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Los Angeles Radio People

LA RADIO PEOPLE

KFI, 2021-23

YAMAMOTO, Jane

Jane joined the KFI news department in late 2021.
KKJZ, 2006-07

Yamanaka, Kellen

Kellen worked evenings at the all-Jazz station until the spring of 2007 when there was a management change.
KCBH

Yarnell, Bruce

Bruce worked afternoons at KCBH and then moved to San Diego. He had a starring role in the 1963 film, Irma La Douce . Bruce was Deputy Marshal Chalk Breeson in the tv series The Outlaws in the early 1960s. Bruce died in a plane crash in 1973.
KLOS, 1971-77; KLSX, 1986-89

YATES, Tom

Tom owns KOZT-Santa Rosa/Mendocino County. Tom is credited with taking KABC/fm and turning it into KLOS and a powerhouse AOR competitor, with the “Rock ‘N Stereo” marketing campaign.

In 1974 Tom shared some of his programming philosophy with James Brown of the LA Times: “The hard-core music freaks were listening, but we weren’t taking anyone away from Top 40. Also, those people on the borderline who appreciated album cuts were put off by the ‘underground’ presentation. We also discovered that the Bill Drake-programmed KHJ/fm had a greater audience than KMET, KPPC and KLOS combined. So we sat down and decided to do something about the format.” KLOS retained the album cuts, but the music dwelled on the mainstream of Rock, rather than the fringe element, and the on-air personalities retained the low-key, whispered knowledge of traditional FM rock but were allowed to expand their individual approaches. Tom was quoted in a 1975 issue of Time magazine in a story titled “Sex Rock.” He left KLOS in the summer of 1978 to form Nova Broadcasting Services, which included consulting KWST and he was simultaneously editor of Goodphone Weekly, a trade publication out of Sherman Oaks, which was sold to Billboard in 1980. In late 1980 Tom left L.A. for KSAN and KKCY-San Francisco when it changed format and call letters and became “the Quake.” Before he returned to the Southland, he worked in St. Louis.

Tom was born in L.A and he was a psych major at the University of Nebraska. While doing graduate work at the University of California at Berklely, Tom was a doorman at the world famous Big Al’s on Broadway in San Francisco. He befriended Tom Donahue and it turned out they lived in the same area of Pacific Heights. On December 1, 1999, Tom bought KOZT in Santa Rosa, where he currently lives.

KFWB, 1987-92

Yeager, Bill

Bill was vp of news/sports/weather for MetroNetworks, based in Philadelphia until the spring of 2019. He’s now a wrangler at Yellowstone Park.

KMPC, 1992

YEAGER, Steve

The former L.A. Dodger catcher hosted a baseball show during the launch of KMPC’s all-Sports format.

Steve was born November 24, 1948 in Huntington, West Virginia and spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the LA Dodgers. He is the cousin of the late test pilot Chuck Yeager. At his wedding Mayor Tom Bradley was his best man. Lou Brock called Yeager “the best-throwing catcher in the game.”

In 1976, Yeager was injured when teammate Bill Russell’s bat shattered as he hit a ground ball and a large, jagged piece from the heavy end of the bat slammed into the throat of Yeager, who was in the on-deck circle. The wood hit him in the neck and pierced his esophagus.

Steve owns a Jersey Mike’s Subs franchise. He served as a technical advisor and also played a small role as Coach Duke Temple, in Major League, Major Leauge II, and Major League: Back to the Minors. In 1982, Yeager posed semi-nude in a Playgirl magazine centerfold, according to Wikipedia.

KVOE, 1942; KFWB, 1942-68; KLAC, 1969

YOCAM, Joe

Joe was one of the original “Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen,” working noon to three on Chuck Blore’s “Color Radio” KFWB during its debut on January 2, 1958. He was given credit for dubbing the music list “Fabulous Forty.”

Born and raised in South Bend, Joe started out in radio at WASP-Borger, Texas. He came to the Southland to attend Santa Ana City College and worked at KVOE (later KWIZ) in Santa Ana. Joe spent a quarter of a century with KFWB.

In early 1965, KFWB let Joe go and he filed a grievance with AFTRA. At one period he was president of the union. In December 1965, KFWB was forced to hire Joe back, and he stayed until March 1968, when the station went all-News. Joe was a staff announcer with PBS’s KCET. He devoted much of his time as a volunteer with Rancho Los Amigoes Home for disadvantaged children. Joe retired to Balboa Island and died of cancer March 3, 1974. He was 55.

