T
Thomps2525
Guest
Dave Diamond died on May 6. I pieced this story together from ten different sources. If there are any inaccuracies---to steal a line from Groucho Marx---I don't know what you can do about it.
Dave Diamond, one of the original Boss Jocks when KHJ dropped adult contemporary in April of 1965 and became top 40 "Boss Radio," died May 6 at age 74 following a bout with pneumonia. Born Sidney Davison in Deadwood, South Dakota, Diamond became an Eagle Scout at 14 and earned degrees at USC, University of Southern Mississippi, Northwest Missouri State, and Columbia Pacific University. He began in radio in 1958 at WFOR and WXXX in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He had brief stints at KOIL in Omaha and WIRL in Peoria and served as program director of WKGN in Knoxville and WIL in St. Louis. Following a few weeks at WIBC in Indianapolis, he moved to Denver, where he jocked at KBTR and hosted a talk program on KBTV-Channel 9 (now KUSA). After a two-month stay at KHJ in 1965, he went to KBLA and began hosting "The Diamond Mine," a nightly program of progressive rock songs interspersed with psychedelic commentary. Diamond was later heard on KFWB, KFRC, KRLA and KDAY and hosted Headshop on KDOC-Channel 56. He served as program director of KCBS-FM and hosted middays at KTLK in Denver. In the mid-1970s he worked at KIIS, WSAI in Cincinnati, and KFI. In the 1980s Diamond was general manager of Buena Vista College station KBVC and Morningside College station KMSC, both in Iowa. In 1995 he became a professor of journalism and communications at Black Hills State University in South Dakota. He also managed campus station KBHU and in 2005 began producing podcasts of new "Diamond Mine" programs. Diamond joined the Beatles for their 1965 US tour, was one of the first DJs to play the long version of the Doors' Light My Fire, produced That Acapulco Gold for the Rainy Daze, and co-produced the Strawberry Alarm Clock's Incense & Peppermints. In 2004 he published Cool Hand In A Hot Fire, a novel about life on the streets in Los Angeles. His other books include a short-story collection, Street Scenes, and a book of poetry, Storm Lake Suite. Under pseudonyms, Diamond authored a series of Slade Western novels and Unholy Ghost horror novels.
Dave Diamond, one of the original Boss Jocks when KHJ dropped adult contemporary in April of 1965 and became top 40 "Boss Radio," died May 6 at age 74 following a bout with pneumonia. Born Sidney Davison in Deadwood, South Dakota, Diamond became an Eagle Scout at 14 and earned degrees at USC, University of Southern Mississippi, Northwest Missouri State, and Columbia Pacific University. He began in radio in 1958 at WFOR and WXXX in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He had brief stints at KOIL in Omaha and WIRL in Peoria and served as program director of WKGN in Knoxville and WIL in St. Louis. Following a few weeks at WIBC in Indianapolis, he moved to Denver, where he jocked at KBTR and hosted a talk program on KBTV-Channel 9 (now KUSA). After a two-month stay at KHJ in 1965, he went to KBLA and began hosting "The Diamond Mine," a nightly program of progressive rock songs interspersed with psychedelic commentary. Diamond was later heard on KFWB, KFRC, KRLA and KDAY and hosted Headshop on KDOC-Channel 56. He served as program director of KCBS-FM and hosted middays at KTLK in Denver. In the mid-1970s he worked at KIIS, WSAI in Cincinnati, and KFI. In the 1980s Diamond was general manager of Buena Vista College station KBVC and Morningside College station KMSC, both in Iowa. In 1995 he became a professor of journalism and communications at Black Hills State University in South Dakota. He also managed campus station KBHU and in 2005 began producing podcasts of new "Diamond Mine" programs. Diamond joined the Beatles for their 1965 US tour, was one of the first DJs to play the long version of the Doors' Light My Fire, produced That Acapulco Gold for the Rainy Daze, and co-produced the Strawberry Alarm Clock's Incense & Peppermints. In 2004 he published Cool Hand In A Hot Fire, a novel about life on the streets in Los Angeles. His other books include a short-story collection, Street Scenes, and a book of poetry, Storm Lake Suite. Under pseudonyms, Diamond authored a series of Slade Western novels and Unholy Ghost horror novels.