By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Released in 1971, ‘L.A. Woman,’ the Doors’ sixth and final album (for all intents and purposes) still stands among their most significant works. This was not the sound of a band on its final ride but rather a rejuvenated force to be reckoned with in the coming decade. Sadly, that was never to be, as Jim Morrison died shortly after the album’s release. The music, however, has more than withstood the test of the decades that have come and gone.

As the 1960s progressed to the 1970s, the band had been in some disarray, with Morrison facing legal troubles and changing times. Where would the Doors fit in?

Morrison had drastically morphed into a different character. Gone was the sex animal, rock and roll poet meets pin-up. He was replaced by a bearded sage awash in an alcoholic haze. “When he got too drunk, he would become kind of an ass,” according to Doors guitarist Robby Krieger in an interview with the L.A. Times back in 2021. “It got harder and harder to be close with him. He’d have his drinking buddies, and we were always trying to keep them from being together.” As the story goes, Morrison would be out on all-night benders and then show up the next day at the studio to work on material for what would form the album.

Though the blues had always been a huge part of the Doors style and mantra, that vibe was front and center for ‘L.A. Woman,’ as the band was immersed in a more authentic blues path than ever. As sessions began, producer Paul Rothchild threw his hands up, claiming the band had no material worth pursuing. He then walked out on the sessions, leaving the band to work solely with longtime engineer Bruce Botnik. Together, they created a masterpiece. The other half of that story, according to Krieger, plays differently.

“The real reason was that he’d just done Janis Joplin’s album, and then she died,” recalled Krieger. “He felt that something might happen if he produced our album. Rothchild didn’t want to be known as the guy who produced somebody, and then they died.”

From the opening punch of ‘The Changeling,’ you knew this was no drunk fest caught on tape; this was a ‘lean, mean, fighting machine!’ This was followed by the album’s first single, the classic ‘Love Her Madly,’ which missed the US Top Ten but has remained a signature song in the catalog. ‘Been Down So Long’ is straight-up blues, almost to the point of cliché, but Jim and band pull it off, and ditto for the slow groover ‘Cars Hiss By My Window.’

Side one ends on one of the key songs, the title track,’ L.A. Woman.’ It becomes the perfect driving song for nearly eight minutes, even slowing down around the curves before picking up pace again. Morrison’s performance is stellar, and the band is on fire. “What’s so brilliant about Jim on ‘L.A. Woman,’” added drummer John Densmore, “was his idea of writing about our town as a woman. ‘I see your hair’s burning; the hills are filled with fire.’ That’s our fires.”

‘L’America’ kicks off side two in a haze of minor key tension that builds until it bubbles over. In fact, all of side two wanders into strange corners of the room, from the jangle pop of ‘Hyacinth House’ to the gritty blues of ‘Crawling King Snake,’ a John Lee Hooker classic, to the stomping rock and roll of ‘The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)’ before finally ending on the dreamlike ‘Riders on the Storm.’ Yet another Doors classic on an album loaded with classics! ‘Riders’ may be one of the most identifiable Doors songs, and it can still send a shiver down your spine with that cascading piano–especially on a rainy day.

The album reached number nine and would, in many ways, serve as the band’s epitaph. Although the remaining members released two more albums without Morrison, it wasn’t ‘The Doors.’ ‘L.A. Woman’ would be their final word. Was it their best album? Personally, I would still vote for their first or ‘Strange Days,’ although ‘Morrison Hotel’ is pretty damn great as well. But yes, ‘L.A. Woman’ is definitely up there.

I always return to The Doors’ music for various reasons: it still sounds vibrant and fresh, showcasing a band with purpose. To some, The Doors are overrated and dated; to others, their recordings remain among the finest in rock and roll history. They are arguably one of the greatest American rock and roll bands ever.

The sad part is that in 2025, the band and their music seem taken for granted. It’s a shame, as there was no band like the Doors before them, and there have only been imitators since. Morrison elevated the frontman role to a whole new level while the band created its unique sonic sphere. Go now and immerse yourself in the music of the Doors; there are certainly worse ways to occupy your time.

