Old Seattle Radio Saturday: jockey john stone

As program director, Jockey John Stone hired both Pat O’Day (from KAYO) and Dick Curtis.

Comments

[Brian]

It would be a nice gesture to send copies of the old Seattle/Tacoma radio surveys to ARSA which stands for the Airheads Radio Survey Archive at www.las.solanas.com/ARSA. You can view a growing number of them on there.

[joanie]

Don't remember John Stone. Probably because at that time I was listening to KAYO. He brought Pat O'Day over and the rest is history as they say. Wonder what happened to him?

[Ed Bennett]

Joanie, Jerry Kay once mention in 79 that Stone is now working in a post office in Ichiland, Michigan. (lol) Pat O, Day had some interesting things to say about him in his book as well as Peter Blecha,s Sonic Boom.

[dale from albuquerque]

John Stone..."Jockey John" worked afternoon drive on KJR from '59 thru '61 and then on KOL he did both AM and PM drive in'61 &'62.He was originally from Pittsburgh. After leaving town in '62, he PD'd a station in San Bernadino and would go on to hire Larry Lujack back into radio. Does anyone remember that Jockey John cut a record in Seattle and he charted it while he was PD at KJR in 1960. I challenge any collectors to find this one. It was called "Together".

[Pat O'Day]

Just a bit of additional history relating to John Stones tenure at KJR.

Stone was hired by Chris Lane who was PD in 1969 (for about 60 days) and then replaced him in the PD slot also doing afternoon drive. Yes, he hired me and Dick Curtis. Me from KAYO and Dick from KBRO Bremerton.

Stone got himself fired over a few things, namely asking talent to come to Seattle at no charge to play at a Concert he put on. John had come from WTIX New Orleans where I guess the rules were different. This is likely what made him think he could record his own band, "John Stone and The Adventures," make it the pick of the week, and move it up the charts, unsupported by sales or requests. (Hiring John and his band for my dances was also required of me.)
Anyway, Johns dismissal in late 1960 brought in Bill Stewart of midwest radio fame as the new PD. He instantly clashed with GM Galen Blackford, leading to his firing and Lee Perkins took the PD chair for a period of time. I'm forever grateful to Bill Stewart as it was he who awarded me the afternoon drive slot that I occupied for eight years until becoming KJR GM.

Did Stone require I share my Spanish Castle revenues with him as a token of appreciation for his hiring me? YES. Again, probably different rules in New Orleans. :-)

All of these happenings at KJR slowly led us to a formula that prevailed. Once named PD I guiltlessly copied Chuck Blores formula at KFWB Los Angeles. Personality plus, powerful cutting edge news, great promotions, total total local involvement, break new hits, and have fun fun fun! Oh, equally important, it had to be the same 24 hours a day.

Sadly, todays button down minded PD's fail to understand these are radios basics. AM remembers this, leading to it's resurgence, albeit with talk programming!

Thanks for reading this. Our industries history is a treasure that needs to be preserved. Like it's been said, "It's hard to know where your going if you don't know where you've been or how you got there."
Pat O'Day

[Pat O'Day]

Whoops!! A typo in the above.

Chris Lane was PD and hired John Stone in 1959, not 69.

I'm not totally senile!

Pat O'Day

[chucks]

All this from the man that brought us Ian Whitcom and 4 guys from England.
Thanks for sharing.

[chucks]

and "KJR a go-go" jackets.

[joanie]

I played softball with Ian Whitcom! I didn't know it until the end. We met down at a field in Ballard - not the rec center - and he was in outfield left. At the end of the game, we were all introduced. It was cool! No parties or nothing. He just liked softball and we had a pick-up game going and he joined the group with a buddy or two.