DJ Mitch Michaels coming to Elmhurst museum

From his early life in the suburbs of Cleveland to the top of the radio mountain in Chicago, disc jockey Mitch Michaels has been riding a wave propelled by rock music.

His colorful stories could fill a book - from a limo ride with Rod Stewart that may have changed the trajectory of the rocker's career, to a groundbreaking live performance with The Who, to making history at the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park.

It's clear this guy has spent a lifetime sharing the music he loves on the radio. And after 50 years spinning tunes and tales on the radio, Michaels decided to capture those stories in his new book "Doin' the Cruise: Memories from a Lifetime in Radio and Rock & Roll," written with Ken Churilla.

The memoir takes readers on a tumultuous ride through the past half century with the man behind the microphone, candidly exploring the Chicago music and radio scene and the colorful characters Michaels encountered along the way.

Michaels started his career on Chicago radio in 1971 with early stints at WXRT and The Loop. He is currently an on-air personality at The River 95.9 WERV-FM in Aurora.

He'll sign copies of his book and chat with fans during an appearance from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave.

Admission is free and books are available for $20, while supplies last. Limited, free parking is available in the museum's lot.

The book signing is presented in connection with the museum's current exhibit, "Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died," which closes Dec. 31. The exhibit explores the events that occurred at Disco Demolition Night on July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park when Steve Dahl and his followers overflowed onto the field and disco met its demise.

Exhibit hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. General admission to the exhibit is free.

For details, visit www.elmhursthistory.org or call (630) 833-1457.