Membership and Finance Specialist

Position Type: Part-time contractor, hybrid work arrangement
Reports To: General Manager

Position Summary

The Summit FM Membership and Finance Specialist works on the operational and administrative functions related to fundraising and financial activities for the radio station, serving the Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and Athens communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain donor and membership database records
• Process financial transactions, donations, and membership payments
• Manage membership renewal cycles and fulfillment
• Generate financial and membership reports
• Provide donor acknowledgements and tax receipts
• Support donor events and community outreach
• Assist with member communications and direct mail campaigns

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience in non-profit operations, public radio, or related field
• Associate's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field (Bachelor's preferred)
• Experience with donor management systems or CRM databases
• Strong financial record-keeping and data entry skills
• Excellent communication and customer service abilities
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed

To Apply

Send cover letter and resume to tommy@thesummit.fm

Sales Representative

Position Type: Part-time contractor, commission-based
Reports To: Sales Director

Position Summary

The Summit FM Sales Representative secures business underwriting and corporate sponsorships for the radio station, serving the Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and Athens communities. This role focuses on generating revenue through new business development and account management for The Summit's eclectic music and community service programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Prospect and secure business underwriting from regional businesses and organizations
• Manage current accounts to ensure timely collection and increase renewal revenue
• Target potential corporate sponsorship of music programming and digital assets
• Compile personal weekly sales and activities reports
• Work remotely with the Sales Director to ensure accurate contract confirmations
• Write, approve, and schedule sponsorship announcements
• Meet or exceed monthly underwriting sales goals
• Collaborate with other station departments including marketing, events, and programming as needed

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of proven sales experience
• Experience in radio advertising sales preferred
• Experience in public radio or television considered an asset
• Strong sales leadership and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational, written, and communication abilities
• Familiarity with copywriting and database systems
• Experience with generating new/active leads
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

To Apply

Send cover letter and resume to laura@thesummit.fm

"Who Believes in Angels?" is a collaborative album released on April 4, 2025, by Elton John and Brandi Carlile. This project marks a significant milestone in both artists' careers, blending John's extensive experience with Carlile's fresh and dynamic artistry.​ It reflects a harmonious fusion of John's classic style and Carlile's contemporary flair. 

Produced by Andrew Watt, the album was recorded in October 2023 at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles over just 20 days. The creative process was intense, with John describing it as "one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life." The collaboration features contributions from renowned musicians such as Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pino Palladino (Nine Inch Nails), and Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam). ​ 

The album transitions between ballads, classic rock and roll, pop, and country-infused Americana. Tracks like "The Rose of Laura Nyro" and "Little Richard’s Bible" highlight the duo's ability to honor musical icons while infusing their unique collaborative sound. The title track, "Who Believes in Angels," exemplifies their synergy by combining classic piano melodies with modern synth elements. Lyrically, the album delves into themes of resilience, belonging, and reflection, offering listeners both depth and upliftment.

Critics have heavily praised the album; the Guardian praised it as a "true meeting of minds," highlighting the "energetic tracks" and "heartfelt duets" that define the record. Similarly, The Times described it as a "gutsy, flamboyant tearjerker," noting John's "spirited and youthful" performance at 78.

John and Carlile hosted a special event titled "An Evening with Elton John & Brandi Carlile" to celebrate the album's release at The London Palladium on March 26, 2025. The concert provided fans with an intimate experience of the album's tracks, along with performances of the duo’s individual greatest hits, further highlighting their dynamic chemistry. The extensive promotion for the album also featured John and Carlile performing on The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, and more. 

"Who Believes in Angels?" is a testament to the enduring friendship and creativity shared by Elton John and Brandi Carlile. The album effortlessly blends their styles, resulting in a nostalgic yet forward-thinking collection.

