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(August 7, 2020) Part of our
pandemic ritual at home is discovering something new
while streaming random movies or being surprised
while watching an old classic on one of the Turner
channels. John Ford, the legendary director was
well-known for the cowboy classic The Searchers.
I’m guessing Two Rode Together was put
together to satisfy contractual obligations because
it was not a whole lot different than The
Searchers. Very disappointing. As I’m reading the credits, I saw the name Chet Douglas. Could it be the same Chet Douglas who anchored morning drive news at KFWB for over a decade (1968-80)? Indeed, he was the actor and the anchor. Chet was featured or co-starred in several major motion pictures for Columbia and Paramount Pictures. Most of his feature film work was done in the 1960s: Requiem for a Gunfighter, Papa’s Delicate Condition, Grand Marshal, The Underwater City, and Cry for Happy. Following his movie career, Chet turned to radio, first at KBLA-Burbank before his long run at KFWB. In January of 1981 Chet joined ABC in New York where he anchored morning drive news for the Entertainment Network until late 1992. He then retired to Scottsdale. On December 4, 2000, his long battle with cancer ended. Chet’s daughter Janet said he died peacefully at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Scottsdale. “Dad got the word several weeks ago that his bone marrow had stopped producing red blood cells and that his time would be short,” reported Janet. He was 64. Chet was very active up until he went into the hospital. He spent Thanksgiving with his daughter and family in Southern California, then flew to Colorado for a couple of days with his son, Erik. He returned from Colorado did Christmas shopping for his wife, Yvonne and hid the gifts with neighbors. Within days his condition worsened enough that he was hospitalized. And then the medications that had been helping sustain his life were discontinued. |
Hear Ache.
Congrats to Barbara and Mark Wallengren (ex-KOST)
on their 31st wedding anniversary … Orange County
radio personality in the late 90s and early aughts, Taz,
known as Mark Allen Graves, has prostate cancer. He
has been sharing his journey
here … Two LARP given VP stripes at Entercom.
Congratulations to K-EARTH’s Chris Ebbott being
promoted to vp/programming and to Chad
Fitzsimmons upped to svp/promotions &
experiences … The WAVE’s Greg Mack is
the subject of a new documentary about his time
programming KDAY. Check it out
here ... Recently married Gary Moore and
his new bride Linda are leaving for Kentucky next
week to begin a new life together. Gary was with
KLOS forever until the coronavirus crippled our
industry.
** Radio as Teaching Tool “If you were going to teach school on LA radio stations for kids stuck at home, where would you start? Torrance has a radio station through the city, but its mandate is only traffic and weather. I’m getting stuck. Hope you are staying well in this pandemic. I’m a mom of grade school kids and a nurse, but my past is working in education in Liberia, and we used the radio to teach. I’m finding that some families have barriers to online learning, and I’m looking at the obvious alternative.” – Anna Lustre ** All Hail the King “It was so wonderful to read that King Oliver is alive and well. I always enjoyed his shows on KJLH in the evening. 83 and still kicking it is an inspiration for all of us. Keep those grandchildren coming King Oliver.” – Roland Bynum ** King Listener "It was great to see an article about King Oliver. A little over a year ago I wrote to you to see if there was any contact info for him, and you published that request, but I never saw that anyone posted anything. I listened to his show Gemini Changes from about 1977 through 1979. I tried not to miss it. He opened with Hank Crawford [whose music I did not know of until then] and had a really mellow wonderful show. I taped one show. It is still good to listen to. I am glad to see that he is is healthy and doing well." - Rick Bisetti
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The King of KJLH
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(August 6, 2020) King Oliver (Oliver Nelson Harris
Jr.) had a long run at KJLH from 1968-85. He’s now
83, retired and living in East Rancho Dominguez. He
grew up in Newark, Delaware, in fact before he
settled on the King moniker at KJLH he called
himself “the square from Delaware.” “Someone told me, ‘you’re no square, you are a king.’ And that’s how my name came about,” said Oliver. Radio didn’t always pay the bills for his growing family, so he became an electrician at Texaco Oil Company where he retired in 1999. His radio career was confined to evenings and some after midnight shifts. Rhapsody in Black host Bill Gardner called Oliver the ‘baby maker’ because of the soft and soulful r&b music he played while on the air at KJLH. “Some called me the ‘Voice of Love,’ because I drifted towards that kind of music, like the O’Jays and Spinners, those groups with the deep voices singing that great, sweet stuff,” said Oliver. His father was a sailor so the family moved around. Oliver had three brothers and three sisters. When Oliver was sixteen, the family moved to the island of Guam, wherehe finished high school at George Washington High School. He then went off to college at Park College located in Parkville, Missouri. After graduation he joined the Army and spent eight months at Fort Ord before going to Bamberg, Germany for the remainder of his time with the service. He was discharged from the Army in July 1962. In those days, the government sent you back to wherever you called home. “I went to my parents’ home.” That’s how he got to Long Beach. |
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“My father was still serving in
the US Navy and stationed at a navy base in Long
Beach. During my college years, my family lived in
San Diego. I usually spent my summers with the
family in San Diego. We had an antenna on top of our
home so I could listen to Hunter
Hancock broadcasting from Los Angeles. At that time
was no r&b station in San Diego,” Oliver remembered.
