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Goodbye, Les

L

LITTLEBOYBLUE

We lost Les Smith today.

He, of course, owned KJR (and later KISW too), Kaye-Smith Studios (later Bad Animals), Kaye-Smith Graphics, KXL AM/FM [Portland], KJRB [Spokane], The Mariners ... and many other holdings with his partner Danny Kaye (who preceded Les in his death several years ago).

When KJR sold to Metromedia, the price tag was an unheard of $10M.

A VERY interesting man.
 
Only got to know Les after he was out of radio. He was a very bright guy - got into radio at a great time and attracted extraordinary people. He built a small (todays standards) 5 story office building in Bellevue when people told him he was crazy...way ahead of the curve.

Pat O'Day has some great stories about Lester (as he called him) but I'll let him share those...
 
Lester Smith My Friend

He was our Father we were just his children. You knew immediately that you were in the presence of someone special the moment you shook hands. His towering frame and long stride was always welcomed in the KISW Crow/West control room, where he would always give me a Partagas cigar or whatever he was smoking at the time.

Pat said it best, Les could say the toughest word in business "YES." Yes to Personality Radio, Yes to Radio Entertainment and Yes to your checkbook.

Decades back when KISW went to #1 taking away the title from KUBE, I remember Lester giving all of the air staff $10,000 yearly raises, which he did almost ever year. Big money today but HUGE money in 1980. This was the era of no contracts your word was your bond wiht Les. I asked him for some advice about what HE WOULD do with that kind of raise, he smiled and said buy yourself a house you'll thank me down the road. I remember Les even helped several put the down payment for their homes!

Les we ALL THANK you for being a great man with ethics, big heart and that warm smile. This weekend when I light my Partagas and have a cocktail with Maureen, we will cherish the fact that we were able to share some beautiful moments with a wonderful, razor sharp and gentle man...who's favorite would was "Yes." They are not making Men like Lester Smith anymore, but we can all strive to be like him. RIP Les, Crowski
 
Does anybody know how Danny K and Lester S met and formed this partnership? And yes I know that we are probably all to young to have been there when it happened!
By the way... IMHO... sadly to say, there has NEVER been an owner like him. I only wish I could have worked for him my entire career! The business today is NOT what it used to be!
 
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