The Voice That Made Cleveland Rock

“Cleveland, it’s time to rock and roll!”

If you grew up in Cleveland during the 1970s and 1980s and had WMMS on your radio dial, chances are you remember Kid Leo. More than just a DJ, he was the gatekeeper of rock ‘n’ roll in the Midwest—the guy who made sure the next big band got its shot, the guy who had the pulse of the streets, the clubs, and the records that would change your life.

Kid Leo wasn’t just spinning records; he was making legends. He was the guy who introduced Cleveland to Bruce Springsteen, helped shape the station that won Rolling Stone’s “Radio Station of the Year” award nine times, and made WMMS the most powerful rock station in America.

Let’s take a ride back through his story—the energy, the impact, and the undeniable legacy of a man who made Cleveland rock.

From Cleveland Roots to The Buzzard’s Nest

Before Kid Leo became a household name in rock radio, he was just Lawrence James Travagliante, a Cleveland kid with a passion for music. But when he landed his first gig at WMMS in 1973, he wasn’t looking for fame—he was looking to turn people on to the music that mattered.

WMMS wasn’t a powerhouse just yet. The station had started out in the late ‘60s as a progressive rock experiment, but it was still trying to find its identity. The pieces were coming together, and the city was hungry for a rock station that actually understood them.

That’s where Kid Leo came in.

Starting out as a fill-in jock, he worked his way up fast. His deep love for hard rock, punk, and emerging artists made him a natural tastemaker. By 1974, he took over the afternoon drive slot—and from there, things would never be the same.

The Voice of Cleveland’s Rock Revolution

Kid Leo didn’t just play Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and The Rolling Stones—anyone could do that. What set him apart was that he knew what was next. He wasn’t just a DJ—he was an advocate for the artists and the fans.

• He was one of the first DJs in the country to champion Bruce Springsteen before The Boss became a legend. Springsteen himself has said that Cleveland was one of the first cities to truly embrace him—thanks largely to Kid Leo hammering his records on WMMS.
• He played Patti Smith, The Clash, Elvis Costello, and The Pretenders when other stations were still hesitant to put punk and new wave on the air.
• He broke records first—if Kid Leo was playing it, Cleveland knew about it before anyone else.

And it wasn’t just about the music—it was the delivery. Kid Leo had a style. His voice was full of energy, urgency, and a streetwise coolness that made you believe in what he was saying.

He’d hit the mic with his signature “Cleveland, it’s time to rock and roll!” and launch into an intro so perfect, so electric, you couldn’t turn it off.

The Power of WMMS and The Buzzard Era

By the mid-‘70s, WMMS had become a giant—not just in Cleveland, but nationwide. The station had the best rock jocks, the best promotions, and a connection to the audience that other stations could only dream of.

Kid Leo wasn’t just a DJ—he was the face of the station.

Rolling Stone named WMMS “Radio Station of the Year” nine times between 1979 and 1987. The Buzzard logo became a symbol of rock ‘n’ roll in the Midwest. WMMS owned Cleveland, and Kid Leo was at the heart of it all.

More Than a DJ—A True Rock Champion

A lot of jocks play the hits. Kid Leo fought for artists.

He took chances on new bands, hyped up concerts like they were religious experiences, and used his position to support artists who deserved it. His interviews weren’t just fluff pieces—he connected with musicians and made listeners feel like they were part of the conversation.

And when he wasn’t on air? He was out supporting the Cleveland music scene, helping to solidify the city’s reputation as The Rock and Roll Capital of the World. He was a big part of the movement to bring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland—a fight that paid off when the city won the bid in 1986.

Leaving WMMS & A New Chapter

In 1988, after 15 years of dominating the Cleveland airwaves, Kid Leo signed off for the last time. Radio was changing—the corporate takeovers, the playlists tightening, the jocks losing control of their own shows. It wasn’t the same game anymore, and he knew it.

He took his passion for rock to the record industry, joining Columbia Records as Vice President of Artist Development. There, he worked directly with artists like Alice in Chains, Train, and Shawn Colvin, helping shape their careers just like he had shaped WMMS’s golden era.

The Return to Radio: Sirius XM & The Underground Garage

But the airwaves never left his blood.

In 2004, Kid Leo came back to radio, joining Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius XM. Not as some corporate VP, not as an old-school DJ trying to relive past glory—but as a true rock purist, bringing deep cuts, new bands, and classic influences to a new generation.

Now broadcasting nationwide, Kid Leo was back doing what he was always meant to do—spreading the gospel of rock.

The Legacy of Kid Leo

Kid Leo’s name belongs in the same breath as the DJs who shaped American rock radio—guys like Scott Muni, Cousin Brucie, Wolfman Jack, and Rodney Bingenheimer.

He wasn’t just another DJ. He was a tastemaker, a risk-taker, a guy who believed in the music and the artists before anyone else did.

• He made WMMS the most important rock station in America.
• He gave Cleveland a front-row seat to the rise of some of the greatest rock artists of all time.
• He proved that a DJ could be more than just a voice between records—he could be a legend himself.

Final Thought

Kid Leo isn’t just a name from the past—he’s a part of rock history.

If you ever turned on WMMS in its prime, you know.

You felt it.

And if you were lucky enough to hear Kid Leo’s voice say, “Cleveland, it’s time to rock and roll!”, you knew something special was about to happen.

That’s the mark of a true radio icon.