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Big Ron O'Brien

R

RadioMaverick

I can't believe this. We lost yet another LA Radio legend. Another guy who was very kind to me as a young pup and had me on his show several times on 64 KFI and 102.7 KIIS FM. My heart is broken...once again.

From allaccess.com:

WOGL's 'Big Ron' O'Brien Passes Away

Shocker! According to PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reporter MICHAEL KLEIN, radio has lost another legendary personality with the sudden death of CBS Oldies WOGL/PHILADELPHIA afternoon personality 'BIG RON' O'BRIEN (4/28) due to complications of pneumonia.
 
Sad day. A good, generous, and talented guy. He's already missed.
 
Maverick said:
I can't believe this. We lost yet another LA Radio legend. Another guy who was very kind to me as a young pup and had me on his show several times on 64 KFI and 102.7 KIIS FM. My heart is broken...once again.

From allaccess.com:

WOGL's 'Big Ron' O'Brien Passes Away

Shocker! According to PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reporter MICHAEL KLEIN, radio has lost another legendary personality with the sudden death of CBS Oldies WOGL/PHILADELPHIA afternoon personality 'BIG RON' O'BRIEN (4/28) due to complications of pneumonia.
Click to expand...
Link to thread on Philadelphia radio board about this: http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,98404.0.html and Inquirer article: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/brea...427_WOGL_disc_jockey_Big_Ron_OBrien_dies.html
 
Maverick said:
I can't believe this. We lost yet another LA Radio legend. Another guy who was very kind to me as a young pup and had me on his show several times on 64 KFI and 102.7 KIIS FM. My heart is broken...once again.

From allaccess.com:

WOGL's 'Big Ron' O'Brien Passes Away

Shocker! According to PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reporter MICHAEL KLEIN, radio has lost another legendary personality with the sudden death of CBS Oldies WOGL/PHILADELPHIA afternoon personality 'BIG RON' O'BRIEN (4/28) due to complications of pneumonia.
Click to expand...
Very sad news, indeed. I also remeber Mr. O'Brien from his KFI & KIIS-FM days, he was a very talented, funny, & really cool disc jockey. Thank you, ron, for all the good radio listening you gave us here in Southern California all those many years ago--R.I.P., sir.
 
This is extremely sad news. Big Ron always had something to say and it didn't matter if it was not anything more than just a station liner, he always had that smile and personality that jumped out of the speaker.

Rest in peace, Big Ron.
 
Words can not speak how sad this is. Two of my favorite jocks of all time have passed away within basically a month of each other (Jack Armstrong was the other).

For those of you who were around when John Lennon passed away, you might have been watching Monday Night Football - but I was listening to Big Ron on KFI - which tells you my level of radio geek.

My point was, Ron was an inspiration - and he was compelling enough to be listening to instead of doing homework. He was truly one of the greatest fundamental jocks you'd ever here.

I had the privilege years ago of meeting him briefly at a convention and e-mailing back and forth with him. While I never worked with him, I learned so much.

My condolences to all... he will be truly missed.
 
Ron was my favorite L.A. jock from the 80's. I knew Ron for many years before I first worked with him. The first thought of Ron that came to me when I got the All Access email tonight was one New Year's Eve afternoon on KIIS where Ron said over Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax", "If you know the (real) meaning of this song, how'd you like to go out with me tonight?". Knowing Ron, I know he meant it. It gave me a great laugh.

I first met Ron at a radio convention at a hotel in Pasadena in the early 80's. He was there with his "cousin". Funny thing about Ron was his "cousins" were always out with him & they were of all different ethnicities. Hmmm. If ya really knew Ron, that should give a nod & smile.

I use go up & visit Ron at 6255 Sunset on many a Saturday or Sunday afternoon during his shift. Was great talking/watching him during my early years in radio. I don't think Ron ever turned me down when I asked to come up to KIIS & visit. I have tons of personally recorded airchecks of Ron from that time at KIIS.

Don't forget that Ron also worked in L.A. at Liz Kiley's Rock with a Beat, (Urban) FM 92 The Beat & Mars FM (103.1).

I worked with Ron at FM 92 The Beat. Ron was still under contract after the format shift to urban. Liz made Ron come back to do weekend late nights & overnights plus do production during the week. That really sucked for a talent like Ron but he did it.

In 1991, Ron was in serious talks with 95.9 KEZY to become program director. He asked me to be his assistant if he got the job. That would have been great if it had come to be.

Although a great jock, one of the all time best, Ron was a little odd. I still remember seeing a pentagram & other "devilish" stuff at his North Hollywood apartment. I never ask him about that even though I knew about his personal life even before I met the first "cousin".

Another great gone. Wow, hard to believe. I think I said that the first time many moons ago that Ron was incorrectly reported as dead. God Bless Ron. He may need it even more than we know.
 
I became a huge fan of Big Ron when I was a teenager in the early 80s, when he did nights at KFI. Growing up in Las Vegas I actually bought a shortwave just so I could hear his show loud and clear each night.

A few years latter I had a copy of a Big Ron air check from 1975 when he was on WCFL/Chicago. It was so fun to listen to that I played it over and over. He had so much energy and was as entertaining as can be. He was so hyper that he even sang along with an American Airlines commercial. Maybe it's because I'm older and more jaded but I can't even imagine listening to anybody who's on the air today and getting that same kind of rush. Hearing normal, sort of boring sounding people, often voicetracked, reading artist info and plugging their station's web site just doesn't do it for me.

I met Big Ron at an industry function in Denver in 1995. He was so friendly and down to earth, very likeable, no ego. I really enjoyed talking to him..It was such a positive experience that I have fondly reflected back on it several times over the past 13 years. I will always think of him as one of my favorite radio personalities ever.
 
My memories of Ron are definitly from his KIIS-FM days. I remember how Dees used to fondly call him "Big Buns" O'Brien.

Rest In Peace Big Ron! You will be missed! :(
 
...being a Chicago kid, I knew him as the guy who had to follow Larry Lujack every sunset on WCFL in '73-'75. Not the easiest of tasks but Ron was up to the job!...
 
Very sad news... I remember many a day growing up listening to Ron on KIIS. He and his personality will be missed. R.I.P.
 
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