"Currently I am enjoying retirement. My health is good and I am still enjoying the music. Sometimes I go on the air with Bill Gardner at KPFK/fm," emailed Oliver. “My wife Martha and I have seven grandkids.” Hear Ache. Former KDAYer Earl Trout wondered what’s a polygon? Earl answered his own rhetorical question: A dead parrot … In reviewing Sean Hannity’s new book, the reviewer referenced his time in radio. “A conversation with him (Hannity) quickly reminds you that his roots are in radio. Like an old-school Top 40 disc jockey, the conservative host can play the hits (Russian Collusion Hoax) Trump Derangement Syndrome (The Deep State) on repeat, with unflagging enthusiasm,” wrote the LA Times’ Stephen Battaglio … Podcasting revenue to hit $1 billion in 2021, according to Podnews … Entercom announced that it will be extending its current work-from-home policy until at least January 1, 2021 … I was sad to learn that Northwest legend Pat O’Day has passed. In the glory years of Top 40 Radio, KJR-Seattle was a GIANT. I was asked to speak at the Bill Gavin Convention in Chicago on the Future of FM in 1969. After the presentation, Pat sought me out to thank me for my observations. I was really touched … Former AMP Radio original Chris Booker is the new Thumb 20 Countdown host at Sirius XM.
** HOF Vote Quandary “I feel like Solomon being called upon to split the baby regarding the vote for John and Ken into the Hall of Fame. I absolutely love John Kobylt, his pragmatic analysis. He is one of the most intellectual talk show hosts on radio today in his ability to form a consistent intellectual argument. However, I do not think Ken Chiampou contributes anything to the show. He rarely is able to make a cogent argument and generally brings the show down by attempting to argue a case but rarely succeeds. Add to that his incessant screaming on the air with an ever-increasing gravel voice. I do not believe that he would have been able to survive in this business had it not been for John. John is the reason for the success they’ve had. Personally, I do not even tune in when John is absent. Having Ken and Debbie at the helm is equivalent to listening to static. So sadly I could not vote for John and Ken to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 50% is not a passing grade the last time I checked.” – Steve Chang, Venice
** Missing Howard “I just heard about Bob Howard passed away. Very sad. Bob was a super nice gentleman, a great family man and a terrific pro news anchor. I enjoyed working with him years ago KFWB. He was very welcoming and helpful in my first couple of weeks there at the old building on Yucca St. He was appreciative of when I pre-recorded my sports reports, to be on the all-nite newscasts, at three and half minutes on the mark, as that was the only time Bob could take a break from the anchor chair in the wee hours. He said the other sports guys, who would record their ’casts, would sometimes go only around 2 and 2 and half minutes. Not much time to do personal business. Nonetheless, Bob will be missed and I want to send out condolences and prayers to his family and friends. RIP Bob Howard” – Michael Carlucci ** Missing Top 40 Stations in July “KSPN’s listeners are so few it doesn’t even get to be #710?” – Jeff Freedman |
Lost in Paradise
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(August 5, 2020)
Lane Quigley, host at Rock-It Radio and
former personality at KUSC, has shared a harrowing
story about the pandemic. Lane and his wife Pat were
traveling out of the country when the coronavirus
struck. Here is their story: “We left LA during the first week of March for a long-planned two-week vacation in Costa Rica. Not long after we began our trip, the pandemic situation exploded in California. As we were reading about the chaos back home, there were just a handful of cases in Costa Rica – and those were all in the capital city, far from the seaside village where we were staying. While toilet paper was flying off the shelves in LA, it was on sale 50% off at the local grocery store. The Costa Rican government took quick and decisive action to retard the spread of the virus. Pat and I decided that we would defer our return until things calmed down in California. We are still waiting for that to happen. We are not alarmists by any means, but because Pat has some medical issues that make her particularly susceptible to contagions, we decided it was best to be cautious. Our intended two-week stay has now been five months. We left our hotel and rented a small furnished apartment. The government implemented rigid shelter-in-place regulations, permitting driving only on certain days depending on the last digit of the vehicle’s license plate. Beaches were closed for the first couple of months. Non-essential businesses were closed. Being ‘stranded’ in Costa Rica sounds exotic, but given the quarantine orders we rarely left our apartment except to go to the grocery store. We might as well have been in Kansas. |
