tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6073778115060657285..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: The Real Don SteeleBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70506391650401527182014-04-03T02:16:38.835-07:002014-04-03T02:16:38.835-07:00I was blessed to work with Don Steele at two stati...I was blessed to work with Don Steele at two stations in L.A. First as his assistant at K100 (KIQQ) and later as his music director at KRLA/1110. Both were wonderful experiences. He was a pro's pro, class act, and always went out of his way not to make me feel like I was less than him (although he knew how much I adored him). Thank goodness for the airchecks, I can listen to him anytime I want. But without him in our world, it just isn't as fun.Jeffrey Leonardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61646902510588781392014-04-02T19:22:53.956-07:002014-04-02T19:22:53.956-07:00Presented for your Friday enjoyment (and yes there...Presented for your Friday enjoyment (and yes there is MASH connection)<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE2qnZi_IHoKOBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08697412163938593230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52144569839429396872014-04-02T17:54:14.943-07:002014-04-02T17:54:14.943-07:00To Ken's children: if Dad hasn't already g...To Ken's children: if Dad hasn't already got a copy, he'd like one of these:<br /><a href="http://www.45cat.com/record/c399us" rel="nofollow">1966 Cameo-Parkway C-399</a> --- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6gNwJmP1G0" rel="nofollow">"Tina Delgado Is Alive/Hole In My Soul"</a><br />Note the wrong date and mispelt title.<br />Original: 1960 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKXv1nuvEfE" rel="nofollow">Sascha Burland.</a><br /><br />There's also:<br /><a href="http://www.45cat.com/record/nc057991us" rel="nofollow">1969 Patches P-102</a> --- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0foHh4qUmj8" rel="nofollow">"Cecil The Unwanted French Fry"</a><br />Original: 1966 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecqehCh1StQ" rel="nofollow">Freddi/Henchi & the SoulSetters.</a>Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248182899977033579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28298943927460520142014-04-02T15:50:41.917-07:002014-04-02T15:50:41.917-07:00I was just thinking how lucky one must have been t...I was just thinking how lucky one must have been to have shared a place on an air staff with TRDS, when I saw the great Willie B (No slouch, his own bad se'f!)say exactly that. You and Ken were both Selected For Greatness, in my view!<br /><br />Try to fathom that we no longer live in a media environment where no matter in what 'burgh we live, we're given true local stars; characters, adorning the audio landscape of our favorite hits in the dashboard.<br /><br />They took away the concept of "competition", so no one's "competing" for dominance and the conquest of a market's love.<br /><br />Then, we're told that These Kids Today (as well as everyone else) don't "use Radio" like that, anymore.<br /><br />Well Jesus, they took away the personalities, the wacky promotions, the contests, the local breaking news... these guys cheaped it out, to the point that one's car radio is now just an iPod with occasional irritants you don't find in a real iPod! <br /><br />Then you wonder why nobody "uses" Radio as a common meeting ground for accessible local entertainment.<br /><br />And why there won't be more Ingrams or Steeles.Famous!noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68318204508159203182014-04-02T15:28:58.435-07:002014-04-02T15:28:58.435-07:00Hey Ken - LOVE THIS! Pleasure to know and work w/ ...Hey Ken - LOVE THIS! Pleasure to know and work w/ RDS (and YOU for that matter!.:-) - Our 3:00 'Changeover' at Ten-Q hurt KHJ to the point, they started giving away $100 every day - AT 3! Audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRJcwRS1Nj0<br /><br />Cheers! Willie BAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16813402010790461042014-04-02T14:39:54.377-07:002014-04-02T14:39:54.377-07:00Always love your stories, but can't figure out...Always love your stories, but can't figure out why you always paint him as a hopeless drunk by the third paragraph. His friends remember more than the bizarre side of RDS. Too bad more people don't know that.Jon Badeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14370214792793556286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85022970000853448252014-04-02T14:31:47.918-07:002014-04-02T14:31:47.918-07:00Victor
Even Don's wife Shauna doesn't kno...Victor<br /><br />Even Don's wife Shauna doesn't know who Tina was or why she was so alive, but since he was using it at least as early as his stint in Portland it certainly predated KHJ and Boss Radio.