Are you looking for some radio-related books to buy as gifts for your radio-loving friends – or yourself? I have recommendations.
I first heard of Neil Ross when he played soft hits on the old KZLA (now KLLI, 93.9 FM) in the late 1970s. Known then as “Natural Neil,” he was so smooth when he spoke … something that would come in handy not only at other radio stations, but in his later voiceover announcing work for both radio and television.
His book, “Vocal Recall: A Life in Radio and Voiceovers,” tells his story of growing up loving radio, living radio, and moving on from radio. It is a captivating book, due not only to the content itself, but the fact that Ross is highly intelligent and a great storyteller. There are humorous memories, honest self-reflections, and the occasional surprise, such as the time he met [surfing legend] Duke Kahanamoku while working in Hawaii.
“This would be the one and only time I would meet and shake hands with a royal person,” Ross writes. This was in the mid-1960s.
The attention to detail is astounding, and it makes for a book that is hard to put down.
Born in Canada, Ross moved with his family first to Los Angeles — discovering top-40 music on KFWB (980 AM) — and later to San Diego where he discovered KCBQ (1170 AM). As a young man, he watched the DJs play the records as the studio could be seen from the street. “Shotgun” Tom Kelly (see last week’s column) tells a similar story in his book; I am betting that many future DJs were inspired by that same studio. Interestingly, Ross and Kelly are longtime friends and the former helped the latter write his book as well.
• J.J. Johnson is perhaps best known locally for his work at the legendary original KDAY (now KBLA, 1580 AM). But his radio career spans over five decades and started when he was just 17 at Cleveland’s WABQ; he eventually moved to the West Coast and worked at such legendary stations as KFRC/San Francisco. Locally he was heard on such stations as KJLH (102.3 FM) and KACE (now KRCD, 103.9 FM) in addition to KDAY. At KJLH, he acted as an on-air first-hand reporter during the Los Angeles riots via the station’s street-level studios that included a huge looking-glass window facing the street. He was right there, acting as a calming influence and mediator for the community.
In “Aircheck: Life in Music Radio,” he tells his story in great detail, including what made the stations he worked at so special. Minute details, such as never blending the KFRC call letters together when spoken … They had to be said deliberately as “K-F-R-C.”
The book reads as if Johnson were sitting next to you just talking to you and he is a great storyteller. Like Ross, his memory is stellar. But it’s not just about radio; it’s about life, lessons, people, observations, and reflections. This is one of the best radio-related books I have read.
• Emmis Broadcasting is one of the class acts of radio, especially when it was riding the wave of radio popularity as the then-new owner of KMGG (now KPWR, 105.9 FM). It was at Magic 106 that I met many of my radio contacts, and I was there when the station switched gears and Power 106 made its rhythmic dance music debut. They treated me, a lowly intern, quite well.
Unfortunately, the realities of modern radio economics took the company out of the ownership ranks; it now focuses on podcast content creation and sound technologies.
In “Never Ride a Roller Coaster Upside Down,” Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan tells the story of the company, its founding, the rise and fall of some of its stations, and more, with a focus on what he believes made him a successful entrepreneur.
He doesn’t hold back: The good, bad, and ugly of his travels through his life are all here, and the bok is filled with hints and tips along with a great amount of humor. It’s not just radio; it includes everything he has ever done in business, including ownership of the Seattle Mariners baseball team, one of my personal favorite chapters.
All of the books above are available in multiple forms directly through the publishers, various bookstores and online. I’ll have a few more featured next week.
Oddity
I had to get up early one morning to take my son to the airport and was surprised that The Woody Show on Alt 98.7 FM starts at 5 a.m. That’s early! What was even more surprising is that later the same morning, I heard the same bits, same contest, and same music on the way to work. What gives?
It turns out that the show is live on Alt from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., then the 5 a.m. hour repeats at 8:00, followed by one of the remaining original hours repeated at 9:00.
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I suppose that’s the way of the radio world now, especially with syndication deals making live segments for all markets difficult. Woody is definitely one of my favorite shows … though I still wonder why Ravey left. Regardless, it’s a bit tacky to repeat the hours so closely. I remember when Rick Dees got flack in the 1980s for allegedly pre-recording his first daily morning hour on KIIS-FM (102.7) the day before airing, with him supposedly coming in live at 7:00 every morning. But at least it was all original content, not repeated.
Now I know why they never respond to text messages when I listen. Alas, it is a sign of the times, I suppose. But I don’t have to like it.
Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com