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After the first couple of
months, the restrictions were gradually eased. Until
about a month ago, the number of deaths and
hospitalizations for Covid remained minimal. However
as restrictions were lifted, the virus began
spreading quickly in the capital city, and
significant restrictions have been reimposed in that
region. The Pacific coast area (where we have been
staying) has had a minimal number of cases. There
are still restrictions against large gatherings,
bars and restaurants must close early with limited
seating, and masks are mandatory. But we have had
the ability to move around and see more of the
country. We left the apartment in Playas del Coco in mid-June and relocated to another furnished apartment in the central coastal town of Jaco. We have fallen in love with the country – it is beautiful and the people here are friendly and respectful. We are hoping to move here sometime down the line. As much as we would like to stay here longer, we need to get back home. We are planning to return later this month. We miss the lockdown, protests, earthquakes, unemployment and political discord. We had been booked to return nonstop to LAX on Alaska Airlines. However, the Costa Rica government closed its borders early on, causing our flight to be postponed. The border closure has been extended several times, each time causing cancellations of our flight. The US Embassy has arranged with United Airlines to offer periodic Repatriation flights from Costa Rica to Houston. We would prefer to minimize our risk of exposure by flying nonstop to LAX. However it now appears as if it will be months before there will be nonstop flights to LA, so we will need to catch a connecting flight in Houston. With all this free time, I have become quite proficient at cell phone solitaire.” – Lane Quigley
** Dead Songs “When you were asking about songs not appropriate at funerals, the first song that came to mind was Time is on My Side by The Rolling Stones. Noticed one other thing in your Where Are They Now section. Under B, you show Dick Bass, former Ram running back and announcer, as a customer relations person. Bass, aka Scooter, died quite a few years ago, 2006 to be exact. Anyhow, always love the site.” – Tim James, Mr. Procedure ** Play Ball “Here's a spot for Hankook tires I recorded late last year before the postseason, but I believe they shelved it because of Kershaw’s struggles in the postseason, but now with a new season, they are running it a lot. The residuals should be nice. Let’s also hope the abbreviated 60 game season continues and the players can avoid Covid-19. Also, recently I received my official temporary contract release as lead Baseball Announcer at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Hoping to be back on track for 2021? There is also a rumor, it could be pushed to 2022?” – Mike Carlucci |
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TALKERS Michael Harrison interviews Shadoe Stevens (both former pd at KMET)
Classic Hits Marathon at K-EARTH
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(August 4, 2020) K-EARTH keeps
pumping out the hits. The Classic Hits station is #1
again in the just-released July '20 PPM Nielsen
survey for Persons 6+ Mon-Sun, 6a-12mid and ahead of
the runner-up station KFI by a full point and a
half. KOST tumbled a half-point from the June
survey, while KTWV increased a half point. The first
number after the format description is June PPM and the second
number is July. Here are the Top 40 stations: 1. KRTH (Classic Hits) 5.7 - 6.1 2. KFI (Talk) 4.4 - 4.7 3. KOST (AC) 5.1 - 4.6 4. KTWV (Rhythmic AC) 4.1 - 4.6 5. KBIG (Hot AC) 4.9 - 4.4 6. KLAX (Regional Mexican) 3.6 - 3.7 KLOS (Classic Rock) 3.6 - 3.7 8. KIIS (Top 40/M) 3.7 - 3.6 KLVE (Spanish Contemporary) 3.3 - 3.6 10. KCBS (JACK/fm) 3.2 - 3.5 |
| 11. KYSR
(Alternative) 3.1 - 3.3 12. KNX (News) 3.9 - 3.2 13. KKGO (Country) 2.9 - 2.5 14. KLYY (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.3 - 2.4 15. KRCD (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.6 - 2.3 KSCA (Regional Mexican) 2.0 - 2.3 17. KPWR (Top 40/R) 2.4 - 2.2 KRRL (Urban) 2.6 - 2.2 19. KUSC (Classical) 1.9 - 2.1 20. KBUE (Regional Mexican) 1.8 - 2.0 21. KAMP (Top 40/M) 1.9 - 1.9 KXOL (Spanish AC) 2.2 - 1.9 23. KKLQ (Christian Contemporary) 1.9 - 1.7 KPCC (News/Talk) 1.5 - 1.7 KROQ (Alternative) 1.7 - 1.7 26. KCRW (Variety) 1.4 - 1.6 27. KLLI (Latin Urban) 1.3 - 1.5 28. KDAY (Rhythmic AC) 1.3 - 1.4 KRLA (Talk) 1.5 - 1.4 30. KJLH (Urban AC) 1.5 - 1.2 31. KWIZ (Spanish Variety) 1.2 - 1.1 32. KABC (Talk) 1.0 - 1.0 KFSH (Christian Contemporary) 0.9 1.0 KKJZ (Jazz) 1.1 - 1.0 35. KDLD (Regional Mexican) 0.7 - 0.9 KEIB (Talk) 0.8 - 0.9 KFWB (Regional Mexican) 1.0 - 0.9 38. KKLA (Religious) 0.6 - 0.6 KLAC (Sports) 0.6 - 0.6 KTNQ (Spanish Talk) 0.5 - 0.6 |
For the Love of Ed Mann
 |
Ed Mann
has radio running through his blood or is it
veins. He worked at KUTE, KIIS, KEZY and KBIG.
