John Rook bio

   Read  from "Passing Thru"

           "Before I Begin"

          "The Presidents"

         "Burt Lancaster"

         "In Like Flynn"

    "Andy, David & June"

            

  Eddie  Cochran

     Here's "More Eddie Photo's"

My friend Eddie Cochran, an early inductee into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, was an extraordinarily talented guitarist, singer and songwriter who influenced later artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and many others.

Read Graham Pugh's  "The Truth About Eddie Cochran"


              

                             "Elvis"

        

            KTLN/KTLK here   

                                                           

"A Slice of Pie & Howard's"     Pie Traynor, Howard K. Smith,   Howard Cosell   

        

   "Mick & The Rolling Stones"

 

  "Thanks for theMemory "                Bob Hope, Nat King Cole                  

                "Astronaut"

               "WLS Bound"  and the WABC strike of 1967.


         "The Big 89 - WLS"

 

             

Cecil Heftel bought it, Buzz Bennett gave birth to it,  John Rook consulted it and hired Bill Tanner to create Miami's legendary Y-100  

       

          

             "I love LA - 64 KFI"  

         

        "KABC  - Talk Radio's First

"For More Than A Decade"  it was top rated in Tucson. One of my most successful station's in a favorite city

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A stage for many of the nations most celebrated radio star�s, it became "Super CFL" in the early 70�s in one of radio�s great battles when Super Jock Larry Lujack, Big Ron O�Brien, Paul Kirby, Kris Erik Stevens and a few others joined me at Super CFL

  

My little slice of Paradise

 

VOTE NOW here

 

 John's Poetry Page

Here

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A Tribute to Bill Gavin here

My wise friend Bill said, "Sharing           life's experiences with the generations  that follow is probably the most important thing we can do."

I think of him often when writing on these pages.

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Web Radio

Click on to enjoy

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Radio's Rich "Brother" Robbin  creates oldies radio like it should be. Streaming on the web here

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Rewind with Jimmy Jay as he interviews and features recent photos of the Superstars of early rock here

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If you have an RV you've gotta hear RV Dream Radio  

           

  Southern California beach conditions

Click For The Correct Time

"One of the great programmers, honest, passionate and powerful.   John has never pulled any punches." -

 Chuck Blore

 

"John Rook was absolutely instrumental in my career. I think of him as my radio "Dad". He was more than a great programmer, he was a great teacher, and remains a great friend"  -  Tim Kelly
Founder
The Premiere Radio Networks 

 

 

It pleases me the rest of the country thinks as highly of you as I do� �  Bill Drake

 

One of  "Most Influential Programmers of the Past 20 Years"  -  Radio & Records

 

Honored as one of

"Radio's Legends"

Radio & Record Convention - (1998)

 

Radio Programmer of the Year

Gavin Convention - (1969)

 

Radio's Man of the Year

Variety Magazine - (1969) 

 

Radio Consultant of the Year

Poe Convention (1977)

 

�John Rook�s talent caused me to get him hired out of the market. A classy guy with an abundance of ability, he�s a jewel�. Ken Palmer - KIMN, Denver  (1965)

 

Broadcasters have named John Rook Program Director of the Year, he�s considered the architect of WLS�s slick image. � Variety (1969)

 

�If we could find a dozen more John Rook�s, we would hire them�

Hal Neal Jr., President ABC radio.

 

�What a true professional John Rook is�

 Walter A. Schwartz, VP WABC

 

Yes, that�s John Rook you are hearing on WABC.  Besides being a great director, he�s also a pretty darn good air talent.� 

Bill Gavin (1967)

 

�And then there�s John Rook at WCFL.  After a five year stint at ABC�s KQV-Pittsburgh, Mr. Rook was brought to WLS in early 1967 as Program Director.  By mid 1968 WLS�s audience had risen to 4.2 million listeners each week and was #1 across the board. Mr. Rook was approached by Lew Witz of WCFL with an offer to counsel WCFL, and hopefully to bring the station in contention with WLS. Six weeks later Super � CFL knocked WLS out of the top position in the ratings war�.      Broadcasting (1972)

 

John Rook  pulled off a miracle in Chicago with WCFL and he did it in just 22 days.

