BILL DRAKE ... the Hits just stopped Coming

[kgbsamfm]

I never worked for Bill, but I worked with and talked daily to one of his biggest stars, The Real Don Steele, when we were in the Storer building on Western Ave. in Los Angeles. Don used to tell me stories about the days at KHJ with him. Never once did he ever utter a negative word about Bill. This was in stark contrast to some of the horror stories I'd heard from some others in "the biz". Funny thing is, the source of those horror stories always came from hangers-on or wannabes that couldn't get hired by Drake, or anyone else for that matter. Roger Christian once told me the story about how Drake fired him for pre-taping the first 15 minutes of his show on KHJ so he could finish up a recording session with The Beach Boys. Roger said it wasn't so funny at the time, but he still carried a tremendous amount of respect for Drake. I met Bill Drake once in a lounge in The San Fernando Valley in the late 80s. My best friend, actor Victor French and I used to blaze a trail along Ventura Bl. on weekends in those days. One night we were sitting in a booth harassing our friend Donny Brooks while he played a lounge, the name of which slips my mind right now. Unbeknown to us, Bill and his party were in the next booth over and were laughing their butts off at us. Eventually we starting talking and we all introduced ourselves. After talking for a while, Mr. Drake leaned over and asked why I had never tried to work for him, adding that every other jock in country had hit him up for a job. I was shocked he knew me, or had ever heard of me. He asked how would he not know another Morgan in Los Angeles. I told him that quite frankly he scared the crap out of me, and I didn't think he would have ever hired another Morgan. I added that my style was not exactly "Boss" material anyway. His exact words: "Bullshit! You're a good jock, you've got a great voice and I would have taken care of the rest." Bottom line, all the crap floating around about Bill Drake and his draconian ways were just that......crap. Bill Drake was a consummate professional when it came to his craft, and nothing short of a gentleman in person, at least from my short experience with him. I only wish I could have gotten to know him, if only to glean even a minute portion of his knowledge. In one of our conversations about him, Steele told me: "Drake is the kind of guy that if you're his friend, he'll take a bullet for you. If you cross him, stay out of his way." Was he a taskmaster? Bloody well right! Did he demand 120% from his staff? Absolutely, and he got it! Whatever thoughts you have about, or experiences you've had with Bill Drake, one thing is crystal clear..............no format in radio's history will ever be as imitated or copied as Bill Drake's "Boss Radio". And there will never be another programmer who commanded as much respect for his achievements in this industry as Bill Drake. To his closest family and friends, I offer my most sincere condolences. And to his legacy to the industry I love so much, I offer a twenty-one gun salute!

Bob Morgan
KGBS AM/FM - KHTZ - TEN-Q - KRLA
Los Angeles

 

[One Who Knows]

If you believe in forever...

then, the "Boss" of Rock And Roll Heaven just hired a new PD...

 

[oaktree]

I am devastated at the loss of my mentor, Bill Drake, the King of "Boss."

Somehow, this time, sadly, 9 seconds is just enough time to say it all.

Thank you, Bill. Rest in Peace my friend. You are much loved.

(Thank you, too, Carole.)

 

[jackshell]

Ironically, I was listening to old airchecks of 93KHJ as I waited for my fiancée to get ready for a hockey game we were going to in Nashville thiis past Saturday night. She popped in, asked what I was listening to, and I educated her on the history of Top 40 radio, and how KHJ and "Boss Radio" came to be. She, not a radio person, remarked how great that sounded and how she misses hearing announcers who sounded like that on the radio. Now, I'm a far cry from the likes of Morgan, Steele, et al, but it's those men who executed the vision set forth by Ron Jacobs and Bill Drake that made radio what it subsequently became, and have inspired me over the years and I honed my own craft as a broadcaster. Imagine my surprise and sadness only to wake up Sunday morning and read Bill Drake had passed away.

Any radio talent who ever jocked up a fifteen second intro using the least amount of words to entertain and inform, asked someone what their favorite station was, or came out of a quick jingle to perform, owes something to Bill Drake and his genius. There was an art to what he created and he expected those to perform it with precision and perfection, and the result was a uniformity and product never before heard at the time, and unfortunately not often heard today.

Who will be the next Bill Drake? Who will be the next Scott Shannon? Who will be the next Mike Joseph? These men were true programming innovators, with vision, with passion, with an ear for perfection and performance that is unmatched today. Many things have been said about Bill Drake over the years, and lord knows I would have given a week's pay to just sit and listen to him share a fraction of his knowledge with me, and I'm sure many others here would agree with that.

I'm only in my early thirties, and I never lived during the Drake Era of radio, nor lived anywhere it was performed, but I can respect what I've heard, and comprehend what I've studied about what Drake did and how he did it. He was truly an iconic, interesting man who was able to bring music radio to a whole new level of performance and get listeners excited at the same time too. Look at his track record. Name another programmer/consultant with as many number one stations on his/her resume.

The world of radio was blessed to have a Bill Drake in it's lifetime. Now, it's up for the radio companies of today to nurture and discover the next one if we are to keep this dream alive, and if the hits ARE to keep on coming.