Ed was one of the founders of Premiere Radio
Networks.
He's written a tasty novel with radio serving as the backdrop. Ed sent an advance copy of his book. Couldn't put it down. A real page turner. You can order the book at: www.fortheloveofradiobook.com Our review:
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Email Tuesday
| ** AMP Morning
Madness “The Phoenix simulcast announcement reminds me of the time that CBS Radio decided to simulcast Bob Rivers from Seattle on Arrow93. Those that cannot remember the past...” - Rick Sietsema ** Potpourri “I second the request that all SFV earthquakes hit early in the morning, but I would vote for 5:45. At least I would be awake! The one last week was not fun. I thought the tenants in the next apartment complex had backed their car into the wall next to ours! Not that I listen to AMP radio, but good luck with Arizona talent trying to sound topical for Southern California audiences. JACK/fm manages to tailor their syndicated sound to us, but live radio is a different thing altogether! I too miss radio station bumper stickers, I can remember when every other car featured a neon rainbow KLOS sticker. I think the whole sticker craze went under when the conglomerates took hold. Pity. I loved your grandson's picture with his dog, so cute! Enjoy!” – Julie T. Byers |
Fall Guy
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(August 3, 2020) Danny Dwyer, very
popular afternooner at Country KUPL (The Bull) in
Portland, had a 4th of July he’ll never forget.
While working on his roof he fell off, suffering 11
broken ribs, 7 fractured vertebrates, a broken
collarbone, a punctured lung and a serious eye
injury that required 11 stitches. He spent nine days
in the trauma center in Vancouver, Washington and
miraculously was back at work before the month was
out. He tells the story on how it happened
here. Danny spent four years at Country KZLA from 1992-96. When he left the Southland, he moved to the Northwest. He is now KUPL’s longest term employee after hitting his 20+ years with the station. During his tenure, he’s worked in every daypart and held many posts from promotions director and traffic reporter to midday host and music director. Dwyer also is a dedicated volunteer advocating for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along with many other local charities. |
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Hall of Fame Voting. Time
is running out for you to cast a ballot for the 2020
Radio Hall of Fame. A number of LARP are being
considered on this year’s ballots. The organization
puts nominees into two categories – one where the
public can vote and the other is based on votes done
by a RHOF appointed committee. Due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns, the 2020 induction ceremony will be held as a live radio broadcast from multiple locations this October. As a radio fan, you can vote for your favorite nominees in two categories. Click here to vote. They have made it very easy. LARPS are nominated in two categories. Winners will be from your votes and the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee: • Music Format On-Air Personality: Whitney Allen (The Big Time with Whitney Allen, Westwood One). • Spoken Word On-Air Personality: Glenn Beck (The Glenn Beck Show, Premiere Networks); John Kobylt & Ken Chiampou (The John & Ken Show, KFI); Stephanie Miller (The Stephanie Miller Show, WYD Media). There are also LARP Nominees to be voted on by the appointed Voting Participant Panel: • Longstanding Local/Regional (20 years or more): Mark & Brian (KLOS); Bobby Rich (KFMB/fm-San Diego & KMXZ-Tucson); Bob Rivers (KJR/fm-Seattle). • Longstanding Network/Syndication (20 years or more): Joey Reynolds (Host, WOR Radio Network). • Active Network/Syndication (10 years or more): Larry Elder (Salem Radio Network); Jaime Jarrin (Los Angeles Dodgers Network); Kim Komando (Host, The Kim Komando Show, Westar Radio Network). “2020 marks 100 years of radio and, while we regret that we cannot hold an in-person event this year, we’re looking forward to the excitement of a live, multi-location radio broadcast,” said Kraig Kitchin, Chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame. Hear Ache. Happy 10-year wedding anniversary to sports guy Joe Grande … There’s buzz that Howard Stern may retire when his five-year deal with Sirius XM expires at the end of this year, according to the Page Six column. Howard is 66 and an exec with SiriusXM claims he can stay as long as he wants … Congrats to Sandy and Wink Martindale. They’ve made it work for 45 years! … KFI news director Chris Little is looking for a full-time news editor. “The ideal candidate will have a journalism degree and know how to write conversationally. Send a cover letter plus five rewritten stories. Rewrites should be four lines or less. Include the originals,” Chris wrote. Send inquiries to: Chrislittle@iheartmedia.com.
