Where Are 
They Now?

LARadio.com
Los Angeles Radio People, K
Compiled by Don Barrett

send changes and updates to: AvilaBeachdb@gmail.com

K

K, Bob: KFWB, 1967-68; KABC/KMPC, 1992-96. Bob is the gm of the Doug Stephan Company.

Born Bob Klopfenstein in Pomona, he became interested in radio while listening to Lohman & Barkley and operating a bootleg radio station at Chino Jr. High School. While attending Chaffey College in Alta Loma with Frank Zappa, he and Zappa ran a small recording studio in Cucamonga. KSPC, at Pomona College, led him to his first job in commercial radio at KASK-Ontario. Soon after, he moved to KFWB as md. When the station changed format from Rock to all-News in the spring of 1968, Group-W transferred him to WBZ-Boston. From there, he went on to other Group-W stations: WIND-Chicago, as executive producer and then WOWO-Ft Wayne as pd in 1976. KOA/KOAQ-Denver was his next pd job, where he changed KOA's format to News/Talk and hired controversial talk host Alan Berg, who was brutally murdered in 1985.

In 1982 he moved to Philadelphia as pd of CBS News/Talk station, WCAU. From WCAU, he moved on to become gm at News/Talk KING-Seattle and then to KOB-Albuquerque, before returning to the Southland and KABC in 1992. He left KABC/KMPC in the spring of 1996 and became a News/Talk consultant and later vp programming for Creative Promotion, a tv and radio syndicator.

 

K, Ellen: KIIS, 1990-2015; KOST, 2016-2023. Ellen co-hosted mornings with Ryan Seacrest at KIIS/fm until October 2015 when she took over mornings by herself at sister station, KOST. She was the announcer on the 2016 Academy Awards TV show. In November 2022, Ellen will be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

She has also been the announcer on the Grammy Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding on TLC and Hatched on The CW.

Ellen, who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012, shared, “I’m honored and thrilled to be a part of the 2016 Oscars team. It’s a true privilege to lend my voice to this global event celebrating the best in cinema.”  

K, Jeff: KACD, 1996-97. Jeff went on to do middays at "Merge 93.3" in Dallas.
KABC, Mr.: KFI, 1992-96; KABC, 1997-2007. Mr. KABC exited KABC in February 2007 following a contract dispute. He can be heard nightly on TalkRadioOne.com. SEE Marc Germain

KABRICH, Jeanine: KABC, 1998-99; KFWB, 2000-06. Jeanine worked as the Southern California Media representative for the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2006 she worked at GoTV, a mobile tv production company in Sherman Oaks. Jeannie pursued a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee and lives in Los Angeles. She is a professor at California State University, Northridge.

Jeanine is a native Californian. Born in Concord, raised in San Jose and Auburn, she finished high school in northwest Washington State. Her broadcast career began in junior high school at KISM/fm-Bellingham, Washington as a news intern, then as a feature producer. Following graduation she joined the U.S. Army as a Broadcast Specialist. She was stationed in Germany in Bavaria, then served another tour of duty in West Berlin. She was one of the first female tv reporters for the American Forces Network Europe.

Married her third year in the services to a Green Beret, she moved with him and served in Central America (Panama) for two years. After returning to the United States she and her husband divorced and she finished her college education. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication: broadcast journalism/political communication. She worked at various radio and tv stations in Boston before returning to California in 1989.

 

Kabrich, Randy: KQLZ, 1989-90. Randy has been a radio consultant for over two decades.

KADE, Justin: KYSR, 2007-17. Justin worked weekends at STAR 98.7 and in 2007 transitioned to nights when the station flipped to Alternative 98-7/fm. In early 2017, he joined SiriusXM Alt-National channel.

Justin arrived in the Southland from KMXB-Las Vegas.
He was middays at ALT 987 (KYSR) for many years.

When he left the station in early March 2016, he wrote on Facebook: "After a solid 10 years on ALT 98.7 the time has come for me to say farewell at the end of this month. I am not being pushed out or fired, it is simply the end of my contract and all obligations have been complete. 10 years is a long time to spend in one place and in order to keep evolving as a spiritual & creative human being, it is simply time to close this door so that new ones can be opened. I want to thank my fantastic listeners, co-workers and supporters that I have been so lucky to have in my life over the past 10 years. I hope that you will continue sticking with me, sharing with me and having fun with me here on social media."

KAELIN, Brian Kato: KLSX, 1995-96. For the latter half of 1994 and for most of 1995, the nation (and the world) was consumed with one hot story — that of O.J. Simpson and whether he committed the brutal murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. Kato, the pop icon lived on OJ Simpson's property and appears infrequently in the media.

More than a hundred witnesses testified for the defense and the prosecution combined, says LA Times. One of them would emerge as a star. His name was Kato Kaelin — a blond-haired friend of the Simpsons' and a witness for the prosecution. Kaelin become an important witness who helped piece together the timeline e night of the murders, Kaelin testified that he and Simpson went out to get some fast food.

Kato was part of the launch of a quirky format at KLSX with a number of pop stars and celebrities hosting a Talk show.

Kaestner, Anne: KNX, 1976. Unknown. 

KAGAN, Marilyn: KFI, 1991-96; KMPC/KTZN, 1996-97. Marilyn was a media consultant. She died in September 2020.

Beginning in August 1991, Marilyn hosted an evening therapy show on KFI. She went on to host a local tv program on KCAL/Channel 9. Marilyn left KFI in 1996 to devote more time to her tv show, which she hoped to take into national syndication. She joined KMPC in the late spring of 1996 and left a year later. She was bumped to make way for the syndicated psychologist Dr. Toni Grant.

Marilyn told Gary Lycan of the OC Register: “They were deceitful, noncreative and rude to talent. I was promised they would make my presence known, and it never happened."

"You don’t meet many truly kind, wonderful people in this business, but, Marilyn was one of them,” wrote Casey Bartholomew, a longtime colleague and friend.
“Warm, loving, never took herself too seriously and always had a kind word for you. I ran the board on her very first show on KFI. We remained close friends for years. I would housesit for her, from time to time, and she even sang at my wedding. A really wonderful person. Sadly, we lost her to cancer. Apparently, the diagnosis was several weeks earlier and it moved very quickly. I am honored to have called her my friend.”

Kahlen, Brent: KYMS, 1969-73; KROQ, 1976-79; KNAC, 1979-81. Brent owns a company that does "business turnarounds" for small to medium sized businesses. He spends time at KOCI, a LPFM in Orange County.
Kahn, Chaka: KIBB, 1997. Chaka appeared on VH-1's Divas broadcast in April 1999 singing her hit, I Feel For You. She worked B-100 nights briefly in 1997.
Kahn, Ken: KLSX, 1998. Paired with Gerald Wolfe to host Jerry's Courtroom Deli, Ken's whereabouts are unknown.

KAHN, Larry: KNX, mid 1980s; KFOX, 1991; KORG, 1991; KFI, 1991-92; KMPC, 1992-95; KLSX, 1996-97; XTRA, 2003. Larry is the founder of Sports USA and he is the network’s primary NFL play-by-play broadcaster.

A sportscaster with more than four decades of experience, and recipient of the prestigious Los Angeles Press Club Award for best sports reporting, Kahn was previously the radio voice of the USC Trojans. He has called the Rose Bowl, College World Series, and also served as a play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Kalmenson, Howard: KWKW, 1962-97. Howard owned KWKW. He's now a partner in Lotus Communications. In 2012, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Radio Ink for his long record of dedication to Spanish-language radio.
Kalmenson, Jim: KWKW, 1991-97. Jim was general manager of KWKW, his father's station.

KALUSA, Ray: KSPN, 2003-06. Ray was appointed pd at KSPN in early fall 2003 from Citadel in Oklahoma City. He left the all-Sports station in early 2006. Ray died of an apparent heart attack on November 21, 2007. He was 49.

He was en route to Las Vegas to visit family for the Thanksgiving holiday when he was stricken. Ray, a 24-year veteran of radio, was pd at Citadel-owned stations, All Hits 98.9 KISS/fm, WWLS (The Sports Animal), and Supertalk 930 WKY (News Talk) in Oklahoma City, before arriving in Los Angeles. 

Ray began his career in Ogden, Utah as a midday air talent and afternoon news anchor at KJQN. He later continued his on-air stint at KCPX-Salt Lake City, as evening and morning air talent, plus md/apd duties. From Utah, Ray headed to Reno's KWNZ where he was pd and afternoon air talent. His first gig in California was working as md/apd and the midday shift at San Diego's KKLQ (Q106), then becoming music director and apd at San Diego's KIOZ.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame where he played baseball, Kalusa grew up in Chicago where he became a die-hard Cubs and Bears fan. “I dropped to my knees when I heard the news,” said David Singer, KSPN executive producer. “Ray was one of my best friends in radio. He was the nicest guy. He actually went to a Lakers game with my dad when I couldn’t go one night.”

When David prepared to play on a media team at Dodger Stadium, Ray told David “Let me hit you some ground balls so you’ll be ready.” 

“I used to tease Ray he was the equivalent of a ‘gym rat’ at the radio station – a ‘radio rat’ – he would get there early and not leave until 11 p.m. at night. He loved talking to everybody and giving everybody in the building nicknames. He would chat up everybody he could in the four radio stations that occupied the building. He was always a guy who had a smile on his face,” said David. 

John Ireland, who worked at KSPN with Kalusa, had just talked to Ray twice during the previous week. “He was a great guy who was always positive, always upbeat. That's the thing I'll miss most about him, he was one of those people who just never had a bad day. He was able to create enthusiasm, and it was contagious.”  John revealed it was Ray Kalusa who talked him into returning to local radio with his longtime partner Steve Mason. “After a long courtship with the station, I called Ray to thank him for the offer, but that I had decided to turn him down. He insisted that I come to his office and meet with him and John Davison, just close the negotiation in person. I agreed, but my mind was made up. By the time the meeting ended, Ray was so convincing that I had changed my mind and we went on to make a lot of money together over the next few years.” 

Steve said he had “just spoken to Ray last week by phone…we were talking about ‘old times.’ Ray was a ‘radio guy’ through and through. He loved our business, and he brought to it a decency and innate goodness that is increasingly hard to find.” 

Steve  added that Ray “was always smiling, and he was quick with his own special brand of dumb G-rated joke. Ray specialized in bad puns. We often described him as ‘punny.’  He was devoted to his family, and he loved working with, nurturing and supporting radio talent, not as employees, but as part of his family.”

Steve summed up by stating: “This is a terrible loss for our business.  Ray was, and always will be, one of the ‘good guys.”

KAMBER, Dawn: KSBR, 1989-2020. The KSBR news director anchored and reported the news for the commercial free jazz station KSBR since 1989. She can be heard reporting on news impacting Orange County every half hour during morning drive, and noon weekdays. KSBR broadcasts on frequency 88.5/fm and on the Internet KSBR.org, as well as iTunes. She is now with OC Talk Radio.

Dawn also hosts a half hour public affairs show Collage, which airs Monday evenings at 7 p.m. Her journalism experience dates back to when she was in ninth grade, when she was features editor, and news writer for her junior high school paper. She continued the newspaper experience in high school, and added tv news to her resume, as she reported on high school events for Public TV Station KLCS. 

When she moved on to Cal State Northridge, where she got her B.A. degree in journalism, she wrote for the newspaper, and reported on the radio station KCSN. She also held a part-time job at KLAC. In the next five years, before being hired at KSBR, she worked at various commercial radio stations in Las Vegas and Reno as a news anchor and reporter.

 

KAMER, Steve: KHTZ, 1982-83. Steve works in New York and his voiceover career includes: Inside Edition, ESPN Classic, NBC Sports, CBS News, The Early Show, WCBS-AM Newsradio 880, and The New York Yankees! In early 2021, he signed a new three-year deal with the CBS Audio Network, to continue as the iconic voice of CBS News On The Hour. He's also the announcer on Judge Judy.

While attending Lawrenceville Prep School in New Jersey, Steve always had an eye on some day being in Hollywood. In 1978, the summer between his freshman and sophomore year, he came to Los Angeles for the first time to visit family. “It was very exciting to see things that I had only seen on tv or in the movies,” said Steve. “While on this trip I made a decision that I would attend college in California.” Making good on his dream, he started USC in 1981 and graduated from the Annenberg School for Communication in 1985.

His big break came in 1981. Greater Media owned Top 40 KHTZ. “I got an interview because I was friendly with Greater Media program directors in New Jersey and Philadelphia. A couple of them put in recommendations for me at KHTZ. I got a job doing weekends at the age of 18.” 

Steve said that getting a VO agent is the toughest challenge for the radio talent. “In the early days I wasn’t that savvy so the first stumbling block for me was getting an agent. Being a radio disc jockey had absolutely no cache to a voiceover agent in terms of them wanting to sign you."

His big national voiceover break came in 1994 when the Today Show hired Steve to do their promos. He realized years before that he needed to get to know the people who made the decisions. Instead of meeting them one by one, he invested in industry events where a large group of decision makers would be attending. He paid for it himself. He didn’t ask anyone to cover the costs. It was an investment in his career.

Kane, Allan: KMET, 1980. Unknown. 

KANNER, Bob: Bob was interested in radio from the time he could listen to one, according to long-time friend Shaune McNamara Steele. His contributions to the world of engineering were indeed revolutionary. He died August 20, 2005, at the age of 65.

Kanner was named chief engineer of WMCA-New York while he was in his 20s. This was during the days of manned transmitters. During Bob's tenure at WMCA he oversaw the transfer of the station from music to a talk format. Among his designs and innovations for the talk facilities were many 'firsts' - he worked on the development of the 7-second delay, which is common to this day. He became CE at KFRC-San Francisco in the early-mid '70s, and eventually, in 1977 moved to Los Angeles as chief engineer at KHJ/KRTH. During this time, he was named as Chief of Audio for the entire RKO chain. His work on AM audio processors during this time was always cutting edge. "His many technical innovations are now considered standard broadcasting procedure in radio stations all across the country,” wrote Shaune.

Bob was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 25, 1939. He was a ham operator for many years. He always built his own ham sets and corresponded with many of the famous hams for the day: Barry Goldwater, King Hussein of Jordan, and others.

“Bob was much more than an engineer;” commented Beau Weaver. “He was a visionary. At KFRC in 1973 he perfected his design of a multi-band audio processor that made KFRC sound like was an inch thick on the dial. This approach is now the basis of almost all of the commercial broadcast audio processing systems. At the time it took up an entire room of three racks of equipment. Bob also designed and built at KFRC, the finest new on air studio complex I had ever seen, and constructed it around and on top of the existing working radio station. Bob was a builder and designer, who could see where the technology could take us, before us creative types could imagine its possibilities. And he was a really great guy to boot. He was more like a jock than, um, you know: 'an engineering type.’ With the lone exception of his KFRC colleague [now Infinity engineering chief] Lynn Duke, Kanner had no peer in our industry. Bob belongs in the pantheon of RKO icons like Robert W. Morgan and The Real Don Steele. He will be missed.”   

Kaplan, Gabe: KLAC, 1990-92. Gabe was involved with the World Series of Poker.

KAPLAN, Jake: KROQ/JACK/fm, 2005-09; KAMP, 2008-2020. Jake is a Los Angeles based Voice Over talent and Radio Creative Director. Jake specializes in radio imaging and television promo. In the summer of 2022, Jake was elevated to the corporate level in the newly created role of Director of Imaging and Sound Design for the entire company.

Along with being the Creative Director at LA’s 97.1 AMP Radio, Jake’s voice can be heard on radio stations like WDZH-Detroit, WNTR-Indianapolis, WAPE Jacksonville and KDND-Sacramento.

On the television side, Jake has voiced promos for Spike, FX, and Fox Sports 1.

Jake’s Radio career started in Seattle at KUBE FM and has work at station like WHFS in Washington, DC and KROQ in Los Angeles.

 

KAPLAN, Leon: KABC, 1979-2023. The Motorman dispensed automotive information at KABC. It was perhaps the longest running show in LARadio history. Afer 43 years at KABC, he retired in the summer of 2023. “I always thought of the Sunday Show as ‘funday,’ said Leon.

Leon is an amazing broadcaster. His folksy approach to life, relationships and motors is one of passion. He’s an excellent storyteller. One of his advertisers has been with him for 30 years. “They all told me they would follow me wherever I landed next,” said Leon

While the high school kids in Durham, North Carolina were racing around chasing girls, Leon was racing around in anything motorized. “I was just this little country boy from a little town and all I wanted to do was race,” remembered Leon. A checkerboard-patterned floor, resembling the winning race flag, is a reminder to his lifelong dream.  He’s not sure where the obsession with motors came from but his inspiration to be the best came from his Grandmother Lance. “My grandparents lived next door while I was growing up. My grandmother was a retired principal and my grandfather was a retired minister from Duke University. When I was in high school, motors and racing were my sports. That was my competitive edge. I had the fastest car. I had the fastest motorcycle. It’s still somewhat that way today.” Leon’s goal was to be a NASCAR race driver. “My grandmother was old and wise. She told me that whatever I decided to do, it needed to be the best.”

Leon went to the Nashville Auto Diesel College in Tennessee. “Automatic transmissions in the 50s is where computerization on cars are today. Nobody understood the new transmissions, but I knew them like the back of my hand. They always fascinated me.” said Leon. After graduation, Leon returned to Durham, but couldn’t raise money for racing. His brother moved to California after military service and encouraged Leon to join him. There was an opportunity for a three-month assignment that was paying $300 a week. “I took it because I could have money for a race car,” said Leon. “And I’m still here.”   All the racing has taken a physical toll on Leon. He broke an arm five times from racing motorcycles and a bad boating accident hurt his back.
Leon’s involvement in radio was almost by accident. In the late 1970s he lived in Lake Arrowhead. George Green, general manager at KABC, also had a home there. Their kids were friends and raced boats on the lake. Back at the La Cienega studios, Elmer Dills hosted the Sunday morning KABC show. “It wasn’t a cooking show,” said Leon, “it was generic. Elmer would rotate me with a doctor, lawyer and real estate expert. When I came in we’d talk about new cars. He’d have me on every four to five weeks. It just evolved into my own show.” Leon is indebted to Elmer. “I owe a lot to Elmer for being so persistent with me when I was scared to be on the radio.” He likes the relaxing environment of radio. “TV is very regimented. So much is about smiling and good visuals.” He loves making word pictures. His daughter lives in Phoenix and he and Dixiebelle will fly there and he will describe the trip on his KABC Sunday morning show. “I get sentimental. Flying across the desert and the sun’ll go down and I just think. It gets dark and then the lights of Palm Springs appear. Millions of people down there and I’m just one of the lucky ones who can do all this. When I’m dancing with the clouds, I feel natural with talking about it. I’m just this Southern guy who’s been there all this time. I can’t tell you why.” But we know why and why it is so comfortable inviting Leon into our homes or into our cars every Sunday morning.

 

KAPLAN, Mike: KYSR, 2013-18; KROQ, 2020-23. Mike joined KYSR/fm, Los Angeles' Rock Alternative station, in early May 2013. He left in January 2018. He's now pd at ALT WBMP-New York. In early 2020, Mike took on Brand Manager responsibilities for KROQ in addition to his current roles as the Company’s Alternative Format Captain and Brand Manager for ALT 92.3-New York. He lost his job at KROQ in March 2022.

 

Kaplan started his radio career as an intern and since then his laser focus has been locked on what’s next in pop-culture, music, tech and marketing which has helped grow and develop his extensive programming career. He wmas ostly recently programming the Seattle Entercom cluster, 107.7 The End KNDD/fm and 103.7 The Mountain KMTT/fm. At Entercom Kaplan also previously served as a pd.   

Kaplan, Scott: XERB, 2003-12. Scott co-anchored morning drive at all-Sports "The Mighty 1090" until the summer of 2012. He returned in early 2013. 

KAREL & ANDREW: KFI, 1998-2002. Karel (Charles Karel Bouley) & Andrew (Howard) worked swing at KFI. Andrew died suddenly on May 21, 2001. He was 34. Karel went on to KGO Radio in San Francisco.

