Died On This Date (November 29, 2008) Bill Drake / Radio Programming Pioneer
themusicsover Bill Drake (Born Philip Yarbrough)
January 14, 1937 – November 29, 2008
Bill Drake was a pioneering radio programmer and disc jockey who, along with his partner Gene Chenault, developed the popular ’60s format of Boss Radio. Beginning his career during the ’50s, Drake joined up with Chenualt by the early ’60s and created a format that was more focused on the immediate hits and the hip personalities of such DJs as the Real Don Steele and Robert W. Morgan. They helped bring fun and excitement to radio with the help of boss radio jingles, less commercials, shorter DJ segments between songs, and of course, more music. Drake also introduced market research into the radio business to make sure his stations were playing what the kids wanted to hear. It was still Top 40 radio, only better for its era. The excitement of the British Invasion in 1964 only helped solidify the format and turn dying radio stations into local powerhouses. One of those stations was Los Angeles based 93 KHJ, where Drake worked until 1973. Bill Drake was 71 when he died of lung cancer on November 29, 2008.
Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.