** Breaking News "’This just in to the LARadio.com newsroom...effective immediately, to avoid utter chaos and the unending description of broken plates and dishes, all San Fernando Earthquakes will hit at approximately 4:30 a.m. Be prepared, that is all, carry on!!!’ :)” – Jeff Baugh
** Phoenix Morning Mess on AMP Radio “Here’s something I doubt Entercom has taken into account. During Daylight Saving Time, Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time so the time is the same in both states right now. But, when DST ends, we will be one hour behind them. Won’t that make giving time checks a lotta fun for the new morning team during those months? Mess, indeed.” – K.M. Richards |
Purely Personal
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My 7 month old grandson Matthew in stare down with his dog Charlie
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| In 1959, the Johnny Otis Show was must watching in L.A. |
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(July 31, 2020) Thud!
That’s the sound of Entercom throwing in the towel
for local morning drive at Top 40 AMP Radio
(97.1/fm). Yesterday morning a press release arrived, describing Entercom, “as a leading media and entertainment company and the #1 creator of live, original, local audio content.” Well, you won’t believe what the #1 creator of live, original, local audio content is doing. Beginning August 3, the station will debut a special Los Angeles edition of “The Morning Mess,” featuring Joey Boy, Aneesh Ratan, Jeana Shepard and Karla Hernandez originating from sister station Live 101.5 (KALV/fm) in Phoenix. The press release arrived on the morning of a significant earthquake in the San Fernando Valley. Wonder how "The Morning Mess" would have continued to do their Phoenix show and somehow be relevant to listeners in Southern California in talking about the earthquake? The timing couldn’t have been worse for the new show announcement. Apparently Joey Boy and crew will feature curated local content for Los Angeles listeners, including lifestyle, news, daily traffic and weather updates, as well as city-specific COVID updates. Listeners in L.A. will also hear popular segments like “Nachoo’s Revenge,” featuring Joey Boy’s alter ego prank calling unsuspecting listeners. “Joey Boy and The Morning Mess are a true reflection of Southern California,” said Jeff Federman, regional president, Entercom. “They are diverse, dynamic, socially responsible and completely transparent.” AMP Radio has had many attempts to fix the morning ratings. Overall, in the June ratings, the station ranked in a tie at 20th with Christian Contemporary KKLQ and Classical KUSC. Guess no one will be in the Miracle Mile AMP studio Monday morning. Hey guys, just leave the keys to the station in the bowl by the front door. |
| Hear Ache. Sterrett Harper of Burbank questioned the sound of the EAS test. Our Alan Oda always thought the EAS test sounded like a duck passing wind … Warren Eckstein, host of the Pet Show at KRLA wonders, if your dog had pockets, what would be in them? … Randy Kerdoon has an early warning system for earthquakes named Pupcake. “Waking up at 4:16 this morning [Thursday] via alarm to get ready for ‘working from home,’ I was greeted by our dog Pupcake who NEVER greets me like that,” Randy wrote on Twitter. "Thirteen minutes later, a 4.2 near Pacoima. Dogs. THEY KNOW!” … San Diego’s Chris Carmichael wonders where radio people cash time checks? … Do you get those Facebook requests to name your favorite something or another? Got one yesterday asking to name a song you don’t play at a funeral. How about Grazin’ in the Grass? |
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* Hit Parade Launch “Actually, I lied. [Inadvertently.] Looking at Gary Theroux’s picture of him with Bill Drake, I suddenly remembered that I had a picture with the big guy. And then I realized that would have been our third encounter. It happened just before we kicked off the Hit Parade format on KMPC. A lavish press party was held at the Bistro Gardens in Beverly Hills. All the jocks were there, along with station owner Gene Autry. Also in attendance were Pat Boone, Keely Smith, Ray Anthony, Johnny Ray, Pat Buttram and some other celebs I’ve forgotten. In the attached picture I’m posing alongside Pat Boone, Bill Drake, Keely Smith and KMPC gm Ken Miller. So that was sighting number three. I realize you may have had enough of this topic by now, but I thought I’d send this anyway.” – Neil Ross |
| ** Katz Icon Dies
“Wanted you to know that Bob McCurdy, a National (Katz) icon, lost his battle with cancer Wednesday. He was 68, and there are a lot of articles on Google about his life. Bob was a mentor to many in the radio industry.” – Bob Hastings, Director of Integrated Marketing, Salem Media Group ** Crack of the Bat “Your piece on Gordon McLendon's baseball recreations was very interesting to me. Gordon's legacy with the Liberty Broadcasting System is covered extensively in a book that I recently read: Crack of the Bat, by James R. Walker. The book is a fascinating history of baseball on the radio. It covers the initial broadcasts [the first recreation of a baseball game was in 1920, the first live broadcast from the stadium came one year later], the development of announcing styles, and the controversy among club owners over whether radio was a useful promotional tool or a reason for fans to stay away from the ball park and just stay home and listen. It was many years before it became clear to team owners that advertising revenue could make sports broadcasting such a good move for business. About Gordon McLendon, Walker writes, ‘The balance between fact and fiction remained a central tension for baseball announcers ... 'On the fictional side was Gordon McLendon, who is fondly remembered for creating dramatic accounts of the game action in his Dallas studio that were far better than the real thing reported from the ballpark.’ This was far from a pejorative comment, by the way.” – Jared Charles Kliger |
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(July 30, 2020) The
Master Blaster has died. Tom Reed, a veteran
of KGFJ, KMET, XPRS, and KDAY passed on July 13. He
