Radio AM to FM: February 20, 2004
Jackson Update
Every week it seems I get an email or letter asking about either former KPLS
host George Putnam or former KRLA host Michael Jackson.
Usually the answer is that there is nothing to report, other than rumors that
Jackson may become part of the new liberal talk network that seems ready to
buy time on whatever 1580 AM calls itself these days.
So I was quite excited to learn of Jackson's new web site, www.mjjsource.com,
where fans could log on and keep up to date with news, information and interviews
from their favorite, popular-at-one-time host. The site doesn't launch until
March 1st, but I figured I could just direct inquiries there.
Turns out it's the wrong Jackson. It's not the radio talk show host Jackson
who was once the example of how to do a talk show, it's the other Jackson:,
the pop-rock performer without a nose who used to make hit songs and albums
some 20 years ago or so.
Maybe I'll send people that way anyway.
In any event, to answer the obvious question: there is nothing to report, save
for a rumor of Jackson (the talk host) possibly having a show on the new liberal
talk network if/when it launches on 1580 AM ... No word at all on Putnam.
Digital Update
Sirius Satellite Radio is getting serious about competing against rival XM,
which has about a million more subscribers. The company just announced that
it is going to be the exclusive satellite radio service to be sold by 7000 Radio
Shack stores across the country.
That move, and one making Sirius the music service for EchoStar satellite television
subscribers, increases Sirius' estimated subscriber number to one million by
the end of the year, up from 860,000.
Where is ...
One of the early Los Angeles rock and roll radio pioneers was John Veliotes.
Born in Vallejo, California in late December 1921, Veliotes came to Los Angeles
in the early 1940s in order to play drums in Harlan Leonard's Kansas City Rockets
band at the Club Alabam. He led his own band by 1945, and in 1948 he helped
to open The Barrelhouse, the first night club in Los Angeles to feature Rhythm
and Blues exclusively.
In the years that followed he came out with a popular single, "Willie and
the Handjive," hosted a local television show, wrote a few popular songs
and produced early hits for Little Richard, among others.
His radio career began in 1958 on the old KFOX, although that gig lasted only
one year. He took time off from radio to get into politics as Deputy Chief of
Staff to Mervin Dymally, and write a book, "Listen to the Lambs,"
which discussed the 1965 race riots. He returned to radio on XERB (broadcasting
from Mexico) in 1967; moved to KPPC in 1968-69, and finished out his local radio
career at KPFK from 1975 to 1989. The most current information I have (from
Don Barrett's excellent radio news site, www.laradio.com) is that he lives with
his wife of over 50 years in the Northern California city of Sebastopol.
Never heard of Veliotes? Perhaps you might know him better by his stage name:
Johnny Otis. Check out his web site: www.johnnyotisworld.com.
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Copyright © 2004 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.
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