The Leo Knott Collection

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Leo Knott 		Leo Knott was a Chicago native who majored in Radio-TV at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois. Chicago radio (WLS, WVON, WCFL, WJPC, WGN and others) was a big influence in his life.

At SIU, he worked for campus station WIDB and WSIU-FM. After graduation in December, 1972, Leo worked overnights and eventually afternoon drive at KOWH, Omaha, from 1973 to 1974. He was at WNOV in Milwaukee for morning drive from 1974 to 1975, KDKO Denver for morning drive and KAAT, Denver from 1976 to 1977, and in 1979, Leo joined KVOV Las Vegas to do morning drive and serve as Program Coordinator. From there, Los Angeles came calling and he's been in the L.A. market since then.

Leo went to 50,000 watt KDAY from 1979 to 1983 and did overnights, weekends and fill-in. From 1983 to 1984, he served in audio operations at All News KFWB, and from 1984-1985, audio operations at KABC/KLOS, plus weekends and fill-ins at KJLH. From 1989 until 2009, Leo worked at KACE, KGFJ, KRLA and KTYM as an announcer or audio engineer.

Leo Knott passed away in December, 2010.

The Repository thanks Leo Knott for sharing!
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Leo Knott, KJLH Compton-Los Angeles, 1984-1989 (0:09:22)

… I wish you could see the gleam in his eyes, a little bit like somebody bumped his elbow while he was brushing his teeth …
This aircheck features myself (Leo Knott) at Stevie Wonder’s KJLH (Kindness, Joy, Love and Happiness) where I spent my longest stint as a jock. I had nice success with KJLH’s Sunday Oldies Show (#1, Arbitron) and took my oldies act to KACE (#8, Arbitron.) [Curator’s note: Leo Knott passed away in December, 2010.]
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Jay Johnson, WVON Chicago, October 18, 1972 (0:15:57)

… Chef Boy R Jay …
Jay Johnson is one of my all-time favorite jocks. I don’t know all the stations where he worked, but he did work the San Antonio market at one time. I heard Jay on Chicago’s WGRT (later to be WJPC) where he was Orange Juice Jay in the morning. He was wooed away to WVON, the urban music giant. WVON had great personalities like Joe Cobb (the voice of Soul Train, at least, at the beginning) Herb Kent (The Cool Gent), Bill “Butterball” Crane, E. Rodney Jones, Cecil Hale, Richard Pegue, Pervis Spahn, and others. After WVON, Jay Johnson ventured to WTLC in Indianapolis to serve as PD and handle on-air duties. He was Super Jay in his twilight at WVON and carried over into the Indianapolis market.
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Rick Dees, Composite, KHJ Los Angeles, 1979-1980 (0:29:21)

… ratings must be good on the radio station, I notice the boss just installed a new bush in the men’s room …
Rick Dees has a large cast of characters on this composite and great impersonations. It starts out with a take on Bette Davis that is absolutely hilarious. Plus, there’s Willard Wiseman, The Reverend Dr. Billy Frank, and others. The Groanin’ Barrett impersonation is a take on Good Morning America’s Rona Barrett. There are lots of funny bits on this tape and Dees is at his best putting it all together. Newsman Lee Marshall plays well with the gang.

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Welcome to the new ReelRadio!

This site is now operated by the North Carolina Broadcast History Museum. 

We want to thank the board of ReelRadio, Inc. for their stewardship since the passing of the founder Richard Irwin in 2018.  It has not been easy and they have maintained the exhibits for future generations to enjoy.

I met Richard Irwin, aka Uncle Ricky, when we were freshmen at East Carolina University.  We both had worked at local stations in our hometowns.  No one was more passionate about radio, especially Top 40 radio, than my friend Richard. 

Our goals with this site are to preserve the exhibits and make them available free of charge for people to enjoy.  Over time, we hope to add some airchecks to the site.  This will not happen immediately.  Time and resources will determine the future of new exhibits. 

Many thanks to the web folks at the Beasley Media Group for countless hours of work.  Again thanks to the board members of ReelRadio, Inc. for their faith in us. 

Richard Irwin’s hope was that his site would live on long after his passing. He said, “I hope REELRADIO will survive as my contribution to the ‘radio business’. The business is allowed to forget me, but the business should never forget the great era of radio that we celebrate here”.

We remember Richard and we thank him. If you enjoy this new site, we would appreciate a contribution. We hope you enjoy the new ReelRadio!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum