Rock Radio Heaven (P-Q)


PACO

Died: August 9, 2019

Also known as:
Birth name was
Manuel Francisco Navarro

Stations: WJIT, WKTU (Disco 92), WADO, WNEW-FM New York

Notes: Native of Puerto Rico. One of New York's most listened-to jocks at the height of disco in the late '70s. Did prison time after pleading guilty to his role in a scheme to distribute heroin. Battled pancreatic cancer, as well as dementia and Alzheimers in later years.


GARY PALANT

Died: October, 2002

Stations: KTKT, KAIR, KIKX Tucson, Arizona, KPOI, KORL Honolulu, KDAY Los Angeles, WBBQ Augusta, Georgia, KQOE Albuquerque, New Mexixo, WKAZ Charleston West Virginia, CKFH Toronto, WNEW-FM New York.

Notes: Former PD at 'FH and 'NEW. Died at age 61 of melanoma and is buried in Tucson, Arizona.


MARK PARENTEAU

Died: June 3, 2016

Also known as: Scotty Wainwright (WORC)

Stations: WORC Worchester, Massachusetts, WKNR, WBAX Detroit, WCOZ-FM, WBCN-FM Boston, WAXQ (Q-104) New York, XM Radio

Notes: Spent 19 years at WBCN-FM beginning in 1978. Earned title "The Honorary Dean of Boston Comedy" for giving air time to dozens of comedians on his WBCN show. His career ended when he went to jail in 2004 for having sex with a 14-year-old boy. He was released in 2006.


DALE PARKER

Born: January 14, 1950, Burlington, Ontario

Died: November 11, 2011, Brantford, Ontario

Stations: CKPC Peterborough, Ontario, CKOC, CKLH (K-LITE-FM) Hamilton, Ontario, CKDO Oshawa, Ontario, CKPC Brantford, Ontario, CJOY Guelph, Ontario

Notes: Was program director and operations manager at CKPC and also did music programming during his 17 years at CKOC. Also involved in music programming at CKLH. Was on the air when CKOC was bombed in the early '70s. Active in Brantford, Ontario, minor hockey. Said he never worked a day in his life because of his love for radio and hockey. Died of a heart attack.


TOM PARKER

Died: October 3, 2015

Also known as: Big Tom Parker, birth name was Richard Altree

Stations: KFRC, KYUU, KOIO (K101) San Francisco, KMGI, KXL-AM, KXL-FM, KKCW (K103), KKSN, KPAM, KKCW (K-Lite), KOIN-TV Portland, Oregon

Notes: Was FM operations manager at KXL-FM from 1990-92. Died at the age of 64.


DAVE PARKS

Died: August 24, 2015

Stations: WFIL, WIBG Philadelphia, WLEE Richmond, Virginia, WNDE/WFBQ Indianapolis, KSDO-FM, KLCX San Diego, KKBQ-FM Houston, WRMF West Palm Beach, Florida, KWFM Tucson, Arizona

Notes: Was program director at KSDO-FM.


PAT PATTERSON

Died: January 2017

Stations: WKIX, WQDR-FM, WDNC Raleigh, North Carolina, WCHL Chapel Hill, North Carolina, WGR Buffalo, New York, WPTR Albany, New York, WPRO, WICE Providence, Rhode Island, WCOP, WHDH Boston, KULF Houston

Notes: Won four Billboard awards during his time in Raleigh for Best Morning Personality and Best A.M. Personality in a Major Market. Died at the age of 81 after a long illness.


JIM PAULSON

Born: January 10, 1940, Edmonton

Died: February 13, 2007, Mississauga, Ont.

Stations: CJCA Edmonton, CKRC Winnipeg, CFUN Vancouver, CKEY, CHFI-FM Toronto, CKQT Oshawa, Ontario, CING-FM Burlington, Ontario, CHWO Oakville, Ontario

Notes: A highly sought after voice talent, Paulson was also a track announcer at the Toronto Molson Indy and auto racing events at Mosport International Raceway in southern Ontario. Interviewed many stars like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sophia Loren and Lou Rawls. His late wife, Kitty Meredith, was a celebrated performer known as Diamond Lil. One of radio's true "nice guys", Paulson was 67 when he died after collapsing at an on-air event for CHWO.


TOM PEACOCK

Born: March 22, 1939

Died: April 15, 2006, Vancouver

Stations: CHUB Nanaimo, B.C., KDB Santa Barbara, California, KWIZ Santa Ana, California, KOL Seattle, CFUN, CKWX, CJAZ-FM, CKKS-FM Vancouver

Notes: Program director at CKWX and CJAZ. General manager at CKWX/CJAZ/CKKS. Hosted weekly "Dance Party" on BCTV. First PA announcer for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. Died of a second stroke following quintuple bypass surgery.


