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Jim Fleming

Jim Fleming, one of the most recognizable voices on Wisconsin Public Radio, will retire as host of Morning Classics in early December. Fleming has entertained classical listeners for three decades, sharing his love and knowledge of music with trademark warmth and wit.

Fleming, who started at Wisconsin Public Radio as a student in 1968, has anchored the classical music lineup with Morning Classics since the NPR News and Classical Music Network of Wisconsin Public Radio was formed in 1990, after 11 years hosting a variety of classical music programs on Wisconsin Public Radio.

Fleming is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and began his professional career with Wisconsin Public Radio in 1973. Since then, he has worked at Wisconsin Public Radio not only behind the microphone, but in producer and management roles as well. In addition to hosting Morning Classics, Fleming is also one of several readers for Chapter A Day® and host/producer of To the Best of Our Knowledge.

"I have had the pleasure and honor of being associated with Fleming at WPR for nearly three decades," said Phil Corriveau, chief executive officer of Wisconsin Public Radio. "We're really grateful for all that Jim has done for the organization, and he's been such a major part of our classical music programming that it's hard to imagine he's leaving!"

"I have enjoyed every one of the years I have worked at Wisconsin Public Radio," said Fleming. "There isn't anywhere I would rather have worked, and I hope to remain involved with WPR in the years to come."

Music Director Cheryl Dring will fill in as the Morning Classics host. "You don't try to fill shoes like Jim's, you just hope to convey your own passion for the music and try to make a real connection with the listeners," Dring said. "I wish Jim the best in his well-deserved retirement; we hope to see him around WPR as often as possible."

During his years at WPR, Fleming was a producer for the national radio drama project Earplay, and later for Earplay Weekday Theatre. For four years he was a Cultural Affairs Reporter, which included producing and hosting the weekly two-hour arts magazine program Art and Soul. For five years he was the producer and host of the morning classical music and arts program Prelude.

Fleming spent ten years in management, including stints as Fine Arts Director, Music Director, Manager of FM Programming, Program Manager, and Associate Director of Radio. Through all these years he continued to produce and host classical music programs and to read for Chapter A Day®. He has also worked as a reporter and host for Morning Edition and its predecessor, Morning Report.

Fleming has received awards for his role in several Wisconsin Public Radio projects including an Ohio State Award for the Memorial Day Radio Special Guernica, awarded in 1976, and a 2004 Peabody Award for To the Best of Our Knowledge awarded in 2005. Fleming also received the University of Wisconsin-Extension Award for Excellence in 1994.

Fleming has sometimes been heard to claim that he has, at one point or another over the past twenty years, done every job at the station except sweep the floors, and that was only because he couldn't find the broom. In his most honest moments he gloats that he finally found a way to be paid for doing what he loves most, which is listening to music, talking to interesting people, and reading books.

In his retirement, Fleming hopes to spend time with his two-year-old grandson, travel, visit family, and catch up on reading. He looks forward to seeing the Grand Canyon and maybe even visiting Europe again.

Fleming's last formal broadcast as the host of Morning Classics will take place on Thursday, December 3rd from 9-11am, featuring some of his favorite music and live performers.

Morning Classics is carried on two of Wisconsin Public Radio's three statewide networks: the NPR News and Classical Network and WPR Classical, an HD network that broadcasts classical music 24 hours a day. Both networks are also available on WPR's live Web Streams.