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38521876442451681772014-04-02T14:18:30.802-07:002014-04-02T14:18:30.802-07:00Pretty much the same with me Tom, I grew up listen...Pretty much the same with me Tom, I grew up listening to CKLW in the late 60's early 70's, and as I pursued them, my aircheck supplier clued me in to tRDS. He was absolutely the best IMO, turned words into energy.Bruce Ebrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12418493512703268593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6340001283105661392014-04-02T14:16:47.026-07:002014-04-02T14:16:47.026-07:00You said it beautifully, Ken. TRDS was The Best! ...You said it beautifully, Ken. TRDS was The Best! As for the Sinatra story, I heard the tune Don sung before collapsing into Frank's plate of pasta was "Witchcraft."Don Jennetthttp://www.reelradio.com/djnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53691967089690979972014-04-02T11:50:20.672-07:002014-04-02T11:50:20.672-07:00He was before my time and on the opposite coast, b...He was before my time and on the opposite coast, but through sites like Reelradio, the guy has become my all-time favorite jock. Dan Ingram and George Michael are also up there on my personal list, all because of airchecks.Tom Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05403082067274425309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25569627660334552932014-04-02T11:49:49.486-07:002014-04-02T11:49:49.486-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Tom Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05403082067274425309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30100274092157284852014-04-02T11:37:01.049-07:002014-04-02T11:37:01.049-07:00I first listened to TRDS on KEWB here in the Bay A...I first listened to TRDS on KEWB here in the Bay Area back in '64-65 when he did afternoon drive. Then I recall not hearing him anymore. A year or so later I heard him on KHJ for the first time when my family and I drove down to LA for a summer vacation. Ever since then every time we went down to LA I couldn't wait to listen to him again. He was definitely a giant inspiration for me to go into radio and to do good work like he did on the air. I never tire of listening to old airchecks of his on reelradio.com. Simply the best!Jeffrey Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34172697885647941652014-04-02T11:08:23.985-07:002014-04-02T11:08:23.985-07:00Thanks for this; the story I heard was that Tina w...Thanks for this; the story I heard was that Tina was walking along a railroad track, listening to her transistor with an earpiece...she never heard the train but, because she was presumably digging Boss Radio, she was...ALIVE! ALIVE!!Victor Velasconoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57746543455601060332014-04-02T09:58:35.129-07:002014-04-02T09:58:35.129-07:00Morning Ken...today's genius HuffPo headline: ...Morning Ken...today's genius HuffPo headline: "Miley Cyrus Is Topless On A Horse"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76387497415608089102014-04-02T08:58:50.085-07:002014-04-02T08:58:50.085-07:00When radio mattered, I'd get out of Portola or...When radio mattered, I'd get out of Portola or Birmingham at 3 O'clock in Boss Angeles...and head straight for the radio to listen to The Real Don Steele.....<br />When Radio WAS Boss......<br />Jeff Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02769350441837910867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12162189590001635972014-04-02T08:22:35.901-07:002014-04-02T08:22:35.901-07:00As much as you believe I reached radio Nirvana wor...As much as you believe I reached radio Nirvana working at WABC, I still envy you in that you worked with radio people who were the embodiment of an entire generation's culture...not just voices on a big station, but giants who genuinely immersed themselves in the whole scene and embraced the whole experience. RDS was a real living breathing radio god...one who voided his warranty, yeah, but what a mark he left in the L.A. landscape.<br /><br />Even Imus in his early days on WNBC played the "Tina Delgado" drop randomly in his show (along with the Robert W. Morgan jingle) to a confused New York audience. It showed where he'd rather be working.Howard Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05377628524697677407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4134057586317204622014-04-02T08:09:55.575-07:002014-04-02T08:09:55.575-07:00The radio industry sure has had it's share of ...The radio industry sure has had it's share of characters. I did not know Real Don, but that is a great tribute, well done!Mike Barerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447874605833321732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65837333420315983302014-04-02T07:58:10.984-07:002014-04-02T07:58:10.984-07:00Thanks for the great memories, Ken. KHJ was my sta...Thanks for the great memories, Ken. KHJ was my station back in the day. I still have my copy of the "Sound of the Sixties" compilation album they released, including the fold-out "Disc Jockey Derby" game on the inside, featuring Don and all the rest of the "Boss Jocks". Truly an era that will never be heard again.Bill Weinbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09060281411372787029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18941874017958316092014-04-02T07:53:35.398-07:002014-04-02T07:53:35.398-07:00LOVED the Real Don Steele. When I first moved to ...LOVED the Real Don Steele. When I first moved to LA in February of 1970, I was working for radio consultant Ted Randal, whose offices were in the same building as Chuck Blore Creative Services at 1606 Argyle.<br /><br />I listened to the Real Don Steele every afternoon religiously. A couple of times a week, I'd go to Martoni's for dinner after work(it was only a few blocks away). I'd see the Real Don sitting at the bar quite often. Occasionally I'd also see Harry Nilsson, although his bar of choice was the Jolly Roger just around the corner on Sunset.<br /><br />The Real Don Steele was a true radio legend even on other days of the week besides Frackious (sp) Fridays. I have several of his KHJ airchecks burned to CD and listen to them often while driving.<br /><br />What a cool thing it must have been to work with the RDS Ken.Doug Thompsonnoreply@blogger.com