Sidney McCain, WMSE music director, was named a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal for 2023. She was one of 30 women who were honored by the publication from a pool of nearly 140 nominations. McCain was honored in the “behind the scenes” category of the awards.

According to Mark Kass, editor-in-chief of the Milwaukee Business Journal. “These women are the cream of the crop of Milwaukee’s professional community. They’ve grown businesses, created products, inspired future generations and made the community a better place.”

McCain has been a force in the music industry for nearly 30 years. Notably, she served as the publicist for the bands Coldplay, Iggy Pop and The White Stripes. She has held leadership titles for major music labels including EMI, V2 Records, and Capitol Records. McCain joined WMSE in 2014 as the promotions director where she contributed to significant increases in station funding and support.

As the music director, McCain books talent for on-air performances and the station’s many live concerts and events. She is also the DJ for the weekly show Squid Inc., which airs every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. on 91.7FM WMSE. McCain is a driving force behind WMSE. She is passionate about local music. She works diligently to promote, fuel and strengthen Milwaukee’s musician community and music scene.

McCain could have a successful career in New York or L.A. She immediately recognized the vibrancy and potential of Milwaukee’s creative community after a Milwaukeean introduced her to the city. Years later she continues to choose Milwaukee as her home and place of business. Through her work, she not only amplifies Milwaukee talent, she imports world-class acts to the city. Her contributions to WMSE and Milwaukee’s music community have established McCain as an influential culture agent.

Photo credit: Andrew Feller

About WMSE
91.7FM WMSE is a listener-supported radio station at Milwaukee School of Engineering. It is the premier source for diverse music programming in Southeastern Wisconsin since 1981. WMSE’s mission is to educate members of the community by providing a wide selection of musical programming they can’t hear anywhere else on the radio dial; to be an outlet for local artists who would otherwise receive little or no commercial radio exposure in our community; and to have a unique and tangible value to MSOE. WMSE’s on-air staff is made up of dedicated community volunteers who specialize in the genre that is featured on their respective programs. Funding for WMSE Radio is provided by the WMSE listening community through membership contributions and by area businesses through program underwriting.