RIP: Former KYA Jocks Stagg and Hawthorne

All Access reports today that Jim Stagg and Jim Hawthorne, both of whom were popular personalities on 1260/KYA in the late 1950s and early 1960s but went on to greater success elsewhere, have passed away.

Stagg, 72, who was also credited simply as "Stag" at KYA — his real name was Jimmy P. Staggs — went on to become a huge star at Chicago's WCFL. A popular morning personality at KYA, he was also part of a local novelty hit that parodied the 1960 presidential campaign. More about Stagg on the Radio-Info.com Chicago board.

Hawthorne reached the heights in L.A., where he sandwiched his work at KYA around stops at KXLA, KECA, KNX, KDAY, KIEV and KFWB. According to his website (www.JimHawthorne.com), "I went up there [KYA] for a year or so and re-formatted the station, created a gimmick called ‘voice your choice,’ and returned to So-Cal to KFWB (Color Radio) when it went on the air."

RIP: George Carl

Jay Arnold sends along word that George Carl, considered by many to be the voice of Napa Valley radio, has passed away from leukemia.

Mr. Carl had worked at KVON/1440 and KVYN/99.3 from 1968 to 1996, serving for many years as morning show host, before being moved aside by new ownership. He was also the longtime outdoors columnist for the Napa Valley Register.

Barry Martin, who worked with Mr. Carl at KVON and KVYN, posted this tribute on the Register's website: "I worked with George for many years at the radio stations and as many would attest, we didn't always see eye to eye on how to do things. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun (one his favorite words) and I learned so much from George about caring about people and caring about the community, being involved and engaged. His passion for the things he loved to do was always inspiring. George always tried to make Napa a better place."

Born and raised in Chicago, Mr. Carl began his radio career while in the Army, and later worked at stations in Chicago and Kalamazoo before arriving in Napa.

A complete obituary appears in the Napa Valley Register.

RIP: Frank Knight

Longtime KCBS/740 news anchor Frank Knight passed away on October 15, following a brave battle with cancer. He was 72 years old.

Born Frank Dale Leber in 1935, he served for 29 years as a newsman at KCBS Newsradio 740, and was an original member of the anchor team when the station switched to all-news in 1968. He had also worked at the pioneering Southern California all-news station, XETRA ("Extra News") in the early 1960s.

According to his son, Lance Leber, he took the air name "Frank Knight" because "it just sounded cool."

An avid collector of radio memorabilia, Frank was widely considered to be a leading expert on classic radio programs, as well as a devoted motion picture enthusiast.

A member of the Broadcast Legends' executive board, Frank spearheaded the Legends' production of "Sam Spade: The One-Hour Caper," which was the centerpiece of the group's Summer luncheon. Frank had previously presented retrospectives on "Gunsmoke," "The Lone Ranger," "Pat Novak For Hire," "I Love A Mystery" and "Calling All Cars" for Broadcast Legends gatherings.

Frank is survived by his wife, Rosemarie Leber, his son, Lance, and step son, Mike, as well as five grandchildren.

A public memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 3, at the First Congregational Church, 1912 Central Ave., in Alameda.

RIP: KEWB's Mark Foster

All Access reported this morning that former KEWB/Channel 91 afternoon drive star Mark Foster has passed away from cancer in Kansas City. He was 80.

Mr. Foster had also worked on the air in Dallas, Boston, Atlanta and Kansas City, where he later founded Madison Group Audio-Visual Productions.

His family has requested memorial contributions in Mr. Foster's name to either St. Luke's Hospice, 3100 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111 or the Kansas City Cancer Society, 4320 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111.

You may sign his memorial guestbook online at Legacy.com.

ERECTUS-FEST '07 -- The benefit concert to help raise funds to pay the medical bills of KOME's legendary Dennis Erectus will take place Friday night (January 12) at the Avalon nightclub, 777 Lawrence Expressway in Santa Clara.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.), and will feature the historic Southbay bands Syndicate of Sound ("Little Girl") and The Count Five ("Psychotic Reaction"), plus the AC/DC tribute band Long Time Bon and other local musicians. A silent auction, including wines and rock memorabilia, will be held concurrently with the concert.

