Melvin Lindsey (July 8, 1955 â€" March 26, 1992) was an American radio
and television personality in the Washington, D.C. area. He is widely
known for originating the "Quiet Storm" late-night music programming
format.Lindsey began his broadcast career as an intern at Howard
University radio station WHUR-FM. In 1976, he brought the "Quiet
Storm" to the station's late-night lineup, titled after a romantic hit
single by tenor crooner Smokey Robinson. The show's soulfully melodic
and moody musical fare made it a phenomenal success and the 'love
song'-heavy format was quickly replicated at stations across the
country that served an urban, African-American adult demographic.
Lindsey's show also gave rise to a category of music of the same
name.After a nine-year run on WHUR, Lindsey took his format to another
local radio station, WKYS-FM, for five more years and later hosted
Screen Scene for Black Entertainment Television (BET). He also worked
for Washington, D.C. television stations WTTG-TV and WFTY-TV and for
WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland.Lindsey died at the age of 36 from the
complications of AIDS in 1992, but the Quiet Storm format he
originated gained widespread popularity and remained popular over 4
decades after its inception, across the nation, especially in evening
and late-night radio programs. Artists continue to compose songs
target the audiences of Quiet Storm stations and shows.
and television personality in the Washington, D.C. area. He is widely
known for originating the "Quiet Storm" late-night music programming
format.Lindsey began his broadcast career as an intern at Howard
University radio station WHUR-FM. In 1976, he brought the "Quiet
Storm" to the station's late-night lineup, titled after a romantic hit
single by tenor crooner Smokey Robinson. The show's soulfully melodic
and moody musical fare made it a phenomenal success and the 'love
song'-heavy format was quickly replicated at stations across the
country that served an urban, African-American adult demographic.
Lindsey's show also gave rise to a category of music of the same
name.After a nine-year run on WHUR, Lindsey took his format to another
local radio station, WKYS-FM, for five more years and later hosted
Screen Scene for Black Entertainment Television (BET). He also worked
for Washington, D.C. television stations WTTG-TV and WFTY-TV and for
WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland.Lindsey died at the age of 36 from the
complications of AIDS in 1992, but the Quiet Storm format he
originated gained widespread popularity and remained popular over 4
decades after its inception, across the nation, especially in evening
and late-night radio programs. Artists continue to compose songs
target the audiences of Quiet Storm stations and shows.
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