Meaning, he was only in Chicago personally for 22 days.  This is actually better than WCFL has ever done in it�s many years of trying to beat WLS.  -  Billboard (1972)


 �Very few programmers have your natural ability of knowing what the audience wants before they do.�  

Jack Thayer, WNBC � New York

 

�Please accept this token of ABC�s appreciation for a job well done.�

Leonard Goldenson,

President ABC, Inc.

The magic of John Rook & Associates is being heard on more and more stations. John has added  Paul Kirby from WRKO to help him with his latest additions, KRBE-Houston, WIFI-Philadelphia, WZGC-Cleveland,  KDON-Salinas/Montery, KTLK-Denver, KAFY-Bakersfield, Z-93-Atlanta, KTKT-Tucson, KENO-Las Vegas, KRUX-Phoenix, KROY-Sacramento and WGNG in Providence. -  Gavin Report - 1974 

Superjock Larry LuJack described John Rook as �the greatest program director of our time or any other time.�  ABC executive Bob Henabery is quoted as saying that �Rook understood the importance of doing everything right. He was a masterful Top 40 programmer.�


Source: ReelRadio.com
            Rook's Radiography

 

rookflag.gif (7195 bytes)

Click on any below to visit them

        Where Are They ?         

    440: Satisfaction gives a complete rundown on those who made contributions to radio over the years.

Judicial Watch advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation�s public life and seeks to ensure that political and judicial officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. 

Spotlight on....

A salute to those who deserve recognition

        

     If a major disaster hits        Are you ready?

Click here to find out

 

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San Francisco Radio History

 

St.Louis Radio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff Roteman's Radioville

Award winning website

Pittsburgh/Chicago radio

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Brian Maloney's "Radio Equalizer"

Radio-Info.com

Jerry Del Colliano, founder of  "Inside Radio" continues to speak out at "Inside Music Media" here

Read Lee Abrams here

 with George Noory

Jerry Doyle

Rollye James

Michael Savage

Bill Press

Museum of Broadcast Communications

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        Some friends....           

Now in the Radio Hall of Fame, my good friend Larry Lujack gave fuel to my own radio career.   

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Radio for Chuck Blore began at KTKT in Tucson, a decade or so before I became the stations consultant. Gordon McLendon hired Blore to program KTSA in San Antonio and then KELP in El Paso.  His arrival at KFWB-Los Angeles created the highest rated major market radio station ever.  Forming The Chuck Blore Company brought over 500 major awards for commercial excellence.  Chuck is one of a kind � the most creative source in the history of radio.  No one motivates better than Chuck Blore.  Visit him here

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Bobby Cochran, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame star Eddie Cochran, writes of those early days when my friend Eddie and I roamed southern California as teenagers. "Three Steps to Heaven" is available at Amazon.com 

Visit Bobby Cochran and taste his music here.

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Wink Martindale is a master entertainer of radio and TV game shows.

"Winking at Life" is Wink's life story available at Amazon.com or at his website here.

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It's where Rock n' Roll began, a combination of white and black gospel, old and new country, doo-wop, blues,  western cowboy and pop music at Shelby Singleton's Sun Records.   

