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Hank Spann - RIP

A

andreajesus

Guest
And today, "Soul Heaven" is a little bit fuller and we are a little bit sadder....LEGENDARY "Super 16" jock Hank Spann passed away yesterday afternoon in California....

For those who DIDN'T or DON'T know, Spann was part of what WAS THE LEGEND that was WWRL 1600AM ("Super 16" to those of us who got it.... :) - he was one of an incredible lineup of air talent that just graced the airwaves at the FAR RIGHT end of the dial (radio-wise) with sounds that you were just NOT getting ANYWHERE else in NYC proper! Check out just SOME of the guys that were on here - you had Spann, you had Eddie O'Jay (whom I miss DEARLY.....), you had Sonny Taylor-a genius of radio programming, you had Bobby Jay, you had Gerry "B" Bledsoe, you had the "Chief Rocker" Frankie Crocker....LEGENDS who would make an IMPACT and have an INFLUENCE on urban radio for DECADES to come (and are STILL influencing even today!!) - but it was Spann, with that unique brand of grit and soul, that would float your boat, that would some slide in your glide - where Bobby Jay was smooth as fine wine, Spann was like a glass of champagne - sparkly and unforgettable - it is that WE cry for and cry about this day....for those who didn't know, NOW you know.... :'(
 
For those of us who lived here in New York City and listened to WWRL-AM 1600, in
the late 60’s and 70’s, we remember Hank Spann as “The Soul Server”. He had a style and delivery like NO other.

Hank was also known for his memorable lines–whether BACK-ANNOUNCING a song/artist: “…Michael, Marlon, Tito, Jermaine and Jackie–The Five with “Lookin
Through The Windows…” or “…That was Smokey and those money makin’ Miracles with the Tears of a Clown right here on Super 16 in New York!…”

Hank always told you the names of the folks the singing groups (”Red, Eugene, Squirrel and Marshall–The Chi-Lites”)

Sometimes Hank would be feelin a particular record record so much, he’d open the mic up and sing along with the song for a bit–adding his own ad-libs–like in James Brown’s “I Got a Bag of My Own”…he’d sing with Brown:

“I got a bag of my own…I got a bag of my own…good God me and you Brown…I,I,I…”

Hank also had his unique way to bringing the exclamation point home on one of those smooth soul ballads from the 70’s…think Black Ivory’s “You & I”…with about 15 seconds to go…right at the fade/tag…Spann would interject one of his patented “hey nowwww’s” in his deep and sloooowed down baritone voice LOL

Hank would always tell you to, “Put your foot on the rock, pat it and dontcha DARE stop!”

Or maybe after playing “I Got So Much Trouble” by Joe Quarterman and Free Soul, he’d say,”that jam was funkier than a crippled crab without a crutch…have MERCY
now!”

For years, his signoff in the late afternoon was legendary. It went a little something like this:

“Well New York, that’s it for now…I gotta take two steps to the rear and get out of here. I’m making way for the man on my right, Gary Byrd…so I’m in the
wind New York…LATER!”

Said with all of the enthusiasm and energy you would imagine…

Last year I stumbled across a trade radio website that mentioned Hank was very ill. I did leave a message for him and his family out in Northern California
hoping, praying, wishing…

Looking back, around 1990 or so, when Hank was working at Billboard Magazine, I called him one afternoon and shared my memories with him over the phone. He was
most grateful and humbled that someone like me—a fan—who was in his mid teens during his hey day, would call and praise him.

Until the day I die, I’ll ALWAYS remember Hank Spann and the hundreds and hundreds of hours of REAL RADIO
PERSONALITY he gave me and a ton of others here in the Metropolitan New York City area….

Rest in peace always/descanse en paz siempre

….
Vincent-51 years old
:'(
 
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