Greg Kihn and Chris Jackson of 98.5/KFOX will emcee the event. Tickets are priced at $40, with every last penny going straight to assist the mighty Erectus.

If you can't attend, make out a check to Dennis Erectus for a few bucks and send it off to KBAY Radio, Attn: Jona Denz-Hamilton, 190 Park Center Plaza #200, San Jose, CA 95113.

More information is available at www.KOME.us.

Bob Ray: The Night James Brown Was At The Front Door

The great Bob Ray (photo, right), once a staple on the beloved 1590/KLIV during its illustrious era as the Southbay's leading Top 40 station (he can be heard in action on the Bay Area Radio Museum's KLIV tribute page), freely admits that he was deeply impacted by the passing of Soul Brother #1, James Brown, on Christmas Day at the age of 73.

Now the guiding light of Bob Ray Creative Services, a Saratoga-based advertising and marketing agency, he was moved to share his personal story about a chance meeting with the Godfather of Soul almost thirty years ago:

Rock ‘n’ roll radio in the ’70s began with an “A” and ended with an “F” as listeners’ tastes drifted from established bands to brand new ones in more ways than one.

But for most of that decade dating back to the late ’60s, San Jose’s rock ‘n’ roll music icon was an AM radio station located at 1590 on the dial and on Story Road on San Jose’s east side, “next to an abandoned gas station and a thriving fruit stand.”

True, it didn’t look like a rock ‘n’ roll icon, this single-story brown stucco building with its well-faded, brown wood paneling and swinging glass door entrance that might have easily fronted a 7-11.

But it sounded like one: the pied piper of on-the-air rock ‘n’ roll music for San Jose and, this night in the late ’70s, I was in the station preparing my show for the next day. I did mornings on KLIV then, the pinnacle in my career at that time: Bob Ray In The Morning.

The broadcast or “air studio” had a large glass window that provided an oblique view of the building’s glass-door entrance. There was a push-to-talk button for after-hours’ visitors at the front door to talk with the DJ on-the-air. While you could hear each other, because of the in between glass reflections and refractions, you couldn’t see each other.

However the station owner and general manager – now a mentor and a good friend – Bob Kieve, made it clear that admitting any non-employee through that door after-hours would be the end of one’s employment at the station. It was the golden rule at KLIV.

Around 7 p.m. this night, there was a pounding on the front door. Ralf Koal, our afternoon DJ, couldn’t see who was there, couldn’t hear them on the push-to-talk, and intercommed me in production studio to go check it out.

I walked through the front office’s rows of empty desks as it was now well after working hours, and made out three men at the door, one of them wearing a red – wait, what is that, velvet? – a red velvet full length coat? It wasn’t just bright red. It glowed red. I mean it was on fire!

It was dark, the men were black and the stoop light was directly above them, not illuminating their faces clearly. As I asked, “Can I help you?” the man in velvet took a step back and the overhead light revealed his face.

I literally caught my breath and said out loud, “Oh my God, you’re James Brown!” He replied, “Yes, I am. May we come in?”

At this point, I had to ask Ralf Koal - as granting entry to a non-employee would put us both on the street in a snap - if he was OK with my opening the front door. He was incredulous: “You left James Brown waiting at the front door? Jesus, Bob, let him in!”

As Mr. Brown walked through the door, the unbuttoned red velvet coat draped around him like a cape, his hand reached out to shake mine. In a simultaneous motion, the two men behind him lifted the velvet coat from his shoulders, revealing the man, the myth, the legend – dressed in tight black leather, festooned with silver sequins – James Brown.

I said, “Mr. Brown …” when he interrupted me, grasped my hand with both of his, squinted his coal-black eyes into mine and said, “Call me James.”

After introducing James Brown to Ralf Koal who was still on-the-air, I had one of the more lucid moments in my broadcasting career and asked if our group could move into the production studio to record an interview.

For the next hour, I sat side-by-side with James Brown and he talked about his life, his deep love of music, his difficulty in getting his music played in the day’s radio world of strict formats and tight music lists and the impossible road he traveled from poverty to success, this man with an eighth-grade education.

