
polls
and
vote,"
which he
used to
encourage
listeners
to elect
Detroit's
first
Black
mayor,
Coleman
A.
Young,
in 1973.
(Photo
from
Family
archive) |
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Wade
“Butterball
Jr.”
Briggs:
The man
who did
it
all..and
did it
well!
By
Ellen
Chamberlain
For Tell
Us USA
News
Network
Detroiters
mourn
the
passing
of radio
personality,
community
leader,
and
businessman
Wade Lee
“Butterball
Jr.”
Briggs.
Detroit
has lost
another
legend,
but the
city
will
forever
reflect
the
heart
and
influence
of Wade
Lee
“Butterball
Jr.”
Briggs.
Briggs
first
made his
mark on
the city
as a
community-minded
MC and
radio
personality
at
Detroit’s
first
Black-owned
and
operated
radio
station,
WCHB,
where he
hosted
the
award-winning
“Rap
with
Butter”
show in
the
1960s
and
‘70s.
He
was a
showman
who was
able to
catch
listeners’
ears
with his
catchy,
rhythmic
wordplay
that was
signature
to most
radio
hosts of
the day,
but
unmatched
by most
others.
He would
candidly
inform
listeners
that he
was,
“Five-three,
263
[pounds],
just as
fine
Black
and
round as
I wanna
be, on
the
radio”
explaining
his
moniker.
Butterball
Jr.’s
impact
on
Detroit
and its
residents
went
well
beyond
the
airwaves
that
carried
his warm
voice,
comforting
sense of
humor,
signature
charm,
and
in-depth
interviews
to area
residents.
He was
an
active
member
of the
community,
serving
as a
volunteer,
mentor,
and
political
advocate
throughout
his
youth
and
adulthood.
In fact,
the
hometown
hero
coined
the
nationally
recognized
phrase,
"Take
your
souls to
the
polls
and
vote,"
which he
used to
encourage
listeners
to elect
Detroit's
first
Black
mayor,
Coleman
A.
Young,
in 1973.
Later in
his
career,
Butterball
Jr.
served
the
community
as an
investor
in major
economic
development
projects.
He was a
partner
in the
Alpha
Restaurant
Group,
the
ATWATER
Motor
City
Casino
Group,
and
other
partnerships.
He even
held a
U.S.
patent
for a
home
security
device.
The
radio
star got
his
start in
broadcasting
while
stationed
in
Amarillo,
Texas,
during
his U.S.
Air
Force
service.
While in
Texas,
Butterball
Jr.
worked
in both
radio
and
television,
but
caught
his “big
break”
when he
landed a
job as
the only
Black on
air
personality
at KRAY
radio.
Within
his
first
year,
the
personality
that
Detroit
would
come to
know and
love
took the
Texas
station’s
ratings
from the
bottom
to the
number
two
slot.
His
popularity
and hard
work
earned
him a
promotion
to the
Program
Director
seat,
allowing
him to
switch
the
station’s
Top 40
format
to Soul
and R&B.
While
still
serving
in the
Air
Force,
Butterball
Jr.
attracted
the
attention
of
KFDA-TV
10
Amarillo
and
became
its
sports
editor;
later
becoming
a studio
cameraman
for
KGNC-TV.
By the
time his
military
service
ended,
Butterball
Jr.
received
over 20
offers
from
radio
stations
across
the
country.
The
Detroit
native
chose to
return
home and
accepted
an offer
to join
WCHB,
where he
worked
as a DJ,
Program
Director,
and
later,
Operations
Manager
for WCHB
and WJZZ
the next
14
years.
In 1982,
the
beloved
radio
personality
traded
his
headphones
for
entrepreneurial
pursuits
as he
took on
the role
of EVP
of
Barden
Communications,
Inc.
While
there,
he and
Don
Barden
were the
co-founders
of
Barden
Cablevision
of
Detroit
which
was
instrumental
in
building
the
city’s
cable
television
network.
During
his
tenure
as VP of
Programming
and
Advertising,
he
helped
mold a
new
generation
of
Detroit’s
broadcast
talent.
Wade
L Briggs
as
Executive
VP of
Fee
Records
was
instrumental
in
launching
the
careers
of local
music
icons
like
Grammy
Award-winning
singer
Anita
Baker
and The
Floaters.
The
Floaters
albumn,
“Float
On”
attained
Platinum
status.
He was
inducted
into the
Rhythm &
Blues
Hall of
Fame in
2017.
In 1994,
Butterball
Jr.
founded
VoiceNet
Communications,
Inc.
which he
later
sold to
Ameritech
(now SBC
Global)
in 1997.
Wade
L.
Briggs
Enterprises,
Inc. was
founded
in 1997
as a
communications
consulting
firm
that
provided
training
and
communications
services
for the
Detroit
Water &
Sewerage
Department
(DWSD).
Butterball
Jr.
received
recognition
from
Mayor
Dennis
Archer
for
launching
the
Cultural
Change
program
that
created
strong
communication
ties
between
employees
and
management;
DWSD and
external
customers.
Wade
enjoyed
time
away
from the
city and
purchased
a home
for the
family
“Up
North”
and
loved
boating
on the
“SS
Butterfly
I-IV.
As
he often
told his
listeners,
Wade
Briggs
was his
Christian
name,
but
Butterball
Jr. was
his
claim to
fame.
Throughout
his
life,
Butterball
Jr. kept
his love
for his
family,
faith,
music,
and
community
front
and
center.
He
leaves
behind
his
wife,
Celeste
Briggs,
daughters:
Deana
(Rex)
Nelson,
Erika J.
Briggs,
Maya C.
Briggs,
Candace
A.
Grooms,
Corrin
R.
Grooms,
sisters:
Anita
(Rev.
Harry)
Barnes,
Daisy
Aldridge,
Jeanette
(Tony)
Marable
a host
of
family,
friends,
and fans
across
Detroit
and the
nation
to mourn
his
passing.
But his
legacy
continues
in the
lives he
touched
over the
years.
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