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Paper: Detroit News, The (MI)
Title: Radio's funky first lady
Date: April 5, 2001
DETROIT -- The view from WDRQ-FM's studios is a panorama of Detroit's most
recognizable landmarks. From the south side of the station's Fisher Building
offices, you can see the Ambassador Bridge, the Renaissance Center and the
patined green roof of the old Book-Cadillac hotel.It's a fitting spot for
Detroit native and WDRQ (93.1) DJ Lisa Orlando to survey her kingdom. Better
known as Lisa Lisa to her listeners, Orlando herself is a landmark of sorts.
A staple in Detroit radio for the last 13 years, Orlando has been on hand for,
and orchestrated, some of the most pivotal moments in the city's recent musical
history.
Orlando was also responsible for putting 15-year-old, unsigned rapper Eminem on
the air -- allowing him to be discovered by Detroit producer Marky Bass, who
was listening to her show in his car. She also discovered, along with WDRQ's
then programing director Jim Snowden, local radio DJ star Jeff "the
Wizard" Mills in an East Side nightclub.
And that's just for starters. The Big Three of Detroit techno music -- Kevin
Saunderson, Derrick May and Juan Atkins -- have all passed through Orlando's
studio doors, as have DJs Claude Young, Jackie Christie and Inner City singer
Paris Gray.
Many artists and musical entrepreneurs credit Orlando with making Detroit's
underground sounds commercially popular and accessible to people who otherwise
never would have heard them.
"She kind of brought the whole thing into the crossover market," says
Bass, who now lives in Los Angeles. "She wasn't afraid to play urban music
on her show, and she wasn't afraid to play local music or bring local talent up
there to the open mike. She gave everybody a chance. I don't think people
really know how big of an impact she made."
Orlando's contributions to the artistic and cultural landscape of Detroit are
based on a simple, humble truth: She loves the city and the music that it
makes.
"It was probably when I was in (law school) that I actually started going
to the bars and getting into the club scene and hearing music other than what
was on the radio," says the lively, gravelly voiced brunet. "I think
that's what really sparked it -- that's when I changed my major. I said,
'Y'know what? Law is really great and all, but it's boring. Let me try
something else.' "
It's a good thing that she got into radio. Despite a double major in
broadcasting and English from the University of Michigan and, later, a law
degree from the University of Detroit, Orlando has a lousy head for dates.
Trying to recall which years she was at which local radio stations, Orlando
counts on her fingers. It's obvious that her career path took a back seat to
her love of music.
Orlando declines to give her age but describes her upbringing -- Mom was a
homemaker, Dad a tool and die designer -- and her entry into the adult world of
nightclubbing as "very traditional."
"I went to the discos back in the day," she says. "I was 16, 17,
under age -- in through the back door. It was the late '70s, early '80s, and
the club I used to go to was Angie's over on Orchard Lake. It was a little,
teeny bar, but there was always a line out the door."
After graduating from U-M, Orlando returned to Detroit in search of a
broadcasting internship. "I was kind of ignorant at the time," she
says. "I didn't realize the market stature. I didn't realize that you have
to start in small markets (and work your way up). I just went knocking on all
of the doors in Detroit."
Her ignorance paid off when, in 1983, Orlando landed an internship at the
original WDRQ. Soon, she was promoted to full time with an on-air shift. It was
during this time that Orlando stumbled upon a very talented club DJ named Jeff
Mills.
"The first time I met Jeff was at Club UBQ over on Van Dyke," she
says. "He had the place jumpin'. I remember standing at the DJ booth, and
he would literally mix records and make them talk to each other. He was so
fast. I was like, 'Oh my God, yeah!' He was amazing."
The chance encounter resulted in the launch of Mills' own radio career in
Detroit. He spun live on the air for nine years as "the Wizard" on
WDRQ and, later, WJLB-FM (97.9).
Orlando stayed at WDRQ for four years, moving to WJLB when that station went
from AM to FM. She did marketing and promotions at WJLB, and worked with
Detroit radio icon the Electrifying Mojo. She also became more involved in the
burgeoning underground music scene in Detroit.
