On the first day of his new job in 1979, Joseph Rossman dressed to impress, sporting a suit and tie in preparation to host a first-of-its-kind automotive show.
When he arrived at the station, he was surprised to see that he had made a humorous miscalculation about his job’s dress code – his show was airing over the radio.
“I show up in my suit and tie, but it’s radio,” Rossman, 80, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “When I went in, the talk show host was sitting there in shorts, a T-shirt and loafers with his feet on the counter.”
This didn’t deter him. Rather, he continued to show up – in comfier clothing – and went on to have one of the first automotive radio talk shows in the country.
After 47 years on air, Rossman hung up his headphones for the last time on Dec. 31, marking his official retirement from a long career in radio and broadcasting as a talk show host, professional voice talent and automotive authority.
Best known throughout Northeast Ohio as “The Motor Doctor,” Rossman became one of the region’s most trusted voices in automotive advice and consumer information, according to a news release.
“Joe Rossman is one of those rare talents who becomes part of the fabric of a community,” Ron Somich, owner of WINT radio, said in the release. “His expertise, authenticity and genuine care for our listeners made Auto Talk a staple of Northeast Ohio radio. Joe didn’t just give advice – he built trust. We are grateful for everything he has contributed to WINT and to the entire region’s broadcasting landscape. He will always be part of the WINT family.”
In addition to his on-air presence, Rossman opened and operated an automotive service garage in 1972 in University Heights, which he ran for 25 years after previously spending four years as a teacher.
He got the idea to host a radio show in 1979 while out on a road service call for his repair shop. While listening to WERE radio in his car, Rossman heard a gardening show where listeners called in and got advice on their gardens. This sparked an idea.
“I called the radio station and I said, ‘I could do that same type of show, but as an automotive show,’” Rossman, a resident of Richmond Heights, said. “And I was one of the first ones in the country to do an automotive radio show.”
The longtime host of WINT’s automotive talk radio program, “Auto Talk,” which aired Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on 101.5 FM with co-host David Leighty, Rossman guided drivers through repairs, purchases, maintenance decisions and the ever-evolving world of cars through his humor and expertise.
In addition to his radio presence, Rossman appeared regularly on Cleveland television stations, such as Channel 5, as an automotive expert for five years, offering viewers clear, practical explanations of complex automotive issues and trends.
According to Rossman, the best part of his job was having the ability to interview people on the radio and get their outlook on the automotive trade or help them solve a problem that they may have been having with their vehicle.
“I like to help people,” Rossman, a congregant of Congregation Mishkan Or in Beachwood, said. “My greatest love is if I’m able to help someone solve a problem.”