*For those inside and outside of the radio and record industry, sadly we’re informing you of the recent passing of Kevin Fleming in Los Angeles from pancreatic cancer. He was 65
Fleming made his peaceful transition Thursday morning (September 21, 2023) around 6:30am. He fought a nearly one-year battle with pancreatic cancer. His son Dylan and wife of nearly 40 years Maria were his caregivers during his illness. His sister Stephanie who is a resident of Scottsdale, AZ frequently traveled to L.A. over the past year to help with the caretaking. Also, we must shout out his best friend Rick Nuhn (Dylan’s Godfather) for his incredible help through this journey.
Fleming’s entertainment business experience has been vast and varied. It includes radio, records, management, and publishing of The Urban Buzz.
A native of Minneapolis, Kevin attended Clark College in Atlanta, obtaining a degree in Broadcast Management and Communications.
Radio career highlights include WAOK & WIGO in Atlanta and WWDM-Sumter, SC. His first major market programming job came as Program Director of KGFJ-LA.
Kevin joined the record side of the business as Regional Promotion Representative for Island Records where he was rapidly promoted to Vice President of Black Music. After a brief stint at Third Stone Records, Kevin was selected as Vice President and General Manager of Perspective Records under the ownership of mega-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
During the early 1990s, Kevin returned to radio as Operations Manager and Program Director of KACE/KRTO in Los Angeles. He also started consulting radio stations in programming and overall operations.
In 2000, he joined Gavin Magazine as its Urban Editor, expanding the magazine’s coverage of urban radio and music while maintaining his radio consulting business. In 2002 he founded The Urban Buzz information newsletter and website.
Kevin was also hired by Radio One to program the company’s flagship station KKBT-LA and transform it into the first-class major market urban adult brand, KRBV.
Most recently, Kevin was PD of Pacifica Radio’s KPFK in Los Angeles. He was the consummate lecturer and always willing to share his knowledge of radio programming and the music industry at conventions, seminars, and webinars as an expert panelist.
As mentioned up top, Kevin Fleming’s other accomplishment/success was his influential online industry magazine, The Urban Buzz (www.TheUrbanBuzz.com). He was at the helm for more than 20 years. Below, his son Dylan gives an update on the status of the publication and its future.
“Since 2001, the Urban Buzz has served as your industry tip sheet, connecting the dots of music/entertainment news for the radio/record business community. We want to thank you for your support and patronization of this platform. The Buzz will live on and continue to not only serve its purpose but go to new heights. In due time there will be more updates on the direction we’re taking it from here. Please respect my family’s privacy during this difficult time. We appreciate your love and support.
“We sincerely want to thank you for your prayers, messages, phone calls, and donations in the last 11 months. Additionally, we humbly encourage you to donate to our GoFundMe account.”
As of this posting, funeral services are pending.
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