Jim Ladd

JIM LADD:



KNAC, 1967-69; KLOS, 1969-75; KMET, 1974-87; KLOS, 1985-86; KMPC/fm/KEDG, 1988-89; KLSX, 1991-95; KLOS, 1997-2011. Jim, who was there for the birth of "underground" AOR, chronicled it in a book, Radio Waves: Life and Revolution on the FM Dial.

Born in 1948 in a small farming community outside Sacramento, at age 21 he moved to Long Beach to work at KNAC. In 1980 Jim was cited as the Top Rock Jock for "the passion that he brings to both the songs he plays and the words that set the mood. Ladd cares and it shows." In 1974, he started hosting "The Every Other Sunday Stereo Special," an interview show described by Jim as "a cross between 60 Minutes and a kick-ass hour of rock 'n' roll." It later became the ABC syndicated show, "Inner View," put together by Damion and a KLOS salesman.

In 1984 he hosted "Live From the Record Plant" for RKO Radio Networks. Jim left KMET for a brief time in 1985, going to KLOS for a Saturday night show, which he left on September 26, 1986. He returned to "the Mighty Met" and was there when the plug was pulled on February 6, 1987. Listen for Jim's voice in the MGM movie Rush.

In 1994, producer Howard W. Koch, Jr., optioned his book to be made into a movie for Paramount Pictures. Jim was let go from KLSX when the station changed from "classic rock" to "Real Radio" Talk format in the summer of 1995. On his departure he told Gary Lycan of the OC Register: "The problem is not KLSX but radio in general. It's not run by people who know the music anymore. This decision was made 3,000 miles away, and all radio is like that. They try to pick a little narrow slot." Jim returned to KLOS September 22, 1997, while the station was attempting to regain its Rock glory years.

Jim worked late night at KLOS until leaving the station 10.26.11, following the Cumulus take-over of Citadel/LA. He started at Sirius/XM in February 2012.

Source:
http://www.laradio.com/

It's a damn shame. KLOS could have easily taken over the reins of KMET, but instead chose to be a bunch of narrow minded, money grubbing ba$tard$. They ran roughshod over some of the best radio personalities LA has ever known. They will certainly pay the price for their short-sightedness. WHOO-YA!!!