Karel talks about he he discovered radio: "We, I, didn't choose a career in radio. It chose us. It reminds me of our founding fathers, when they set up the electoral college. The thinking was that the office sought the man, not the man the office. Talk radio really sought us out, not the other way around. My partner Andrew died at one of the happiest times of his life. We were working, it was fun at KFI. We were traveling. We loved each other. Radio provided us a chance to see things and do things that we normally would not have, things that made our lives far more interesting and enriching. It let us meet people like David Hall, Mark Thomas, Don Elliot, Stella, Loxi, Anthony, Bill Handel, Phil Hendrie - most remain my friends to this day.  Radio is, and was a blessing to me. It saw me through the toughest time of my life and at KGO has made me grow in to an entirely different host, and again, a place that lets me call "friend" people like Gene Burns, Pete Wilson and Jack Swanson and Trish Robbins. Radio has brought such fabulous people in to my life....and let's talk about the listeners. What other job allows us to meet so many people from such diverse backgrounds, and bring them all together in one place at one time?   Everyone in radio is blessed. Yes, most of us do more. I write, do tv, etc. but radio, that simple little box that lets us talk to the world, it's powerful, and a blessing.  I didn't start down the road to KFI or KGO. But I'm awfully glad the off ramps of my life led there. "

 

 

KARMAZIN, Mel: Mel was the president and COO of Viacom, the media conglomerate that includes CBS, UPN, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount and Showtime. Karmazin, born in 1943, presided over New York's WNEW-AM-FM when he was approached to run Infinity Broadcasting in 1981. Soon after he would add WKTU/fm and WFAN, both New York into Infinity's stable of stations. When Infinity merged with CBS Corporation in Janaury 1997, Karmazin would first head CBS Radio as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. By May of the same year he would become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CBS Station Group, overseeing the network's radio and television properties. He served as President and Chief Operating Officer of CBS Corporation from April of 1998 until January of 1999. Viacom absorbed CBS Corporation of 2000.

Karmazin accepted the top job at Sirius in November 2004. He was a strong supporter of radio disc jockey Howard Stern at Viacom, and Karmazin joined Sirius Radio after Stern. A graduate of Pace University, Karmazin has been inducted into the broadcasting Hall of Fame, a recipient of the National Association of Broadcasters National Radio Award, and the IRTS Gold Medal. Mel was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.

Karnatz, Mia: KPCC, 1987-2003; KCLU, 2004-13. Mia is the membership manager at KCLU. 

Karla with a K: KACE, 1994-2000. Karla Antoinette arrived in the Southland from an Urban station in Richmond, Virginia. Her long-term ambition is to be become an actress. She has guested on Martin.

In the spring of 1997 she moved into the midday slot at KACE and left when the station was sold and changed format to Spanish.
As a Howard University grad, she was taught to survive, thrive, be resilient and flexible in this changing world. "I've acquired skills, experiences and wisdom that enable me to stay relevant, evolve and look toward the future of business, life and opportunity in the 21st century," she wrote on her website. "I fulfill my purpose to educate, entertain, enlighten and empower, through Interviews, Internet marketing and producing, utilizing evolving media formats, tools and channels."

When KACE became an AFTRA shop, Karla was elected twice to represent Radio Announcers on the AFTRA Board of Directors, for the Los Angeles Local. The two terms, totaled six years from 1999-2005. "During that time, we were ultimately victorious in a tough labor fight between AFTRA, Stand Up comedians and BET.

KASEM, Casey: KRLA, 1963-69. Los Angeles claimed him as their own during the 60s, before Casey Kasem became one of the most recognized voices on the planet. The long time host of American Top 40 died June 15, 2014, after a long battle with Lewy body dementia and infected bed sores. 

"Early this Father’s Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends," Kerri Kasem wrote on Facebook. "Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. The world will miss Casey Kasem, an incredible talent and humanitarian; we will miss our Dad. With love, Kerri, Mike and Julie."

Born in Detroit in 1932 to Lebanese Druze parents, Kemal Amin Kasem interned in 1950 at Detroit's public radio station, WDTR. He then worked as a radio quiz-show usher at WXYZ-Detroit, before acting in youth roles on nationally-aired programs, The Lone Ranger and Sergeant Preston. Drafted in 1952, Casey served in Korea at the headquarters of Armed Forces Radio. In 1954 he returned to Wayne State to finish college, working as a newsman, board-op, and part-time dj at WJLB. Casey later switched to WJBK-Detroit as a full-time jock. He headed to New York in 1958 in an unsuccessful try for stage acting work. In 1959, he hosted radio and a tv show, Cleveland Bandstand at WJW.  

Casey moved west in 1962, arriving at KEWB-San Francisco where he developed the “teaser-bio” format, putting drama and stories into introductions of the music. It became his much-copied trademark technique. In 1963 he moved to Southern California, joining the lineup of the legendary KRLA as one of the “Eleven-Ten Men” until 1969. Working in Southern California allowed Casey to continue pursuing acting gigs throughout the 1960s. He appeared in several movies, including The Girls from Thunder Strip, The Glory Stompers, Scream Free!, 2000 Years Later, The Cycle Savages, and The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant. Casey appeared on tv, hosting Dick Clark’s daily syndicated tv dance show, Shebang, as well as an appearance on The Dating Game.

Record exec Mike Curb suggested Casey try commercial voiceover work, which made his voice known nationally. It was Casey who provided the voice of Robin in the tv cartoon series Batman and Robin, though he was probably better known as the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo.  

In 1969 Casey called Ron Jacobs at Watermark, a radio syndicator, to talk about a new idea called American Top 40. The show would count down the biggest hits of the week, an idea he conceived with Don Bustany, a Hollywood movie producer and childhood friend. “AT40" debuted on July 4, 1970, on WMEX-Boston. The show originally aired in only seven markets. The show eventually became nationally and internationally popular as “Casey’s Coast-to-Coast” countdown added more and more stations, at one time boasting over 1,000 affiliates. The playing of nearly every song was introduced with a short story about the song or the artist. Listeners from all over the world would ask Casey to play a long-distance dedication to reach out or to honor a friend or long-lost acquaintance.  

From 1980 to 1992 he hosted a syndicated tv countdown show based on the radio show, America's Top Ten. Casey received a Star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 1981.  

Casey parted ways with AT40 and Cap Cities/ABC who was then syndicated the show. But he wasn’t gone for long, as he was soon back with Casey’s Top 40, with Casey Kasem via Westwood One. Before the show debuted on January 1, 1989, over 400 affiliates had signed up. (Casey Kasem at KRLA)

That same year, Casey was featured in Variety, explaining the appeal of AT40: “When we first went on the air, I thought we would be around for at least 20 years. I knew the formula worked. I knew people tuned in to find out what the No. 1 record was.” 

He continued to look for acting opportunities on tv, appearing on Charlie's Angels, Quincy, and Fantasy Island. Still, his voice was his primary vehicle, as even on tv he was more often heard than seen on tv as he became the “voice of NBC” during the Fred Silverman era of the late 70s and early 80s. Casey continued to do advertising work, but he gradually eliminated doing ads for products he believed harmful to his fans. He declined to advertise cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, Las Vegas, and motorcycles. An advocate for vegetarianism, Casey also eschewed any ads featuring meat, fish, and poultry products. 

Casey marched for peace, protested against nuclear arms, and supported aid for the homeless. He promoted workshops in conflict resolution between Arabs and Jews, not being afraid to offer controversial ideas and solutions. In a CNN interview with Larry King, Casey said that the U.S. should negotiate with Yasser Arafat or whoever represented the Arab World in order to advance peace in the ongoing Middle East conflict. He left the role of Shaggy in 1995, in a dispute over a Burger King commercial, but returned in 2002 when it was agreed that Shaggy would be a vegetarian. Casey appeared regularly as a co-host on the Jerry Lewis Telethon on behalf of Muscular Dystrophy from 1983 – 2005. 

Casey turned off the radio microphone on July 4, 2009. He reflected on his personal history with counting down the hits, and ended with his trademark signature: 

Well now, we’re up to the number one song in the land, and I look back on four amazing decades of counting ’em down. The countdown began on the Fourth of July, 1970. It was an idea that my partner, Don Bustany and I, came up with. Our first show took more than 18 hours to record, and at first, we only had seven stations. But Don and I believed, and so did a growing number of listeners. Back then, there were no long-distance dedications on the show. That didn’t come along until 1978, when Matt Wilson located one in the mail, and Matt’s been with us ever since. Today, we’ve read more than 3,000 of your dedications. Over the years, musical trends have come and gone, from disco to new wave, from punk to hip hop, from bubble gun to rock. We’ve been there, counting em’ down. It’s been a great 39 years, and it’s really been an honor for me… 

I’d like to share with you something I’ve learned over the years. Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You’re only as good as the people you work with, and the people you work for. I’ve been lucky – I’ve worked for, and with, the very best…I’m Casey Kasem. Now one more time, the words I’ve ended show with since 1970 – keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.  

KASEM, Kerri: KLSX, 2005-08. Kerri, daughter of Casey Kasem, was a frequent guest and fill-in host at KLSX. She left a morning job in Las Vegas in late summer of 2007.

In early 2010,
Kerri joined Nikki Sixx as co-host for his nationally syndicated radio programs Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx and The Side Show Countdown with Nikki Sixx.  

Kasem’s skill provided valuable on-air and off-air experience for the two shows that launched on Rock/Alternative music stations nationwide. When she was hired, the former KLSX Talk show host said, “I’m so excited to be working with Nikki. I have always been a fan of his music, and I am thrilled to be sharing a mic with him.” 

Sixx stated, “Kerri is a fantastic co-host.  From the moment we met, we had great chemistry.  I can’t wait to work with her every day.”

Kat, Killer: SEE Kat Snow

KATCHEN, Sharon: KFWB, 1986-2008. Sharon was the Long Beach bureau chief for all-News KFWB until the fall of 2008. She reported for the City News Service and Fox News Radio.

Sharon has been honored with several coveted Golden Mike awards and L.A. Press Club Awards for Excellence. One of her honors was for broadcasting live reports running the 26.2 mile Los Angeles Marathon while carrying a four-pound backpack of electronic equipment. She earned a Golden Mike for repeating the accomplishment several years later while guiding a blind runner through the Marathon course. Sharon received a journalism degree from Metropolitan State College in Denver. While in Denver she worked for KOA, KIMN, KEG, KNUS and KWBZ. In addition to her broadcast work, for five years beginning in 1973 she worked in print journalism as a reporter for Denver's weekly business newspaper. She's married to Los Angeles radio personality and lawyer Bill Pearl.

Katz, Burt: KMPC, 1996; KABC, 1996-99. Burt is a retired L.A. Superior Court judge.
Kaufman, Mike: KMPC, 1992; KFWB, 1995-99. Mike reported sports at all-News KFWB. 

KAUFMANN, Dawna: KMDY, KIEV, KMPC, KTZN. Dawna is a writer and frequent guest on tv. She is an accomplished true crime journalist whose work has been heralded by law enforcement and the media. Dawna's covered many hundreds of celebrity deaths, high-profile homicides, sex crimes, and missing person cases, usually from the first hint of a crime through the trial and sentencing phase.

Dawna is also the co-author of three books on twisty true crime mysteries with famed medical detective/lawyer Cyril Wecht, and their understanding of forensic science and behavioral psychology is like combining the tv series CSI and Criminal Minds. Dawna is also a producer/writer with top credits in prime-time and late-night television.

Kay, Ella: KDAY, 1965. Unknown.
Kay, Karen: KIKF, 2000; KMXN, 2000-02; KDL, 2003; KSPN, 2004. Karen was working part-time for Fox Sports Net until early 2009. She spent two years at NBC Sports Radio. Karen is now providing traffic reports for various Southland stations.

KAYE, Barry: KHJ, 1972-74. Barry was pd at 93/KHJ.

Nominated eight times as dj of the year (
he won the award at the 1974 Gavin convention), Barry was pd and/or drive time at stations mostly in Texas.

Born in Ogden, Utah, Kaye lived there until age 5 when his family moved to Corpus Christi. "Mom was a music lover. She played keyboards and Dad played the fiddle. By the time I was a teenager, I had a band and my manager was a local disc jockey," Kaye said.

Barry left home at age 16 to begin his radio career on KIBL-Beeville, Texas and never looked back. On quitting high school, he never regretted his decision. "In those days if you were good on radio you just didn't need to go to college. You didn't need an education to scream and holler on the radio."

His radio journey took him to some of the Rock radio giants, KNUZ-Houston, KTSA-San Antonio and KGB-San Diego before he got to KHJ. When he left the Southland he worked at KILT-Houston, KLIF-Dallas, KRBE and KKBQ-Houston, as well as programming KHFI-Austin between 1985 and 1992.

He retired in the summer of 2021 and lives in Texas.

Kaye, Harry: KFWB, 1957. Unknown.

   

(Will Kohlschreiber, Damon Knight, Jackson King, Chris Kelley, [1977], Paul Kelly, and Howard Kalmenson)

Kaye, Jerry: KROQ, 1977; KLOS, 1978. Last heard, Jerry was working Earth News at CBS.

KAYE, Jhani: KUTE, 1972-74; KKDJ, 1974; KGBS, 1975; KROQ, 1973-74; KFI/KOST, 1982-99; KBIG, 1999-2000; KOST/KBIG, 2000-05; KRTH, 2006-09; KRTH/KTWV, 2009-13. Jhani took over as pd at K-EARTH on January 3, 2006 and added KTWV January 8, 2010. He exited CBS/LA in late June 2013.

Born John Kazaroff in Maywood, Jhani is proud of his American Indian heritage. He got into radio by accident: a friend asked him to fill in on a local high school station's radio show. He worked as talent on KFXM-San Bernardino before KUTE and KROQ and then his first programming assignment was KINT-El Paso for five years.

Jhani was offered the assistant pd position at KFI when it was a Top 40 station. It is important to Jhani to be successful in his hometown of Los Angeles. A year later, he was named pd of sister station KOST when the format changed to AC. He also worked afternoon drive for a while. At KOST, Jhani was a tough programmer, insisting that the jocks adhere to the format, which resulted in solid, long-term success. During Kaye’s tenure at KOST he had the distinction of being the longest running pd of a music station in Los Angeles. Under his leadership KOST was the AC station of choice for listeners 12 + for 83 quarters. In addition, KOST garnered two Marconi Awards, four Billboard Awards and three Gavin Awards for “Station of The Year.”

 

KAYE, Marc: KIIS, 1992-94, pres/gm. The former president and gm of KIIS is a native of New York and graduated cume laude from Ohio University with a bachelor of Science degree. In the summer of 2018, Marc announced his retirement after 45 years in the radio business.

 Marc began his broadcast career in 1973 at WGBB-Long Island, as an account executive. In the early 1980s he was sales manager of WRBQ-Tampa and gm of KODA-Houston. In July of 1984, he began his 15-year journey with Gannett Broadcasting as sm of KKBQ-Houston and two years later was promoted to station manager. In August of 1987 he became gm of KNUA-Seattle and a year later took over WDAE/WUSA-Tampa. Marc left KIIS in 1994 to return to WUSA/WDAE where he was the president and gm until leaving in late 1996 following an ownership change.

In the spring of 1997 he was appointed vp of Sandusky Radio’s five Seattle properties, which is now Hubbard Radio.

For a time, Marc held on to his sports broadcaster dreams by working as the radio voice of the St. John’s University Redmen, and worked for the brand new (at the time) cable sports channel, ESPN.

 

KAYE, Tamara: KYMS, 1993-95; KOLA, 1995-98; KFI, 2000-01; KWVE, 1998-2003. Tamara was a part-time news anchor at KFI through AirWatch America.

Her three year successful battle with breast cancer turned into an inspirational book, Pink Lemonade. All who read her inspirational journey back to health, can share in her victory, and be inspired to overcome their own battles and challenges. Written not only for the woman recently diagnosed, but for the ones who love her, and want to support her in the best way possible.  

Tamara was born in Arizona and moved to Iowa. “I got to meet Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart and Norman Lear and auditioned for a role in Cold Turkey that was being filmed in our town.” Her father was a postal carrier and was transferred to Hemet. “It was a relatively safe place to grow up. I could ride my bike around without fear of being kidnapped.”

She received an AA degree in theatre arts from Mt. San Jacinto Community College and went on to UC Riverside. “As I was looking through the classified ads one day, I saw that a small station was starting up in San Jacinto. Tamara started her radio career in 1990 as a part-time weekend dj at KWRP-San Jacinto. Following a stint in morning drive at KYMS, Tamara has been involved in news.

 Kazan, Dick: KABC/KMPC, 1993-95. Dick runs his own consulting business and hosts Kazantoday.com, a website that deals with entertaining and compelling real-life stories with valuable lessons on how to succeed in business and in life.

KAZE, Irv: KIEV/KRLA, 1991-2002. Irv died June 29, 2002 of a massive heart attack. He was 75.

Irv was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and grew up in New York. He joined KIEV in 1991 to host a sports talk show. He is the only Los Angeles area sports broadcaster to have the distinction of wearing both a World Series and a Super Bowl ring. During his eight years with the Los Angeles Raiders as senior administrator, the team won the 1984 Super Bowl. Prior to joining the Raiders, he was media relations director for the New York Yankees in 1981 when they won their last pennant prior to 1996.

While attending New York University, he worked for the New York Post. Upon graduation, he began his baseball career with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League, moving up to the parent Pittsburgh Pirates when the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn. Irv was the first public relations director of the Los Angeles (now Anaheim) Angels. When Al Davis became commissioner of the AFL, Irv joined his staff and later became business manager and assistant to the president of the San Diego Chargers for seven years. Irv has been recognized on six occasions as the Best Radio Talk Show host by SC Sports Broadcasters.

Kearn, Richard: KGIL, 1965. Unknown. 

KEARNEY, Dan: CBS/LA, 2013-17. Dan was appointed svp/market manager for the CBS/LA cluster in late summer of 2013. In late 2017, he took over the Entercom/CBS cluster in Las Vegas. He exited the Vegas cluster in late spring of 2023.

Dan joined the local 7-station cluster from vp/market manager for Cox Media Group in Miami. Prior to that he was with Cox in Atlanta where he ran WSB. He spent over 15 years with Cox. #

During his time in LA, he was voted one of the Top 10 Off-Air LARP in yearly voting. Some comments from those who voted for Dan: “Making big moves. He may finally be the general manager who gets his arms around the CBS cluster.” “Dan provides strong, supportive leadership to the CBS LA cluster. The team has never felt more appreciated.” “Dan seems to be the guy who is going to stop the cluster merry-go-round for market managers.” “He seems to treat the sales people with the same kind of respect he gives to talent. He’s a winner.”

 

KEARNS, Karen: KCSN, 1985-12. Karen was general manager at KCSN, the California State University, Northtidge, when the station transitioned from Classical to Adult Album Alternative (AAA).

Karen was the Option Head of the Radio Option in the Cinema and Television Arts Department. She assumed that position after being Associate Dean of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication. Professor Kearns joined the CSUN faculty in 1985, after teaching radio production at the University of Maryland and speech communication at the University of Wisconsin. Before moving to Los Angeles, Karen worked for National Public Radio in Washington, D. C. as a producer and a newscaster for All Things Considered. She also worked as a news writer and announcer for Voice of America. 

In 1989, Karen was awarded a Corporation for Public Broadcasting Fellowship. Under the fellowship, she produced a radio drama version of MCTEAGUE, featuring Stacy Keach, Carol Kane, Hector Elizondo, JoBeth Williams, Michael York, Katherine Helman, Ed Asner, Joe Spano, and many other well-known television and film actors for L.A. Theatre Works and KCRW. Her professional background is in radio and corporate media.  She also worked as a freelance video producer, writer and narrator for American Medical Productions creating Continuing Medical Education video and audio programs for physicians throughout the country.  eum of the Rockies Professor Kearns' audio and video work have received numerous awards, including a Peabody, a Golden Mike, several CINDYs, and a TELLY. She is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and was formerly a member of the board of American Women in Radio and Television.

Keena: KXMX, 1999-2000; KROQ. The former "Mix 95.9" weekender works in PR at Premiere Radio Networks. She was also a producer of weekend programming at KROQ.

