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Format-jumpers -- CHR to Rock

D

David1960

Do on-air personalities ever make format jumps anymore? Specifically does anyone move from CHR to a rock format (Active Rock, Triple A, Alternative, Classic Rock)? I know of several in the past who started as Top 40 jocks before switching to AOR:

Gary Crow
Norm Gregory
Gary Lockwood
Beau Roberts
Crazy Steve Randall (though he only lasted about 3 weeks back in 1981 at KISW)

...but this doesn't seem to happen anymore. Any others? If not, why not? (Hoping Crowski might chime in since he's the godfather of Seattle radio and is certainly knowledgeable on this topic.)
 
Partly because anyone who's worth a crud is likely under contract -- though much of that to change this coming year. Most of the flips you mentioned pre-dated the whole "we have you locked up" thing (Lockwood did his flip after a no-compete wound down, Norm left to essentially LAUNCH an AOR [kzok] -- something completely new and interesting, others that did that tended to do so because of availability of EMPLOYMENT (or, in some cases, a better offer).

It has been rare that anyone was ever "lured" away STRICTLY for audience draw or more lucrative deal. Lockwood entered Seattle thru the KING system -- KGW to KING, then was treated badly @ KING and wound up @ KJR and helped put KING in its Koffin.
 
Holy Jumpin' Formats!

Beau Roberts immediately comes to mind here (Top 40 KNBQ, then AOR KISW, KXRX, then ("?") country at KYCW-FM then classic rock KZOK. Plus voicing stuff for non-coms urban KTOY Tacoma (91.7), KGRG and the very-com CHR KBKS in 1997.

Marty Reimer would be another (starting with KJET, then KJR, KXRX and KMTT),

The late Phil Harper gets the award for all around genre hopping, as he did Top 40 on KING, then country at KMPS, KRPM, AC on KBRO and his last gig at classic country KYCW-AM as well as moonlighting for non-com jazz KPLU and alternative ("!") KEXP at the same time at his KYCW gig. I also heard he voiced B/EZ KEUT prior to it's switch to KMPS-FM in the '70s. He was also the voice of KTZZ-TV in the '80s.
 
LITTLEBOYBLUE said:
Partly because anyone who's worth a crud is likely under contract -- though much of that to change this coming year. Most of the flips you mentioned pre-dated the whole "we have you locked up" thing (Lockwood did his flip after a no-compete wound down, Norm left to essentially LAUNCH an AOR [kzok] -- something completely new and interesting, others that did that tended to do so because of availability of EMPLOYMENT (or, in some cases, a better offer).

It has been rare that anyone was ever "lured" away STRICTLY for audience draw or more lucrative deal. Lockwood entered Seattle thru the KING system -- KGW to KING, then was treated badly @ KING and wound up @ KJR and helped put KING in its Koffin.
Click to expand...

Lockwood is a very good example of a "format jumper". He is also an example of a "more music" jock who found his niche at the more personality-driven KJR.

I sure miss Phil Harper...what an under-rated performer in the market. He was quietly one of Seattle's greats.
 
The inspiration for this topic was an old aircheck I dug out this morning. It was from 1994. KXRX had just closed up shop and Mike West was filling in for a vacationing Gary Lockwood on KZOK, alongside Bob Hovanes. I had completely forgotten that Lockjock spent a couple of years at KZOK after his KJR reign ended. (Real fun listening to West & Hovanes together.)

Two others that I thought of today are Lan Roberts (on KISW circa 1974) and Bobby Simon (on KZOK, late 70s), both spinning tunes in the sky now.

I've also got a bunch of airchecks of Burl Barer on KZOK from the summer of '88 but he was really doing more of a retro Top 40 thing, hitting the post etc, not so much a straight-up AOR sound. By the same token, Danny Holliday fits that description.

And then there's Jim Campman, who I seem to think was on KJR in the 70s (though not sure), then on KISW as the newsman for Bob Rivers' Twisted Radio in the 90s. And, of course, there's John Maynard. Top 40 jock at KJR and KOL, then resurfacing years later at KISW, KXRX, KZOK and The Buzz.
 
Lockjock on KZOK? I was pretty sure he 'retired' from KJR with a substantial settlement for terminating his contract. Love to hear those airchecks...!
 
David1960 said:
...And then there's Jim Campman, who I seem to think was on KJR in the 70s (though not sure), then on KISW as the newsman for Bob Rivers' Twisted Radio in the 90s. And, of course, there's John Maynard. Top 40 jock at KJR and KOL, then resurfacing years later at KISW, KXRX, KZOK and The Buzz.
Click to expand...

Kampman also was on air at KIXI doing mornings with Jim Dai.
I think Jim Dai went from KSEA to KIXI to KWJZ.
Bob Brooks hopped from KJR-AM to KVI (when it was oldies) to KLSY to KIXI.
Let's face it, there are few jocks who haven't made format hops!
 
TowerLamp said:
David1960 said:
...And then there's Jim Campman, who I seem to think was on KJR in the 70s (though not sure), then on KISW as the newsman for Bob Rivers' Twisted Radio in the 90s. And, of course, there's John Maynard. Top 40 jock at KJR and KOL, then resurfacing years later at KISW, KXRX, KZOK and The Buzz.
Click to expand...

Kampman also was on air at KIXI doing mornings with Jim Dai.
I think Jim Dai went from KSEA to KIXI to KWJZ.
Bob Brooks hopped from KJR-AM to KVI (when it was oldies) to KLSY to KIXI.
Let's face it, there are few jocks who haven't made format hops!
Click to expand...

Jim Dai was on KPLZ (K-Plus 101, late '70s, then KSEA, KLTX, the first '70s formatted KJR-FM, then to KLSY, KIXI and KWJZ
 
Joe Michaels was "Coby McCloud" at KJR in the late 70's. Love those pseudo-names! Joe went on to do massive voice-work for KING-TV.
 
Jackson Dell Weaver said:
Lockjock on KZOK? I was pretty sure he 'retired' from KJR with a substantial settlement for terminating his contract. Love to hear those airchecks...!
Click to expand...

Yeah he was definitely at KZOK for a time. I remember Steve Slaton introducing LJ to the KZOK audience upon him being first hired. (Sure wish I had taped that!) To be clear, I don't seem to have airchecks any of an actual Lockwood show on KZOK (though I might) but this particular tape that I alluded to is of Mike West filling in for Lockwood one morning. At one point, Hovanes does place a call to the vacationing (and inebriated) Lockwood in Australia. Lockwood has been drinking quite a few Fosters. It's schticky but still pretty interesting stuff in the context of things. Mike West then also plays a Police Blotter from around 1981, "Dick Ball" interviews Chip Hanauer, and Slaton later calls in as West, Hovanes and Slaton briefly discuss Lockwood as well as the demise of KXRX. The date on the tape is 8/24/94.

I haven't converted it to a file yet but will try to get to it. As for posting it, I'm thinking YouTube might be the best way...?
 
I know I have his first day on KZOK ... undigitized and unscoped, though. This would have been around 1991 or 92. I also remember Stredicke doing a piece with LJ about his transition and how happy LJ was to be able to play the music HE grew up with in his role on a Classic Rock station.
 
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