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BILL DRAKE ... the Hits just stopped Coming

Wow, you really have to take a moment. The name Bill Drake is so large in the pantheon of contemporary radio that it's going to take a while to set in.

The phrase "end of an era" gets thrown around a lot, but in this case it's really true. There are so many who owe their careers to him. His contributions were staggering in many ways. This is a sad day in radio history.
 
I wanted to stop and say Hello to everyone on this board. Being Bill's companion for the last decade and losing him today is still too fresh to comment on. However, I did want to let everyone know that Bill passed away today, at 2:40pm, in West Hills Hospital, quietly, in no pain. It's not often that you hear grown men cry, but in answering my phone tonight and hearing voices that are never at a loss for words stop and have nothing to really say, except how much they will miss him helps ease his passing. Bill's friends were gentlemen and feel the same loss I do in many ways. I grew up to KHJ and it transformed my way of expecting what good radio sounds like. Or, should I say should sound like. I listened to his stories about what really happened during the Boss Radio days and watched him grin at what some people seemed to remember. I'll give you an anecdote to make you smile now. Bill told me how Phil Spector wanted to get together with him, back in the sixties, to create jingles for radio stations and was quite fervent about how great they'd be; Drake and Spector together. Bill had to remind Phil the only problem was that the stations would probably have to pay a couple hundred thousand dollars to get these jingles. Back to the drawing board. I thank everyone that loved him and everyone that's emailed. I thank Jhani for letting me know that Bill is still here, really here and anyone that wants to talk to him can summon him, when ever they want. But please.....keep it brief. Thank you all.
 
lostangeles said:
I wanted to stop and say Hello to everyone on this board. Being Bill's companion for the last decade and losing him today is still too fresh to comment on. However, I did want to let everyone know that Bill passed away today, at 2:40pm, in West Hills Hospital, quietly, in no pain. It's not often that you hear grown men cry, but in answering my phone tonight and hearing voices that are never at a loss for words stop and have nothing to really say, except how much they will miss him helps ease his passing. Bill's friends were gentlemen and feel the same loss I do in many ways. I grew up to KHJ and it transformed my way of expecting what good radio sounds like. Or, should I say should sound like. I listened to his stories about what really happened during the Boss Radio days and watched him grin at what some people seemed to remember. I'll give you an anecdote to make you smile now. Bill told me how Phil Spector wanted to get together with him, back in the sixties, to create jingles for radio stations and was quite fervent about how great they'd be; Drake and Spector together. Bill had to remind Phil the only problem was that the stations would probably have to pay a couple hundred thousand dollars to get these jingles. Back to the drawing board. I thank everyone that loved him and everyone that's emailed. I thank Jhani for letting me know that Bill is still here, really here and anyone that wants to talk to him can summon him, when ever they want. But please.....keep it brief. Thank you all.
Click to expand...
There will NEVER be another.I feel very sad about hearing this.When you think of KHJ the name Bill Drake pops right into mind.I still have some intros he did for me on cart.Growing up in Redondo Bch and listening to KHJ you knew you were listening to the BEST there ever was and will be.RIP Bill Drake,I can promise that you will NEVER be forgotten in whats left of the Radio world.Now i am going to listen to some my top of the hr openers and have a couple strong ones to salute Bill.
 
This is such sad news. Yes, it's time to pull out the old airchecks and other recordings.
From a listener who only got to hear his great work through airchecks: thank you, Bill Drake, for truly wonderful radio, and the impact it has had on programming years to come! Many stations tried to copy the Drake sound, but only Bill Drake himself could do it right. Rest in Peace.
 
........and now ladies and gentlemen.....Thanks Bill Drake for teaching all of us how good radio can be.
 
Bill Drake was legendary and I'm shocked by the news. I worked for RKO at WAXY in Fort Lauderdale. RKO has just bought the station in 1973, I was a lowly automation operator. Drake was there for the kickoff but I'm not sure I ever saw him. I did meet and talk to Paul Drew, later. He was nice to this kid who was just starting in radio.

In this day and age of big corporate radio I don't think there are people like Bill Drake, and Paul Drew. They both cast large shadows.
 
Bill Drake was one of my idols. I got into programming because of him. I did everything I could to try and make my station sound like his but I could never have been that good. I still get goosebumps when I listen to airchecks of KHJ or KGB. He was a one of a kind. RIP my friend.
 
In 1965, following the debut of KHJ's new format, I went to LA from Quito and listened for several days (I could not go to the station as I was too young to rent a car). I was amazed by how the music flowed, yet the talent came through so clearly. The skill of the talent in executing such a tight format was obvious... as was the skill of Drake and Jacobs in training them and putting it all together.

Listening to Bill Drake's KHJ was an inspiration.
 
You don’t know me….But I, like thousands of others, have made a living and career by virtue of the genius of Bill Drake. I never worked for him, but his influence on the industry carried all of us who insisted on putting the station before self, and the listener above all.

Bill’s artistic/technical/disciplined approach to radio programming created a matrix for consistent station growth while at the same time, providing a never-ending foundation for the performance and achievement of on-air personalities….a respectful, collegial balance simply not seen in today’s programmers.

His work also typifies the mystery of Radio’s Giants….Millions knew his work, yet few knew him.

God Bless The Great Bill Drake.

J-D

Jon-David Wells
The Wells Report, Talk Radio 570 KLIF
[email protected]
 
jondavidvox said:
You don’t know me….But I, like thousands of others, have made a living and career by virtue of the genius of Bill Drake. I never worked for him, but his influence on the industry carried all of us who insisted on putting the station before self, and the listener above all.