KFWB, 1988-91; KFSH, 2005-07: KNX, 2012-23

YORK, Jennifer

Jennifer is the morning drive traffic reporter at KNX. She worked at KTLA/Channel 5 from 1991-2004 as a morning host and traffic reporter.

Her airborne assignment for KTLA started in 1992, following traffic reporting for KFWB. Her reporting over the Malibu fires paid off in 1993, when she was awarded her first Emmy. Two more Emmy Awards, one for her coverage of the Northridge Earthquake, and the other for her “Morning News” reports, followed, as well as two Golden Mike Awards, one for Best Traffic Reporter 1998, and one for her coverage of the Jewish Center shooting in 1999.

In 1987, Jennifer was a dj at KDAR-Oxnard. She graduated from UCLA with a dual degree in political science and communications. In 1983 Jennifer went to work as a talent coordinator for Pierre Cossette Productions, working on the Grammy and American Music Awards shows. From 1984 to 1987, she was a production coordinator at Good Morning America in New York and assistant to Joel Siegel. “Never forget your roots and the people who helped get you where you are.”

Jennifer is a professional electric and acoustic bassist with The York Quartet, an all-female jazz group.

KGBS, 1974

YORTY, Sam

The former mayor for 12 tumultuous years hosted a morning drive show during KGBS’s brief move into an all-Talk format. Sam died June 5, 1998, at the age of 88.

Mike Downey of the LA Times said the teaming of Yorty with Wally George made Rush Limbaugh seem like a “meek little mouse.” His producer, Wally George, told the LA Times at the time: “People see Yorty as filling the void of conservative commentary that has been left vacant since the death of Marv Gray.” The ex-saxophone player from Nebraska, “Mayor Sam” started his show each morning with his theme “Sam’s Song.” He was born October 1, 1909.

KMET, 1971-83 and 1985-87

YOUNG, Ace

Ace worked mornings with Jeff Gonzer at KZAP-Sacramento until 2020.

Born Dennis Young in St. Louis, he moved with his parents to Ojai when he was 12 and hung out after school at KUDU-Ventura, where he eventually got his first job while in high school. After two years at Ventura Community College, where he was elected president of the student body, Ace moved to Sacramento State and became gm of the college station. (Dennis called everyone “Ace” so he got stuck with it as a nickname.)

The times, they were a-changing. It was 1968 and Ace convinced the owner of KZAP to allow a group to change the station from Jazz to Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and other music coming out of the Bay Area. There were two complete staffs at KZAP, each group working four days. One group would live in a downtown commune while the other lived on a 156-acre spread and farmed collectively. “If we were lucky, we even got paid every couple of weeks, if the water bed companies paid their bills.” It was the first time news and music complemented each other.

Ace was instrumental in disseminating news to “underground” stations all over the country. In 1971 Ace became a key member of “the mighty Met,” working AM drive and as news director. In 1977 in Santa Barbara he launched his own news network “Newspace.” It served stations in all the major California markets. “Newspace” folded after two years, and Ace returned briefly to KMET.

In 1984 he joined Turner’s new CNN radio network in Atlanta and a year later went to WINZ-Miami. He rejoined KMET in late 1985 in morning drive, only to see it go off the air. “I came back to nothing. The times had disappeared and finally KMET was gone.” Ace did some syndicated shows and managed a radio station near Yosemite Park, where he moved to be close to his elderly parents. Ace lives in a home heated by wood and he gets his water from a ditch system that was built in 1850. “The times have changed. I’m looking out my window and I see 200-foot redwood and pine trees.” Ace has developed a Web site that serves Yosemite National Park. It is a rich resource for visitors from around the world.

KACE

YOUNG, Billy

Billy is co-director of Fellowship Open. He worked for KACE for eight years during the 1980s. He is now living and working in Milwaukee.

KLON, 1988-93; KPCC, 1998-2002

YOUNG, Cindy

For seven years, Cindy was working to end homelessness among veterans – as the Vice President of Development and Marketing at New Directions for Veterans, where she raised $25 million. From 2003-07, Cindy was the assistant Dean of Development, School of Theatre at USC. She increased baseline annual giving five-fold from $60,000 to $300,000.

Since 2014, she runs her own company, which provides fund raising and marketing counsel to nonprofit organizations.

The University of Vermont graduate has raised more than $60 million in her career.