   

(Krisha, Jeff K, and John Kobik)

KEENE, Bill: KNX, 1957-93. Longtime KNX traffic and weather reporter Bill Keene died April 5, 2000. Bill was the longtime weather/traffic reporter for KNX from 1957 until his retirement in 1993. For many years he did similar duties on KNXT/Channel 2 and was part of the highly successful The Big News with Jerry Dunphy and sports announcer Gil Stratton. Born July 1, 1927, Bill worked in a meteorology firm before joining KNX in 1957. He hosted "The Bill Keene Show," a local variety show, and met his future wife, Louise Vienna, who was appearing as a singer. Bill gave flavor to the traffic reports using words like "cattywampus," "chrome cruncher" and "paint peeler" instead of "accident." He started his professional career in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, winning an audition at his high school. After flying in the United States Air Force during World War II, he became nd at KBOL-Boulder. He went into the weather field after an unruly winter interrupted his private flying lessons. Bill died at a hospital in Tucson, Arizona, following complications from a stroke. He was 73.

 

KEENE, Scott: KBRT, 1983-84; KFI, 1986. Scott owns a mobile dj business and he is a professional sports umpire. He lives in Idaho. 

Scott is the stepson of Del Fi and Mustang Records owner Bob Keane. Scott was born in Hollywood and went to Fairfax High School. For two years beginning in 1961, he was the batboy for the California Angels and pursued semi-professional ball after Los Angeles City College. Scott returned to his love for music, received his 1st Class FCC License from the Don Martin School and started his radio career in early 1972 at KUHL-Santa Maria. During the remainder of the '70s he worked at KGUY-Palm Desert, KDES-Palm Springs, KMEN and KCKC-Riverside/San Bernardino. In 1979 he returned to Don Martin as an instructor and started a mobile dj business that he continues today. He has worked under the names Scott Taylor, Scott Christopher and Scott Simpson. In addition to his mobile dj business, he is professional umpire, and a tv commercial actor.

 

KEFFURY, Bill: KRLA, 1961-63. Bill lives in Las Vegas and hosted NiceNoise.com.  

“I moved to Las Vegas upon retiring,” Bill told me by phone recently. “As soon as I got settled in my condo, I converted the walk-in closet in my second bedroom into a small studio for voiceover work.

Bill grew up in Atascadero, near San Luis Obispo. His first radio job was at KACY when he was 19 years old. After high school graduation, he spent a year at UCLA and hated every moment of it. He left the Bruin campus and went to Hollywood where he entered the Don Martin Broadcast School. “At that time the radio course was 15 months and was a prerequisite for the tv course, which was another 15 months. I originally wanted to get into tv behind the scenes directing or technically directing. I got through the radio course in 12 months and ran out of money. But the radio bug had bit me. Where do I go to work?” 

In 1959, he went to Oxnard and cut an audition tape for the program director. “He listened to it and came out and said, ‘if you don’t make any more mistakes than that, you’ll do fine.” Bill stayed two and a half years. During his last six months at KACY he also worked weekends at KRLA. He got a call from the draft board, quit and was all ready to go but they discovered that Bill had a blood pressure problem. He temporarily went back to KRLA until 1963 when he got a call from KYA-San Francisco. After KYA, Bill worked at K1
01/fm KCBS/fm, K-FOG, and many of the Bay Area stations. He ended up at Beautiful Music KABL. 

Keith: KLOS, 1977. Unknown.
Keith, Bobby: KDAY, 1967; KLAC, 1967. Unknown. 

KEITH, Randy: KFI, 2000-05; KNX, 1999-2012. In 1999, Randy became part of the airborne traffic team at all-News KNX. You may remember him from 1070AM or his earlier positions are KBET (1220AM), Shadow Traffic and KFWB. We haven’t heard him on the local airwaves for awhile. So what the heck happened to him? This is one of those terrific stories about going back to his true love – performing for others on his piano.

Randy was born in Los Angeles on May 1, 1980. He grew up in Pacoima until his parents moved the family to Santa Clarita in 1987. Randy’s first job was at Santa Clarita’s only radio station, KBET (1220 AM), where he co-hosted a show for teenagers at the age of 14.

After graduating Saugus High with honors, Randy started working at Shadow Traffic. After graduating with a BA in Communications Studies from UCLA, Randy worked nearly full-time as a studio and airborne traffic reporter for KNX and Metro networks. He also had stints serving on staff as board-op at KFI, morning show host at KHTS, and traffic producer at the KTLA Morning News. And then things changed.

In 2004, Randy began working as a piano entertainer at Universal City Walk’s Howl at the Moon, then in 2007, became a full-time freelance dueling piano player. So Randy officially left LARadio in 2008 to pursue his lifelong passion of music (he started playing at the age of 2), though is still working on publishing a guide helping SoCal drivers navigate around freeway traffic. He started his own entertainment company in 2013 while living in Phoenix.

He currently lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife Amy, who he married in 2015. She is also a dueling piano entertainer.

 

KELLERMAN, Max: KSPN, 2011-16. The nationally known sports commentator, television host, and radio talk show personality joined Sports KSPN for middays in early 2011. He left the show in July 2016 to join Stephan A. Smith on ESPN/TV's First Take. In 2021, Max left the tv show to join the morning show at ESPN Radio.

Max has hosted programs across various networks and channels including: ESPN, HBO, CNN, MSNBC, Sirius XM Radio, and ESPN Radio. He also has been seen on HBO and CNN. He left ESPN in a company-wide downsizing in early summer of 2023.

Kellerman first joined ESPN as ESPN2 Friday Night Fights’ studio analyst in Bristol, Connecticut upon graduating from New York’s Columbia University. In 2002 he was named host of ESPN’s new daily afternoon program, Around the Horn. Kellerman also served as host for 1050 ESPN (WEPN) in New York, one of ESPN Radio’s four “owned & operated” stations. 

 

KELLEY, Bob: KMPC, 1946-64; KRKD, 1964-66. Bob was regarded as one of the finest football announcers in the history of radio and television. Bud Furillo was even more effusive, "Ol' Kell was the best football announcer I ever heard."

Bob came West with the Rams in 1946, a position he had held since the inception of the pro football team in Cleveland in 1937. He won immediate fame for his vivid broadcasts. Bob announced the PCL's Angel games from 1948 to 1957. He was twice named the LA Times Sportscaster of the Year. He had a nightly controversial sports show on KMPC and was the sports director for the station.

Jim Murray wrote: "His dinner-hour sports show made as many people gnash their teeth as cheer. But they listened. His mail was sulfuric. But they wrote."

Bob was born in Kalamazoo and attended high school in Elkhart, Indiana and Western Reserve University where he graduated in 1942. After graduation from high school, Bob moved to South Bend and a job announcing the football games of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. He became director of sports for WGAR-Cleveland and began calling Ram games. In 1942 he joined WJR-Detroit where he broadcast the games of the University of Michigan, while commuting back to Cleveland on Sundays to do the Rams. In the mid-1950s Bob became part of the Angels and Hollywood Stars at Wrigley Field and California Angels beginning announcing team in 1961. In 1964 Bob was carried out of the Coliseum during the Pro Bowl with a heart attack.

The Voice of the Rams died September 9, 1966, at the age of 49. His son Pat, who was known as Paraquat Kelley, pursued a broadcasting career and was heard in the Southland on KMET and KMPC/fm. (Bob, on left, is pictured with his son Tim) 

KELLEY, Chaz: KRTH, 1991-2015; KLTE, 2003. Chaz worked weekends at "K-Earth" until the summer of 2015.

Chaz married Chris Montez, who had the dance classic from 1962, Let’s Dance. Chaz and Chris met at a "K-Earth" Legends of Rock and Roll concert at the Greek Theatre. "It was my first year at KRTH and I had worked at Westwood One and KRTH that day and decided that the concert was just too much for one day," remembered Chaz. "I was dead tired. One of my girlfriends was having a birthday and she thought going to the Concert would be a great present."

Chaz acquiesced and while backstage with some of the performers, she was introduced to Chris. "He wasn’t even supposed to be there, but he got home early from Brazil and decided to hang out. At the end of the night we exchanged phone numbers." Chris called two days later and they started dating. Love at first sight? "It sure was on my part."

Chaz grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, where her father was a vp at the home office at Lennox Air & Heating. Before coming to the Southland, Chaz worked in North Dakota, Eugene, Portland, Phoenix and Dallas.

Kelley, Chris: KFI, 1983. Chris worked at KPLN-San Diego as Chuck Jones and "The Joneses" Morning Show. Chris worked at KHFI-Austin before arriving at KFI. He went on to KRBE and KKBQ-Houston. From 1991-96 he worked as Chuck Kelley at WY”XR-Philadelphia. Since 1996 he has worked at KPLN-San Diego as Chuck Jones and “The Joneses” morning show.

KELLEY, Christina: KCMG, 1998-2001; KRTH, 2002-15; KABC, 2018. Feisty and filled with non-stop energy, Christina was voted the most listened to evening personality (K-EARTH 8 p.m. – midnight), according to LARadio.com readers responding to the 11th Annual LARadio Listening Poll.

We first met Christina in 1998 at “Mega 92.3.” She worked middays during her four-year stay at “Mega.”   

Born in Cleveland, Christina moved to Compton when she was 10. Later her family moved to Lakewood before she attended Cal State Fullerton, but began her successful career as a radio personality before completing her degree in communications. For over a half decade she was very successful at WPGC-Washington, DC before arriving at “Mega.” She also worked radio in New Orleans. 

Christina loves to ride roller coasters and has ridden over 50 across the country. She collects old cookbooks as a hobby. Christina has been a music lover her entire life. The youngest daughter of a longshoreman and a big-band jazz vocalist, as a child her mother regularly took her to concerts by the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra, while encouraging her to appreciate a wide variety of popular music, from Charlie Parker to The Beatles. But it wasn’t until the family moved to Los Angeles that Christina fell in love with radio.

Mesmerized by the sounds of legendary stations KGFJ and KHJ, as a little girl she carried a pocket sized radio with her everywhere, even regularly sneaking one into mass with her so as not to miss the final segment of Casey Kasem’s Top 40 Countdown on the walk home. While a student at California State University, Fullerton majoring in journalism, Christina was frequently urged by professors in the Radio-Television department to explore radio as a career. Shortly after leaving the university, a new friend introduced her to the hugely popular L.A. Rock station KMET and air personality Jim Ladd. The result of that exposure was the launching of a successful new career. She has contributed to the success of several dominant stations around the country. She was the highest rated midday personality in New Orleans at Country WNOE, and was rated #1 in nights and middays at its CHR/Rhythmic leader WQUE. In Washington DC, she was rated #1 in 12+ and 25-54 for many years at WPGC/fm. Christina is also an award winning writer and producer of feature programming.  

 Kelley, Gary: KIQQ, 1978-79. Gary was the weekend weather at KGTV/Channel 10 in San Diego. He's now a wedding dj. 

KELLEY, Pat "Paraquat": KMET, 1977-87, KMPC/fm, 1988. “The best way to put it is this, if you heard a story that is like totally outrageous and bizarre about what may have happened at KMET, it’s probably true.” And Pat “Paraquat” Kelley should know. He was at the vortex of one of a half dozen legendary L.A. radio stations in the last half century. Buttressed between the new world of free love in the seventies, and rebellion against anyone or anything that smacked of establishment, KMET smoked. It was the place to be if you wanted to know what was happening in the counter-culture, where the protests were being held, free clinics, music and concerts. Paraquat dispensed the news and views to this generation in a way that had never been heard before. On Friday it was the Fish Report with a Beat (in stereo) which was a ‘don’t miss’ feature at the “Mighty Met.”

Born in 1950, Pat’s godfather was Dan Reeves, who owned the LA Rams. The connection came because Pat’s father, Bob Kelley, was the legendary broadcast voice of the NFL Rams and baseball’s Angels. Senior Kelley moved with the Rams in 1947 from Cleveland to Los Angeles. “My dad was one of the very first general managers of the Rams in Cleveland,” Pat learned when doing some research on his dad.

Pat grew up around sports and Hollywood figures and his home was filled with high profile personalities. “Actress Jane Russell would be over at the house sitting by the pool with Bob Waterfield who was the great quarterback for the Rams, No. 7. And Hamp Poole, who was the Rams head coach for a while. Let me tell you, these people knew how to party. They’re all gone now as a result of the ‘party hearty’ lifestyle. Well, there is one survivor. I’ll tell you later.” Bob Kelley died at age 49.
“My dad lived a lot longer than he should have,” Pat said candidly. “He had a restaurant down on Ventura Blvd. called the Pump Room and he owned it with Bob Waterfield, former Rams player Don Paul, and a guy named Roy Harlow. Roy’s nickname was The Gaffer, an old Marine guy, right? I thought I could party, but I couldn’t hold a candle to these people. They drank and they just hung out. My poor mom, God bless her for putting up with all the craziness.”

“My dad would leave home to do his sports program at KMPC, which was in the building that is now the Spaghetti Factory on Sunset Boulevard,” said Pat. “Next door was a bar called The Hucksters. My dad and all the characters from KNXT/Channel 2 - Jerry Dunphy, Bill Keene and Gil Stratton – all used The Hucksters as a place to hang. My dad was a good human being. He was a good father; it’s unfortunate his life ended so early. He was of a different generation where men worked hard and played hard. Boy was I lucky to have him as a father in spite of his weakness for the good life.” It was not unusual for Paraquat’s father to be right in the middle of his cronies holding court at The Hucksters. “These guys were getting blind and Jim Healy would come by and remind my dad that he had to go on in five minutes. ‘Go ahead Jim, you go on for me.’ That’s how Healy got on the air, nine times out of ten. It was because my dad was in there having cocktails with the boys. Gil Stratton was up at the house about four or five years ago following a wake for a mutual friend. We reminisced about those interesting times in another era.” Paraquat’s older brother Rob, actually Bob Kelley, Jr., is a real estate broker in Central California and he’s also a City Commissioner. 

“My mother remarried a year or so after my dad died.” Pat said while sitting in the backyard of his Nichols Canyon home. “My mom married some guy, a complete asshole, who thought he would make a man out of me. He thought I should go to work; that would make a man out of me. So I took a job at Safeway as a box boy, and somehow I finagled my way into getting into the assistant produce manager position which paid like $2.22 an hour as opposed to, you know, a buck twenty.

When he joined KMPC it was during the glory years with Gary Owens, Geoff Edwards, Ira Cook, Dick Whittinghill, Roger Carroll, Jack Angel, Johnny Magnus, and Pete Smith. What did a delivery boy do? “I kind of left it open so it sounded like I was teaching people how to deliver lines. [Laughter] At least that’s what I fantasized." "But the KMPC job was so lucky for me. I hounded Gary Owens; that poor man. He used to try to do a radio show and I would be on him like a frog on a dragon-fly. Management at KMPC had to put signs up to keep visitors out of the air booth. The late Mark Blinoff [KMPC pd], put those signs up, probably because of me and naturally I ignored them. I bothered Gary Owens in the worst way. But Gary was always very kind to me and he gave me direction and guidance and God knows, one thing led to another and kaboom, I ended up on the radio.

Mark Blinoff was also there for me as my career moved on. Mark was one of the good guys.” Through his brother Rob, Paraquat met a man that would criss-cross throughout his life and end up one of his closest friends for the past three decades. “I was living in Hermosa Beach with my brother, Rob. He was a California Highway Patrolman, drove a motorcycle, and used to park that motorcycle in our garage on Hermosa Avenue. On the weekends he and his buddies would get dressed up in their uniforms, go to work, just park in the garage and wait for somebody to speed by, pull out of the garage, write them a ticket, come back and just hang out so they could watch football. And the guy that lived next door was John Felz who was a parking lot attendant near the airport. “I’m driving this KMPC delivery wagon and John was so impressed. He knew more about my dad, the Angels and my family, than I knew. He was amazing and eventually would sub for me when there was a conflict.” Felz took the part-time job as delivery boy and eventually became program director at KMPC.

Paraquat worked in Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and West Covina during his early career. “I did this Parade of Sports program on KGRB-West Covina. I’m attempting to get something going and I made a deal with the owner, Bob Burdett, to broker a five-minute sports program. He knew Bob Kelley and perhaps he thought the program would strike magic again.

Pat and his wife Melody Rogers wrote the book, There Will Always be Termites. In 2002, Pat was diagnosed with Multiple Sclersosis. He is now living in the Motion Picture Home.

 

KELLEY, Sandy: KYSR, 1991-92; KXEZ, 1992-96; KLIT, 1997-98; KTWV, 1997-2007. Sandy was brought on originally as morning co-host with Paul Crosswhite. "When Paul left I continued on with Dave Koz & Pat Prescott as a co-host and news director. During that entire time I was also the fill-in jock for most shifts and I voicetracked the overnights," said Sandy.

Sandy works with her husband, the Tax Rabbi, in Santa Barbara.

 

KELLY, Ben: KKBT, 1991-99; KCMG, 1999-2000. Ben is part-owner of a production company making spiritual films. He also worked for one of the traffic services. Early in his career, Ben worked in San Francisco radio.

Ben is an L.A.-native with over two decades of writing, voiceover and entertainment experience. He most recently helped to create and develop a new animated series for Tyler Perry Studios based upon Perry’s popular character, alter-ego “Madea." He helped form the entity after serving as evp of Creative Production for Toonacious Family Entertainment, a company he co-founded in 2001.

Ben scripted the company's "Lenny & Sid", DVD series as well as three songs for the project. Upon selling over 70,000 copies, he also adapted 120 radio shorts from the series, which ran on over 300 syndicated radio programs, nationwide. Ben started his entertainment career as a radio broadcaster/writer in 1985 as the “late night disc jockey” on a small radio station in Tucson. Soon he was in charge of creating advertising concepts, writing and producing commercial copy. Ben’s growing love for creative writing led him to the Bay Area.

After a four-year stint in Northern California as a comedy writer and broadcaster, Ben returned to Los Angeles and joined KKBT (92.3 The Beat). Currently, Ben and his family live in Tucson.

Kelly, Bill: KEZY, 1987. Unknown.

KELLY, Don: KLAC, 1980-83. The former general manager at Country KLAC is retired and living in Minnetonka, Minnesota. 

Don was born May 25, 1927 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He served in the navy and attended the University of Minnesota before going to the American Institute of The Air (now Brown Institute) from which he graduated in 1948. That same year he started his first radio job as an announcer at KLIZ- Brainerd, Minnesota. Next stop was KTRI-Sioux City, Iowa followed by KILO-Grand Forks, North Dakota. In 1952 Don left the region for WOAI-San Antonio as a featured radio newscaster weekdays and tv news anchor on weekends, returning to the Twin Cities in late 1953. Early 1954 brought him to the home market airwaves on WLOL-Minneapolis as a featured disc jockey. His photo is on their 1956 survey that resides in the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, St. Louis Park, Minnesota. That year he and Steve Cannon joined forces as the highly successful Kelly/Cannon Show. A better opportunity lured Don to the "New WDGY" in the Twin Cities early in 1957 where he would stay into the early 1960's. From there it was to Top 40 WPTR-Albany as pd, then to Metromedia's KMBC-Kansas City as program director. He went on to be vp/gm at WCBM-Baltimore (63-70); WIP-Philadelphia (70-80) and KLAC. Don has retired from the business and lives in the Twin Cities west metro.

 

KELLY, Evelyn: KFI, 1978-81; KIIS, 1986. Evelyn is in real estate in the West San Fernando Valley.

A simple gift changed Evelyn’s life forever. In 1963 she received a transistor radio for Christmas, and to this day she can remember vividly the "Top 63 of 63" flowing from that tiny battery-powered box. Evelyn entered the radio business through a combination of unforeseen circumstances. In high school she worked at a steak house in Englewood, Colorado. In 1972 she wanted a job change and a former restaurant customer tipped her to a job at KTLK-Denver. She started as an assistant to the music director and it was there that she met Tim Kelly (one of the founders of Premiere Radio Networks). "I fell madly in love with him." She and Tim went to Chicago. Evelyn worked at WGCI and Tim was at WCFL. When the air staff at WGCI went on strike, Ev recorded a few voice tracks, which made her a scab. Tim received a death threat, she left the station and Tim joined the picket lines in front of WGCI during a freezing Chicago winter. Early in 1976 they went to WPGC. Two years later Evelyn worked at WNSR and WRKO-Boston as Beverly Hudson. In 1978 they arrived in Southern California. She was Tim's sidekick at KFI. In 1981 they worked morning drive at WAKY-Louisville. They returned to LA and she did weekends at KIIS. For the next decade Evelyn worked on various countdown shows at Premiere Radio. She handled the weekly interviews and co-wrote the scripts for "Country Plain Rap Countdown."