was 84. “Tom greeted me at KGFJ in 1967 ad was my mentor as I navigated my way around Los Angeles radio,” emailed KJLH’s Roland Bynum. “His rapid-fire presentation will always be etched into the ears of his listeners. His television show For Members Only was aired on channel 18 for years.” Born and raised in St. Louis, Reed arrived in L.A. in 1959 and was on the air at the Los Angeles City College radio station. He also attended UCLA and Windsor University. While working in Kansas City he was the reporter for DownBeat. Tom tells the legend of his nickname “The Master Blaster": "While sitting in a Kansas City bar many years ago, a patron was taunting me, saying, ‘You are gonna get blasted outta here.’ I said, ‘You can’t; I am the Master Blaster.’” The next morning, his only recollection of the night before was the “Master Blaster” reference. He went on KPRS/AM&FM-Kansas City with the descriptive line, and the name stuck. |
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In the mid ’60s, Tom worked at WLIB-New York and WJLB-Detroit before blasting into the Southland in the little house on Melrose Avenue. In 1969 Tom was elected president of the Western States Chapter of the National Association of TV-Radio Announcers. A 1973 Arbitron showed KDAY was Number 1 in teens. Tom says, “This was the first time in Los Angeles radio history that a black station or radio personality was No. 1.” |
| Between 1976 and 1979, Tom
was assistant advertising manager and music critic
for the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper. In 1978, he went back to school and earned a Masters in Communications Science at Windsor University. Tom then did doctoral work at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. He is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. Tom fulfilled a lifelong passion by documenting the rich history of black music in Los Angeles with the 1993 publication of a tasty book called The Black Music History of Los Angeles – Its Roots. (4th printing). Tom credits his own firm roots to strong family values: “My father was a policeman and my mother was a school teacher. My cousin, Elston Howard, was the first black ball player for the New York Yankees.” Tom was the first African American to win an Award of Excellence from the Greater Los Angeles Press Club three years in a row for tv entertainment reporting. Tom has won five Angel awards for excellence in media for his program For Members Only, the longest running locally produced African American program in L.A. television history. The award was from the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters for his liner notes and historical information for three CD packages from Hindsight Records. Funeral services for Tom Reed will be held on August 4th at Hollywood Forever Cemetery at 11 am. |
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** History of Bill
Drake “Neil Ross’ story about Bill Drake rings very true. When Drake-Chenault Enterprises was in operation, Drake almost never entered the premises because, as Neil states, Bill preferred to remain at home and operate his businesses over the phone. When I joined D-C in 1976, I was told that almost no one on the staff had ever even seen Drake, let alone talk to him. I was hired to update the 1969 48-hour version of The History of Rock ’n’Roll, which I had heard broadcast over WLS in 1971 and utterly transfixed me. I remember rushing to Radio Shack to buy as many 7" reels of recording tape as I could carry in order to aircheck the entire production. That experience began what has turned into a lifelong study of Rock, Pop, Country and R&B history, which has involved the assembly of a huge archive of CDs, LPs, singles, files on thousands of recording artists and more than 4,000 in-person hitmaker audio interviews. The first thing I did when taking on the History of Rock’n’Roll project was review the 1969 script. As a result of my in-depth research into the subject over the five years since I heard that WLS broadcast, I was appalled to realize how chaotic the 1969 production was and how packed it was with outrageous factual errors. (This can be excused in part because at the time it was written, little serious rock’n’roll journalism existed.) Photo: Bill Drake (l) and Gary Theroux |
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Over the phone – which
was my only way of being in direct contact with Bill
Drake – I told him that rather than simply tacking
on a few update hours, I’d prefer to completely
reformat and rebuild The History of Rock’n’Roll from
scratch. To my surprise, Drake agreed, so I set
about reformatting the concept into cohesive themed
hour and half-hour segments. As much as possible, I wanted, via audio interviews, to have the actual hitmakers tell the stories behind their music, and started pulling clips from my own archives of such material. I was then told that, according to the management of Drake-Chenault, I couldn’t contact, talk to or see Bill directly. Instead I’d have to submit each of my scripts to a middleman, Bert Kleinman, who would then turn them over to Drake. While that seemed pointless, I went along with it – until Kleinman reported back that Drake hated all my scripts and was wondering what was going haywire. I was stunned, as I’d written each script in precisely the style Bill and I had discussed over the phone and agreed to. Soon after Mr. Kleinman was suddenly out of the picture for a few weeks. That meant that I had to drive to Drake’s house myself and face his wrath over the scripts. Half expecting to get fired, I vividly remember knocking on Drake’s door one sunny morning. As he opened it, I noted that he was wearing a University of Hawaii sweatshirt and bearing a big wide grin. ‘Come on in,’ he cheerfully waved. We sat down in his sunken living room and Bill asked me again to outline my plans for the HRR. I repeated them, in some depth, and then Drake said, ‘So how come these scripts don’t read that way?’ He held out two hour-long scripts for me to review – which I did – instantly discovering what the problem was. As it turns out, after I’d given my scripts to Bert Kleinman, he’d clumsily rewritten them! I said to Bill, ‘This isn’t what I wrote!’ and handed him copies of my original versions of those two hours. As Bill looked them over, he exclaimed, ‘Yes! This is exactly what I was looking for!’ After that moment, Bill Drake and I became what turned into lifelong friends – and in dealing with him, I never again had to go through a middleman. From that point on, the production of The History of Rock’n’Roll was smooth sailing. Many years later, just before going to the hospital for the very last time, Bill Drake sent me a very kind and heartfelt farewell email I will always cherish. And today I own the trademarked name ‘History of Rock’n’Roll.’” – Gary Theroux |
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(July 29, 2020) Banana
Joe Montione worked at 93/KHJ, KUTE and KIIS. He
recently shared a frightening story on social media.