James Brown was articulate, intelligent, passionate and – above all of those qualities – a joy to talk with … one of the best interviews I have ever done.

Nearing the end of our talk, I admitted to him, “I must tell you, I can’t believe I’m sitting here talking with the hardest working man in show business, James Brown.” His reply, “Ain’t I good lookin’, too!”

When James left the room for a moment, the two men who accompanied him – two life-long friends, not bodyguards - told me a story about this man with an eighth grade education. James carried nothing in his pockets: no keys, no wallet, no cash. At the beginning of each day, each man was given a considerable wad of cash – in a roll – to pay for meals, hotels, everything. Any remaining cash was given back to James at the end of each day.

After a very long 14-hour day of promotional appearances in Los Angeles recently, this man gave James Brown the remaining roll of bills and loose change. James counted the sum and, as the man began to leave his room, suddenly asked, “Are you sure you don’t have about $39 in another pocket?”

Incredibly, there was a cab ride that morning from LAX which this man began to pay with two twenty dollar bills but his counterpart did instead. The two twenties were replaced in haste, inside the man’s coat pocket instead of his pants, where they still were.

James kept track of each day’s expenses in his head. He recalled names and details of people he met just once, knew myriad details of those he worked with intimately and demonstrated business acumen far beyond many with a college degree.

Granted, James Brown knew how to promote James Brown. He was in San Jose for a one-night show and ticket sales, no doubt, needed a little help.

So he ended up on KLIV’s doorstep to work his magic: to again open doors closed to everyone else but not to James Brown.

James Brown was truly a legend who influenced all music – Elvis to Mick to Bowie, R&B to rock to rap – as well as this twenty-something radio DJ who had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend time with the man behind the legend.

To this day, almost thirty years later, I remember that sign by the front door of the old KLIV studios must have read, “No admittance for any non-employee after-hours except for James Brown.”

RIP: Mike Phillips

Jay Arnold sent along word last night that former 610/KFRC morning man and program director Mike Phillips died yesterday following a two and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 64.

Mike was the original afternoon guy at KFRC when the station moved to Top 40 in February 1966, then switched to mornings later in the year. He ended his career as program director at L.A.'s legendary K-Earth 101 from 1990 to 2001, helping to elevate the famed Oldies powerhouse from middle-of-the-pack status to consistent ratings in the top five.

He spent the early portion of his career in the Pacific Northwest, including stops at KAYO and KJR in Seattle, before becoming one of the KISN Good Guys at the Portland Top 40 outlet. From KISN it was on to his first stop in the Bay Area, working at KNBR/68 under program director Al Hart.

Fired by KNBR, he landed on his feet as an original member of the 610 Men at KFRC when the station switched to Top 40 early in 1966. Initially installed as the Big 610's afternoon guy, he moved to mornings later in the year.

After a return to KJR in 1968, he made subsequent stops at WXLO/New York (1973) and KGW/Portland (1975) before coming back to the Bay Area as program director at NBC-owned KYUU/99.7 in 1980. He moved over to program KIOI in 1982, then returned to KFRC as program director in 1984. He then helped create KOIT's signature "Lite Rock" sound beginning in 1986.

Mike Phillips had moved from Santa Clarita in Southern California to Portland earlier this summer to be nearer to his family.

Ron Lyons on Mike Phillips...

The one thing left off his stations slate was KNBR from February of 1965 until sometime in the Fall. Mike Phillips was a star, I believe, at KJR when he was 19, and he and I both were hired by Mike Joseph which could account for the high suicide rate in the '60s.

[Joseph] was a real con artist and had sold NBC a story on market research. We were playing "Satisfaction" and then going into Arlene Francis on "Emphasis." We were giving the time in various Bay Area locations and he had the very old NBC announcers doing (or trying) Top 40 News up to the network join and it was horrific. The whole thing was horrific.

I have an actual memo from Joseph saying "Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. You only gave the call letters 23 times; it should have been 35." NBC was run by the News Division so we had to carry everything including think pieces and press conferences. NOBODY knew what the hell we were.