"I've been engaged in various volunteer activities. Since I had the opportunity to do so, I chose to stay close to home and hearth until our youngest child was out of high school. I think that Premiere programming, in particular, Dr. Laura, may have influenced me in this regard. As for Tim, Premiere was sold to Jacor in 1997, who then sold it to Clear Channel. Tim remained with Premiere throughout the Jacor period. He was a part of the Clear Channel reality until early 2002." She is now in the world of real estate. “

Kelly, Jeff: KLAC, 1985-88; KYSR, 1993. Since 1994, Jeff has been the weather anchor for KPNX/TV-Phoenix.
Kelly, Jim: KFWB, 1961; KBLA. Jim is a teacher at Fullerton College.
Kelly, Josh: KBIG, 2000. Josh worked swing at KBIG.
Kelly, Kidd: KWST, 1981; KFOX, 1982; KWNK, 1985. Brett Nordhoff works at KIMN-Denver.
Kelly, Kurt: KLOS, 1983-87; KNX/fm/KODJ, 1988-90. Kurt is active in the voiceover world.  

KELLY, "Machine Gun": KHJ, 1973-78; KTNQ, 1978-79; KFI, 1983; KOST, 1985; KIIS, 1987-88; KODJ/KCBS, 1989-92; KBIG, 1999-2000. MG runs MGK Communications based in Los Angeles. He's producing and hosting two shows: "Machine Gun Kelly's American Hit List" a 60's and 70's - 3 hour weekly show - and M.G. Kelly's "Amazing 80s." The two show are heard on over one hundred stations.

M.G. Kelly’s radio career began in 1970 and includes stops in Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. He began studying acting and at 23 years old, landed the role of the venomous D.J., Bebe Jesus, starring Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in the 1976 film, A Star is Born. He next was cast by Clint Eastwood tagged as the Priest, “Father John Voss” in The Enforcer. Within a three year period, Kelly proceeded to act in eight more feature films including The Buddy Holly Story and The Fifth Floor. He also was cast in nearly 50 guest star roles on prime time television.

Kelly has been Billboard Magazine’s “National Radio Personality of the Year” enjoys a successful voice-over career landing hundreds of national ads, movies trailers and network promos. Kelly appeared in several episodic television shows including, WKRP in Cincinnati, CHIPs, Knots Landing, Hill Street Blues, Mork and Mindy, Happy Days and M*A*S*H. He was also the announcer for Wheel of Fortune for over 200 episodes. In 1995, Kelly left the States for England where he and his wife guest hosted on Capitol Gold, London as “M.G. and Molly.”

Kelly, Marc: KEZY, 1971-72; KIQQ, 1972-73. Marc lives in St. George, Utah.
Kelly, Margie: KWIZ, 1976-78; KYMS. Margie lives in Mission Viejo and writes books for single Christians.
Kelly, Merilee: KSCA 1994-96, KYSR 1996-98. Merilee is programming coordinator for Codcomm Inc.’s rock WPXC “Pixy 103” and adults hits WFRQ “Frank FM” on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Kelly will do on-air work, production, and assist in digital efforts.
Kelly, Pat: KHJ; KFI, 1950-68. Unknown.
Kelly, Paul: KWIZ, 1978-82. Paul is a professor in Dublin, Ireland.
Kelly, Peter: KXLU, 1993-99. The former gm and pd at KXLU runs moviemusic.com.

 
KELLY Sam: KFSH, 2017-23. Sam hosts the midday show at the Christian Contemporary station, the FISH. She arrived in the Southland from the Praise 106.5 in the Northwest. She's also heard in afternoons on Spirit 105.9 in Austin.

"Does it seem like the hardest things in life are also the best ones? Around 2013, my husband Carlos and I had a little girl. She was born with Down Syndrome and had seizures for most of her first year of life. We spent hours in the hospital, tired and scared, always wondering if the next treatment would work. She began to heal after a women's Christmas dinner event where 300 women prayed for her. Since then, we've seen what a gift God gave us in Zoe. She delights in life, prays often and is a painter with some pretty amazing talent. Our faith is so strong now. We know on this earth there will be hard times. We know the answer. His name is Jesus." (from KFSH website)

Sam is the voice of Princess Peach and Toad in Nintendo's Mario Kart games. My latest profound quote: "Don't put that in your mouth!!!" Wouldn't change a thing.

KELLY, Skip: KYSR, 2002-04. He was born in New Hampshire on April 7, 1973 and grew up in Derry, New Hampshire, about 45 minutes north of Boston. “I grew up listening to Kiss 108. When I was 15, my parents decided to move to L.A. It was there that I got interested in radio. I was an annoying contest pig who was a huge [psychotic] fan of KROQ. The very first day that I walked in there to pick up a prize, that was it. I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Eventually, they got sick of me winning everything I could get my hands on, so they let me come in and answer phones, making me ineligible.” Skip interned for a summer and then his family moved back to New Hampshire. “It sucked being 16.”   

“When I left as a kid, I always hoped that I'd be back someday. It's a little intimidating to be working with some of the people that I'm going to be working with. I've been suffering from a little of the ‘I'm not worthy’ syndrome, but I can't wait to get started,” concluded Skip. He teamed with his former boss at “KISS 108” in Boston, John Ivey.

Skip was pd at WWJK (107.3 JACK/fm) in Jacksonville until early 2020 when there was a major iHeart downsizing.

Kelly, Steve: KIKF, 1993-97. Steve worked for one of the traffic services.
Kelly, Tim: KFI, 1998-2001. Tim, part of the Tim & Neil show, left the Talker in the fall of 2001. He was "Dick Cabeza," producing bits for Bill Handel. Tim's pursuing non-radio related opportunities.

 

(Lee Klein, Steve Kelly, Keena, Shotgun Tom" Kelly, and Gayle King) 

KELLY, Tim: KFI, 1978-81; KIIS, 1983; KKBT, 1989-90. From an initial investment of $15,000, Tim's Premiere Radio Networks skyrocketed to a $100-million company. His success story from dj to $100 million company is something for dreams.

Tim was born and bred for the entertainment industry. Both his father and mother worked as performers, producers and managers in the entertainment business. At the time of Tim's birth, his dad was the morning man at WJR-Detroit. Baby Tim debuted in media on-camera at the age of six weeks on his dad's daily tv show. He landed his first on-air job when he was 16. By age 17 Tim had taken over as pd of WYSL-Buffalo. Beginning in 1968 he moved to KTSA-San Antonio followed by WKBW-Buffalo, KTLK-Denver (where he met his wife-to-be, Evelyn), and WCFL-Chicago. In 1976 he moved to morning drive at WPGC-Washington, DC followed by pd at WRKO-Boston. Tim landed at KFI in 1978 as music director and worked middays with Evelyn. In 1981 he and his wife moved to the morning slot at WAKY-Louisville and in 1982 the team worked at KPPL-Denver. They returned to the Southland in 1983 for evenings at KIIS.

During his tenure at KIIS, Tim opted to venture beyond on-air work and formed his own radio syndication company -- Plain Rap, Inc., rapidly building the company's first show into one of the top three-rated countdowns in America, clearing a network of 200-plus radio stations in less than 30 days. He took on financial and creative partners which led to the formation of Premiere Radio Networks. Tim ventured back on air as part of the morning drive team with Patty Lotz and comedian Paul Rodriguez on the launch of KKBT (formerly Classical KFAC) in the fall of 1989. By 1990 he was teamed in the morning with Diana Steele. He left in the early 1990s to concentrate on his duties as executive vp for Premiere Radio Networks. With senior partner Steve Lehman, Tim helped grow Premiere from a four-person, $300,000-a-year entity into a $100-million-a-year public company with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, DC, Raleigh and Philadelphia. 

Kelly, Todd: KIIS, 1999-2004; KDLD/KDLE, 2004-09. Todd worked afternoons at "Indie 103.1" as TK until a format flip in early 2009. He's now pd/radio operations/afternoons at freeform Indie station at moheak.com.

KELLY, Tom: KNX and KFI. Tom's signature assignment came when he began covering USC football and men's basketball in 1961. In his 35 years with the Trojans, he described the moves of four Heisman Trophy winners and recounted the exploits of five national championship football teams. For his dedication, he was presented the Tommy Trojan award in 1987, the highest award given by the USC Athletic Department.

Tom began his broadcasting career in northern Wisconsin at a small 250-watt station where he "did everything." He worked at KTTV/Channel 11 and KNXT/Channel 2 for five-year stints at each tv station as a sports reporter. From 1976 to 1982 he called play-by-play for the San Diego Chargers. He's called the action for the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. He telecast 23 bowl games including 16 Rose Bowls.

Born in Minneapolis, Tom graduated in 1951 from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He died June 27, 2016, at the age of 88, after a long battle with cancer. Kelly died two days before his 89th birthday.

Kelly came to Los Angeles to join Chick Hearn on USC football and basketball for the 1961-62 season at KNX radio. When Hearn left the next year to start broadcasting the newly relocated Lakers, Kelly began a Southern California broadcasting career that included calling five USC national championship football seasons from John McKay to Pete Carroll. Kelly’s booming voice that rose to the level of the action was also heard in Los Angeles on pro football, NBA, boxing and golf.

He won five Golden Mike Awards and the California Sportscaster of the Year by both the AP and UPI three times.

Kelly was the original voice of the Prime Ticket all-sports cable channel when it launched in 1985 prior to becoming Fox Sports West. Kelly was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005. After he was injured while playing football at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, he helped with the school’s radio broadcasts. His broadcasting career continued in Duluth, Minnesota, Des Moines, Iowa, and then Peoria, Illinois. “The Lord blessed me with a voice that isn’t objectionable to listeners, is recognizable by many and has the ability to stand before people,” Kelly said in his 2007 biography.

“I hope I didn’t alienate anyone down the line, but I loved doing what I did and loved broadcasting for the team I covered. “It has been an unbelievable career … there’s no rhyme or reason how I managed to remain the Voice of the Trojans except luck and good fortune. … I don’t know how I qualified but I’m thankful. I enjoyed every moment and realize I was one of the fortunate ones.” (portions of this obit are from Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News)

Kelly, Tom: KNX, 1975-80. Tom was also known as Tom Hood when he broadcasts USC sports on Fox Sports West. He went on to work in Seattle. He's now a part-time physicians assistant in Tacoma. He went back to school and graduated in metallurgy. "It has served to whet my appetite and it tripled my income."
Kelly, "Shotgun" Tom: KRTH, 1997-2016. "Shotgun" worked afternoon drive at "K-Earth." In the spring of 2013, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the summer of 2018, he started as a personality on SiriusXM. He works on the 60s Gold channel.

KELMAN, Lori: KFWB, 2002-08; KABC, 2016-20. A graduate of Boston University with a Bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism, Lori was a news anchor at KABC. In the summer of 2022, Lori joined KNUS-Denver as the afternoon news anchor.

She was a bureau chief and reporter for all-News KFWB until a company downsizing in the fall of 2008. After anchoring at KABC, Lori was a national news anchor for the NBC Radio Network. She went on to work at Total Traffic & Weather Network (TTWN)

Lori has taught News classes at The Academy of Radio & Television Broadcasting in Huntington Beach since 2017.

 

KELTON, Stan: KJLH, 1968-70. Stan was a great friend to radio (KJLH in the late 60s). He died April 12, 2015, after a three-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 63.

Stan was born in Long Beach. He loved radio and he started his career at 16. “I would have started earlier if it had not been for child labor laws,” said Stan when interviewed for Los Angeles Radio People.  When he began at KJLH, the station was owned by Los Angeles mortician John Lamar Hill (K-John Lamar Hill) and the studios were located in the Garden Room of Mottell’s Mortuary at 3rd and Alamitos in Long Beach.

“When I was working solo at night at the studio/mortuary it was eerie; however, I was never actually disturbed by the other inhabitants.” After receiving a B.A. in journalism from USC, Stan obtained his law degree from Loyola University of Los Angeles. Stan lived in Huntington Beach and represented commercial landlords throughout Southern California. In addition to his continued interest in radio, he maintained an interest in journalism and taught mass communication law each summer at the California Scholastic Press Association Journalism Workshop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Stan was a supporter of SPERDVAC, and cultivated friendships with radio historians and many of our best second-generation of broadcast engineers, for whom he had great respect. He helped keep Southern California's rich media history alive in many ways. He was active in the campaign to restore Fullerton's Fox Theater to its former glory.

“Stan was also my dearest, oldest friend,” said Jerry Trowbridge, who helped with this story. “One of the things I will miss the most is the oft-repeated email from him that starts out: ‘In case you missed this on Barrett's site...’”

 

KEMP, Garth: KLOS, 1997-98; KNX, 2018-19. Garth reported weather for KABC/Channel 7 News for years. In late 2015, he joined CBS TV's KCAL and KCBS. He left CBS/2 in May 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The familiar weatherman joined KCBS in 2016, providing forecasts during the evening newscasts, and worked more than 15 years at KABC as a meteorologist.

Garth arrived for afternoons at KLOS from KQRS-Minneapolis. Born in Hollywood, he started his radio career at KAZY-Denver. In 1978, while attending Metro State University in Denver, Garth stopped at a local radio station promotion and on a whim, asked for a job. Hearing his booming voice, the station manager hired him on the spot for weekends and fill-in! Within 2 years he was offered the evening show on WAPP/fm-New York, the most listened to Rock station in the country, at the time.

 After 2 years in The Big Apple, he set out once again to fulfill his dream of living everywhere around this country and experiencing all it has to offer. The cold winters while at KQRS started him thinking more and more about going home. And so, in October 1997, after nineteen years away, Garth joined KLOS and came home. His charity works in the community, and his appearances as a standup and host at The Laugh Factory brought him to the attention of KABC/Channel 7, where he was the weatherman. His other interests include working out, mountain biking, body surfing, and spending time with his mom and his 2 dogs.  “The opportunity to work at the station I grew up watching is a dream come true.”

 

KEMP, Guy: KWST, 1980-82; KNAC, 1982-84; KMPC/fm, 1987-88. Guy has a successful voiceover career. 

Guy started his radio career working over nights at KONO-San Antonio in 1978. He worked all-night for most of his stay in L.A., except for mornings at KMPC/fm. At KNAC, Guy was Chuck Roast.

When he left the Southland, Guy went to WBPR-Myrtle Beach and eventually became part owner of a station in Oregon, KCNA. “Our hybrid format set records with 30 shares in ARB ratings in the early 1990s.” In 1993 he returned to Florida and worked at “real Radio 104.1” in Orlando and he hosted Guy Live on the local CBS station. By 1994 he had a syndicated show and later hosted “Computerdaze” for the Talk American Radio Network. “I wrote the book, Model Dad, about my travels into the world of high fashion modeling with my dopey daughter.” 

 

KEMPTON, Jill: KOST, 2021-23. Jill was named program director at KOST in the spring of 2021. She is also pd at WASH-Washington DC and will continue in that role.

Kempton most recently served as the program director for The Breeze, WBEB-Philadelphia. Prior to WASH, Kempton served as imaging director, assistant program director and music director for New York’s 106.7 Lite/fm, WLTW . During that time, she won a Gracie Award for Outstanding Imaging.

Kempton began her career in 2005 at WBEB-Philadelphia where she held several positions in programming including production and morning show producer.

Kendall, Charlie: KWST, 1978. Charlie is the operations manager at LM Communications in Lexington Kentucky. He's also the morning talent on their B92 Classic Hits station.
Kennedy, Alton, KPSA, 1972. Unknown.
Kennedy, George: KGBS, 1964. George died October 17, 1998, at the age of 68. A Navy veteran, he served for 20 years before retiring as a chief petty officer. While in the Navy, he began his radio career in Booneville, Indiana., in 1954. He also worked for radio station WDCL in Carbondale and later at KGBS in Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, he was the chief radio news announcer at Armed Forces Headquarters and helped direct the first closed circuit radio broadcast transmitted on a ship. He won numerous broadcasting awards for radio series he produced for the Navy, including the Freedom Foundation Award for "Voices of the Fleet." While in Los Angeles, he won the Southern California Broadcasters Association "Gold Mike" Award. Before retiring, he worked for WYNS, Lehighton. He attended Los Angeles City College, where he was on the dean's list. George appeared in nine episodes of Hawaii Five-0 and in the movies Lost Flight and Tora Tora Tora.

KENNEDY, Kevin: KLAC, 2015. Former manager of the Boston Redsox (1995-96), Kevin joined David Vassegh for Dodger Talk following all games at the start of the 2015 season. 

Kevin was born May 26, 1954 in Los Angeles and is a former a manager in American Major League Baseball and a former television host for Fox Sports' baseball coverage. He was given the nickname "The Skipper" by Fox Sports due to his prior managerial career, according to Wikipedia. Kennedy joined the Tampa Bay Rays broadcast team for the 2009 baseball season.

Kevin graduated from Taft High School in Woodland Hills. He attended San Diego State University in 1972 and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. Kennedy was a career minor league catcher who played in the Orioles, Cardinals and Dodgers farm systems. 

 

KENNEDY, Tom: KPOL; KGIL. The veteran game show host who helmed Name That Tune and You Don't Say, died October 7, 2020. He was 93.

The dj at KPOL and KGIL in the 50s and 60s had a storied career doing tv commercials and eventually game show. A close friend of Kennedy said "he had not been well in recent months but remained in communication with his family and close friends.

He emceed 14 shows between 1958 and 1987. Born James Edward Narz in Louisville, Kentucky. He was inspired by his brother Jack Narz — a small-screen host — to move to Hollywood in 1947 to pursue a broadcasting career. Years later, when both siblings were headlining game shows, he decided to change his stage name to avoid confusion, adopting the moniker Tom Kennedy in 1957.

Some other game shows he hosted included: Split SecondPassword Plus and Break the Bank. He retired from hosting in 1989. Kennedy's wife, Betty, died in 2011, as did their daughter, Julia, in 2015.

 

KENNEDY, Virgin: KROQ, 1990-91; KFI, 2008-09; KYSR, 2009-14. The former MTV vj hosts Reality Remix and co-hosted the KFI evening show with Bryan Suits until September 30, 2009. She provided features on the KYSR (98-7) morning show until the spring of 2014. She also hosts a nightly current events talk show on Fox Business Network titled “The Independents.” She left Fox in a company-wide downsizing in the spring of 2023.

Born Kennedy Montgomery in 1972, she confessed to Howard Stern in an interview with the "King of All Media" that he influenced her decision to get into radio. When she left KROQ she became a veejay on MTV. In an US magazine interview, she described the KROQ people listening to her overnight show as "insomniacs, students, people from Kinko's and 24-hour supermarkets. And Satanic 14-year-old boys who would send me magic powder, lace and sexual faxes. I probably still have them. I saved everything from KROQ." In 1993 she was voted MTV's most unpopular veejay. In People's 1994 year-end review of Fresh Faces, Kennedy said, "One reason they hired me was because I say - and do - whatever's on my mind." The story said that she is probably the only Kennedy with a GOP elephant tattooed on her hip. In 1995, Spy magazine listed Kennedy 19th in their list of "100 Most Annoying, Alarming, And Appalling People, Places, And Things."

Kenney, June: KMET, 1967. Unknown.

KENNEY, Kevan: KROQ, 2021-23. Kenney hosts RADIO.COM's national night show from NYC across all Audacy Alternative station brands as well as host of MTV’s Fresh Out Live and MTV’s weekly Friday Livestream.

Born and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, Kenney's passion for music led him to a gig at Billboard as host of Billboard News, and Billboard Live. He honed his interviewing skills working as host of the BUILD Series focusing on everything music and pop culture.

Kenney's also spent time with Dick Clark Productions on the red carpet and backstage at awards shows including the Grammys, VMAs & AMAs.

Kenny, Tim: Tim was last heard working for Metro in Denver.
Kent, Tony: KPOL, 1961-69 and 1971-74. Last heard, Tony bought a station in Pismo Beach and has since sold it. 

KENTERA, John: XERB, 2003-15. John worked afternoons at all-Sports "Mighty 1090.

