Issue #496 - January 7, 1975
Billy Pearl first appeared on the survey in September 1974 and he worked the 6PM - 10PM shift for appx one year. A fan favorite during his time at KHJ, his final appearance on the survey came in August 1975.
He went on to become a lawyer and was the founder of the LB Report website, which covers important issues related to the City of Long Beach. He passed away on January 4, 2022 at age 71.
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4 comments:
Another way the mind plays tricks: I liked Billy Pearl and listened to him a lot; I was in 11th grade at this time. But I could have sworn he was in the afternoon slot. Apparently not. Anyway, I liked him because, as I remember it anyway, he had some Steele madness.
Steve:
Bill would take that as a huge compliment.
Bill's L.A. Top 40 resume' was very brief: KKDJ from March, 1973 until December; K-100 from December, 1973 until September, 1974 and KHJ from September, 1974 until August, 1975.
He was tremendous at all three, but I remember him best from KKDJ, where I could hear him every night at the time (via cable and a translator in Bishop, California). K-100 couldn't be heard in Bishop or San Luis Obispo (the two places I lived during his run there...I've only heard his K-100 work via airchecks) and I spent January through June of 1975 in San Diego, where KHJ's night signal was pretty bad (at least in my neighborhood).
I was listening for the two weeks of Pearl's vacation, during which Dave Sebastian subbed but they played Billy's jock jingle. The following Monday, they weren't playing the jock jingle anymore. That's when I knew Billy was gone.
The soon to be Number 1 "Fire" debuts. One of many great songs from the Ohio Players.
Pearl was replaced by some big voiced guy,that nobody remembers. This is one of Charlie Van Dykes first mistakes. Billy was like MG, special talent not just some guy reading liners.
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