Jack Shell
WKDF/Nashville, TN
Jack Shell Productions
http://www.jackshell.com

 

[MusicMaestro]

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]

Dittos to that--growing up during the Top 40 heyday of Southern California (KRLA--KHJ--KFWB), it was an absolute joy to tune into 93KHJ in the "Boss Radio" era; the jocks were colorful and very entertaining, & the playlist was 2nd to none! The formula that Mr. Drake created was copied by others across the USA, i'm pretty sure, & I just wish that some wise PD re-creates such a format for today's radio listener; music radio that last 20+ years has been a major disappointment. But for those of us who remember, thank you, Mr. Drake, for making AM radio a joyful time for all of us in the audience, you will not be forgotten. :'(

LONG LIVE 93KHJ...LOS ANGELES

 

[M-ONeil]

I was saddened by the news that Bill had passed away. I worked for Bill twice. Once at 93KHJ when he took a young jock and made him into a Boss Jock. Then again at K-100FM. I have always felt very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time as Radio was at it's best then. Bill will be missed by many.

Mike O'Neil

 

[Limp73]

There are few radio greats I have met:

1.)Jack Armstrong (at the former 13 WIFE in Indy)

2.)Gene "By Golly" Barry (WING's retired "lively guy" in Dayton when he owned a record store in 1981)

3.Wolfman Jack(after standing in line waiting for an autograph at an Indy mall)

4.)Kim Faris at WGTZ (Eaton/Dayton and Springfield ALIVE!)

5.)Dr. Dave Gross also at WGTZ in its Z-93 heyday

Bill Drake wasn't one of them


If I could have met Bill Drake I would have asked him countless questions:

Examples:

Would he have opened up a no nonsense school for serious young people wanting a career?

Would he make them street smart about the biz?

Would he teach us how to avoid all the arrogant jerks who run rampant in this biz?

Would he invite input by those who want to improve this buisiness and make it more marriage/family freindly?

What would he have done about the overkill (of his methods) by the cookie cutter corporations ?


As a teenager in the early 70s I never heard of Bill Drake at that time but I constantly heard his work on CKLW, on the Johnny Mann "rum-pum" jingles,small town stations sounding more major market (WDOH and the now defunct WDRK in Western Ohio) using his "Hitparade" automation tapes. WLBC-FM in Muncie using "Solid Gold" automation tapes that sounded so tight,it almost sounded as if it was live.

Drake was irreplaceable...we need another creative genius who can bring back radio's magic before it was destroyed by those who have reduced it to a piggybank for the decadently rich and powerful who have deliberately snubbed those who helped make them once successful....the rest of us,from the listeners to the lowly peon hoping and praying for his big break only to get screwed over way too many times by the likes of the ever too common big fish in the little pond who exhault their egos and abuse over the rest of us as if their freaking feces doesn't stink...and you know who you are...you are the ones who have reduced the "fifth estate" to a ghetto..you will ultimately reap what you sow...what goes around comes around!

..we will miss your personality,creativity and magic Bill Drake....May the good Lord grant you His mercy and a peaceful rest..and may He lead you home.

 

[michael hagerty]

I wanted to be in radio before I ever heard Bill Drake's work, but by the time I got my shot (at age 15), I'd had four years of listening to Bill's genius at KHJ, KHJ-FM and KFRC. He was simply the best...and, like all true giants, hired other giants, exposing us to the talents of Robert W. Morgan, The Real Don Steele, Charlie Tuna, Eric Chase, Bobby Ocean and many others.

These days, 71 is far too young to go.

Rest in Peace, Bill.


---Michael Hagerty

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Michael---As always, another solid post reminiscing about a broadcasting legend who passed away far too early.

Having spent all of my fifty-plus years in LA, listening to the exceptional jocks you mentioned, as well as Johnny Williams, Charlie Van Dyke, Jim 'Machine Gun' Kelly, Barry Kaye, Humble Harve and numerous others makes me realize how great radio could be again if the 'radio guys and gals' were calling the shots instead of actuaries.

Thank you, Mr. Drake, for showing everyone how it's done.

Too bad that very few people these days are interested in creating exhilirating radio.

 

[LKellerIII]

Michael---As always, another solid post reminiscing about a broadcasting legend who passed away far too early.

Having spent all of my fifty-plus years in LA, listening to the exceptional jocks you mentioned, as well as Johnny Williams, Charlie Van Dyke, Jim 'Machine Gun' Kelly, Barry Kaye, Humble Harve and numerous others makes me realize how great radio could be again if the 'radio guys and gals' were calling the shots instead of actuaries.

Thank you, Mr. Drake, for showing everyone how it's done.

Too bad that very few people these days are interested in creating exhilirating radio.

After reading all these great comments about Bill Drake, I have to say the obvious: Drake created "exhilrating radio" for the express purpose of getting great ratings, destroying the often clueless competition, and maximizing profits, as well as maximizing return to the shareholders of the companies for which he consulted.

Though it seems like profit and creativity are often mutually exclusive on radio these days, they obviously don't have to be - as Drake's success proves.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Not only did he thoroughly demolish clueless PDs at 99.9999999999% of the stations he competed against, but he also showed how equally clueless many of the owners of the radio stations he turned into ratings and cash flow behemoths were.