John, known to his listeners as “Coach,” was a familiar voice for in San Diego for three decades. He was also heard on 97.3-FM The Fan (KWFN/fm). Kentera, a Torrey Pines High School alum, began his radio career in 1987 at the old Mighty 690. He also worked for The Mighty 1090 from its inception in 2003 until 2015 and later served as general manager of the Sockers. He has been hosting Padres pregame and postgame shows for 97.3-FM.

In addition, Kentera hosted a high school football show on Thursday nights in the fall and serve as color commentator for the station’s high school football game of the week on Fridays. “Coach has a rich history in San Diego and is truly beloved by the community, sports fans and advertising partners alike,” said Bob Bolinger, senior vice president and market manager, Audacy San Diego.

Kerby, Ed: KIIS, 1971; KROQ, 1972-73; KIIS, 1973; KWST, 1973; KDAY, 1974-94; KMAX, 1995. Ed owned Love's Restaurant in North Hollywood. 

KERDOON, Randy: KWNK, 1990; KFWB, 1989-95; KNX, 2003-21. The former weekend sports anchor at KTTV/Fox 11 broadcasts morning drive sports at all-News KNX, Randy was hired as morning sports anchor at KFWB from KWNK. He left KNX in the spring of 2021.

In addition to sports reporting on all-News KFWB, beginning in 1993, Randy was a substitute sports anchor for KTTV/Channel 11. In the fall of 1995 he joined the Fox station as weekend sports anchor and weekday sports reporter. Weekend viewers are familiar with his Saturday "Sports Around the World" and Sunday "K-Files" segments. Kerdoon's rather "wacky" reporting style was also featured on the award winning "Fox Overtime" during the NFL season, and "Fox Extra Innings" during the baseball season. Randy won a best sports reporting Emmy, and has been honored with numerous Golden Mike, L.A. Press Club and Associated Press "Mark Twain" awards for excellence in sports journalism.

He joined Fox 11 fulltime in 1995. Randy began his broadcast career at campus stations at L.A. Pierce College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he earned a B.S. degree in journalism. From there, he worked at several stations throughout California, including in San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, San Fernando, and Bishop before working in Reno. From 1984 to 1988, Randy worked at several radio and tv stations in Salt Lake City, where he did play-by-play for local hockey, baseball and college football teams.

 

KERN, Harvey: KNJO/KMDY/Lite 92.7, 1978-98. Harvey, long retired, concluded his voicing career (and has been retired from his health career for over two decades). Harvey lives in Ventura, CA.

Harvey was born on September 1, 1942, raised in southwest Los Angeles, and attended UCLA, where he was a disc jockey on KCLA (now KLA). In June 1964, he began a long career with the L. A. County Department of Health Services. He began teaching evening graduate classes in health at CSUN in 1972.  While commuting, he was a pioneering KNX traffic tipster ("Harvey the Road Warrior") for Bill Keene and Jim Thornton. In 1978, Harvey returned to radio, beginning a 20-year association with KNJO and KMDY (Comedy Radio), where he was an air personality, news and sports reporter, and public service director. He could also be heard doing live remotes from openings countless businesses, theaters, and public service remotes in Ventura County. "I was the Director of Public Affairs for the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center [and its principal media spokesperson] for the last nine years of my 32-year career with L.A. County," remarked Harvey. "I also had my evening teaching responsibilities, in addition to the radio gig. Radio was a great, relaxing avocation, and lots of fun."  
Somehow, he managed to squeeze in announcing duties for football games at Oak Park High School, where he was the "voice of the Eagles" from 1981 to 1985. Harvey retired from the County and teaching in 1996 and instantly became the morning drive - later midday - air personality for KNJO, where he remained until he "retired" from live radio in 1998. "I survived six ownerships, 13 program directors, and outlasted other staff of KNJO several times over," he joked. Upon his departure, he was honored with scrolls from the County of Ventura and City of Thousand Oaks as the "Voice of the Conejo Valley" for 20 years. Later, for six years, Harvey also was the voice of outgoing recorded phone messages for major companies including Costco (all stores in the US and Canada), Fairmont Hotels, Domino's Pizzas, Big O Tires, and many others, recording for "Phone-on-Hold Marketing Systems."  

Kern, Jim: KFI, 2004-05. Jim reported traffic on KFI.

KERR, Bob: KFI, 1957-78. Bob retired in 1978 and died August 8, 1981 in Agoura Hills.  He also did a bit of acting - appearing in several episodes of the NBC TV's Matinee Theater from 1955-58.

Bob was born and raised in Akron, Ohio – the son of the editor of the Akron Beacon Journal newspaper. By 1940 he had moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and was working as a news photographer for the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.  After a stint in the Army in World War II, he went to work as staff announcer in 1950 for KICK radio in Springfield, Missouri – a station that had just gone on the air that same year.  

In March, 1951, he left for Kansas City’s flagship (owned by the Kansas City Star) television station, WDAF/TV, and stayed there for five years. He was primarily a news announcer at first, but later hosted several tv shows.  

In 1954, he received TV Guide’s Gold Medal Award as a local tv personality “most worthy of network recognition.” He also began acting in community theater productions. In mid-1956, Bob left Kansas City and headed for Los Angeles.  

In his first year on the West Coast, he freelanced as an announcer.  In September of 1957 he joined KFI as an announcer. He went on the air as a newscaster (and also host of a music program) in December 1957, and stayed at KFI until he retired in 1978. Bob also continued his acting in LA.

Kessler, Steve: KGGI, 1979-87. In the '90s, Steve went on to work at Z90 in San Diego, B95-Fresno, KFRC-San Francisco and KBGO-Las Vegas. He's currently involved in furniture marketing and merchandising in Santa Clarita.
Kester, Howard: KEZY, 1966. Howard was gm of KYA-San Francisco during the station's success with a CHR format. He was gm at KEZY and went on to be the executive director of the Northern California Broadcasters Association. Howard died in 1989. 

KEV, Bootleg: KRRL, 2021-23. In the summer of 2021, Bootleg Kev joined REAL 92.3 (KRRL) for late evenings. An iHeart press release described Kev as one of hip hop’s most notable djs providing a nightly fix of hip hop lifestyle, music, fashion, history, culture, community and more.

Bootleg Kev, originally from Phoenix, has been in radio for over 15 years with stops in Las Vegas, Tampa, Phoenix, and previously at REAL 92.3 in LA. "Bootleg Kev lives and breathes hip hop and has spent his career building relationships with the “who's who” of the format," according to PR.

 

KEVIN & BEAN: KROQ, 1990-2019. For almost 30 years, Kevin & Bean worked morning drive at KROQ until Bean left in November 2019. They were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in the class of 2019.

The pair were frequently voted #1 as the Best LARP of the Year in the annual LARadio voting by 50 active radio people. Some of the comments from those who voted for Kevin & Bean: 

“These guys never cease to amaze me. They’re always entertaining and funny. They get better as the years pass. Still one of the most relevant shows in the country.”
“They keep doing it year after year!”
“At the top of their game, and not surprisingly, at the top of the market. Smooth, well-edited and not too many loose ends. They’ve captured a lot of the Howard Stern audience, making them even bigger.”
“Still relevant, still funny.”
“They’ve remained relevant in the tragically hip and churning environment of KROQ for nearly two decades, and that can’t be easy.”
“They are consistently one of the funniest morning shows in L.A.”
“The guys have developed such a huge following that it’s almost automatic that they’ll shine in the morning from rating period to rating period. They’ve probably gotten such a following that even non-Alternative-music fans tune into KROQ just for them. Always entertaining and still able to pull it off, even with the miles between the two now.”
“Admire how funny and fresh they remain while other morning shows have gotten stale or stupid.”
“If I don’t laugh every time I punch into their show, I learn something I didn’t know. These guys and everyone involved in their show is awesome.”

KEVIN, Art: KEZY, 1959-61; KFAC, 1961; KFI, 1961-63; KHJ, 1963-72; KMPC, 1972-78. Art served in three capacities while at KHJ (1963-72): news director, public affairs director and national news correspondent for RKO General Broadcasting. He, along with Ron Jacobs, was the architect for the signature 20/20 News during the KHJ Boss Radio Days. Art Kevin died August 15, 2002, of lung cancer at the age of 67.

Kevin was on RKO outlets to air the news the night RFK was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in L.A. At KMPC he was chief investigative reporter. He was born Art Ferraro in the Bronx. "In my starting days on radio ethnic names were not allowed, thus, Art Kevin was born." Art discovered his passion for radio while working at WAVZ-New Haven. (B. Mitchel Reed was a jock at the same time.) "I was doing the all night dj shift and the owner sent me to cover some ship disaster in New York Harbor. It was the sinking of the Andrea Doria and I forever was bitten by the news bug." Before he joined KHJ he was the first West Coast correspondent for the UPI audio radio network and was the first news director at KEZY in the late 1950s.  (Art Kevin with his wife, Jodi)

“Art Kevin was so special to me because his work and demeanor convinced me that I'd really made it to big league radio in 1965,” said Jacobs. “KHJ had a real news room with all those clocks in different time zones and more than one teletype machine. KHJ had a real news director, and that was Art, with the unfiltered cigarette stuck to his lower lip and his sleeves rolled up while he frowned at the Royal typewriter into which he banged the hour's news. We spent much time together. In April, we set up the mechanics of ‘20/20 News.’ In August, Art rang me up and asked me to come to the newsroom - now. We ad libbed plans on how to deal with our first major local story: the Watts Riots. Frank Terry was on the scene first, on the two-way radio from an old KHJ mobile unit, a station wagon. I asked him what the funny sounds were. He told me that they were bullets flying around the vehicle, under which he'd crawled,” wrote Ron. 

In 1982 Art started KRRI/fm-Boulder City/Las Vegas, because "I always thought I could do it better." He ran an Oldies format until selling the station in 1995. Art started at KEZY in 1959 and also worked at KFAC, KFI and KMPC.  

Kevoian, Bob: KXTA, 2000-01. Bob and his partner Tom Griswold started their syndicated show at "XTRA Sports 1150" on January 4, 2000 and the show was dropped a year later. The Bob & Tom Show continues in syndication. They inducted in the Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.
Key, Jim: KGIL, 1962-65 and 1967-69; KNX, 1969-74; KFI, 1975-78; KFWB, 1975-78. Jim was the original Skywatch pilot for KGIL. He was the second in the nation to report from the sky, behind Captain Max Schumacher. He went to work at CBS News and his reports aired on KNX. Jim was also heard on KFI and KFWB at the same time. He is now retired on his small ranch in the Piney Woods of East Texas.
Keyes, Austin: KLOS, 1996-2000 and 2004-05. Austin has an active voiceover career, including five years with the Mark Burnett Company.
KFI, Mr.: SEE Mr. KABC

KHAN, Chaka: KIBB, 1997. Chaka was a jock during the "B-100" days at KIBB (100.3/fm) but she is best known as a singer. She is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated musicians, winning 10 GRAMMY Awards. She has the rare ability to sing in seven music genres, including r&b, pop, rock, gospel, country, world music and classical. The late, great Miles Davis often said, “She sings like my horn.” And the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin says, “Chaka is a one- of- a -kind, premier vocalist.”

Throughout her legendary career, Chaka has released 22 albums and racked up ten #1 Billboard magazine charted songs, seven RIAA certified gold singles and ten RIAA certified gold and platinum albums. Chaka’s recorded music has produced over 2,000 catalog song placements.

Early on, she caught the attention of music icon Stevie Wonder, who penned her first smash hit with Rufus, Tell Me Something Good, earning her first GRAMMY. Hit after hit with songs such as You Got the Love, Once You Get Started, Sweet Thing, Everlasting Love, Do You Love What You Feel? and Ain’t Nobody. In 1978, Chaka blazed onto the music scene as a solo artist with the release of the smash hit I’m Every Woman written by Ashford & Simpson.  In recent years, Chaka also received the Soul Train Legend Award (2009), the BET Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), the GRAMMY® Honors Award from the NARAS Chicago Chapter (2006) and the World Music Award Lifetime Achievement Award (2003). In 2004, Chaka received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. Chaka sang her hit I Feel For You at the Divas concert on VH-1. She received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 in the Music category. She was the grand marshal of the 2019 Rose Parade.

 

KHOLOS, Bob: KMPC, 1965; KABC, 1968. Bob was a longtime Democratic political activist and the first mayoral press secretary to Tom Bradley. He worked in the newsroom at KMPC in the mid-1960s and reported on the first Watts Riots. In 1968, he became a reporter for KABC.  He died October 12, 2010, at the age of 67.

Kholos was named Bradley's press secretary after Bradley was elected Los Angeles mayor in 1973. Kholos served as media director during the campaign and assistant press secretary during Bradley's 1969 unsuccessful mayoral bid against Sam Yorty.

Born October 5, 1943, in Los Angeles, Kholos graduated from Santa Monica High School and attended Santa Monica College. Kholos served in the Army in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967 and started working for political campaigns upon his return.  

 

KHOOL-AID: KPWR, 2000-06. Lisa Khool-Aid Rios worked middays at "Power 106." She is an active force in Latin Hip-Hop and for a time co-hosting MTV's Wake Up Show.

In 1999, she created, with Edward "E-Dub" Rios, the Pocos Pero Locos nationally syndicated radio show, which debuted on Power 106. Due to the national demand on the streets for Latin Hip Hop, the program was an immediate hit and garnered the attention of prominent news outlets. After a few months and phenomenal ratings, Khool Aid and E-Dub, decided to take the show on the road for a shot at self syndication. By 2005, the program had reached 50 affiliates including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, and the duo had developed for the brand: a national retail pricing and positioning program, compilation series featuring the “who’s who” of Latin Hip Hop along with a live concert tour. Pocos Pero Locos has evolved into a multi-platform content provider, broadcasting via terrestrial radio stations, 24-hour internet stream, custom mobile apps, proprietary social network and YouTube channel.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Khool Aid’s nationally syndicated success. She has really built an amazing franchise and it truly deserves more of her attention. We’re excited to have Khool Aid’s incredible skills involved in Power 106’s future and Power 106’s HD2 Power ‘Dos’ Channel,” said Jimmy Steal, Emmis vp of programming and pd at KPWR.

 

KIDD, Jr., Paul: KNOB, 1968; KFWB, 1969-87; KGFJ, 1969-87; KDAY, 1984-87; KMAX, 1987-88; KACE, 1988-94. Paul's gospel show on Armed Forces Radio has played for decades. He created Touch of Soul barbecue sauce, later renamed Touch of the South.

Paul Edward Ramson Kidd Jr. ruled the gospel music airwaves for more than 50 years. Based in Los Angeles, his show aired locally as well as on the Armed Forces Radio Network (AFRN), which comprised 400 radio stations located in 28 countries.

A native of Kansas City, Kidd was born into a devout Christian family. His father was an AME itinerant elder who served as pastor of First AME Church in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Kidd came to L.A. in 1956 following his honorable discharge from the military the previous year. He joined KGFJ and worked under the legendary Jim Maddox and later became gospel program director as well as on-air personality. He also served as a broadcaster at KNOB, KFWB, KDAY, KACE and KMAX. In addition, Kidd’s show on AFRN, “Amen Corner,” exposed gospel music to thousands of enlisted men and women around the world. He eventually amassed an extensive gospel music collection, which he donated to KJLH. Kidd’s catalogue became the foundation for the station’s “Spread the Word” gospel music program hosted by Aundrae Russell. Currently, Kidd documenting and archiving his extensive radio programming memorabilia, along with his taped programs and collectible gospel music.

Kieley, Dan: KIIS, 1997-2001. Dan died of a heart attack on April 9, 2006. He was 51. Dan was a  partner in Snafu Consultants, based in Dallas. 

KIERNAN, Kathy: KNX, 1981-2019. Kathy was an editor/writer at KNXNewsradio. She retired in the fall of 2019. 

"I was the most tenured person there, at the end. Total running time: 38 years, eight months. I started as an intern in 1981. Weekends. I got lucky. It was a paid internship. I had earned it in school at CSUN and my material started airing on KNX my second weekend there. Later I added duties as producer, Face to Face: a live, in-studio, four times a day, eight-minute interview program, hosted by Jere Laird. Syndicated to the other CBS owned and operated stations back when they were allowed only seven each: AM, FM and TV. I worked 20 hours, weekdays, around my class schedule. And I continued my internship on weekends, too, until graduation. Then I got lucky again. They needed a junior newswriter. I got the job. I worked every writing, producing and editing shift they had. I also subbed for the assignment editor for a few months when that was a management position and the AE was out for surgery.

When I was in school, I had actually envisioned a career on the air, but I never got traction on that at KNX. I’d been voted Best Anchor at KCSN, back when students were actually able to broadcast over the airwaves. In a visit to CSUN a year ago, I learned, that’s no longer the case. Such a pity. When I started at KNX, there were two (wide spaced) pages of reporters listed on the weekly schedules. We had Boyd Harvey and Mike Landa at the Orange County Bureau. Alex Sullivan and Jon Goodman in downtown L-A. Gary Clark in Ventura County. Now, KNX has fewer than 10 reporters. One, usually, on weekends. Over the years I helped bring home 18 Golden Mikes... a handful of AP Mark Twains, some Press Club and UPI awards and a Murrow in 2017, for KNX. Some were team efforts behind the scenes; others all mine."

 

KILEY, Kevin: KSPN, 2007. Kevin joined middays at Sports KSPN in early 2007 and left later in the year. He was with the ESPN station in Dallas until early 2010. He's now doing mornings at WKRK (Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan) in Cleveland. He left the station in 2016.

Kevin recalled an embarrassing moment while on the air. "When I first began doing tv sports anchoring, literally the first show I ever did at ABC in Washington there was an Indian pitcher who pitched a three hitter. When I got to that part if the story instead of saying pitched I said ‘pissed’ a three hitter. I froze for about ten seconds while the other anchors howled. I than began again and was doing a golf story about Jack Nicklaus and instead of saying ‘Golden Bear’ I said ‘Golden Hare.’ That was the end of the sportscast." 

 

KILEY, Liz: KFI/KOST, 1982-89; KKBT, 1989-90. A veteran of the television and radio broadcasting industry, with wide experience in programming, operations and as on-air talent, Liz brings decades of experience in broadcast operations and affiliation management.

Prior to joining tr3s´, Liz was Vice President of Broadcast & Radio Affiliations for MTV2 where she was responsible for overseeing all radio and broadcast television affiliations. Previously she was with The Box Music Network, where she worked in conjunction with radio stations and broadcast affiliates across the country to promote and enhance the image of the network and the station until The Box merged with MTV2 in 2001.

Liz joined the The Box Music Network in 1994 after serving as Operations Manager at 92.3 The Beat (KKBT) before being promoted to Vice President/Operations & Programming for Evergreen Media Corporation. She was also Music Director and nighttime personality of KOST 103’s highly rated “Love Songs On the Coast” program where she took on the additional responsibilities of Assistant Program Director.

Earlier in her career, Kiley caught the broadcasting industry’s attention by becoming WABC-New York’s first female on-air personality in its Top 40 days. She also served as pd of WIFI in Philadelphia and as an on-air personality at WPGC in Washington, DC and is the recipient of many industry awards.

Kiley, an alumna of the Class of 2000 Leadership Music, Nashville, served on its Board of Directors for ten years, and sits on the Board of Directors for The Arc of Davidson County.

KILGORE, Lyle: KHJ, 1965-77, nd; KDAY, 1978; KLAC, 1982-90; KFWB, 1990-2005. For almost four decades, Lyle Kilgore delivered the news in his famous dramatic style. Lyle started at KHJ shortly after 93/KHJ "Boss Radio" was launched. For fans of early Top 40 radio, his booming voice made every story important. Verbs were so descriptive that they danced out of the radio. Lyle died on February 22, 2018, at the age of 89.

"Ron Jacobs [pd at KHJ] told me that radio is like a roller coaster ride ... first you're up then you're down. I've worked the overnight. I emerged from the darkness as new operations director with a staff of 20. We covered riots, Charles Manson and the Hillside Strangler stories on 20/20 News," Lyle said when interviewed for Los Angeles Radio People.

For a brief time Lyle went into the cookie business. Before arriving at KHJ he worked the legendary Rock stations in the Inland Empire, KFXM and KMEN. "It has been a long and fun ride since the pioneering Rock stations in the Inland Empire. It's been an E ticket ride and I'm still on it and loving it!"