Bill’s artistic/technical/disciplined approach to radio programming created a matrix for consistent station growth while at the same time, providing a never-ending foundation for the performance and achievement of on-air personalities….a respectful, collegial balance simply not seen in today’s programmers.

His work also typifies the mystery of Radio’s Giants….Millions knew his work, yet few knew him.

God Bless The Great Bill Drake.

J-D

Jon-David Wells
The Wells Report, Talk Radio 570 KLIF
[email protected]
Click to expand...

Well put, for there are many who discovered their love of radio through the genius of Bill Drake. To all who were close to him, my sympathy.
 
I’m extremely saddened by the news of Bill Drake’s passing. Bill Drake was my idol when I was a 17-year-old attending Ogden’s radio school in Burbank, in the summer of 1965. Our student body, which included Rick Carroll, spent every moment when we weren’t studying arcane FCC test questions, listening to Los Angeles radio, which that summer included four Top 40 stations: KBLA, KFWB, KRLA and, of course, KHJ. The “Drake” station had a magic element to it that we found hard to quantify, but which most of us would spend our careers studying and trying to emulate. In 1970 I left Kansas City to take a job at KYNO in Fresno, an extreme drop in market size, just to get to work for a real Drake station. (I had worked at KENO and KUDL, both imitators) KYNO was an astounding station. We had a 60 share in the Pulse ratings, and I’ve never since worked for a station with such a market share. I soon was promoted to PD and was honored to meet Bill Drake, along with his sidekick Bill Watson. Thus began an immensely interesting period in my life. Rather than give you a narrative form of resume, including my Drake station experience (KYNO, KGB, KFRC, KIQQ), let me tell just one story:
It was 1971 and Drake had called for a PD meeting in Palm Springs. I flew in and joined fellow PDs Charlie Van Dyke, Paul Drew, Chuck Atkins, and the rest. I was very young and green and had no idea what would be expected of me. I came bearing a briefcase full of format clocks, liners and so on, ready for any questions. None were forthcoming. The only time we actually gathered outside of strip clubs and restaurants was one night at Drake’s house for dinner. Paul Drew had his trade-mark transistor plugged into his head, listening to KFRC. Drake’s only programming comment was to announce that Robert W. Morgan (morning jock on KHJ) sounded like the kind of guy who if you met him at a party, you’d want to punch him in the mouth. Atkins just nodded sheepishly, and the moment was over. Drake was a “vision” guy. Like any great leader he gave us the big picture and sent us home to make it happen.
My only other memory of that event was that because I was the new guy and youngest PD I had to bunk with Paul Drew. I didn’t understand why this was an initiation until Drew started snoring. I’m talking loud!
Anyway, thanks for tolerating my reminiscing. A toast and a "winkie-poo" to all my fellow “BossJocks” and Drake jocks still making it happen out there: Scotty Brink, Charlie Van Dyke…well, you know who you are. It’s just doubly sad that Drake is gone now, at a time when radio is on its knees. We desperately need today’s Bill Drake, but such a person would never be hired by the corporate hacks running what’s left of radio today.
 
I was on the radio yesterday afternoon (Saturday). An image liner ran "and the hits just keep on coming!". I thought to myself how Bill Drake's legacy has lived on. Today I learned he had passed on. He was probably the most important influence in radio in the last 40 years. He'll be missed.
 
Thank you, Bill. And thank you to all who shared his vision with guys like me who were about five minutes too late to the party.
 
To those of you who are in Los Angeles, there will be a Memorial to Bill on Wednesday, December 3rd, at The Little Brown Church, at 4418 Coldwater Canyon Blvd., Studio City, at 3pm. Mr. Bill Watson will eulogize and Jhani Kaye will add his rememberances, along with any of you who have a story to tell. Although Bill was ultra private and I screened everything that came in, at this time there are so many people who are at a loss that I think Bill would love to see you all show up. Thank you so much for your kind words and your thoughts. Before I lay my head down tonight, I'll be sure to tell him how his friends miss him. Thanks again..............carole
 
Thanks, Bill Drake, for all you gave us. Your programming concepts will live on...at least on our internet radio station...Boss Radio Radio Bop 60s at RadioBop60s.com...

If anyone would like to contribute drop-ins in Bill's memory, please email me for suggested copy or conceive your own (mp3s) and email to me at [email protected]

Harold Levine, PD
Radio Bop 60s
RadioBop60s.com
 
Its cold in South Carolina, and as I rad the loss of the Boss, it become even colder. I was a kid in high school in Greenville, SC and got my first "taste" of the Drake sound. I heard a piece of a Bootleg Top 40 disc and my world changed...forever. While I had read bits and pieces of the "revolution" in Claud Hall's Vox Jox column in Billboard, there was no way to be prepared for how it felt after you heard the difference. From Cousin Brucie to Robert W. Morgan, from the WABC insane jingles to Johnnie Mann and Anita Kerr singer...ALL of it became dated once you actually got to hear the difference and it was stunning!

The world as I knew it changed and would be charted in a different direction as I pursued the perfect sound.
I always wanted to be good enough to be on a true Drake station or good enough to program one of his stations.
I fell short on both counts. But rather than be bitter, I became an even bigger fan. I remain one today.

I work at an Entercom cluster here in the upstate of South Carolina and when I speak of Boss Radio, KHJ, Bill Drake, etc you can see the blank expressions of those that never heard a truly exciting sound. No, today its all technology and bottom line, lawyer programmed radio.

Greenville is a beautiful city, but today it cold and dark as the MAN is gone....but not forgotten.
 
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