Mike and I were very good friends then, and I will explain in a bit why I think we didn't stay that way. Anyway, he kept telling management, which was Al Hart, how screwed up it was and doing one liners about it on the air. We were great drinking buddies and he spent a lot of time at the house. He was a little lonely and really angry with how bad we sounded. I kept telling him that no matter how bad it was, it was theirs and he was liable to be fired ... which is what happened ... which is rather funny.

Al Hart was a great guy (still is) and gave Mike the word and said it was his choice if he wanted to work out his two week notice. (We all had great contracts then!) Mike elected to stay on the air and he was on 6 to 9PM. So he goes on the air that night and one of the commercials was for the Columbia School of Broadcasting. I remember listening to him and, really, the only thing he said, VERY tongue in cheek, was that "the security in broadcasting is fantastic." So he was gone.

Like many things in life, it was the best thing. Drake was changing KFRC and it was just the break Mike needed. I remember he was a little dubious but he ended up doing mornings and KFRC is really one of the legends. Mike was also in love with a gal named Carol and they eventually got married.

We drifted apart then. The last thing I remembered was their apartment in Marin and Elvis had just recorded "From Vegas To Memphis" and we listened to the live version of "Suspicious Minds." He and I both had just returned to the market around 1969.

Mike was a great guy who managed to conquer booze. Many don't know it but it was an awful thing for him. We reconnected in 1977, I think, when he and John Hayes were running KYUU. I was still drinking then and didn't quit until 1986. I was working weekends at KNBR and we ended up staying at the same motel. There he told me of some really horrible things he had gone through. He had become quite religious although he never hit you over the head with it. I think it was uncomfortable for him to be around me because I was still hitting it pretty good. I always admired his success as a programming guy knowing what games had to be played and how he maintained his sobriety.

Mike Phillips, as I remember him, was a gentle soul with a tremendous sense of humor.

Sometime during the KNBR/KYUU days, we were walking over to the garage together and I asked him if he missed being on the air?

"Nah," he said, "I've got nothing left to say."

RIP: Hap Harper

Carter B. Smith emailed over last night that Hap Harper passed away this past Wednesday (October 4).

Hap, who parlayed being Don Sherwood's neighbor into a paying gig as the world's first airborne traffic reporter on the World's Greatest Radio Station, was 81. He retired from radio in 1991 after 34 years on the air in the air, during which time he estimated that he had "logged over two million miles over the Bay Area and never been out of sight of the San Carlos Airport."

Born Howard Harper in New Orleans, he grew up in Flint, Mich., obtaining his pilot's license while still a teenager, and attended Oberlin College in Ohio, earning tuition money by giving flying lessons. He was a Marine Corps lieutenant and pilot during World War II, then settled in the Bay Area after leaving the service. As a friend and neighbor of Sherwood, he'd fly the KSFO disc jockey to various weekend getaways, and eventually was persuaded to go on the air with weather reports from on high.

One day in 1957 while giving his weather observations, he spotted a traffic accident down below and mentioned it on the air, thus launching a new phase in his flying career as well as creating an entire cottage industry.

In addition to being one of Sherwood's longstanding comrades-in-arms, Hap also sold real estate in the Sierra foothills for four decades, ferrying prospective clients in his private plane. During his radio career, he also worked with Van Amburg at KFRC, Gene Nelson at KSFO/KYA-FM and Frank Dill and Mike Cleary at KNBR, in addition to occasionally filling in at KSFO in the studio during Sherwood's frequent absences.

He retired from broadcasting in 1991, moving fulltime to Amador County to operate his HH Realty enterprise.

"He was a remarkably cheerful, outgoing and positive man, an excellent flier and fun to work with," Carter B. told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Hap is survived by his wife, Jan, his daughter, Kellie, and his son, Jeffrey. No funeral service will be held in accordance with Hap's wishes, but I'd bet there'll be a memorial gathering for his friends at some point in the near future.

More Hap:

Sherwood and Harper's "Raid On Stockton" from Laurie Harper's "Don Sherwood: The Life and Times of the World's Greatest Disc Jockey."

You may leave a remembrance or condolence message for Hap Harper by clicking here.

(Photo: Hap Harper and Don Sherwood aboard Hap's plane, 1958.)