Linda Yohn

Profile Updated: April 14, 2019
Linda Yohn
Residing In: Ypsilanti, MI USA
Spouse/Partner: William Labedzki
Occupation: Freelance music publicist, producer & voice-over artist.
Linda Yohn

Now

Yes! Attending Reunion
Comments:

In 1975, I started tending bar at a great jazz club in Columbus, Ohio and became a raving lunatic jazz fan. I'd always dug music, but jazz hit me upside the head and changed my life. In 1977 I hosted my first paid jazz radio show and was hooked. I worked two or three jobs at a time to keep this habit swinging. In 1980, I branched out to the market of Cincinnati on a more powerful station. 1981 found me in Kent, Ohio doing jazz public radio for listeners in Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio. I loved that job! In '86, I moved to New York City pursuing a dream of working in the music industry. I was as a publicist representing Mel Torme, George Shearing, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Modern Jazz Quartet and others. This was a great experience, but the mid 80s in New York were hellish. I had to take on another job to make rent. This wasn't the fun and glamour I'd imagined. It was not easy. I longed for my more bucolic existence in Kent, Ohio and searched for a jazz public radio job back in the Midwest. That led me to Ypsilanti and Eastern Michigan University in 1987 to become their music director. I was on the air Monday through Friday from 9AM to 12:30PM hosting a show of modern jazz with some blues, Latin and worldbeat for spice. In addition to the on-air work, I dealt with record companies, reviewed all music programmed at WEMU and supervised the music staff activities. I got involved in the community around Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit serving on boards and volunteering for many causes such as the American Cancer Society. Lest you think that my life is all work, I like to play, too. I love swimming, hiking Michigan's Sand Dunes, bycicling, cooking, wine tasting, walking, bird watching and laughing. I haven't changed much...I'm still a party girl. One thing really changed my life however, and that is my marriage to Bill Labedzki. He tamed this crazed jazz woman and made her in to a much more responsible human being. He is the neat, clean, organized one in the relationship. I bring the friends and parties to him and in to our lives. He brings an appreciation of the visual arts and order in the chaos. We share a small home surrounded by three and a half acres of mature trees, native flowering plants, deer, hummingbirds and a cement frog pond. With Bill's help we grow onions, leeks, tomatoes, basil, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. I cook like crazy all summer. We enjoy summer nights sipping a beverage, eating our own produce and watching the sun set over the Huron River. I'm loving my life with Bill...perhaps even more since surviving colorectal cancer in 2007. 2014 and my second bout with cancer (breast cancer) brought even more life appreciation. EMU offered a buy-out in 2017 and I would have been a fool not to take it. 2018 was a year of recovery after both pf my parents died and I went through another surgery. 2019 - 50 years after graduating from WHS brings new promise. I pulled out the publicist skill set to write press releases and am a professional stage manager for a major Ann Arbor arts festival. I continue to love life with Bill and my family. That family beckons in 2019. I will be in charge of the family reunion in Ohio - the same weekend as the WHS reunion, so I'll be with them. But, I'll be thinking about all of you and the great party I know you'll all enjoy.

School Story:

I remember being a grandma cheerleader in a rocking chair for the homecoming parade float. Closest I'd ever get to "Go, Billies, Go!" although I tried out.

Mr. Calandra!

Being in the cast of "Guys And Dolls" was cool, too.

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Linda Yohn has a birthday today.
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Jul 31, 2024 at 4:33 AM
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Posted on: Jul 31, 2022 at 4:33 AM

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Jul 31, 2021 at 4:33 AM
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Linda Yohn has a birthday today.
Jul 31, 2019 at 4:33 AM
Linda Yohn posted a message.
Jun 30, 2019 at 12:20 PM

Mary Jeanne, I'd love to see you again at the reunion but a family commitment will keep me from attending. Have fun remembering Mr. Calandra and more. Hope you had a very happy birthday. 68 is great!

Linda Yohn posted a message.
Apr 21, 2019 at 4:38 PM

Thanks for the catch-up info, Paul. Will miss you at this year's reunion as my family reunion is that same weekend. Sounds like you're doing well.

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Apr 14, 2019 at 3:10 PM
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Jul 31, 2018 at 4:33 AM
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