SUPER SOUL SATURDAY
Super Soul Saturday has been a part of WERG Radio for more than forty years. What started out as a student involvement project has evolved to a valuable community resource providing alternative music, information, and entertainment not available elsewhere on the radio dial.
In 1979, A.J. Miceli, chairman of the Department of Theatre and Communication Arts at Gannon University, was approached by Bobby "K" Kaigler about the possibility of joining Homer "Lee" Smith's Saturday show on WERG. Soon, James "Jim Christopher" Eaton was added to form what became the nucleus of Super Soul Saturday. Other dedicated volunteers joined, and Super Soul gradually became a fixture on WERG's weekend schedule.
The "Hall of Fame" of Super Soul Saturday personalities include many familiar names to long-time listeners. Winston "Sony" Ellis (1975) worked at WUFO and WKBW in Buffalo, NY. Dion Clarke (1975), at television stations in both New York City and Atlanta. Steve Collins (1975) was heard on radio stations WRIE and K-104 here in Erie, PA before leaving to work at KDIA and KBLX in San Francisco and Berkeley, California. Ken Darby (1976) worked with several television stations in Florida; Harry Hairston (1977) was on WQLN radio and both WSEE and WICU television before joining the Fox Television Network in Detroit, Michigan. James "Jim Christopher" Eaton was on many local radio stations, including WQLN, WEYZ, WLVU, and Classy 100. Many members of the Super Soul staff were affiliated with Q-1400 (WBLQ) in the mid-eighties, including Homer "Lee" Smith, Bobby K, Timmie Mack, Danny "Mr. J" Jones, The Captain, John "Chilly J" Norton, and Dorothy Smith.
Mike Carbone (Mike West) joined Super Soul Saturday after working with and producing Mix Shows and re-mixing music for WBLK-FM in Buffalo, NY and CING-FM in Toronto. Mike West was awarded Top Mix DJ in the US in 1990 by the Westwood One Radio Network after winning their nationwide Club Mix Competition.
From those early years, the present Super Soul Saturday program has expanded into a block format consisting of music (R&B, Gospel, Classic Soul, Blues, Jazz, Rap, Club, House, and Hip Hop), public service, and community-oriented information.
Super Soul Saturday airs for thirty-three hours on 90.5 WERG every weekend, from midnight Saturday until 9am Sunday morning.
June 13, 2020 discussion panel with local community leaders, discussing minority recruitment into the Erie Police Department, and community/police relations.
Moderated by Lee Smith.
October 3, 2020 interview with cast members of “Hamilton," discussing the importance of voting and having our voices be heard.
On the conversation: Krystal Joy Brown (Eliza Hamilton; NY Broadway cast); Nicholas Christopher (Aaron Burr; LA Company); Mike Karns, CEO of Marathon Digital (and and Erie native),
digital and social media director for “Hamilton."
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF SUPER SOUL SATURDAY:
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC. (MU NU OMEGA CHAPTER)
COMMUNITY HEALTH NET
COMMUNITY MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT, INC.
DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC. (ERIE ALUMNAE CHAPTER)
ERIE RISE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
GAUDENZIA SHOUT OUTREACH
GEM CITY ELKS
GECAC/GREATER ERIE COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
GEEDC/GREATER ERIE EONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
DAVE HALLMAN CHEVROLET
HANDLED WITH CARE CHILDCARE
ATTORNEY TONY LOGUE
MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER
METROPLEX ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
NAACP ERIE BRANCH
NATALIE BRADDOCK STATE FARM INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.
NMA, INC./NONMETTALLIC MACHINERY ASSEMBLY, INC.
OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. (ZETA PI CHAPTER)
PARADE STREET COMMONS
PREFERRED SYSTEMS, INC.
R. BENJAMIN WILEY COMMUNITY CHARTER SHOOL
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA PROGRAM
UNHHCC/ERIE COUNTY WIC PROGRAM
WHITE PEST CONTROL, LLC.
XCLUSIVE WEAR
ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY, INC. (RHO ZETA SIGMA CHAPTER)
Individuals wishing to have a birthday announcement aired on 90.5 WERG, mail your announcement at least two weeks in advance to Super Soul Saturday, P.O. Box 1772, Erie, PA 16512. Attention: Lee Smith.
Non-profit organizations wishing to have a public service announcement aired on 90.5 WERG should mail their announcement at least two weeks in advance to Super Soul Saturday, P.O. Box 1772, Erie, PA 16512. Attention: Lee Smith. For additional information regarding underwriting on Super Soul Saturday, contact Lee Smith at 392-3413.