Benny Martinez, longtime L.A. air talent, dead at 66.

[michael hagerty]

Benny Martinez died January 3, 2023 at age 66 from a diabetes-related illness. Benny was all over the L.A. radio dial, KDAY and KIIS-AM in the 70s, KUTE, KFI, KWST, KHTZ and KIIS-FM in the 80s, KCBS-FM, KRTH, and KIBB in the 90s and KCMG and back to KRTH in the 2000s. Don Barrett's LA Radio site says Benny worked as car salesman after his last radio gig.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Benny Martinez at KCMG in 2001.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I love the video aircheck of Benny on KIIS 1150.. its what i use for inspiration and motivation. Its a great aircheck.. hes tight and bright without overdoing it and entertaining without having verbal diarrhea.


Here's the aircheck:

Watch the video closely at 1 min 30 secs when he nails that jingle into the next song.. you can tell hes feelin it and thrilled he nailed it.

 

[michael hagerty]

I love the video aircheck of Benny on KIIS 1150.. its what i use for inspiration and motivation. Its a great aircheck.. hes tight and bright without overdoing it and entertaining without having verbal diarrhea.


Here's the aircheck:

Watch the video closely at 1 min 30 secs when he nails that jingle into the next song.. you can tell hes feelin it and thrilled he nailed it.

Thanks for posting that! He was very good and yeah, you can tell he was happy.

Been there. Sometimes what comes through the headphones is a total rush that's hard to describe to someone not in the business.

There's an aircheck out there of The Real Don Steele on KRTH in the 90s, kicking off his show with a new TOH from Charlie Van Dyke ("From the entertainment capital of the WORLD...The Real Don Steele"---[Johnny Mann singers] *K-R-T-H, Los Angeles")

Steele rolls Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman", opens the mic and says "Who. Needs. Girls. That and a cold shower and I'm....three o'clock in Los Angeles!"