KFI, 1996-97

YOUNG, Clara

Clara is a practicing therapist.
KHOF, 1963-65; KUTE, 1965; KGLA, 1965; KPPC, 1965-66; KFMU, 1966; KGLA, 1966; KDAY, 1967; KPPC, 1967, KHOF, 1968-71; KPSA, 1971-72; KWST, 1972-75; KBCA, 1975-78; KHOF, 1978-80; KKGO, 1980-86, KJOI, 1981-84

Young , David L

David is a voiceover talent.

Young, Dexter

Dexter was a sound engineer for Humble Harve, Sam Riddle and Johnny Williams.
KNOB, 60s

Young, Ed

Ed was a jazz dj at Long Beach’s Jazz KNOB.
KFI, 1978-79

YOUNG, Jeff

Jeff worked for many years at Westwood One beginning in 1994. He’s now Chief Player / Publisher / Director of Random Number Research at nevadaplayersclub.com.

Born in L.A. in 1957, Jeff was raised on “Boss Radio.” He never realized his dream of working at KHJ, but did make stops at KRIZ-Phoenix, and WDRQ-Detroit before returning to the Southland in 1978 to wind up at KFI. “I wasn’t there long, but it was an interesting run. I got the gig because one night I was listening to a certain dj (who shall remain nameless) do his KFI show, when I noticed he was sounding a bit ‘out of it.’ He was stumbling, rambling and missing cues. After awhile of this, he disappeared and the board op segued records until someone else could come in to cover. I’m not sure what happened, but I was at KFI early the next morning with tape in hand.” Jeff was hired by om Biggie Nevens, after an on-air audition, but when pd John Rook returned from vacation, he really turned the heat up. “Talk about micro-managing, he hassled and hot lined me for three solid months until we ended up parting company. It was good experience, though, and toughened me up for future gigs. I was just 21.”

KBLA, 1963-64; KHOF, 1967-69; KUSC, 1969-72

YOUNG, Jonathan

Jonathan is a clinical psychologist in Santa Barbara and a commentator for the History Channel.

“My approach is Jungian, with an emphasis on the unfolding of life stories,” said Jonathan at his website.

Dr. Young is a psychologist and storyteller who assisted mythologist Joseph Campbell at seminars — and went on to become the founding curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives. He also created and chaired the Mythological Studies program. More recently, he’s been lecturing in academic settings such as Oxford, Notre Dame, and the UCLA School of Medicine.

His training for health professionals around California and online are offered through the Center for Story and Symbol. Jonathan also lectures for arts organizations, including the San Diego Opera, Edinburgh International Festival, expressive arts therapy conferences, and screenwriting programs. He consults on films for major studios and appears as a mythology expert on the History Channel.

KSRF, 1980

Young, Neil

The former morning man at K-Surf, now writes for Mohave Valley Daily News . Born Neil Young on September 29, 1948, he was raised in upstate New York. Neil caught the radio bug at 8 listening to Albany radio. “I preferred to worship radio from a far, working in a supermarket and a matchbook factory, but after graduating from a community college, at age 23, I started my career in Kingston, New York. In 1975 he worked at WRCQ-Hartford and then on to WAQY-Springfield and in 1978 landed at KFXM in the Inland Empire. Jeff Salgo was consultant for KFXM and Neil went to work as a research assistant at Claude Hall’s Radio Report, where Salgo was editor. After the magazine folded, Neil joined “Magic91”-San Diego and then KSRF. “I returned to Albany in late 1980 and worked for a number of upstate New York stations. “I consider working in L.A. as the apex of my career.”

KTLK, 2005

YOUNG, Steve

Steve joined the Progressive talker Air America for weekends in the spring of 2005. He was the political editor of National Lampoon. Steve is an award-winning TV writer and author of Great Failures of the Extremely Successful.

KMPC, 1987-91

YOUNGBLOOD, Jack

Jack, the former LA Ram, was the radio announcer for the St. Louis Rams.

Jack played in the 1980 Super Bowl with a broken leg and never in his 13-year pro career did he play injury-free. He lives near Orlando and is a consultant for the Arena Football League and fishes and hunts and raises his son, Robert. Sports Illustrated named Jack the 4th best pass rusher in NFL history.

KIQQ

Youngblood, Rob

Unknown.
KMET, 1971-73

Yurdin, Larry

Larry did satirical news at KMET under the name “Kapusta Kid.” Larry lives in Seattle and designs computer networks.
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