by Bill Watson
1 9 6 1
Finished four good years in Sacramento.
Deejay/TV dance-show host.
Back in hometown L.A. looking for a gig.
Meet with Chuck Blore, KFWB, #1 radio station in town.
No openings. No surprise.
Hang around Hollywood. Sunset & Vine.
“The Gaiety” Deli restaurant.
A stranger tracks me down.
Whodaguy?
Red-hair, well-tailored out-of-towner, green suit.
Looks serious, talks hip.
Ron Jacobs from Hawaii, KPOI Radio,
VP Colgreene Broadcasting.
Looking for talent for new Top 40 station in San Bernardino.
Am I interested? No.
Jacobs, “Let’s have lunch.”
OK.
The Gaiety.
Full of radio, TV film people.
Pastrami sandwiches.
None better.
Jacobs eats sandwich and kosher dills while checking me out.
After two hours I thought he was Pancho Villa
Wanted to ride with him.
Vamos.
San Bernardino. K/MEN.
Program director/afternoon drive jock.
From Jacobs’ Barnum & Bailey imagination.
Far-out Rock ’n’ Roll outdoor promotions
#1 station in town
Quick.
Nothing to it.
Jacobs goes to Fresno.
Where?
Fresno?
Why?
To challenge Gene Chenault’s KYNO.
Chenault hires a gunslinger.
Long, tall southerner fed up with
San Francisco and KYA.
Bill Drake.
Watch out.
Shoot out.
Jacobs disappears to China.
Where?
L.A. rumors, true.
Drake to consult floundering KHJ.
Recommended by former RKO heavy,
Willet Brown, owner of KGB, San Diego.
Drake: “My Way or no way.”
OK. Deal.
Jacobs reappears.
I invite him to my house in San Bernardino.
Brings with him a Kowloon alley cat. Huh?
Phone call from Robert W. Morgan.
Drake has hired him and The Real
From KEWB in SFO.
No KHJ P.D. hired yet.
Small get-together at my house.
Jacobs, Morgan and me.
Rap in the garage.
Ron calls Drake in L.A.
One . . .
Two . . .
Three . . .
Four years . . .
Jacobs jonesing
To do something new.
Writes two memos.
Resigns with one,
Grabs Rams tickets with other
Aloha, man.
Takes off
Leaving behind some very big shoes.
Born in the San Fernando Valley, BILL WATSON was a high school jock who grew up tuned to Hollywood’s hottest jocks. After leaving RKO, as PD of KMPC, L.A., he took the station to #1. Retired, he lives in Mexico and in San Diego County.
In 2003, Bill "Mr. Kicks" Waston was one of many K/men jocks on hand for the 40th Anniversary of The format that Rocked The Inland Empire.
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