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Thursday, April 7, 2011

RIP: Nashville Radio Star Coyote McCloud

Coyote McCloud, a Music City radio icon and Nashville's first "shock jock," died Wednesday afternoon on his houseboat on Percy Priest Lake.

According to a story by Chris Echegaray at The Tennessean, McCloud, 68, died of cirrhosis of the liver. His ex-wife, former Tennessean reporter Susan Thomas, was at his side.

He worked for 30 years in Nashville radio stations including WMAK, WYHY, WZPZ and WRQQ and was the first on-air voice of CMTV, now CMT, which launched in 1983.

McCloud was one of the most controversial air personalities of the late 1980s when he led "The Zoo Crew" on Nashville's Y107. He was featured in a 1992 episode of CBS' 48 Hours in a program about shock jocks.



He wrote a Where's the Beef hit song based on the Wendy's theme.

"It was a life lived absolutely absent of fear of failure, a life of legendary reverie for living and full of deep friendships and a thousand acquaintances," said Jeff Ray, a friend of McCloud's and a former WKRN News 2 weatherman.

"Coyote was a radio star," Ray said.

He hosted Coyote & Cathy In The Morning on WMAK-FM and WRQQ until 2006, when the show was replaced.

Former wife Thomas, who remained on good terms with McCloud, posted his last moments to his friends and fans in a Facebook note.

McCloud was wrapped up in a comforter with his dog, Sawyer Black, cuddled on the floor next to the couch.

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