CLEVELAND — He was called “Mr. Know It All" and "The Voice of Cleveland." Others just referred to him as “Triv.”
But if you’ve listened to Cleveland radio for any amount of time, you knew the name of Mike Trivisonno. The longtime afternoon host on Newsradio WTAM 1100 passed away on Thursday at the age of 74.
Trivisonno's passing was confirmed on WTAM 1100 by station program director Ray Davis on Thursday.
Trivisonno began his radio career not as a host, but as a frequent caller on Pete Franklin’s Sportsline show on WTAM (the station was known as WWWE at the time). It was Franklin who dubbed him as "Mr. Know It All." By 1987, Trivisonno was given his shot on the airwaves on WNCX 98.5 FM as a contributor, then later as a full-time host.
He became the host of Sportsline on WWWE in 1994. At that time, the show aired from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. In 1996, his show was moved to afternoon drive, where it remained for the next 25 years. Sportsline evolved into simply “The Mike Trivisonno Show,” and Triv evolved into more than just a sports talk host. As the years progressed, he began tackling politics, civic issues, and current events, in addition to sports.
During his career at WTAM, Trivisonno was voted “Best Talk Show Host” by Scene Magazine and The Achievement in Radio Awards. The Cleveland Plain Dealer named him the “Voice of Cleveland,” Cleveland Magazine named him “One of Cleveland’s Fifty Most Interesting People,” and he was a 2003 NAB Marconi finalist for “Personality of the Year.”
Trivisonno was also passionate about supporting for local charities. He raised over $5 million dollars during his career, including Coats for Kids, whom he hosted his annual “Vegas Show Benefit” in support of.
Trivisonno was born in East Cleveland and attended Mayfield High School. He is survived by his wife Tami and three children.
"Although “The Voice of Cleveland” has been silenced, his impact on Cleveland will be felt and heard for years to come. All of us here at WTAM send our love and support to his family during this difficult time. We will bring you more details as we receive them, including information on memorials," WTAM wrote it its tribute to Trivisonno on social media.
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