He said to beware if you go to Ralph’s on Sunset in
Hollywood at night. “Friday night I was walking the one block home when two desperados jumped me,” Joe revealed. “I tried to hold on to my crucifix, but they started choking me with the chain. They got the chain and everything else I had with me— after ramming my head into a wall. This crap is happening at an alarming pace.” Joe implored people to be careful. “I’m especially happy to wear my mask to cover this face – lol.” |
| Hear Ache. Former KDAY jock Earl Trout used to be a fairly good golfer. About twelve years ago, he won enough money in a tournament that he officially became a “pro” and could no longer compete as an amateur. “This is a true thing,” said Earl. “I haven’t hardly even played since then. Yesterday, my buddy Kona Jack and I played golf and I assumed I would be terrible after such a long lay-off. But I shot a 70! My score was even lower on the second hole … Speaking of golf, Alan Gottfried is getting ready for his annual golf tournament benefiting Folds of Honor. He’s looking for players and sponsors. Give Alan a call at: 818.441.6672 … Brett Eldredge will be the guest midday host on Go Country 105 (KKGO) next month, said station manager Michael Levine … According to The Hustle, in 2019 the average person had 93 apps on their phone – but only used 41 of them every month … Congrats to Jimmy Kimmel, nominated again this year for an Emmy in Variety Talk Series and his collaboration with Norman Lear for Variety Live Special. Jimmy will also host the ABC event. |
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| The longtime Calabasas home of Wink Martindale sold for $2.16 million, according to the LA Times |
| ** Sounds Off on
EAS “Am I the only person who thinks that the emergency tone used for the Emergency Alert System sounds weird or like a sick animal? Every time I hear it, I wonder who or what died to make that noise.” – Sterrett Harper, Harper Claims, Burbank ** KJLH Veterans “Hey, it was great seeing my cohort Million$Milt in your photo gallery. He’s been at Radio-Free KJLH for more than 36 years. We both were sent home in March due to the coronavirus. Anxiously waiting to return live on the air at KJLH. My customers [listeners] are crying the blues because they haven’t heard me since March. Saturday mornings haven't been the same. Jogging and just finished my first book. In the meantime, stay safe.” – Roland Bynum |
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| Robert Stoffel's bumper sticker collection |
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| Howard Stern | Nancy Plum | Neil Ross | Steve Fredericks | Ken Davis | Harvey Kern | Dave Zorn | Johnny Olson |
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| Hettie Lynne Hurtes | Rob Archer | Richard Blade | J.J. Johnson | Neale Blase | Rob Archer |
Archives 1st Quarter 2019: Passing Parade: Sylvia Chase; Eva Ross Kilgore; David Horowitz; Richard Kimball; Super Dave Osborne, Harvey Mednick; Bruce Williams; Let's Go Trippin' with Dick Dale; Larry Van Nuys jumps into the (K)Surf; KABC shuffles line-up; LARP who died in 2018; Art Laboe set for PPB honor luncheon; Jaime Jarrin honored; Marketing lesson from Fiji Water Girl; Cindy Dole out styling; Saul Levine essay on his 105.1/fm beginnings; How will a recession hurt the radio biz?; Update on KFI reporter Hanna Scott; Series to preserve radio archives; Golden Night; 1,000 homes on site of KLOS/KABC; Video in cars; Jimmy Steal to Chicago; New head of Southern California Public Radio; Celebrating Scott St. James; Laughs are on Phil Hendrie; Afternooner like no other; Art Laboe honored by Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters; Wendy Williams show postponed indefinitely; KNX vet Diane Thompson set to retire; Delilah tells all; Motown at 60; Martoni's; Steve Harvey and Mo'nique in kerfuffle; It's news to Steve Gregory; Auspicious start for 88.5/fm; Triplets 10-year anniversary; How Pete Weber made the hockey team; We Will Rock You; Randy Keith is the piano man; Triplets partner in hope; History of Gary Theroux; New news from Diane Thompson; John Batchelor reveals he has cancer; Bean announces in leaving KROQ morning show; Actor Sal Mineo was a LARP; Sky Daniels retires from 88.5/fm; Ask Dr. Ruth; USC broadcast rights; Buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio; Nancy Plum's new book; Elaine Perkins perks up the news; Podcast with Passion