 

KILGORE, Ron: KFWB, 1996-2002; KNX, 2005-20. Ron had a number of assignments including the Wall Street Journal radio network, Orange County reporter for KNX and host of the KFWB Business Hour. He died November 3, 2021, at the age of 71.

Born in Prague, Oklahoma on October 2,1950, he grew up in Santa Cruz and went to high school in Upland in the Inland Empire. “I went to several colleges in Southern California. Since I was already working in tv and radio, I took lots of different courses, ranging from fire science to police science, with a real interest in sociology.”

Ron’s boyhood idol was the late Douglas Edwards, one of the pioneers of tv news anchoring. “Russ Powell [formerly of KNX] was also a big influence. When I was a kid elementary school reporter in the farm town of Exeter, he was an anchor at a Fresno radio station that was beamed into our classroom every day. Vin Scully was also a big encouragement when I was a "boy" game producer at KFI. Finally, the late Reverend Raymond Schoch, who created a Christian radio and television network in Glendale who gave me my first paying on-air job.”

Before coming to the Southland, Kilgore was for five years the news director at KFYI-AM in Phoenix. He also was an anchor and reporter for NBC Radio News and Mutual Radio in Washington, D.C. He got his start in radio at KKAR-AM, Pomona.

 

(Mitch Krayton, Todd Kelly, Kelly Whelihan Kufman, Jeff Kelly, and Gary Kelley)

KILMAN, Buzz: KLSX, 1999-2000. Buzz worked with Jonathon Brandmeier at the FM Talk station, KLSX. He started in radio as the public service director for WBUS, "The Magic Bus" in Miami. Kilman remained there until station management discovered many of his late night interviews were spoofs. In 1974, he was at WSHE-Ft. Lauderdale, where he did morning news and a weekend public service talk show that had many comedic spoofs. On April Fool's Day, 1980, he went to WLUP-Chicago and did news for Steve Dahl. After Dahl was fired in 1981, Kilman did news for a series of morning personalities until he teamed up with Brandmeier in 1983. As newsman and sidekick, Kilman broadcast with Brandmeier for 14 years on the Loop and AM-1000. Buzz became the morning man at the Loop for one year when Brandmeier left the station during a contract dispute in 1997.

As of September 2012, Buzz was back on the air with Jonathon Brandmeier on a low powered fm station. Buzz exited "The Game" in late 2014.

 

KIM, Jimmy: KIIS, 1993-2002; KFOX/KREA, 1994-99. DJ Jimmy is one of the most respected sources for dance and hit music.

He has been sought to perform at such high-profile private events as Prince's Gold Masquerade Ball and Lisa Marie Presley's birthday party. Beginning in 1993 he became a mixer and music producer for KIIS's "Klub KIIS," a live mix show on Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The show was broadcast from the Palace nightclub in Hollywood. On FM Seoul, 93.5 KFOX/KREA, he blended Korean dance music with American on Sunday evenings from 8-10 p.m. He started playing music at fraternity/sorority parties while at UCLA and it just grew until he was guest DJ’ing at local clubs. In the late 1980s he was spinning music seven nights a week at the Captain's Wharf restaurant in the Marina, which was considered the number one Korean club outside of Koreatown. For four years, from 1989 to 1993, he was the director of dance music promotion for American TRAX in Beverly Hills, which served as a record pool for many of the club DJs in the Los Angeles area. Jimmy is currently entering the realm of producing and remixing for both American/European and Korean artists.

 Kim, Steve: KXTA, 1999. Steve hosted a weekend boxing show at "XTRA Sports 1150." 

KIMBALL, Richard: KMET, 1970-74; KWST, 1975-76. Richard worked the early days of AOR radio as program director at the Mighty Met, KMET and KWST (K-West) in the mid-1970s. He died March 7, 2019, at the age of 82. Richard was being treated for throat cancer and was undergoing chemo therapy. Word of his passing was initially posted by fellow KMET colleague Mary Turner Pattiz.

Born in Oakland in 1936, Richard grew up in Sacramento. His mother played piano in various bands. “I was exposed to all kinds of music. Every weekend we listened to opera.” At 14 he wrangled a job at the NBC/tv station, KCRA. After some time in college, Richard joined the Army and spent much of his time in the Far East. “I loved the international travel.”

Before he arrived at “the Mighty Met,” he worked in the Bay Area at KDIA, KSAN, KSJO and KMPX. “When I left KMET I managed Emerson, Lake and Palmer. In 1975, a group from Detroit arrived to turn ‘K-West’ into AOR programming and I was the only local guy hired. Within 18 months I tired of a daily show. I envisioned myself splayed over some console mumbling something about Joni Mitchell. Plus, the suits and the corporate mentality had arrived and the music was no longer free-form.”

Richard became a manager and guided the careers of David Cassidy and other artists until joining Westwood One in 1980 in the rock concert division. He stayed until 1993 when he left to co-produce “Rockline” for Global Satellite. Richard owned AASK (Artist Acquisitions Service Kompany) which acquired musical artists for network programming. He also co-produced “The Road” which was syndicated in 250 markets and 29 countries. “I was sitting in Las Vegas waiting to record some artists for ‘The Road’ when a three-quarter slot machine paid a progressive jackpot of $41,000. That’s the way my life has been.”

Mary Turner wrote of Kimball. “A gentleman in every sense of the word and a gentle man.”


Kimmel, Jimmy: KROQ, 1994-99. Jimmy won an Emmy as co-host of Win Ben Stein's Money. He hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC/TV. He was co-host of  The Man Show on Comedy Central with Adam Carolla. He received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.

KINDRED, Steve: KMNY, 1987-89; KFWB, 1989-2009; KFI, 2009-10; KABC, 2011-12. Steve was the morning drive financial anchor at all-News KFWB until a format flip in the fall of 2009. At KFWB he was the reporter/anchor and covered both O.J. Simpson trials.

He has won 14 Golden Mikes and the Edward R. Murrow Award.

Steve's previous assignments include a stint in the Persian Gulf during Desert Shield, the Menendez trials, the Northridge earthquake and the trial of officer’s accused of beating Rodney King.

Steve is a second generation Angeleno, born in what is now called KoreaTown. Steve received an A.A. in radio/tv from L.A. City College and a B.A. from Cal State Long Beach. “I was the oldest of six children. I decided at the age of 8 that I wanted to be a broadcaster. I used to do my own version of Art Linkletter’s House Party, interviewing people in my garage using the garden hose as a microphone.”

He was nd at KRNK-Cheyenne, news director at KNUU-Las Vegas (named Station of the Year by AP) and "Money Radio" in Los Angeles. He worked at KABC until late 2012 and later joined Total Traffic. Steve became a consultant for Michael Antonovich, LA County Supervisor.

 

KINCAID, Jojo: KRTH, 2002-04. JoJo joined KRTH in July 2002 and left in late 2004. He worked at 'The Wolf' in San Francisco until late 2008.

JoJo (born Joe Folsom in Gainesville, Florida) is a radio disc jockey who worked nights at WSGN ub 1972-73. Kincaid grew up in Florida and played guitar, keyboards and drums in local rock bands such as Uncle Funnel and The Push. He also operated a pirate radio station from his bedroom which was shut down by the Federal Communications Commission. He began working part time at WGGG-AM in Gainesville when he was 17 and became full-time after graduating. Within a year he was hired as music director for WDAT-AM in Daytona Beach. At the age of 19 he was program director and morning host at WWKE-AM in Ocala/Silver Springs. After leaving WWKE, Kincaid worked briefly in Miami before coming to Birmingham to work at WSGN and adopting the short-lived on-air name of Amaysa Kincaid.

After leaving Birmingham, Kincaid went on to work in most of the top radio markets in the United States, including Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas, Detroit, San Diego, Boston and San Francisco before he returned to Florida.

King, Alan: KBBQ, 1960s. Unknown.

KING, Amy: KFI, 2010-21. Amy got into the radio business, thanks to Mork and Mindy, according to Amy, one of the anchors at KFI.

During her internship at McCoy Advertising in Medford, Oregon, she met Ralph James, the voice of Orson from the Mork and Mindy tv show, who became a mentor and helped her prepare a demo reel after college (Oregon State University at Corvallis, with a BS in Speech Communication). 

“Armed with my first demo reel, I went around to radio stations in my hometown in Southern Oregon, and told them I wanted to work for them, but didn’t want to be a dj,” remembered Amy. “Amazingly, I got job offers from a number of stations, and accepted a co-host/news anchor position with the #1 station in the market: Top 40 KTMT.”

After a year at KTMT, Amy moved to Colorado and spent 4 years working at radio stations. For a change of pace she spent a year as a marketing vp for a limited stakes casino in the Rockies and she was a card dealer at night!

A radio station in Eugene, Oregon, KKNU “New Country 93,” offered Amy a position co-hosting the morning show for a start-up station.  “Since the radio bug had never quite left me, I accepted and packed up once again to head back to the west coast.”

Her next stop was nine years at KUPL-Portland. “I was very fortunate to join a very strong team of professionals who were a blast to work with.” Amy was news director and a member of the KUPL Waking Crew.

Amy had a hankering to pursue voiceover work and decided to move to Southern California. “I truly thought I was done with radio, but had always said if the right opportunity came along, I’d be crazy not to take a look at it,” reflected Amy.  “In the fall of 2010, I happened to see an ad for a part-time news anchor on the legendary KFI in Los Angeles and decided to investigate. The long and short of it is, I got the job and am now happily back in radio and loving what I am doing! I am the Saturday afternoon anchor on KFI and have been very fortunate to fill in on the Tim Conway Jr. Show, the John & Ken Show, and the Bill Carroll Show.

In addition to KFI, Amy provides weekday afternoon news anchoring at KOGO-San Diego. In 2020 she opened up with her challenges with colon cancer.

KING, Bill: KNX, 1982-83. Considered by many to be the best pro football radio announcer in the country, Bill broadcast over 500 Raider games. In the 1980s, preparing for retirement, his financial counselor swindled all his money. He died on October 17, 2005. He was 78.

Holy Toledo was a familiar trademark cry from the longtime Bay Area sportscaster icon who was the radio voice of the Oakland A's since 1981. King was behind the mike for some of the most memorable moments in Bay Area sports history. He was the voice of the Warriors from the time they moved to San Francisco in 1962 until 1983. In 1966 he began broadcasting Raiders games and stayed with that franchise to become a LARP when the team moved to Los Angeles in 1982. “His call of the famous ‘Sea of Hands’ pass from Ken Stabler to Clarence Davis in a 1974 playoff, is considered one of the greatest play-by-play accounts ever,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “He also was at the mike for the ‘Heidi Game,’ against the Jets, the ‘Immaculate Reception’ by Franco Harris in Pittsburgh and the ‘Holy Roller" against the Chargers, three memorable moments in Raiders history." 

“I’m truly saddened by Bill King’s death,” wrote KGO’s Ronn Owens. “He brought true class to sports broadcasting. A Renaissance man more than anyone I’ve ever met, he could discuss opera, for example, with the same wisdom and clarity he used to explain the intricacies of the change-up. He was a joy to listen to and a joy to interview. Class. Above all else, class.”

King, Dave: XPRS, 1972. Unknown.
King Gayle: KTLK, 2010-11. Gayle joined afternoon drive at the Progressive Talk station in July 2010 and announced that she was giving up her syndicated show on April 8, 2011. She's now morning anchor of the CBS Morning News.

KING, Glen: KUTE, 1965-66; KFOX, 1966. Glen is a retired professor of Radio and TV broadcasting and a successful songwriter. He lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Maggie.

Glen was at KUTE at the time of Watts Riots. He shared this story: "We broadcast from the top of the Trans America building in downtown L. A. From that vantage point I was able to see the fires burning and generally all the action. Unfortunately, the owner of the station, Bob Adams only wanted the djs to rip and read from the teletype machine. So there was no live on the spot reporting then. The station only had two djs - Mike Parker and myself. We split the day from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. - midnight, which was my shift. The format was all instrumental Easy Listening before the station became the Quiet Storm. One night the security guards accidently locked me in. They forgot about the station being active. So, I had to walk down 32 flights of steps after shutting down, and was confronted by the guards when I tripped the alarm. They had a big laugh."

King, Howard: KHJ, 1972. Unknown.
King, Jackson: KFWB, 1962; KHJ, 1968. Born Jack Colon, the booming Top 40 newsman died April 27, 1969, from complications of cirrhosis of the liver. Jackson was 45.
King, Josh: KLAC, 1965. Unknown.

KING, Larry: KMPC; KFI; KGIL, 2007-08. The iconic broadcast host died January 23, 2021, of Covid-19 related complications. He was 87.

Larry's hosted CNN Larry King Live from 1985-2010. His syndicated radio show aired at KGIL. His broadcasting jobs date to the 1950s.

He always appeared unprepared for an interview, but that turned out to be his gift. We learned about the guest right along with Larry. He had an uncanny ability to ask the right questions. King never made it to college and never took a journalism class. Nightly he would sit in the back of a Miami delicatessen and do his interviews. Mutual picked up show and he grew an audience of 3 million-5 million listeners.

Larry got an offer from Ted Turner. The CNN founder wanted King for a one-hour interview show to air weeknights at 9 p.m. on the new cable news network. "Waking up to the news of the passing of Larry King felt like a punch to the gut," Turner said in a statement. "Larry was one of my closest and dearest friends and, in my opinion, the world’s greatest broadcast journalist of all time. If anyone asked me what are my greatest career achievements in life, one is the creation of CNN, and the other is hiring Larry King."

King's father died of cardiac arrest at 46, when King was just 9. Larry had his own heart attack in 1987.

King, Pamela: KORG, 1975-79; KIKF, 1979-81. Pamela works with children with learning disabilities as an advocate/paralegal.
King
, Roy: KGFJ, 1978; KKTT, 1979; KIEV, 1981-97. Unknown.
King, Tom: KUTE, 1981-87; KNOB, 1984-86. Tom and his wife bought KTHO-Lake Tahoe and the success of their own broadcast school, Academy of Radio Broadcasting, has branched out to Phoenix, Walnut Creek and Fremont.
King EMZ: KKBT, 1995-97. Unknown.

KINGMAN, Bill: KPPC, 1959-60. In 1959, high-schooler Bill started in broadcasting as a 17-year-old volunteer intern at KPPC-Pasadena, which was a non-commercial AM station owned and operated by the Pasadena Presbyterian Church since the 1920s. "Volunteer your time, and we'll teach you radio" was their offering.

A year later, Bill had his first commercial experience as a dj/newscaster at KOWN-Escondido, followed by KPER-Gilroy. Bill moved to his favorite vacation spot, Lake Tahoe, in early 1961 and joined KOWL where he remained for the rest of the year.

After earning an FCC First Class license, Bill became interested in broadcast technology as well as being an on-air performer. He became chief engineer at KOWL in 1963, followed by KTHO-AM-FM in South Lake Tahoe as CE and program director 1966-78. Bill then freelanced at KPTL/KKBC Carson City-Reno, KCRL and KBET in Reno, KTRT, KEZC and KLKT North Lake Tahoe, then fulltime CE at KRLT/fm in South Lake Tahoe 1979-83. He finally concluded 50 years on Lake Tahoe airwaves as dj (and CE) back at KOWL/KRLT, 1983-2001. From 2001 to 2011, Bill helped KOWL/KRLT and KTHO-AM-FM technically. He retired and moved to Carson Valley, Nevada, in 2019, after 58 years at Lake Tahoe.

 

KINGSLEY, Bob: KGBS, 1961-69; KLAC, 1970-71; KBBQ, 1971-72; KFI, 1973. B0b, a national Radio Hall of Fame Member whose voice was synonymous with Country music, died October 17, 2019, at his home in Weatherford, Texas while receiving treatment for cancer. He was 80.

One of broadcasting’s most beloved and iconic figures, Kingsley was a mainstay on radio for 60 years. His dominance in the Country format began in 1978 when he took over as host of American Country Countdown after four years as the show’s producer for one of radio’s founding syndication companies Watermark, founded by Tom Rounds.

In 2006, he and his wife and business partner Nan Kingsley established Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40, produced by their own KCCS Productions, still running on more than 320 stations.

Kingsley received many of broadcasting’s top honors and was named to the Country Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998 and the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2016. He is the namesake and was the first recipient of the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award, presented each year since 2014 at the Grand Ole Opry House and benefitting the Opry Trust Fund. They were among the many fruits of a career built on a simple premise.

"I love the music and the people who make it," he once said, "and I want our listeners to have as much insight into both as I can give them, and to make the experience as enjoyable as possible."

 Bob's love for radio and music dated to his childhood, when polio kept him in bed and in near isolation for a year. “I would listen to the radio,” he said, “and certain shows became really important to me. It was complete escapism and entertainment. I didn't realize the imprint it was making, but it obviously stayed with me."

 At 18, Kingsley joined the Air Force and served in Keflavik, Iceland, where he jumped at a chance to become an announcer on Armed Forces Radio. That experience and his love of Country music would carry him to legendary stations like KFOX, KGBS, KFI, and KLAC, and to his role as the voice of Drake-Chenault’s Great American Country format, used by hundreds of Country radio stations. His role as host of American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley made him a household name. He supplemented the weekly countdown with Christmas specials.

KINGSTON, Lenore: KFWB, 1959-62. Lenore was the home affairs editor during the colorful days of "Color Radio." Her show "Purely Personal" aired for three years. Lenore was featured on This Is Your Life for her important contributions during World War II. She was the uncredited "Friend" laughing with Jim Backus on his novelty laughing record Delicious, released on Jubilee Records in 1958.

Born Eleanor Bourgeotte in L.A. on October 14, 1913, during the thirties she acted in the radio drama "Ma Perkins" and later starred with McDonald Carey in the Lock Up tv series. But her real interest was being a ham radio operator. After Pearl Harbor she founded radio training courses for the American Womens Voluntary Service. She specialized in phone patches between servicemen overseas and their families. During her time with KFWB she aired over 6,000 programs that dealt with finding missing persons, or trading or selling something.

Lenore retired when she left KFWB and died May 5, 1993, of cancer. She was 79.

Kirby, Paul: KFI, 1978. Paul has been doing voiceovers in Dallas and Los Angeles for the past 20 years. 

KIRCHEN, Diana Kelly: KWIZ, 1978-82. Diana was part of an exciting radio experiment in the 70s and 80s, when she became part of an all-female jock line-up at Orange County’s KWIZ. A bit of context, for many in Southern California OC radio was a stepping stone to work in Los Angeles radio. Not so today. There isn’t the distinction between the two counties now. Just one big mountain of towers, with the one-time legendary AM stations running foreign language or syndicated fare. Diana went on to an exceptional career in education and now lives in Poway.

When asked about the memories of her time in OC radio, she was excited to share her experiences. Diana’s story: Just a bit of background – I grew up in Fullerton and spent a LOT of time listening to LA and Orange County radio stations as a kid.  First, I listened at home to KEZY-AM through our in-home intercom system, back when it was truly an Easy Listening station.

Around 1964 (age 10), I got a transistor radio as a Christmas present, and I listened all the time – I even took my little radio to school with me and listened to KRLA and KHJ during recess. So I was a big radio fan from a young age and always thought I’d want to work in radio, even though I didn’t hear any female voices on the air at that time. Flash forward to Halloween 1973. I was working at Knott’s Berry Farm in entertainment as the Wagon Camp Announcer, dressed as Annie Oakley.  For the very first Halloween Haunt in 1973, I was chosen to be the first witch, and as the witch, I announced the show in the Wagon Camp, which featured a mime rock group called “Hello People.”

On the first night of Halloween Haunt, Mark Denis and Paul Freeman from KEZY were doing a remote right outside the Wagon Camp. Mark asked to interview Seymour (who was appearing in the John Wayne Theater) and “the Witch” (me).  I was so happy to meet Mark Denis, and he was so nice. Before we went on the air he said, “Let’s hear your witch voice,” so I said something back to him using the witch voice. Then Mark went into voice coach mode – “a little deeper” – and I did it again. “More energy.” I did it again. “More guttural.” I did it again. Then he said, “Ok, (change dash to comma) that sounds pretty good…we’ll talk on the air in a minute.” 

