Chad Patterson

Blarney Stone Broadcasting (Grayling) has announced that Chad Patterson, actor, comedian, playwright, stage director, educator and the broadcast voice of Grayling High School sports, is bringing his talent to morning-drive radio with a new show on WQON (Q100).

“We are thrilled to introduce Chatterson’s Q100 “Wake Up Call” show to engage and entertain our huge listening audience on-air and online weekday mornings from 6 -10 a.m.,” said Sheryl Coyne, president of Blarney Stone Broadcasting.

“Chad joins our live and local hometown talent crew. His morning show will get you up and headed to ‘The Bus Stop” to get on JoMama’s ‘Midday Rock & Roll Joy Ride,’ which will take listeners on a unique listening experience to ‘Jabo’s Sound Check’ – an entire day, as we like to say at Q100, ‘saving rock & roll one listener at a time.’”

The Crawford County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year for 2017, Patterson brings an eclectic background to the airwaves and he is no stranger to Northern Michigan listening audiences.

“We first encountered Chad when we launched Q100 more than 10 years ago,” Coyne said. “He was hosting the opening ceremonies of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon and his natural creativity and enthusiasm had thousands of people gathered on the riverbanks in downtown Grayling in the palm of his hand.

“As an actor, director and improve artist, Chad has the wit and love of all things rock and roll. And as the voice of Grayling High School sports for the past seven years, he has proven his knowledge and passion for all things Northern Michigan that will be evident to listeners on his family-friendly show.”

Patterson, 51, grew up in Dimondale, Michigan, near Lansing, the son of a GM autoworker father and a phlebotomist mother. After graduating from Leslie High School, where he developed a love for theater and football, he discovered his true love while a student at Lansing Community College: performing live theater and stand-up comedy.

Patterson found his way to Northern Michigan after marrying his wife, Lori, in 1996, and she accepted an elementary school teaching position in Grayling. They have sons, Seth, 23, and Sam, 16. Chad owns a children’s theater company, Acting Up Theatre, allowing him to write his own plays and tour throughout the state for nearly 20 years – until the COVID pandemic.

A paraprofessional at Grayling Middle School for the past six years, Patterson directs the High School play at Grayling. He’s also the director of the improv troupe “Gits and Shiggles” at the AuSable Artisan Village. He was the perennial emcee of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon as well as many other events throughout Northern Michigan. His improv troupe has raised more than $15,000 over the past five years for local organizations.