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Gary Cocker

Tom_KYA1260

Tom_KYA1260

I posted this on the San Diego board. I still haven't found any links to Gary Cocker's passing.

Gary was a great guy and one of my favorite air talents. His website is still running at http://www.garycocker.com/ What a set of pipes. I wonder if having some Coors during his show helped. (That was humor, folks). I worked with him at KYA in 1977 when I was getting college credit for being at my dream station for a year. Gary let me do a mic break, introducing the number one requested song "Star Wars" by Meco. If there's one aircheck I'd like on tape, that one is it.

Once he had his headphones on and played "Bitch" by the Rolling Stones at full-volume on the monitor and it was so loud, I had to leave the studio until he finished.
 
Tom_KYA1260 said:
I posted this on the San Diego board. I still haven't found any links to Gary Cocker's passing.

Gary was a great guy and one of my favorite air talents. His website is still running at http://www.garycocker.com/ What a set of pipes. I wonder if having some Coors during his show helped. (That was humor, folks). I worked with him at KYA in 1977 when I was getting college credit for being at my dream station for a year. Gary let me do a mic break, introducing the number one requested song "Star Wars" by Meco. If there's one aircheck I'd like on tape, that one is it.

Once he had his headphones on and played "Bitch" by the Rolling Stones at full-volume on the monitor and it was so loud, I had to leave the studio until he finished.
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I found the following on Gary Cocker (real name Helmut Kerling) from sdradio.net. It includes some nice tributes from former colleagues like Rich (Brother) Robin, Mark Larson (now a talk host in San Diego), and Shotgun Tom Kelly (now at K-Earth).

http://sdradio.net/2009/06/25/celebrating-helmut-kerlings-life/
 
Tom_KYA1260 said:
Gary was a great guy and one of my favorite air talents. His website is still running at http://www.garycocker.com/ What a set of pipes.
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I just listened to his demos. I don't hear what you heard. He just sounded like a typical top-40 DJ dj doing station liners, news intros and spots. He was no Paul Frees or Beau Weaver.

Of course, I can see where you'd revere him, since after all, he gave you a chance to do a break on the beloved KYA. It's odd that I don't remember him from KYA at all, though.
 
Most air personalities work an entire career without ever making it to being "a typical top 40 DJ" on a station like KSFO or KYA in a top 5 market. Even less get to the level of a Beau Weaver. I'd say Gary did ok.
 
DavidKaye said:
Tom_KYA1260 said:
Gary was a great guy and one of my favorite air talents. His website is still running at http://www.garycocker.com/ What a set of pipes.
Click to expand...

I just listened to his demos. I don't hear what you heard. He just sounded like a typical top-40 DJ dj doing station liners, news intros and spots. He was no Paul Frees or Beau Weaver.

Of course, I can see where you'd revere him, since after all, he gave you a chance to do a break on the beloved KYA. It's odd that I don't remember him from KYA at all, though.
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I remember Gary Cocker, but only the name. He was on KYA during the mid 70s, when a number of Bay Area DJs were using quasi-rock star names. There was also a McCartney...Kent, I think...and Keith Richards.. No knock on Helmut (Gary)...but I found that trend kind of irritating. KYA also had Roger W. Morgan around that time...maybe a couple of years before Gary. It felt like they were trying too hard at a time when KFRC was dominant, and FM rock was starting to gain serious traction.
 
Lkeller said:
KYA also had Roger W. Morgan around that time...maybe a couple of years before Gary. It felt like they were trying too hard at a time when KFRC was dominant, and FM rock was starting to gain serious traction.
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Actually, "Roger W. Morgan" has been a longtime DJ and claims to have been a longtime actor. He claims that he doubled for Sal Mineo in the Walt Disney film, Tonka. As a child, he was a performer in rodeos. Roger also claims to have appeared in the film, The Enforcer, starring Clint Eastwood. The IMDB database only shows one entry for his name, the film, .Com For Murder, starring Huey Lewis and Roger Daltry. (yipes!) He's also said that he was in 17 episodes of "Streets of San Francisco" while working at KYA, though there is no record of that in IMDB, either.

Today, Roger owns and operates Paradise 93.5 FM, (WVVC) in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

I remember him from there and also when the KKSN ("KISN") oldies station was launched in Portland in the late 80s. He has been using the name Roger W. Morgan since at least 1968 at KOIL in Omaha. His original name is Jerry Lambert; his dad was rodeo announcer Mel Lambert. Jerry/Roger apparently was a well-renowned rodeo performer in another life.

He says he legally changed his name to Roger W. Morgan. Apparently the reason he became RWM was due to the success of Robert W. Morgan, and apparently the KOIL owner wanted his own RWM.

Here's a link to his station's website. Click on "Voices" to hear his voice and see a photo. http://www.paradise935fm.com/

His station list:

KOIL [Omaha NE] 1967
KISN [Portland OR] 1973
WIFE [Indianapolis IN] 1973
KYA [San Francisco CA] 1974
KROY [Sacramento CA] 1976
KMJC [San Diego CA] 1978
KYA [San Francisco] 1980
KGOR [Omaha] 1991-1999
WYAC [St. Croix VI] 2006 - manager


There! More than you've ever wanted to know about Roger W. Morgan.
 
DavidKaye said:
Lkeller said:
There! More than you've ever wanted to know about Roger W. Morgan.
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Interesting, David - thanks. I only remember that he was no Robert W. Morgan. Actually, Robert wasn't as great as his reputation, IMO, but he had an easy-going dry wit that was pleasant to listen to. More MOR than Top 40 really, so it's somewhat ironic that he gained his greatest fame on Boss Radio.

Roger was just a by the numbers Top 40 jock - at least on KYA. Dr. Don Rose must have kicked his a** in the ratings.
 
Lkeller said:
Roger was just a by the numbers Top 40 jock - at least on KYA. Dr. Don Rose must have kicked his a** in the ratings.
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Don Rose was the Don Sherwood of his era. He was a must-listen.
 
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