Archives 3rd Quarter 2018: Anniversary of AT 40; Passing Parade: Ed Schultz, Johnny Morris, Fred Beaton, Dave Zorn; New Role for Kelli Gates; Art Laboe is One-of-a-Kind; Savage as Supreme; Vic the Brick is Feelin' You; Rita Pardue a thing of Senior beauty; Marcellus Wiley jumps team; Doug Dunlap has the keys to happiness; Highest paid LARP; Martoni LARP Noms; Former KIIS GM retires; Sad Sage Sylvester story; Carlucci, voice of Russia World Cup Games; Is there a Smart Radio? Springsteen on KMET; Is podcasting for you?; Rick Dees slated for Yucapia station; Time for a Southern California Radio Hall of Fame; National Radio Day; Big Boy makes unwanted news; Judging Amy Lewis; Jim Rome looking for LARadio home' K-SURF adds morning personality; What keeps Kevin LeGrett up at night? Alex Cohen moving to new Specrum; Silver celebration at NBC Sports Radio; Jo Jo Wright takes his KIIS show to Beijing; Paxton Quigley, armed and strong with a new radio show; Mt. Rushmore of sports; Neil Ross pens new book; Highest paid radio people; Looney looks to add game show host to eclectic career; Burt Reynolds apologizes with a twinkle; Traffic reports won't be so Rosie (Wedel); Voice of Trojan basketball headed for Thunder; the night Elvira spent with Elvis
Archives 2nd Quarter 2018: Michael Benner's new book; Brian Beirne in concert; KNX celebrates 50 years; Uncle Joe to Townsquare; Amp says Yes to Yesi; Click and Clack to automotive Hall of Fame; When is an Oldie Not an Oldie? Passing Parade - Mark Morris, Bill Watson, Dex Allen, Dick Orkin, Bill Jenkins, Don Bustany, Arnie McClatchey, Mark Morris, Roger Collins, Art Bell, Mike Walker, Frank Bresee, Warren Duffy, John Mack Flanagan; 3 LA stations in revenue Top 10; NAB nominations and voting; Kimmel in People; Ted Leitner diagnosed with cancer; PPM re-issue issue; Lady LARPs of Grace; Dick Biondi out of WLS after six decades; 6-minute commercial load too much; Purely Personal with son's graduation and daughter's marriage; Len Chandler songs for Credibility Gap; Alfonzo Ortiz @KNX; THR award to Harvey; Stern cut and he's not happy; 2 LARPs on Time list of 2018 Most Influential; Ladd is back and Tribe thrilled; Larry Gifford diagnosed with Parkinson's; Is Savage being set-up; Walker needed for pd; Good Time Steve Mitchell to Georgia HOF; LARPs nominated for HOF; Marriage of Alexandra Barrett; Lyon Queen; David Viscott king of psych Talker; Debunking myths of a dj; New day for Sue Fruend; Adam Carolla is driven to buy; Is the Bloom off the rose?; Paul Newman's cars; One of a Kind LARPs Series with Jim Ladd, Jim Healy; K-EARTH's Locks of Love excellent promotion; Good Day LA crew reunites at KABC; Baseball ratings; Jersey Boys interruption; Rita Wilde interview; LARPs inducted into Radio Hall of Fame
About the Publisher of LARadio.com, Don Barrett
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As publisher of LARadio.com, Don Barrett chronicles radio news and lists 6,000 people in Los Angeles who work or have worked in radio in the past 60+ years. Barrett is a historian of contemporary Los Angeles radio history and author of Los Angeles Radio People, published in 1994. He published a second volume of the book a year later, along with the launch of a daily website column. In 2013, he started as the radio columnist for the Orange County Register. Barrett's Southern California roots (Santa Monica) include a bachelor's degree from Chapman University (Man of the Year, 1964). He also earned a master's in psychology. He spent 10 years in radio working as a disc jockey, program director, national program director (Gordon McLendon Corp) and general manager (W4-Detroit and WDRQ-Detroit). He launched KIQQ (K-100) Los Angeles in the early 1970s. In the mid-1970s Don joined the motion picture business, working as a marketing executive at Columbia, Universal, and MGM/UA. Barrett was part of the marketing team that released E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future, Thelma and Louise, Rocky and James Bond movies. He also represented a number of films at the Cannes Film Festival. He was the first recipient of TALKERS Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award. Don has been honored with an honorary Golden Mike and Special Recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists. |