“Who Believes in Angels?” Track Listing:

1. The Rose of Laura Nyro
2. Little Richard’s Bible​ 
3. Swing for the Fences​ 
4. Never Too Late
5. You Without Me​ 
6. Who Believes in Angels?​ 
7. The River Man​ 
8. A Little Light​
9. Someone to Belong To
10. When This Old World Is Done with Me 

By Summit FM Contributor Matt Anthony

I felt like we were breaking some sort of law. My grade-school classmate, Chris, and I were slithering through the upstairs hallways of his parents’ house. Destination: The room of Chris’s older brother, Andy.  Underneath the turntable sat a stack of equalizers and power amps, and next to them the largest set of speakers I had ever seen. 

After angering my father by bringing two used Beatles albums into the house after a garage-sale score, my music worldview was about to be drastically changed even more: on that cool Autumn afternoon, I was introduced to The Who. 

They call them seminal moments. You know what I’m talking about. The first time someone paid you to shovel their sidewalk. The first time you engaged in fisticuffs with another kid. The first time your lips pressed on someone else’s.  

Mine included the first time I was introduced to distortion. 

And there it was, laid out in front of me, courtesy of those enormous speakers. The 4-chord blast at the beginning of ‘I Can’t Explain’. The fuzzy cacophony of ‘My Generation’. The chest-rattling rumble of John Entwistle’s bass during ‘The Real Me’. Sure, The Beatles were great. But this. This was life-altering. This was raw and angry. This broke the boundaries of decency.  

I mean, listen to Pete Townshend while standing in front of those Ampeg amps, coaxing that feedback symphony out of them, like a snake charmer with his pungi, dancing with it and serenading it, until he rockets us back into reality with three riffs of relief. 

This was better than that first bite of a sausage pie from The Pizza Oven: this was salvation. 

History differs in chronicling the genesis of this phenomenon. Some say it was Lightning Hopkins’s fault when he committed the mortal sin of turning up his amp. Some say it was Les Paul’s competitive response to Leo Fender’s invention. (or Fender’s answer to Paul’s intricate fretboard wizardry!) And some say it was just a plain old accident. (Hell, in ‘The Ongoing History of New Music,’ Alan Cross devoted a whole episode to ‘distortion’!) 

That Fall day in Canton, Ohio, in that bedroom with the gigantic monitors, would cement my addictive lust for fuzz, growl, and sustain. 

No, I’m not a one-trick pony. I’m grateful for all the different styles and genres of music. Everything from Barry Manilow to Pantera. Dolly Parton to XTC. Willie to Waylon to The Waitresses. I’ve been moved by the majesty of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, the film noir patina of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue, and the hypnotic stylings of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  

Ever heard the choir during Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Mogadore? Life-affirming. 

Sure, I can be transfixed by Ralph Mooney sitting in front of a pedal steel guitar. The same way that I can be brought to tears by Karen Carpenter during the Holidays. And Wes Montgomery? Fuhgeddaboudit. 

But I knew what buttered my toast.  The voluptuous vixen in my life was, and always will be, the over-driven audio signal path. 

The Jensen coaxial speakers in my ’71 Olds Cutlass are probably still warm from the workout that the Boston debut inflicted on them back in 1976. I can only surmise the torture they experienced during Zen Arcade on ‘repeat’. And, oh my, those poor Koss headphones, the ones that sat on my cantaloupe-crate of vinyl in the attic. The misery they must have endured on that 100^th playing of Never Mind the Bollocks. 

But while I’m thankful for the complete works of distortion art, I’m grateful as well for the magical moments. The magical seminal moments. Brian May’s righteous chord on top of Freddie’s piano roll at the 4:53 mark during ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The introductory body-slam salutation from Alice in Chains on Dirt. The luscious grind-core strumming from Adam Jones at 9:20 on “Pneuma’ from Fear Inoculum. And, no, my gratitude does not exist in a vacuum. Check out Momma’s version of “Rockstar’ from inside the mask room of Chicago’s Fantasy Costumes: at the end of the song, almost thirty seconds of glorious, sumptuous, dessert-like sustain! 

