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WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

What a talent, what a loss. I didn't know Ron as well as I wanted to...the only time we were "colleagues", was walking the picket line together at WPGC, when I first arrived in Baltimore in 1977. When I was in a slump on the air, I'd listen to Ron or grab an old aircheck, because when he was on the radio station was bigger than life. Those who knew him better know how great he was OFF the air, which I only know because of how kind and benevolent he was towards my friend Bobby Charger.

He went out on top...making great money in a big city, at the height of his radio station's popularity in the ratings. A lot of what we all love about radio is gone with his passing.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

What a voice, what a talent! Its a sad day in radio.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Always enjoyed Big Ron's presentation on air. He was one of WOGL's bright spots! I remember his 'FIL days as well, but didn't know he worked at WPGC until I recently saw his name on their tribute site. It seems as if he worked at all the biggies of the business! Personality radio is dying, as are its personalities....

Rest in peace, big guy!
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Just echoing the sentiments of all. What a shock it was to read about Ron's passing this morning.
During my time on-air at WOGL, Ron was kind and generous without any pretense. Even though I was only doing weekends at the station, he made you really feel to be part of the team.
It is so sad to not have him be a piece of the Philadelphia radio landscape any longer.
Also sad to have still another genuine 'radio' guy gone from the fold. He is missed already.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

I enjoyed listing to him on WOGL, in the afternoon. Yes, he was one of the more bright spots on WOGL. I also remember listing to him on WFIL, he was on the 6 to 10 p.m. shift. The only thing is that the Inquire article was not accurate on the time he worked at FIL. He was only there for a short time. He started there in June of 1977 until March-April of 1978. I remember this because I was keeping a close watch to what Fil was up to. This was around this time when Fil was making the gradual change from Top 40 to AC. Or was working behind the scences or using a different on the air name.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

To the person that asked if Joe O'Brien and Ron O'Brian were one and the same. No. JOB goes back in radio to almost the WWII era in New York on WMCA and others. It's a totally different family. I remember hearing Ron first when he replaced Larry O'Brian and Bob Dearborn at WCFL. I do think that ROB's most memorable gig will be his tenure at KFI. He had the sound for that blow-torch more so than any other gig he ever had.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Being in Chicago in the 70's and enjoying Super CFL, this is sad to learn. After 30+ years, I still am among those who believe that Ron's career in Chicago was hurt by WCFL management's decision on the night in August 1974 that Richard Nixon resigned from the White House. I remember going up and down both the AM and FM dial that night, and every station was carrying the Nixon speech - with one exception. Yes, there was Big Ron O'Brien playing the hits on Super CFL, and occasionally announcing a 10:00 PM "news special" about the Nixon resignation. There was some media backlash about "the Voice of Labor" not carrying a presidential resignation, and it's as though Ron O'Brien was blamed for this.

Ron also slightly overlapped Larry O'Brien, who for a short time followed him from 10 PM to 2 AM on Super CFL (after Ron did 6 to 10 PM). Last time I remember 2 jocks with the same name on the same station.

Will sure miss Big Ron...........
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Many hours were spent listening to Ron at the "Voice of Labor" in '72 & '73 on a '66 VW Bus AM radio. The signal would blow into central Virginia from WCFL after sunset and his ringing in of 7 o'clock with, "Welcome to the night time America!" with the station ID was always a joy. I would occassionally wonder, "where is he now?" over the years only to 'find' him via the internet a couple of years ago. Listening to air checks on reelradio.com brought back many memories and recently listening to his afternoon show on WOGL's internet stream will always be cherished. His timing was always impeccable!

http://home.comcast.net/~midair55/ROB/ is a small tribute page of some photos from the '70s found on the internet.

Ron - We're going to miss ya!
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

I've never heard of anyone dying at age 56 from pneumonia. That's virtually unheard of unless someone has other health problems. Did he have a heart condition or some other medical condition perhaps?
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Sad news. One of the best 'power jocks' of the last 40 years. I remember hearing Ron on WPGC in the mid 70s. It's rarely mentioned, but he worked briefly on WNBC. Late 70s, early 80s. Too bad so many have passed away this year. Big Jack...Wally Phillips, and others!
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

TheStoker said:
It's rarely mentioned, but he worked briefly on WNBC. Late 70s, early 80s.
Click to expand...