A few years later, I’d gone through the radio broadcasting program at Fullerton College and finished my BA degree at Cal State Fullerton. I started my first job in radio at KONG in Visalia in May 1977. A year later I was doing the “Young and Beautiful” format from the fishbowl studio in South Coast Plaza Village. When I was first hired, Steve Gonzales was doing the afternoon shift at KWIZ/fm. I filled in full-time for a month on the overnight shift for Jan Marie Tamburelli (AKA “Strawberry Jan” at KEZY) when she became ill.

 

KIRK, Charlie: KRLA, 2021-23. Charlie works late night at 870/The Answer, KRLA.

He the founder/president of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government. Charlie is an editor-at-large at Newsweek, and whose writings are often published on Fox News, The Hill, The Washington Times, Breitbart, and Daily Caller. He was named to the Forbes “30 under 30” list and was also the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention. He’s the author of three books including The MAGA Doctrine: The Only Ideas that Will Win the Future.

His podcast delivers in-depth political and cultural analysis alongside his signature campus activism and interviews with some of the most influential people of our time.

 

KIRKLAND, B.K.: KGFJ/KUTE, 1983. Kirkland, a New York City native, replaced radio legend Frankie Crocker at WBLS in 1976, helping the station score its highest-ever afternoon numbers. He's been at the forefront of smooth jazz and classic R&B on a national scale, and is a Gallery award recipient as one of the top 100 radio personalities in America. He spent 22 years with Sirius/XM as director of music programming of the Old School r&b Groove channel until a major company downsizing in the spring of 2023. He told AllAccess: "I'm happy with the legacy I left behind. The daily work was great, but I'm very proud to have done the pop-up channel features like Michael Jackson, Quincy Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Janet Jackson. I had an intimate opportunity to share the stories behind the music."

From his website: "The gift of music brings back memories. I love music of all kinds, but Old School Soul and r&b are my favorites. Our love of song has been passed down for several generations. My parents and grandparent’s roots have evolved from Gospel, Jazz, and Blues. Their generation of music grew out of unique experiences growing up and raising a family in America. The soul music of the 60's cultivated the three genres and they evolved into a universal sound that began to crossover to other cultures as well. From Duke and Louie it grew to Ray. Ray set the table for with Smokey and The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me with Gladys Knight. The music is still vibrant and sought by millions who have supported an art form that is special and unique. 

Kitchell, Darrell: KLON, 1969-76, pd. Darrell was educated at Long Beach City College, Southwestern Oklahoma State, California Sate University Long Beach, and UCLA. In 1967 he was with AFRTS and the United States Information Services. After KLON, Darrell taught radio production at Fullerton College from 1976-2008.

KITCHENS, Lauren: KFSH, 2001-05. Lauren joined mornings at Salem's "The Fish" in April 2001 and left in the summer of 2005. She splits her time with speaking engagements in Southern California and back East.

Lauren holds undergraduate degrees in Music & Communications from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa and her Master's degree in Radio, TV, & Film from Regent University in Virginia Beach. Her 22 year background in Media includes hosting a morning show on the Family Channel, TV News Reporting and On-Air Radio shows for Salem Radio Network, Clear Channel Communications, Sony Worldwide and American Family Radio.

Lauren is also a college professor having held positions at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville and Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles. She was runner-up and  talent winner in Miss Mississippi America, first runner up to Miss Mississippi USA and Top 10 Miss Virginia.

She appeared as a repeated guest on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect, and hosted an entertainment show on TBN with John Tesh.

Lauren began her life in the same town as Elvis and the best catfish you can put in your mouth, Tupelo, Mississippi. She said her first word at 6 months of age and hasn't stopped since. Lauren is an only child who loves to laugh hard, eat sweets, give big bear hugs and remind people of their extreme value and worth.

Kitchin, Kraig: The former head of Premiere Radio Networks is now chairman of the National Radio Hall of Fame. He's also ceo of Sound Mind.

KLAVAN, Andrew: KABC, 2020. Andrew joined KABC from 9 p. m. - 10 p.m. in early 2020. His on-air podcast didn't last a yeear.

Andrew is the author of such internationally bestselling crime novels as True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood, Don’t Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas and Empire of Lies.  Stephen King called him “the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich.” He has been nominated for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award five times and has won twice.  He has also won the Thumping Good Read Award from WH Smith and been nominated twice for the Bouchercon’s Anthonys. 

His essays and op-eds on politics, religion, movies and literature have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times, and elsewhere.  He also created the popular satire video features, “Klavan on the Culture,” for PJTV, “A Very Serious Commentary” for Glenn Beck’s Blaze TV, and “The Revolting Truth,” for Truth Revolt. He is also the host of The Daily Wire’s The Andrew Klavan Show on Westwood One Podcast Network. As a screenwriter, Andrew wrote the screenplays to A Shock to The System, which starred Michael Caine, and One Missed Call, which starred Edward Burns. 

 Klein, Frank: KPPC, 1971. Unknown.

KLEIN, Kevin: KROQ, 2018-23. Kevin joined Stryker for afternoons at KROQ in the summer of 2018. He's now teamed with Ally.

Born January 1, 1980. "I was Baby New Year 1980." Kevin grew up in Washington DC interning for Jack Diamond and WHFS. He studied communication and psychology at Syracuse University. 

"I was in trouble a lot as a kid," Kevin said. "I was sent to my room with no tv, so radio was my best friend. I worked at K-ROCK in Syracuse/Utica, KROCK in NYC, and now am at KROQ in LA.

Klein worked in San Francisco (Live 105)  before joining KEGY (97.3 The Machine)-San Diego in 2018 for a morning show. A self-inflicted debacle occured before he even started when he posted a promo on social media that made light of suicide with the word “JUMP* … * to a new morning show” paired with a picture of the Coronado bridge. Fans were outraged and Klein was gone.

Klein, Michael: KRLA, 1970. Unknown.
Klein, Milt. KHJ, 1962. Milt died July 26, 2001. The former KHJ general manager served as an officer in the Merchant Marines during World War II, and had a varied career in broadcasting, advertising and finance.

KLIGER, Jared Charles: KCSN, 1990-97. The former pd at KCSN is now a licensed psychologist. In addition to working privately with individuals, couples and families, he works in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. "I must say that my radio career was great in its day, but I now feel like I'm playing a much more meaningful role."

Jared remembered his early influences: "Many radio stations influenced me as a child. KHJ, KFI (Lohman & Barkley, Jerry Bishop) and KABC (Michael Jackson, Marv Gray, Elliot Mintz) were among them. But I'd have to say the one that made me "fall in love with radio" was the old KFAC. This was the station my mom would put on when I was 3 or 4 years old and didn't want to go to sleep. I was always willing to lie in bed and listen to Thomas Cassidy's Evening Concert. It was also the station I modeled when I made my own little radio shows on cassette as a child. When I was about 11 years old, I used to visit the studios at Prudential Square, where I first saw what a control room really looked like. And when I was in the business, former KFAC announcer Scott MacClelland hired me to work at KBOQ in Monterey, where I eventually became program director. Thanks for giving me the chance to share, and to relive, some deep-rooted and happy memories."

Kline, Lee: KXTA/KLAC, 1997-2007; KFI, 2001-03; KLAA, 2009-10. Lee worked late night at KLAA. He's living in Santa Monica and he teaches in the Inland Empire.

KLUGE, John: KLAC and KMET. John  was a German-born American entrepreneur who was at one time the richest person in America. The radio and tv mogul owned Metromedia, including KLAC and KMET. He came to the United States in 1922 and earned a BA degree in economics from Columbia University in 1937.  He was best known as a television industry mogul in the United States.

Kluge's major move into media was by purchasing stock in the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation in the mid-1950s. The Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation was the successor of the DuMont Television Network, which was spun off from DuMont Laboratories after the television network ceased operations in 1956. After gaining control in 1959, Kluge began the company's expansion further into broadcasting, with holdings in television and radio. In the early 1960s, Kluge bought an outdoor advertising firm, and in 1961 the company's name was changed to Metromedia to reflect the diversity of its interests.

In 1986, Kluge sold the Metromedia television stations to the 20th Century Fox film studio, for a reported $4 billion. Those stations would later form the core of what would become the Fox television network. The following year, Forbes Magazine placed Kluge at the top of its list as the richest man in America.

He died on September 7, 2010, at the age of 95.

Knight, Chris: KWST, 1982; KMGG, 1982-83. Chris worked morning drive at KKMG-Colorado Springs.
Knight, Damon: KHHT, 2003-15. Damon had a weekend show at HOT 92.3 and was the music director until summer of 2015 when the station flipped to "Real Radio." Born in Santa Monica, Damon's radio career took him to Seattle's KUBE before arriving at 92.3/fm.

  KNIGHT, Gene: KHTZ, 1979-80. Born Jerome Peterson in Los Angeles, Gene got interested in radio while living in New York. “I heard the WMCA Good Guys when I was 12 and was hooked.”

The family moved to San Diego when he was in the middle of Escondido High School. After graduating from Palomar College in San Marcos, Gene worked for Bobby Rich at KFMB (“B-100”)-San Diego. When Bobby went to KHTZ, Gene followed. He later returned to San Diego as md of "B-100" and eventually became pd. Gene was at KFMB for 18 years until leaving in early 1994.

He's worked for a number of San Diego stations, in fact 99% of his career was in San Diego. "Something most people don't know about me:  I am shy, and I am a twin!!! He left afternoons at Sunny 98.1 in San Diego in January 2021. 
 

 

KNIGHT, Michael: KFWB, 1998-99 and 2012-16. Michael left KFWB in late 1999 to be the head writer for ReporterTV.com, the first online industry news webcast. He returned to KFWB in late 2012 and left when the station was sold.

Michael worked mornings in San Francisco at KRQR, KDBS, KKCY and KFRC. He also spent five years as the morning mouth on SportsTalk KJR-Seattle.

Michael was born in Oakland and raised in Marin County. A graduate of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Knight, Michelle: SEE Marina Wilson

KNIGHT, Nikki: KYSR, 2004-07. Nikki worked weekends at "Star 98.7."

Prior to joining KYSR, she worked twice at WXXL-Orlando and WVYB-Daytona Beach.

 

KNIGHT, Steve: KKAR, 1964-72; KIEV, 1972-98. His long-running restaurant program was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for 'Best Radio Show on Food' in 1997.

Born Gene Bush in Wichita, Kansas, Steve came to Southern California with his family in 1952. As a teenager he developed an irresistible fascination with pursuing a career in radio - being particularly inspired by Earl McDaniel and Red Blanchard. After graduation from Rosemead High in 1959 he enrolled at Pasadena City College, focusing on classes in the Broadcast Department. In 1964 he landed a combination on-air and sales position at KWUN-Concord, California, but soon returned to Southern California at KKAR in Pomona as a disc jockey, becoming pd in 1966. In 1972 he joined KIEV as afternoon drive personality and music director.

In March 1976, as the station made the transition from rock Oldies to Talk, Steve was assigned co-hosting duties on the Paul Wallach Show. At the time Wallach was the restaurant critic for Westways Magazine, and restaurant reviews and recommendations were one of the show's main topics. Steve found the world of food and wine so interesting that he took cooking classes at Ma Maison restaurant's Ma Cuisine cooking school, and wine classes with Robert Lawrence Balzer. By the time Wallach left KIEV in 1993, Steve had already become recognized as a legitimate restaurant critic in his own right, and took over the show full-time.

In 1997 his program (Steve Knight's Broadcast Bistro) was one of three in the nation nominated for Best Radio Show On Food by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Steve also published his own food and wine newsletter, Knightlife, from 1995 to 1998, and has repeatedly served on the select committee of judges for the Los Angeles County Fair's Wines of the Americas annual wine competition. When Salem Broadcasting assumed ownership of KIEV in September 1998, the new owners opted not to include his program in the new schedule.

After retiring from radio he moved to Albany, Oregon in 2007.

Knight, Ted: KGIL; KPRZ. The unforgettable Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show has passed away.

KNOBLER, Cecily: KZLA, 2000-01. Cecily was part of the morning show at Country KZLA. She went on to write and host Live from Hollywood, a daily morning show in which she provided entertainment reports and film reviews for 20 FM radio stations.

Cecily is a current contributor to US Weekly magazine. She has had a column in "The NoHo L.A. News," where she discussed men and relationships. She has made many appearances as an entertainment reporter for MSNBC's television show, "Scarborough Country."

She was also a longtime cast member on VH1's popular TV show Best Week Ever, as a commentator on pop culture, politics, radio host, writer and stand-up comic. 

Cecily has been acting professionally since the age of seven, when she appeared in a regional Dr. Pepper commercial. As a youngster she appeared in numerous theatrical productions ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Simon. Born in Austin, she grew up in Waco and Dallas. She earned a bachelor degree in neuropsychology at The American University in Washington, DC. Her father was in radio, working as a dj and becoming a general manager.

Knorr, Peter: KJOI, 1989. Unknown.  

KNOTT, Leo: KDAY, 1979-83; KFWB; KABC/KLOS; KJLH; KACE; KGFJ; KTYM. After a decade-and-a-half in mostly Urban radio since 1979, Leo became a young disciple of Christianity and joined KTYM. He died December 16, 2010, at the age of 59.

Born and raised in Chicago listening to WVON, WCFL and WLS, he was in his second year at Loyola University when he heard his calling to follow radio as a career. Leo was listening to Bill "Butterball" Crane. "Hey, he sounds like me. I thought I could do radio and saw my counselor." The counselor guided Leo to Southern Illinois University. He was active on the campus station.

After graduation in 1972 Leo joined KOWH-Omaha and started his radio journey that took him to WNOV-Milwaukee, mornings at KDKO-Denver and KVOV-Las Vegas. "Steve Woods offered me overnights at KDAY in 1979 and that got me to L.A," Leo said when interviewed for Los Angeles Radio People. Leo had been with KTYM since 1995 as an announcer/engineer/board-op. "I believe that He led me here. All my other jobs were filled with negatives and I wondered when is radio supposed to be fun? I'm enjoying KTYM and have a long way to go," said Leo in the mid-90s.  

Knutson, Ken: KFOX, 1971. Unknown.
Kobik, John: KOCM, 1987; KWIZ, 1990-91. Since 1994, John has been a news anchor in San Diego. He went on to KFMB.
Koby: KIIS, 2003-04. In the spring of 2003, Koby joined swing at KIIS from WJMN-Boston and left in early 2004 and joined WBZZ-Pittsburgh.

KOHL, Ken: KFI, 1987-89. Best known for managing or programming News and Talk stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Sacramento. In late 2020, Ken retired from a stellar 50-year career. “We’ve moved back to Seattle for our final move," Ken told AllAccess. "Fishing and cruising the San Juan Islands, making new friends, and reconnecting with old Seattle pals top the list. For the first time in 50 years, I don’t have a morning show to get up for.” 

Ken left his post as gm at KIFR/KCBS-San Francisco in the summer of 2006, following a massive company-wide "restructuring." The veteran news talk programmer went on to be an  executive at DIRECTV's Original Content and Production team based in LA.

Kohl's radio career started in 1969 when he was hired at progressive AOR WLIR-Long Island. He stayed in New York until 1974 when he accepted a job at Denver AOR KBPI. His programming post at KOMO came late in 1980. Kohl noted, "Fisher is a wonderful group of broadcasters who taught me about integrity. It's been my life for six years and it is difficult for me to walk away. Ken joined KFI as program director to help launch the Talk format.

 

KOHLSCHREIBER, Will. Will is an airborne traffic reporter for iHeart's Total Traffic & Weather Network, heard on KFI, among other stations.

"Will began his broadcasting career as a board-op at his hometown radio station, KAVR, in the lobby of the Apple Valley Inn. He eventually made his way down the Cajon Pass to Los Angeles, where he landed a job running the board at the legendary K-EARTH 101, and sister station KRTH AM 930. A few years later, he auditioned for an on-air position at Metro Traffic, and soon found himself filing news and traffic reports on such powerhouses as KNX, KMPC, KPWR, KBIG, KCRW, KRTH and others. He was also a longtime writer, producer and celebrity interviewer at Premiere Radio Networks, back when it was still a mom-and-pop company, providing mostly morning show material to stations nationwide.

His eclectic resume includes working an array of odd jobs, including waiter, club DJ, karaoke host at the Disneyland Hotel, first mate on a charter yacht, background actor, backup singer and network aerial tv camera operator for major sports events. Following tv helicopter reporting stints on FOX11’s “Good Day LA” and NBC4’s “Today in LA,” in the summer of 2023, Will returned to his first love… radio… as one of the current “KFI in the Sky,” airborne traffic reporters for the legendary KFI.

Will grew up in SoCal and is a total KFI geek. 'I remember listening to KFI on the way to school, including Lohman & Barkley and Bruce Wayne, the very first 'KFI in the Sky."


Kolodny, Warren: KCRW. Warren hosted "Stay Awake" on KCRW. Rhino Records also employed him where he worked in media relations. Warren was a graduate of Amherst College and held a master’s degree in Spanish from Stanford University. He took his own life August 23, 1996 with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He suffered from chronic depression, according to various sources.
Konyski, Hank: KNX, 1938-48; KABC, 1967-83. Hank retired in 1983 and lives in the San Fernando Valley.
Koon, W.L.: KRKD. W.L. is the former general manager at KRKD. Unknown.

KOONTZ, Bob: KEZY, 1978-82; KRLA, 1982-84; KJOI, 1984-85; KSCA/KMPC/KLITE/KUTE, 1985-97; KCTD, 1997; KABC/KDIS/KLOS, 1997-2000; KABC/KDIS/KLOS/KSPN, 2000-06; KSPN, 2006-08; KFWB, 2014-16; KSWD, 2016-17. Bob started his radio career as an AE at KEZY. Bob left his post as KSPN station manager in the fall of 2008 and founded OC Classic Cars.

In the early Fall of 2014, Bob became sports sales manager for KFWB, The Beast 980. Following the format flip at KFWB, Bob joined KSWD (100.3/The Sound) in sales. He left in late spring 2017 to join TMC-The McClemmy Companies. Following sales in Orange County commercial real estate, Bob is now a mortgage broker.

He spent three decades in Southern California Radio, the last 10 years with Disney/ ESPN. “It’s been an incredible journey starting in 1978 with my first station, KEZY AM & FM, where many friendships were made and I still have many of those friends today. My tenure at ABC began in 1998 when Bill Sommers hired me to be the GSM at KLOS,” said Bob. Two years later Bob was appointed Director of Sales (DOS) for all four ABC stations –  KLOS, KABC, KSPN, and KDIS. “When we put ESPN on the air back in December 2000 it was on AM 1110 and the only local programming was the McDonnell-Douglas Show, with Joe McDonnell and Doug E. Krikorian. We also had the local play-by-play of the LA Kings,” said Bob.

The station was not an overnight success. KSPN struggled with three major issues: a stronger signal, a major play-by-play franchise and an additional local show. “Our timing couldn’t have been better, the Angels deal was up at Clear Channel so in 2002 we put a deal together that required us to move ESPN to 710,” remembered Bob. “So we got what we wanted, a better signal and a play-by-play franchise with the 2002 World Champion Angels.” When Disney/ABC sold its radio properties to Citadel, ESPN took over the O&O’s. “With the sale it required us to find a new home across from the Staples Center in an area called ‘LA Live’ and I have been involved in that project for the last two years, which will be the new home of KSPN next year.”

 

KORDUS, Marie: KMGX, 1985; KPWR, 1985-97, gm; KLAX/KFOX/KREA, 1999-2001, gm. Marie came up through the sales ranks at "Power 106" to be appointed gm in March 1996. She was in sales at KMGX.

She arrived in the Southland from WISN/TV-Milwaukee where she worked in sales. Prior to that she was a sales rep for two years at WMIL and WOKY-Milwaukee.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Marie graduated from Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee where she majored in fine arts. She moved to L.A. and first worked as an art director on feature films and then spent a decade with Emmis-owned "Power 106," eventually becoming gm. In the spring of 1998, she was offered a position as vp of sales for Emmis Television. In March of 1999, she joined Spanish Broadcasting System as gsm of KLAX and became the gm at Spanish KLAX/KMJR/KNJR. In the spring of 2001, Marie joined Newmark Communications as senior vp.  She is now media director at Muse Communications.