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Bill Young made his mark as one of America's top programmers in radio who now creates great video commercials. Visit him here

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A trademark voice of radio and  commercials, Kris Erik Stevens delivers. Always energetic, always positive and always a friend. Visit him here

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The Pew Research Center

    Share The Truth   

Truth or Fiction  

Urban Legends

Hoax Busters

Contact Links
e-mail FCC Commissioners
e-mail U.S. House Members
e-mail U.S. Senate Members

File FCC Indecency Complaint here

 

Archives of JohnRook.com

 July - August 2005

September 2005

October - November 2005

December 2005 - January 2006

Jan - Feb - March, April, May 2006

June, July, August, Sept 2006

Oct, Nov, Dec 2006

Jan, Feb, March 2007

August, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec 2007

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr 2008

 

 

 

 

Locations of visitors to this page

 

 

Capitol records had succeeded in creating excitement over the Beatles, but thus far they had never appeared in the states. When word surfaced they were preparing to make their first concert tour here, I wanted to make sure KQV was the station who presented them to Pittsburghers if they were to include our city in their plans.

One day in early 1964, KQV�s night time jock, Chuck Brinkman, excitedly lurched inside my office door to inform, �the Beatles are coming here and Tim Torme�s the contact.�  I had never heard of Mr. Torme but Brinkman provided my introduction. 

Our meeting was short and to the point. Knowing that he held all the cards, Torme simply laid out the rules if KQV were to have any chance of presenting the Beatles.  Prior to their arrival, he explained, he was planning several other concerts and if KQV wanted to be involved with the Beatles, the station would have to show their appreciation by promoting each of his concerts leading up to the mop tops arrival in Pittsburgh. �Do a good job and you�ll be in the running�, was the only agreement we had. He would place a limited amount of advertising on the station but it would be up to KQV to make his ventures successful.  We shook hands in agreement.

I debated for several days on how to explain my obligating the station to my boss John Gibbs. It was verboten for any ABC owned radio station to provide free commercial advertising to anyone. Company policy prevented any advertiser from having an advantage over any other client. I needed to give Torme�s concerts much more attention on the air than he was paying for. How, I worried, could I pull this off.

Finally, one late afternoon I requested a meeting with Mr. Gibbs. As I entered his office and sat down in front of his desk, he smiled, �I hear KQV is going to present the Beatles� he said. �Well I certainly hope so� I replied as I began to sketch in the details.  �There�s always a way to make things work out� he interrupted.  �How much do you think its worth for KQV to present the Beatles?  If they are going to be as big as you say they are, then it should be a valuable promotion for the station�. Rolling his eyes upward, he explained, �lets just have an agreement on file that indicates we traded some radio time for a station promotion�.  Brilliant, I thought�as he rose to come from behind his desk to give me a hug.  �You did fine my friend�, he said with me smiling to depart his office.     

 

The very first act Tim Torme expected us to promote was an unknown group who would be appearing at West View Park, a local Pittsburgh area amusement center. To the astonishment of the local London records promotion man, KQV began playing a release titled, �Not Fade Away�. He argued another act on his label, the quality pianist Roger Williams, had an album that deserved more air play than the record we were programming. �I didn�t even bring it in, where did you get it�, he asked. I didn�t bother to tell him the Rolling Stones, would soon be appearing in Pittsburgh.  We proceeded to promote the upcoming show, but not with much success.

 The day Mick and the boys arrived I received a call from London Records in New York City telling me I was welcome at a friendly get together to �meet the boys� that afternoon at the Carlton House in downtown Pittsburgh. I was looking forward to hearing what these English lads knew about my close friend Eddie Cochran.  Less than five years after his tragic death in the UK, his mother Alice told me rock artists there had elevated Eddie to sainthood.  I wanted to know how much influence Eddie had on these guys�the Rolling Stones�what a silly name I thought. As I was preparing to leave KQV Tim Torme called, �I thought you might want to know, the Rolling Stones are a bit controversial.� �Oh!� I questioned with a grimace, just what I needed to learn on the day of the event. �They�re just a little wild, but knowing your ABC situation, I wanted to give you a heads up,� he said as I was reminded of a conversation I had with John Gibbs who cautioned, �never do anything that could embarrass the company.�

Entering the lobby of the Carlton House, I was reminded, this was the same hotel Eddie Cochran had stayed at a few years earlier when on tour. The nervous London records promotion man greeted me in the lobby, blurting out �I�m surprised you even showed up.� He indicated he was embarrassed, London had long been known for the elevator music of the label�s biggest selling artists Mantovani and Roger Williams. Heretofore the label had never released a rock record.  