Someone on the New York board mentioned that Big Ron filled in for the first few days of the start of a celebrated jock's tenure on 66 WNBC. The host himself fell ill and had to leave in the middle of his shift.

That host? Howard Stern.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

When I heard Ron was like 1980. He was doing 10PM to 2AM following Alan Beebee. I think he came to 'NBC' after KFI..then went back to KFI or KIIS. He wasn't on NBC very long at all. 80, I think.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Thoughts and prayers to Mom, the WOGL family, and all his friends and fans. I still remember him from WFIL days, and was recently listening to some of his airchecks from the west coast on ReelRadio. I'll miss him, for he was my "buddy" as I drove home from work between 3:30 and 4:00. May you RIP with the rest of the radio legends.
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

Because my daughter, Dawn, was Big Ron's on air morning show partner on The Big Dog in Denver in the 90's, I had the opporutnity to spend some time with him and I sat next to him at a Rockies baseball game. Not only was Ron a great jock, but he was a great play by play announcer. We "play by played" each other for a few innings that night and he really was as smooth and knowledgeble as any big leauge play by play guy I had ever heard. What a shame he never got to display his talent in that area. He would have been one of the best!

Rick Snyder
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

TheStoker said:
When I heard Ron was like 1980. He was doing 10PM to 2AM following Alan Beebee. I think he came to 'NBC' after KFI..then went back to KFI or KIIS. He wasn't on NBC very long at all. 80, I think.
Click to expand...

December 1982 was when Big Ron left WNBC...at that time he was doing 6-10PM after Howard Stern. So, most, or all of 1982 was when he was at WNBC...He left at the end of 1982 to go back to LA to join KIIS-FM. I have an aircheck of the first hour or so of his last night on WNBC - he & Stern both mentioned on the crossover that Ron was leaving & going to Los Angeles.

Most of the Big Ron timelines going around are incorrect...here are the 1974-2008 years:

KTLK/Denver 1974
WXLO (99X) - 1974
WCFL 1975
WPGC 1976
WOKY 1976
WFIL 1977
WRKO 1978
KFI 1979-1981
WNBC 1982
KIIS 1983-1987
KWK-WKBQ/St. Louis (same station - calls change) 1988-1989
KKBT/Los Angeles 1989-1991
MARS FM (KOCM/Orange County) 1992
KIIS-FM 1993 returned to do part-time on-air
KZDG/Denver 1994-95
KKBH/San Diego 1996
WYXR-WLCE/Philadelphia 1996-2002
WOGL 2002-2008
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

TheStoker said:
Most of the Big Ron timelines going around are incorrect...here are the 1974-2008 years:

KTLK/Denver 1974
WXLO (99X) - 1974
WCFL 1975
WPGC 1976
WOKY 1976
WFIL 1977
WRKO 1978
KFI 1979-1981
WNBC 1982
KIIS 1983-1987
KWK-WKBQ/St. Louis (same station - calls change) 1988-1989
KKBT/Los Angeles 1989-1991
MARS FM (KOCM/Orange County) 1992
KIIS-FM 1993 returned to do part-time on-air
KZDG/Denver 1994-95
KKBH/San Diego 1996
WYXR-WLCE/Philadelphia 1996-2002
WOGL 2002-2008
Click to expand...

Does anybody know why Ron moved around as much as he did? Goodness knows, he worked at the biggest and best stations (and he was a major reason they were the biggest and the best) in the country, but, except for KISS-FM, until coming to Philly he didn't stay at any given station for any length of time.

Also, I didn't realize he went directly from WYXR to WOGL, and that he had been in Philly for the last dozen years. He truly was a Philly legend and may have had more longevity than anybody else currently on the air as a jock in this town.

Also, does anybody know if Ron was ever married or if he had any children?
 
Re: WOGL disc jockey Ron O’Brien HAS DIED

I'm saddened by this news. My thoughts and prayers go out to Ron O'Brien's family and friends.
I was just checking out his tribute page on WOGL's page... What a wonderful tribute!

Lauren
Phoenix, AZ
 
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