R.I.P.. James Eiseman, Rochester Radio's 'The Iceman'

James Eiseman

James Eiseman, known to Rochester, NY radio listeners of the 1980s as "The Iceman," has died. He was 61, according to The Democrat & Chronicle.

Eiseman hit the Rochester radio scene in January 1984 when he was hired to host a weekend show at WPXY (now Sports WHTK) 1280 AM following part-time gigs at WABC in New York, and as a producer and music director at WHDH in Boston.

He left the big cities because, as he told the Democrat and Chronicle in 1985, "I was at a dead end, spinning my wheels," and relocated to Rochester because his wife was from nearby Penfield.

Eiseman landed his weekend program at WPXY. In the fall of 1984, he was "The Iceman" hosting a 7 p.m.-to-midnight show Mondays through Fridays on WPXY's FM sister station, 98 PXY.

"I have a following of sorts," he said at the time. "They're nice folks, they call themselves the Icicles. I try to give them more than the basic 'card-reading jock.' I try to inject a little personality."

After his time in radio, Eiseman managed the hearing aid dispensary at Costco, a career his relatives said he found spiritually rewarding.