Anyone who listens to Wisconsin Public Radio recognizes Randall Davidson's voice and name. As chief announcer of the network, the Madison radio man is ubiquitous.
Davidson is also the unofficial historian on WPR, which he joined in 1990 as a news anchor and producer. Now, he has written an extensive, in-depth history of WHA in Madison.
"9XM Talking: WHA Radion and the Wisconsin Idea," published in hardcover by The University of Wisconsin Press, is a 325-page dive into the story not only of a radio station and public radio in Wisconsin, it also examines how the airwaves linked together a mainly rural state, bringing educational programming to one-room schoolhouses, important news to farmers and more. Davidson also talks about the "Wisconsin idea" of using radio to share the riches of the University of Wisconsin with the state's residents.
Illustrated and engaging, the book is an important addition to the pantheon of works on Wisconsin history and media history.
You can meet Davidson in person and have him sign your copy of the book at Schwartz Bookshop, 4093 N. Oakland Ave., in Shorewood on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
