Rock Radio Heaven (N)
JAY NELSON
Born: July 12, 1936
Died: February 18, 1994, Toronto
Also known as: Jungle Jay; his birth name was Frank Coxe.
Stations: WRIT Milwaukee, WARM Scranton, Pa., WHLO Akron, Ohio, WBNY, WKBW, WKBW-TV Buffalo, N.Y., CHUM, CKFM, CHFI, CKEY, CJEZ Toronto, CKAN Newmarket, Ont.
Notes: Best known for his years as morning man at CHUM. He was there 17 years, from December 1963 to December 1980. Had TV stints before and after his CHUM years. Prior to CHUM, hosted Jungle Jay children's show on WKBW-TV. After leaving CHUM, was weatherman at CITY-TV, operations manager at CKAN and teacher at Toronto's National Institute of Broadcasting. His son Kevin is a well-known Ottawa deejay.
JIM NETTLETON
Born: April 26, 1940
Died: October 4, 2009
Also known as: Diamond Jim
Stations: WRSU Rutgers University, WPAZ Pottstown, Pa., WHTG Eatontown, N.J., WATR Waterbury, Conn., WAVZ New Haven, Conn., WDRC Hartford, Conn., WFIL, WCAU-FM, WUSL, WOGL-FM, WPEN-AM Philadelphia, WABC, WHN, WPIX-FM New York, CHUM Toronto, WDAE Tampa, Fla., WARX-FM Hagerstown, Md., WILW-FM Wildwood, N.J.
Notes: Originally studied at Rutgers for a journalism degree. Was the only deejay to do air shifts at both WABC and CHUM. Died of lung cancer.
GIL NEWSOME
Died: November 13, 1965
Stations: KWK, KSD, St. Louis
Notes: Deejayed at KWK from 1945 to 1958, then was promoted to program director, then manager a year later, while continuing on the air. Also had regular TV show in St. Louis. Moved to KSD in 1961. Prior to KWK, was announcer on big band shows on NBC and CBS. Variety once named him the nation's most popular disc jockey. Also worked in Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Newport News, Va.
JOE NIAGARA
Born: July 4, 1927, South Philadelphia
Died: June 4, 2004, Philadelphia
Also known as: The Rockin' Bird, Birth name was Joseph F. Nigro, Jr.
Stations: WIBG, WDAS-AM, WFIL, WCAU AM and FM, WCAU, WIFI, WPEN-AM Philadelphia, KBIG, KPOP Los Angeles
Notes: Appears on Cruisin' 57, recreating his WIBG show of the time. Took his air name "Niagara" from Niagara Falls. Set a record for most playings of different versions of the same song, when he broadcast more than 500 covers of "Stardust" in 1980 at WPEN. Had bit part in Elvis Presley movie "Blue Hawaii". Has a star on the Philadelphia Music Alliance Hall of Fame. Worked as broadcaster in seven decades, starting in 1947 at WDAS and ending in 2002 at WPEN. Niagara died of a heart attack after suffering from bladder cancer.
ROY NILLSON
Died: 1984
Also known as: The Shy Guy
Stations: WLCY Tampa Bay, Fla.
Notes: PD and afternoon drive at WLCY. Died of cancer.
GENE NOBLES
Born: August 3, 1913, Hot Springs, Ark.
Died: September 21, 1989, Nashville, Tenn
Stations: WLAC Nashville
Notes: One of the legendary WLAC "50-Thousand Watt" quartet of deejays that included John R., Hoss Allen and Herman Grizzard. First white deejay to play music from African-American artists regularly. Had a long association with Randy Wood, president of Dot Records. Was at WLAC from 1943 to the 1970s.
DICK NOVAK
Born: June 25, 1924
Died: July 12, 2002, Portland, Ore.
Also known as: The Swingin' Fireman From Pistol Creek
Stations: KGON, KPOJ, KGW, KPOK, KYXI, KXL, KATU-TV Portland
Notes: Portland's first Top 40 deejay, was famous for his show "The Rhythm Room" on KPOJ (he disliked the "race records" tag). His show began with the song "Open The Door Richard". Died of cancer.