 

KORNHEISER, Tony: KMPC. Tony's ESPN syndicated show appeared on 1540/KMPC Sports station. He's co-hosted Pardon the Interruption with Michael Wilbon since 2001. Tony was in the Monday Night Football booth from 2006-08. Tony earns $6 million a year, according to Wikipedia.

Tony started as a Washington Post sports columnist in 1984 and for many years also wrote for the Style section, attracting a large following for his humorous musings on topics ranging from presidential politics to his teenaged children, his elderly father and the behavior of his dog.  These columns were compiled in three books – Pumping IronyBald as I Wanna Be, and Back for More Cash.

Kornheiser graduated from Harpur College (now Binghamton University) in 1970 with a degree in English. He began his career in journalism right out of college at Newsday before going to the New York Times in 1976. In 2017, Kornheiser and Wilbon received the National Press Club’s most esteemed prize, the Fourth Estate Award, recognizing journalists who have made significant contributions to the field. In May 2017, he was recognized by his alma mater, Binghamton, with an honorary doctorate.

 

KOSKE, Kevin "KOZMAN": KQLZ, 1989-90; KIIS, 1993. Born on February 20, 1970, in Torrance, Kevin grew up in suburban Chicago’s Elk Grove Village. “I used to run home from school to listen to Steve and Gary on WLS/fm back in 1983. Then it hit me one day that I wanted to be on the radio.” Kevin moved back to L.A. in 1985 to finish high school.

“In March of 1989 I called Scott Shannon on ‘Pirate Radio’ [KQLZ] on the request line and when he answered I blurted out, ‘Scott, you are pumping the wattage into my cottage!’ We started talking, he asked me what I did and I told him I worked at Vons stocking shelves and then he asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told him I wanted to work in radio. He hired me right then and there. I was at ‘Pirate’ for two years. I still cannot believe it happened.”

Kevin’s radio journey has taken him to KCMJ-Palm Springs, KKXX-Bakersfield, KOY, Phoenix, KDJK-Modesto, KMXB-Las Vegas and KALC (“Alice 106”)-Denver.

After 16 years doing afternoons at WTMX/"The Mix" in Chicagom "Koz" left that daypart and became director of creative services for both WTMX and sister AC WSHE. He also handles some weekend and fill-in shifts.
     
KOTECKI, Erin: KFWB, 1999-2004. Erin was a reporter at all-News KFWB. She is BlogHer, Inc.’s social media strategist but is currently disabled due to Lupus.

"I am a mother of two elementary school aged kids who keep me busy, even when I have treatment...apparently basketball and karate and horseback riding stop for no disease! I have a wonderful husband who tries to keep the house in order while I have an IV in my arm, and always over-do it trying to to be SuperMom.  Before I got sick and long before I became a blogger, I spent ten years as a broadcast journalist in Los Angeles, Orlando and Detroit winning six Golden Mic Awards with LA news institution KFWB. I continue to blog on my personal site Queen of Spain Blog."

KOZ, Dave: KTWV, 2001-15. The smooth jazz artist is a guest host at "the WAVE" on a syndicated show. He spent many years in morning drive with Pat Prescott.

With so much pressure from the sales department to sell everything on stations, KTWV developed a wonderful morning promotion that seamlessly married the morning man with his art, the saxophone. Every morning at 7:15 a.m., Dave and partner Pat Prescott took a request and instead of playing the song from a CD or hard drive, Dave picked up his sax and played the song. Sunrise Serenade is clean, beautiful, and invariably brings a smile to the listener. There will be no copy cat programmers on this one. ave brings his saxophone to the studio each morning. “He guards it carefully,” confessed pd Paul Goldstein. When he is broadcasting from the road while on tour, he plays the Sunrise Serenade selection in his hotel room. It must be a treat for neighboring guests to his room.

In a recording career that spans nearly three decades, he has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine Grammy nominations, 11 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, 13 sold-out Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruises, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and appearances on a multitude of television shows, including Good Morning America, The View, The Tonight Show, Entertainment Tonight and more. A Platinum-selling artist, Koz is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.

Dave was a middle-class boy from the Valley, with a dermatologist father and a cookie-baking mother. He picked up the saxophone to be in his brother’s band and didn’t decide to turn professional until after graduating from UCLA. Dave’s weathered the changes. The soft jazz WAVE format was burgeoning when he began and eventually faded. Dave toured relentlessly and then started his own cruises long before that became de rigueur. In other words, Dave Koz pivoted and has found his way in the twenty first century by being in the Dave Koz business. And he lives to collaborate, hell, he’s even played with the Foo Fighters! (some material from Bob Lefsetz Letter)

Kozienski, Jack: KKLA, 1993. Jack hosted "Live From LA" on Christian KKLA. He now hosts a local tv show in Ventura.

KRAMER, Frank: KYSR, 1998-99; KLSX, 2000-09; KABC, 2009-10; KLOS, 2012-23. In the fall of 2000 Frank joined Frosty Stilwell and Heidi Hamilton at KLSX. The "Triplets" enjoyed much midday success at KLSX until the fun ended on 2.20.09 with a format flip to AMP RADIO.

The Triplets broadcast on KABC and left October 1, 2010. He and Heidi hosted a daily podcast until being hired to do mornings at KLOS in early September 2012 where the pair have enjoyed a loyal following. In early 2021, in addition to the Heidi & Frank show, Frank is pd of KLOS HD2.

Frank was born on September 5, 1970 in Terre Haute, Indiana. 

 

KRAMER, Jason: KCRW, 1997-23. For over 20 years Jason has been in the field of music and radio. After changing his career as a medic in the hard streets of LA for ten years, he decided to work in radio starting in 1992 on KLOS, screening calls for the widely popular "Seventh Day." From that point on, Jason realized that music and radio was his calling. During his transition, he started off with a stint working for SoCal favorites Sublime and their label Skunk Records. In 1996, he moved on to Fox Sports TV as their full-time music supervisor for 6 years, which also led him as a show producer on Fox Sports Radio. He has also worked in various other aspects of music including management, radio dj, publishing, creative consulting, music photography and continues to work presently as a commercial concept music supervisor for the prestigious music company, Elias Arts. 

Jason, whose music collection started when he was given copies of Magical Mystery Tour and Exodus at age eight, is also sharing his music knowledge with local high school students. He has been a mentor for the Hamilton High Music Academy in a program through Fox Music and the Grammy Foundation. He started off as a KCRW volunteer in the mid 90's and has been on air since 1997 during a show called The Lab. Today Jason takes the reins of his new program every Saturday night from 10pm to 12 midnight.

 

KRAMER, Rhonda: KFOX, 1979-80; KHJ, 1980-81; KFWB; KABC, 2015-20. The veteran traffic reporter was the Queen of the freeways. She worked at KABC prior to her retirement from radio. She now lives in Las Vegas.

Born June 6, 1957 in New York, Rhonda grew up in New York and moved to Palos Verdes Estates for her last two years of high school. She started doing overnights at KFOX and by the time she got to afternoon drive she was offered the airborne traffic job at KHJ.

Rhonda started LA Traffic Network in 1982 after a traffic-reporting career that included a few months at Metro Traffic. She boasts that her service worked with all the big stations including KROQ. "We made the traffic cool for the station. We always kept in mind the audience of the station when doing traffic. Our banter would reflect the listeners of a particular station." The Real Don Steele introduced Rhonda's traffic report with "Help me Rhonnnnnda, Rhonnnnnnda, Rhonnnnnnnda." Rhonda loved starting her afternoon shift with such energy. "He woke me up."

When KHJ experimented with "Car Radio" they asked Rhonda to be a part of the new format. She recalled telling KHJ: "I am not in love with my car. P-lee-sssse. I was not going to take a car down the altar." In 1989 she rejoined Metro and Shadow Broadcasting.

 

KRAMPF, Ed: KIBB, 1997; KBIG/KLAC, 1997-2000; KBIG/KLAC/KOST, 2000-01. Ed owns Equitable Consulting And Representation and is representing Piolin as his business manager. In 2022, he will be inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.

Ed took over the CBS cluster in the spring of 2009 following a tumultuous ride with three cluster leaders being hired and leaving within months of each other. Beginning in 1997, Ed was with Clear Channel/LA for four years running KIBB (B-100), KBIG, KLAC and KOST.

In early 2001, Ed became the San Francisco market manager for Clear Channel until a company restructuring in early summer of 2008. He then went to CBS to head up the Tampa/St. Petersburg and Orlando clusters. In an interview with LARadio upon his return in 2009 he talked about returning to the west coast:  “I love this business so much. It is an honor to return to Los Angeles radio. I am anxious to make a contribution. Once you get initiated into LA Radio it never leaves your blood. I don’t plan on being a footnote someday in the history of LA Radio. I’d like it be as a major contributor helping the company to success as we evolve out of this tough economic climate. At the end of the day it has always been the best radio market in the world for many reasons. One of the reasons is the people, the 400 miles of gridlock, quality of the stations, the brilliant personalities and the magic of Hollywood.” 

Krayton, Mitch: KMET, 1969-70; KHTS, 2006-11. Mitch did fill-in with KHTS-Santa Clarita.

KRAZY KIDS: KPWR, 1996-97. In the late spring of 2013, Joey Boy has been working afternoons at KZON-Phoenix.

Joey Boy started his radio career at Power 106 as part of the street team with Big Boy and the Baka Boyz.  “A fellow street team member (Johnny) and me snuck into production one evening and crafted a mock air check,” said Joey. “It circulated through the halls of Power 106 and got into the hands of music director Bruce St James. He loved our humor, chemistry and vibe, so he gave us a shot and put us on overnights and weekend shifts. Within two months, they were sold on these two young L.A.-bred Latinos and “The Krazy Kidz” was chosen to be the night show for Power 106.

In 1997, they moved to KHYS/ Kiss 98.5 morning show in Houston, which lasted about a year. “After about 10 months of enjoying Rocket games, chicken fried steak and getting to witness the birth of the new ‘Down South’ Hip-Hop movement; we got called into the office manager’s office.  We experienced a second taste of the life of a radio personality—the ‘format change’—and were let go.

Joey returned to the Southland for afternoons at KCAQ/ Q104.7. “Eventually I was given apd stripes along with the green light to hire new talent for the station. I brought on a couple of mixers and a couple of new personalities, including my old partner Johnny for nights.

In 2000, Joey did his weekday show in Ventura and then flew every weekend to San Francisco for KYLD-Wild 94.9. In 2001 and for the rest of the decade, Joey and Johnny did afternoons and then mornings at KKFR/Power 98.3-Phoenix. “I won industry awards for Best Music Director as well as local awards for Best Morning Drive. It was a great time and a great run. After nine years of surviving signal changes, morning show changes and management changes, my time was up.”

KRETZSCHMAR, Kurt: KMPC, 2001; KSPN, 2002-03. Kurt is Senior Director of Affiliate Relations for Fox Sports Affiliates.

Born and raised in Arcadia. He attended Arcadia High School and graduated from UCLA. Kurt is the ultimate sports fan.

"I have attended 26 straight Rose Bowls. I attended my first Rose Bowl game in 1976 when UCLA upset #1 ranked Ohio State," boasted Kurt.

Krikorian, Doug: KMPC, 1992-93; KMAX, 1995; KABC, 2000; KSPN, 2000-05. Doug started an afternoon drive show with Joe McDonnell in late 2000 on the new ESPN Radio and exited the station in early summer 2005. He left his long-time post at the Long Beach Press-Telegram in 2011. He and McDonnell reunited briefly for an Internet show in 2012.
Krishna: KEZY, 1981-84; KXMX, 2000. Krishna did overnights at "Mix 95.9" until an ownership change in the summer of 2000. 

KRISKI, Mark: KBIG, 2006-07. Mark hosted KBIG's Disco Saturday Nights.

He is the weather anchor at KTLA/Channel 5 Morning News. Mark has been a fixture at Channel 5 for more than two decades.

Kriski’s weather knowledge and expertise place him at the top of his field and have earned him nine Emmy Awards and an Associated Press Radio-Television Award. The Los Angeles Times named Kriski the funniest weatherman in Los Angeles; he also earned a Golden Mike Award for best weather segment from the esteemed Radio Television Digital News Association. Kriski studied radio and television arts at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. He came to the United States in 1991 after he accepted the position of weatherman on the KTLA Morning News. He’s one of the last-remaining original “characters” from the show’s inception.

As of 2012, Kriski has added the role of professional ring announcer to his resume for boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA); most notably for boxing champ Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, and late, legendary hall-of-fame trainer Emanuel Steward’s Kronk Boxing. Kriski’s distinct voice can also be heard on radio and TV commercials.

 

KRUSCHEN, Steve: KABC, 1972-96; KRLA, 1997-2002. Steve started at KABC as an intern and went on to become a frequent guest. He then hosted his own show on KABC called 'Electronic Goodies 'n Gadgets,' one of the first tech-oriented shows in L.A. radio.

Born in Los Angeles on October 31, 1951, Steve is known to millions of television viewers as Mr. Gadget thanks to his regular appearances on The Early Show (CBS/TV), Early Today (NBC/TV), Power Lunch (CNBC) and dozens of major market affiliates nationwide. Steve has established his reputation as an authority on consumer electronics, gadgets and technology. “In 1972, I was invited to visit with Michael Jackson on his show to talk about automotive complaints and to take listener calls. It was great fun and I was hooked. Soon, I was also a guest on Pamela Mason’s show and others at KABC.”

After graduating from USC School of Journalism in 1973, Steve went to work for the Auto Club of Southern California. Then it was off to General Motors where he later became a zone service manager for the Pontiac Motor Division. However, Steve was still hooked on radio and continued his on-air visits with KABC personalities to discuss the auto industry. (To avoid potential conflicts with his GM position, Steve declined compensation and was introduced as Steve Carr.) In 1978, he became the auto expert and regular guest of Elmer Dills. In 1990, KABC offered Steve his own Sunday evening show. “Steve Kruschen’s Electronic Goodies ‘n’ Gadgets” featured consumer electronic news and reviews, listener call-ins and interviews with industry representatives. Slightly ahead of the hi-tech revolution curve, advertising dollars were elusive and the show lasted for about a year. Steve continued his radio guest appearances not only with Elmer Dills, but also with Ken & Bob (and then with Ken’s other KABC partners), and Minyard & Minyard on KRLA. His continuing LA radio presence prompted KTTV/Channel 11, to offer Steve regular appearances on their morning news/talker Good Day LA — launching Mr. Gadget’s television career.

 

KUBE, Michelle: KFI, 1992-2023. Michelle was executive producer of the Bill Handel Show for many years. She now supervises all producers at the Talk station.

Michelle has worn many hats at KFI. Starting as an intern at KFI while at Fullerton Junior College, Michelle moved to screener, producer, executive producer, apd and then fill-in talk show host with Jennifer Keller.

Born August 6, 1972, in Huntington, Long Island, New York, she grew up on Long Island. “My parents unmercifully yanked me out of school during my sophomore year in high school in 1987 and we moved to Orange County. I lost my accent pretty fast, though it comes back when I’m pissed or if I spend too much time on vacation in New York. I originally wanted to work as an editor in tv or films, but John Hart, one of my teachers at Fullerton, was a huge influence in pushing me toward radio instead of tv. KFI is the only station I’ve ever worked for. I’m pretty lucky.”

Kucera, Bill: KJOI, 1974-75. Bill is the marketing director at Channel 9 in Salt Lake City - the Utah Education Network. 

KUHL, Dennis: KLAA, 2003-23. Dennis joined Angels organization and assumed the role of general manager of KLAA AM830 on November 10, 2003. He was initially appointed as the Angels' seventh president before being promoted to Club Chairman on Nov. 14, 2009.

Kuhl's central focus is on a renewed effort in the area of civic affairs and community outreach. Under his leadership, the Angels have shown tremendous growth and advancement in key business initiatives, including sponsorship and marketing revenues, the nationwide expansion and marketing of the Angels brand. Kuhl also played a key role in working with Major League Baseball in the Angels hosting the 2010 All-Star Game.

Kuhl is also actively involved in several Southern California charities. He serves as president of the "Light the Night" event which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is a founding board member of The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation/Lott Trophy. Kuhl works with Susan G. Komen for the Cure serving as a member of the Orange County Affiliate's Board of Directors and is also one of their "Pink Tie Guys," a select group of advocates speaking out to find a cure for breast cancer.

Additionally, he serves on the advisory boards for South County Outreach, Anaheim Performing Arts Center, Anaheim YMCA, Rivals for the Cure, the Irvine Public School Foundation and the Angels Baseball Foundation Board of Directors. A champion of community involvement, Kuhl's efforts spans across Orange County and beyond. He is a member of the Board of Governors at Chapman University and on the executive committee for Cycle & Walk for the Cures. He is on board of directors for several nonprofits: The Children's Education Foundation of Orange County, the Los Angeles Sports Council, Boys and Girls Club of Anaheim, The Tiger Wood Foundation, the Noble Vikings Charity of Orange County, the Literacy Project Foundation, Visit Anaheim and the Alzheimer's Association of Newport Beach & Co.

A Boonton, New Jersey native, Kuhl graduated from the University of Arizona in 1970 with a degree in business administration. In 2009, he was named the 'Business Man of the Year' by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

 

KUMAR Payal: KLON, 2000-02; KKJZ, 2002-07. Payal hosted a weekend show at the all-Jazz station and she was operations manager. She left with a change of management. Payal is now director of Communications & Marketing at The Wooden Floor at Emerson College. 

Payal grew up in Anaheim Payal. She hosteda weekend program, “SoulJazz” on KKJZ and she was operations manager of the all-Jazz station. .

Payal got her first taste of radio in 1995 while hosting the "Jazz Oasis" program on WERS/fm in Boston. There, her love for jazz grew, while interviewing such artists as Abbey Lincoln, Joe Zawinul, Roy Hargrove and Joshua Redman. While finishing her bachelor's degree in mass communication/audio from Emerson College in early 1999, Payal became an intern for KLON, and made her on-air debut for the station producing a weekly calendar of events.

 

KUNZ, Dave: KPFK, 2004-23. Dave has been the automotive specialist at ABC7 since 2001. In addition to his duties as a photographer and editor, his on-camera work makes ABC7 the only station in Southern California with a dedicated reporter covering automobiles and related topics. He also hosts a Saturday car show on KPFK.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Dave always gravitated toward the Southern California car culture that was all around him. His television career started in an unusual way, however. Dave was offered a "temporary, part-time job" at KABC/TV while in college as a business major. Though business would always be something to fall back on, broadcasting was continually calling his name.

He went on to a formative career in television, first at KTLA and then back at KABC. Eventually Dave was able to merge his career in television with his passion for things with wheels, and now gets to experience just about anything that runs on gasoline (or increasingly, clean new cars that don't use any), and bring them to Eyewitness News viewers.

He is a member of both the Motor Press Guild and the Society of Automotive Historians. Dave also volunteers as an emcee at local vintage car shows such as the Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance and the Art Center Car Classic. Dave has a small collection of classic cars in (usually) running order.

 

KUNZELMAN, Christine: KABC, 1986. Christine was the fashion editor for the all-Talk station, KABC. She went on to be the fashion coordinator on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.

In 1994, Christine authored Quickstyle: How to Expand, Enhance and Update Your Wardrobe with Accessories. Christine is now an image consultant, tv personality and author of three books. Christine also appeared on The Today Show as a contributing correspondent and Entertainment Tonight and The Insider on special assignments.

As the contributing style editor to Redbook for over two years Christine wrote a monthly column that also appeared in the Australian publication, SHE and has been featured in several issues of O, The Oprah Magazine. She is a long-standing member of Women In Film and the Fashion Group of Los Angeles and New York.

 

KWON Jo: KABC, 2010-11; KFI, 2011-23. Jo was a reporter at KFI. In the summer of 2017, she left for the CBS tv stations 2 & 9 and left a year later. She's now with Spectrum News. She fills in periodically at KFI.

"My love for storytelling began when I was 5," Jo wrote on her website. "I was on a couch watching the news with my parents and they told me, 'I could see you doing that.' That was the moment my career began. From book reports to history projects, I pretended to be a reporter and shared the facts with my class. Today, I am a real-life reporter and share the facts for a living.

Kyker, Bob: KFWB, 1967-84. Bob is in semi-retirement and living in Porterville.


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