(Did I mention Jim Chenot and I standing next to a stack of speakers at Nautica, just as Dave Davies unleashed amplified absolution on us at the start of the Kinks show? That chord caved my chest in.) 

This day, I light copious amounts of incense to whatever celestial being promulgated the forces of nature to render me helpless to a force bigger than myself, bending my will and my ears to the satisfying, soul-cleansing wonder of the overdriven tube. The saturated reverberation of two drumsticks shattering a Remo drum head. The singular tsunami of noise as one’s hair is being blown back by a wall of delectable sound. 

By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director

What's everyone been listening to out there? So much new music coming at us, so little time... However, these songs that might fly under the radar to most are what I've been diggin' these past few weeks!

Like what you hear? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm and let me know what you think!

By Summit FM Contributor Marc Lee Shannon

It has been a long, strange trip that has led me to this small room with microphones, headphones, and a mixing console in front of my now 5-year-old MacBook Pro. The sounds of the Pretenders waft in the air from the nearby Tavoli radio as I sit in the Summit's Edit Studio B, where I am often left to write and ponder the meaning of my life—at least what my life has in store for lunch anyway.  

Back to the Pretenders. The song "Brass in Pocket" takes me back to a day in Pasadena, California, in late March 1980. Just about to graduate from the Hollywood-based music school, G.I.T., I had left my home on Liberty Avenue in the west Akron neighborhood near Firestone HS (Chrissy's Alma Mater) 18 months prior, and I was searching for a post-school apartment. I found myself on a tranquil street when that song came on in my beat-up brown and tan Subaru. I remember the scent of the jasmine trees and a feeling of hometown pride sweeping over me in a way that only a dreamer of dreams can experience when he sees another from his 'burb "making it." I loved the song because it represented the hope that my dream could come true. Many years later, I still feel the same way. Exactly the same.   

In the many ticks of the times since then, Ms. Hynde has proven her pedigree by sustaining a career, making authentic music, and cutting her trail in her way for over 45 years and some more than 12 LPs. Though she has now set down roots in the UK for some time, she occasionally returns to the Rubber City. At one time, she had a restaurant and condo in the downtown area of the Northside District. Her song “My City Was Gone” seems like a faint reminder of how much has changed since those days in the 1980s and how the city has morphed and changed since I left with all those great big dreams in 1979.  

The tales from some of the senior staff here at The Summit FM speak of her visits and ability to be kind and… prickly. One story was of the times she would pop into town, stop by, and use her sharp wit like a wire brush on a pair of suede chukka boots. Clearing the grit, brushing the chaff, and then sharing a kind, soft compliment as a dichotomy that seemed to say, in essence, you can't predict me! She was colorful and tough, just like the several generations of folk who worked in the factories and spent their Wednesday nights knocking down bowling pins and cold Rolling Rock Beer in neighborhood strip mall joints. 

Occasionally, she was available to comment or give a brief interview, but you had better be on your game and ready, Freddy.  

So after all these years, why does it matter so much to all of us from this city, the ones that grew up here, migrated here by job or other chance, or the ones like me who purposefully left the big city lights to return to what our soul told us what the right place, the right path? It matters because an artist like Ms. Hynde from your hometown is made with the same stuff: a green work shirt and trousers, working-class work ethic, and sensibility, speaking a truth that only resonates with that loyal, faithful tribe of believers from the many different Akron neighborhoods and that are in fact actually the same place, Anytown, USA. It's your place, my place, a place that shares the small-town Friday night familiarity of a hamburger place at Wallhaven, a legendary pizza place in the downtown Northside district, or that family-owned restaurant with a name that no one really knows how to pronounce.  

It's called home.  

Home matters. Home is the same if you're a legendary singer or a local heavyweight playing at a renovated theatre in Kenmore's hopefully renewed art/music district. Home is heart; home is a memory of what you used to be and what you are now after years of faithfully rowing the river of a dream that everyone thinks is crazy, except you.  

