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Jim LaBarbara Print E-mail
Jim LaBarbara was named one of the Top 40 radio personalities of all time. He’s listed in the Rock Jock Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was given his highest honor when he was inducted into the Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

 

Jim LaBarbara

One of the Top 40 Radio Personalities of All Time:

Jim writes:

I've been in Cincinnati since 1969. I was no 1 afternoon drive for almost 15 yrs at WLW. I did leave WLW in 1972 for 9 moths to do mornings at KTLK in Denver but then returned to WLW.

I got a master's degree in Broadcast Management in 1977 at the University of Cincinnati. The dept. head at that time was Bill Randle, the great Cleveland jock who introduced Elvis for the 1st time on network TV. He discovered a number of the 50s groups. I learned a lot from him.

I married a Cincinnati lady. We have 2 teenagers. My daughter will be a senior in high school and my son plays football at Depauw University.

In 1995 I was named one of the top 40 top 40 disc jockeys of all time -- by Decalco Mania, the club for fans of radio. In 1969 WLW PD Jim Gallant gave me the nickname the "music professor" because of my music knowledge well that has stuck with me. In 1981 R&R referred to me as the consumate radio interviewer "hes interviewed virtually every major, or passing recording star from (A to Z) Herb Alpert to the Zombies." Memories meeting the beatles in 1964 them joking with me about the yeah, yeah, yeahs. The Rolling Stones throwing a bithday cake in the toilet and making a little girl cry. I've never forgiven them for that. Partying with the stars in the 60s and now working with them at oldies shows 30 yrs later and reminiscing.

My 1st day at WKYC in 66 I told Harry Martin, part of morning team, that I took his advice 3 yrs earlier. I had played an aircheck while I was in college. He told me to take singing lessons because he had a professionally trained singing voice. I told him I took singing lessons my senior year. He laughed & said, "You dummy. We were putting you on."

In a car with Bobby Vinton at a fair outsde of Dubois, PA with a mob of teenage girls start to rock it. Yes, for Bobby Vinton.

Winning a bed boat race in Cleveland's Lake Erie: pictures show me waving, looking happy. It appeared on a magazine cover. In reality I was screaming for help. I was sinking and I had floated way out. The station people were busy partying.

WIXY contest: Most endowed woman. Anything NY can do Cleveland can do bigger and better. A lady had walked and almost stopped the NY stock exchange. Traffic stopped in Cleveland for the lunch hour. Police came on horses. I got 2 winners into our station car but Norman Wain, WIXY owner, locked me out. He wanted me to get arrested so I could do my show from jail. After chasing the car down Euclid Avenue he finally let me in. We did make the front page of the Enquirer.

Most of all I love doing the afternoon show at WGRR today, still playing the same music, still having fun and making new memories.

Last Updated ( Sunday, 09 September 2007 )
 
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