Michael Stanley

2019 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT PRIZE IN MUSIC

Cleveland native Michael Stanley is Cleveland’s heartland rock music phenomenon. From the mid 70's to the mid 80's, he and the Michael Stanley Band enjoyed a loyal following, touring with some of the superstar bands of that period including Eagles, Foreigner, KISS, and The Doobie Brothers. They produced several Top 20 and Top 30 hits, among them "He Can't Love You" in 1980 and "My Town" in 1983.

Nicknamed MSB by its fans, the band set astonishing attendance records at Cleveland area venues, including a record 20,320 at the Richfield Coliseum on July 20, 1979 and a record 40,529 for two Coliseum concerts on December 31, 1981 and January 1, 1982. Arguably, the band's greatest attendance achievement was the four night sold-out stand at Blossom Music Center August 25, 26, 30 and 31, 1982, setting a total attendance of 74,404, a record that still stands 37 years later.

Stanley was the co-host of PM Magazine on WJW Channel 8 from 1987 to 1990 and its follow-up, Cleveland Tonight, until 1991 where he received 11 Emmy Awards. His numerous television appearances include Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Drew Carey Show where he played himself! Since 1990, Stanley has been the afternoon drive disc jockey for Cleveland’s classic rock powerhouse 98.5 WNCX. In 2012, Stanley received the "Excellence in Radio" award from the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters.

Throughout his career, Michael has lent his name and creativity to support numerous charitable causes and events, including the international Ethiopian hunger campaign, The Cleveland International Film Festival, The Animal Protective League, Cleveland Red Cross, American Cancer Society, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Foundation, and The Cleveland Food Bank.  

To Northeast Ohioans, Michael Stanley is a rock legend who has provided us with a constant thread from the 1970’s to today. His music, heartland lyrics and sensibilities, along with live concerts, have given us a unique and personal musical journey. From his early songs such as “Rosewood Bitters”, “Why Should Love Be This Way”, “Lover”, and “My Town” to current fan and critic favorites, “Just Another Night in America”, and “Winter”, we find ourselves “Falling In Love Again” with Cleveland’s own every time his songs flow through our car radios. His music continues to resonate as the soundtrack for all of us who grew up in Cleveland in the late 70’s and 80’s.