It’s knowing that there is a place for you at that familiar breakfast counter, no matter what. A place where you can live your life, strum your own song, grin that shaking-your-head smile, close your eyes, and slip back in time to a "remember-when" comforting sigh. Home is where we are all temporary strangers, waiting to discover that with a few more minutes of conversation, a few more stories, and a few more laughs, we are friends, after all.  

Thank you to all who atteneded to make this the biggest and best 330 Day Concert yet, and thanks to all the folks who helped make it possible! We'll see you next year!

Setlist – Ohio’s Greatest Hits
March 30, 2025 – Akron Civic Theatre – 6:00 PM Showtime

SET ONE:

1. Funk 49 – Brian Lisik                  
   Joe Walsh & The James Gang (Kent, OH)
   
2. I Try – Katy Robinson
   Macy Gray (Canton, OH)
   
3. The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore – Cody J. Martin
   The Walker Brothers (Scott Walker – Hamilton, OH)
   
4. Sway – Anya Van Rose
   Dean Martin (Steubenville, OH)
   
5. The Hand That Feeds – Candace Campana
   Nine Inch Nails (Cleveland, OH)
   
6. I Put a Spell on You – Willis Gordon 
   Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (Cleveland, OH)
   
7. Walking in Memphis – JD Eicher
   Marc Cohn (Cleveland, OH)
   
8. Lido Shuffle – Jeri Sapronetti
   Boz Scaggs (Canton, OH)
   
9. Time Won’t Let Me – Michael Weber
   The Outsiders (Cleveland, OH)
   
10. All of Me – Emily Bates of The Shootouts
    John Legend (Springfield, OH)
    
11. Shut Up and Dance With Me – Jeff Klemm
    Walk The Moon (Cincinatti, OH)
    
12. All by Myself – Jackie Popovec of The Vindys
    Eric Carmen (Cleveland, OH)
    
13. Amie – Alex Bevan
    Pure Prairie League (Waverly, OH)
    
14. Ghost Riders in the Sky – Ryan Humbert of The Shootouts
    The Outlaws (Freddie Salem – Akron, OH)

SET TWO:

1. Rosewood Bitters – Marc Lee Shannon
   Michael Stanley (Cleveland, OH)
   
2. Drive – Tracey Thomas
   The Cars (Benjamin Orr – Cleveland, OH)
   
3. Que Sera Sera – Shanna Delaney of By Light We Loom
   Doris Day (Cincinnati, OH)
   
4. Crystal Blue Persuasion – Carlos Jones
   Tommy James & The Shondells (Tommy James – Dayton, OH)
   
5. My Hero – Hannah Crandall of TRUSS
   Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl – Warren, OH)
   
6. Fast Car – JD Eicher
   Tracy Chapman (Cleveland, OH)
   
7. Whip It – Jeff Klemm 
   Devo (Akron, OH)
   
8. Lonely Boy – Ryan Humbert of The Shootouts
   The Black Keys (Akron, OH)
   
9. Back on the Chain Gang – Jackie Popovec of The Vindys
   The Pretenders (Chrissie Hynde – Akron, OH)
   
10. Love Train – Don Dixon
    The O’Jays (Canton, OH)
    
11. Grand Finale Medley – All artists
    • Nobody But Me – The Human Beinz (Struthers, OH)
    • Mony, Mony – Tommy James & The Shondells (Dayton, OH)
    • Twist & Shout – The Isley Brothers (Cincinnati, OH)
    • Shout  - The Isley Brothers (Cincinnati, OH)

Thanks to our incredible house band:

Erin Vaughn – Music Director, Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Keys, Mandolin
John Anthony – Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Kevin Martinez – Bass
Dylan Gomez – Drums
Rob Rodriguez – Keys
Ryan Humbert – Acoustic Guitar, Event Producer
Ryan Humbert, Emily Bates, Jeff Klemm – Backing Vocals
Justin Tibbs, Mark Russo – Horns