Heading towards the elevator, he questioned me for more information on the Rolling Stones. Strange I thought, he�s asking me for information about �his� artists. He clearly was not comfortable as he expressed confusion as to why a label like London Records would be involved with such ilk and how his personal reputation could suffer eruptible damage for having to associate himself with the Rolling Stones. Taking the elevator to their floor, I mentioned I had been told they were �controversial�� �God help us�, was his reply.  �That�s what the press release from London said too�.   

The Stones road manager seemed delighted to see us, explaining he was puzzled over the local press who had shown no interest in their arrival. As he introduced me to each member of the band, I asked Mick Jagger what he knew about Eddie Cochran. A broad smile hogged his face and his eyes lit up to say, �Twenty Flight Rock�, the name of one of Eddie�s hits in England but virtually ignored in the states. I knew we had connected as I explained we could be in the same hotel room Eddie had stayed in just a few short years earlier before the trip to England that claimed his young life. �The cat is royalty man,� Mick said before a frown came upon the face of everyone in the room when the London Records rep asked, �Whose Eddie Cochran?�  No one bothered to reply.

Later, as I drove home before heading to the concert, I amused myself thinking how odd it was seeing men in long hair. I wore a crew cut then, little did I know that before this British invasion was over, my own hair would be shoulder length. 

That June evening, the air was chilly as I headed for the stage to experience my first Rolling Stones concert.  I was disappointed that not more than three hundred kids showed up that night. I was concerned that promoter Torme would not be pleased with such a limited gathering of KQV listeners. I noticed the London Records promotion guy moving through the crowd, �I wonder if they�ll buy albums� he said with a smirk on his face belittling the age of those in attendance. Mick�s strut across the small stage excited the audience, but not the London promotion man, �He�s terrible� was his observation.  �Let just say he�s different� was my reply as I remembered just how �different� Elvis and even Eddie had been not that long ago.  

 

Arriving at the office the next morning, Ruthie, Mr. Gibbs� secretary approached, �John wants to see you,� she said.  Grabbing a cup of coffee I headed up the hall to Mr. Gibbs� office. As I entered he signaled the seriousness by saying �Shut the door, John� as he slid the morning newspaper across his desk asking, �Have you seen this?�

Focusing my eyes on a photo of the Rolling Stones from the night before, I began reading the reporter�s comments on how KQV had introduced Pittsburgh�s teens to some �controversial� rubbish from England�as the writer suggested we had best learn from this mistake.

Gibbs quietly cautioned that this �mistake� would now require extra effort to rebuild the trust and confidence the station had long enjoyed with West View Park, not to mention the trust and confidence of those listeners who suffered by attending the show. Leaning forward across his desk, Gibbs warned in his usual soft gentlemanly way,

 �John, don�t ever let something like this happen again.� 

My defending the Rolling Stones was futile. After a few telephone calls I learned the reporter hadn�t even attended the concert! He simply sent a photographer with orders to return with a picture, everything else, including the word �controversial�, came from a London Records news release and it achieved exactly what the company wanted, as London Records image of being the �Mantovani label� faded to became a major force distributing much of England�s new rock music

Gibbs made a point how �this terrible newspaper article� would also make its way to headquarters in New York. �You can bet they�ll be on this before the day is over,� he lamented.  I tried to discredit the story, but as he rose from his desk signaling our meeting had ended, I returned to my office bewildered, wondering just how much trouble I might be in before this agreement with Tim Torme finally delivered the Beatles for KQV.

 

Of course, none of us then, with the possible exception of Mick Jagger himself, realized that in time he would be knighted by the Queen of England and still be touring with the Worlds Greatest Rock and Roll Band more than four decades later.