"When I first started going out, I didn't go to many of the underground
parties," says Orlando. "Then, when I got involved in radio --
especially when I got to WJLB -- that's when the whole techno thing was really
coming to the forefront. Derrick (May) and Kevin (Saunderson) had residences at
1515 Broadway. You'd walk in, and it was a big, long room, like a storefront,
but it was all blacked out, and they'd be in there just bangin'.
"Now (the techno scene has) gotten a little more commercial, a little more
high class -- but it was real nitty-gritty back in the day."
After her stint at WJLB, friend and fellow DJ Kim Carson helped Orlando land a
weekend spot at Z95 (now Q95 -- WKQI-FM). At the same time, WHYT program
director Rick Gillette hired Orlando for a part-time air shift, as well. She
eventually moved to full time at the now-defunct WHYT, inhabiting the 10 p.m.-2
a.m. slot. She would stay at the station for six years.
WHYT allowed Orlando to experiment with a broader format, which involved
soliciting talent from the local hip-hop and techno scenes in Detroit. It was a
decision that would have a profound effect on everyone involved.
Her first enterprise was The Mix Show, a program that invited Detroit DJs to
spin live on the air. "They had to bring a reel down, and we'd listen to
it, and if it was cool, we'd call 'em back," says Orlando. "It was no
pay, but it was great exposure."
Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Jackie Christy and Scott
"Go-Go" Gordon and Jeff Mills were among the many DJs who mixed on
the show.
"Kevin was real jovial on the air," says Orlando. "He brought
Paris Gray down when Inner City's (songs) 'Good Life' and 'Big Fun' were out.
He'd play the dub version of his mix, and she'd sing the lyrics live on the
air. These moments are unforgetable. Now (I) look back and go, 'Wow!' "
Orlando "was very supportive and very helpful," says Saunderson, 31,
of his experience at WHYT. "That's the kind of support that's needed here
so that, eventually, people begin to understand what we're doing."
Later came Orlando's Open Mic Night show. Spawned from the "shout
outs" that listeners would call in while she was on the air, the show
eventually evolved into a freestyle, open-mike showcase that sometimes pitted
local street rappers against pros like L.L. Kool J.
"We basically let 'em call, and they'd rap for us on the phone," says
Orlando. "If I thought they had some talent, we'd bring 'em down and put
them in the production room. It was all live on the radio. You'd point to the
kid, and this street kid would have to just start doin' his thing."
One of the street rappers that made the cut was a young unknown named Eminem.
He and his crew became regulars on Open Mic Night.
"He was different," says Orlando, "but he was shy. He was a
little more timid when he was doing the show. At the time, he wasn't the one
that I thought would make it. But he'd come down, and his raps would always be
funny. The other guys would all talk about some girl or getting into fights,
your typical gangsta rap stuff. And he'd come in talkin' junk -- he was
unique."
During her time at WHYT, Orlando returned to law school. "I was in radio
for numerous years and then thought, 'Let me go back and get my law
degree,'" says Orlando. "Always make sure you've always got some
income."
She passed the state bar exam and, after leaving the station, became a
practicing lawyer. But it didn't take long for radio to lure her back.
She returned to WDRQ in 1997 and, on top of occupying the evening drive-time
slot at the top-40 urban powerhouse, she has also become a popular club DJ,
spinning at Space in downtown Detroit on Fridays and hosting Studio DRQ live at
Facez in Warren on Saturdays.
"Lisa Lisa is the bomb in this place," says Space floor manager Peter
Hendrickson, 30. "She's just incredible. Her music is amazing -- there's
never a dull moment, and she's the ultimate DJ personality."
This kind of praise is not unusual, but Orlando takes it all in stride. She's
just happy to bring the music she loves to the city she loves.
"I've been very fortunate," she says. "I've had offers from all
over the place, but I never wanted to leave (Detroit). The one thing about
Detroiters is that they're very loyal. If they love you from the jump, they'll
love you forever."
Lisa Orlando
Spins top-40, dance, soul and pop
3-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
WDRQ-FM (93.1)
Lisa Lisa live
Lisa Orlando of WDRQ-FM (93.1) is also one of the most popular club mixers in
the area. Here's where you can see her perform live:
* 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Fridays at Space, 415 E. Congress, Detroit. Call (313)
961-5005.
* Studio DRQ (live broadcast), 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturdays at Facez, 13090
Inkster, Redford. Call (313) 534-7420.