BILLY PEARL

Died: January 4, 2022

Also known as: Bill Pearl

Stations: KYMS Inglewood, California, KWIZ Santa Ana, California, KMPC/KMET, KHJ, KRLA, KIIS, KKDJ, KIQQ, KMPC, KABC Los Angeles

Notes: Became a lawyer and founded news site LBREPORT.COM. Also worked as freelance writer. Died of cancer at age 71.


DICK PEPLOW

Born: 1944

Died: July 13, 2007

Stations: CJIC, CKCY Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, CKJL Kirkland Lake, Ontario, CKPR Thunder Bay, Ontario, also worked at stations in St. Thomas, Ontario, Sudbury, Ontario, Dawson Creek, B.C., Winnipeg and Yellowknife.

Notes: Enjoyed a five-decade career in broadcast, print and online media, beginning and ending in Sault Ste. Marie but with much travelling in between. Was in Grade 12 at Sault Collegiate Institute in the early '60s when he started deejaying at CJIC. Was elected as a city alderman in Yellowknife. Started what is now known as SooToday.com in 2000 - it has become one of Canada's most popular online community news services. In 2003, Peplow launched BayToday.ca, serving North Bay, Ontario. Died at the age of 63.


DAVE PERKINS

Born: 1954

Died: 1995

Stations: WJDX-WZZQ Jackson, Mississippi, WNAT, WQNZ-FM Natchez, Mississippi


GARY PETERS

Died: January 3, 2013, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Also known as: Birth name was Gary Almeida

Stations: WDRC Hartford, WICC, WEZN Bridgeport, Connecticut, WATR, WWCO Waterbury, Connecticut, WKHL (KOOL 96.7) Stamford, Connecticut, WQCD (CD 101.9) New York, WVKZ Schenectady, New York

Notes: As operations manager, Peters created new radio format that made CD 101.9 the number-one contemporary jazz station in the U.S. The long-time programmer and disc jockey died at the age of 64 after a long battle with emphysema and while awaiting a lung transplant.


WILLIAM PFEIFFER

Born: 1956

Died: September 1, 1999, Apple Valley, Minnesota

Notes: Pfieffer founded the Airwaves Journal and its accompanying discussion forum, Airwaves Online. Launched in 1991 when Pfieffer lived in Springfield, Missouri, it was one of the first electronic bulletin boards devoted to radio. A true radio buff, Pfieffer would drive all over looking for broadcast towers and stations to aircheck. HIs Airwaves Radio Journal published 5,600 issues from 1991 to 1999. He was a well-known ham radio operator with the call-sign KCODXY. He was killed in a car accident near Stanton, Minnesota, aged 43.


DEWEY PHILLIPS

Born: May 13, 1926, Crump, Tennessee

Died: September 28, 1968

Also known as: Birth name was Dewey Mills Phillips

Stations: WHBQ Memphis, Tennessee, WHHM Millington, Tennessee, also worked in Little Rock, Arkansas

Notes: Gained everlasting notoriety when, in July 1954, he became the first deejay to play an Elvis Presley record, "That's All Right, Mama." For good measure he also interviewed Elvis on the air. Began hosting WHBQ's "Red, Hot and Blue" R&B show in October, 1949 and it became so popular that the competing station in town didn't even schedule a deejay against him in the 9 p.m.-midnight slot. Had a TV show, Phillips Pop Shop, later renamed Night Beat. Died of heart failure.


GERALD PHILLIPS

Born: February 23, 1936, Memphis

Died: October 17, 1987, Mill Valley, California

Also known as: Birth name was Gerald Edward Phillips, known as Ed Philips at WSIX, Mel Kent at WYDE, Johnny Holiday at KCBQ, Johnny Mitchell at KHJ, Sebastian Stone at KFRC and WOR-FM

Stations: WKSR Pulaski, Tennessee, WBMC McMinnville, Tennessee, WSIX Nashville, Tennessee, WYDE Birmingham, Alabama, KCBQ San Diego, KHJ Los Angeles, KFRC San Francisco, WOR-FM New York

Notes: Stayed awake on the air for 195 hours as a stunt at WYDE. Was program director and music director at KFRC. Served as program director at KFRC and WOR-FM. Owned and operated HMS Communications, a television syndicator in San Francisco which distributed short news and feature clips for TV, including programs featuring Dr. Dean Edell. Died of cardiac arrest.


MIKE PHILLIPS

Died: October 16, 2006, Portland, Oregon

Stations: KAYO, KJR Seattle, KISN, KGW Portland, KNBR, KYUU, KIOI, KFRC, KOIT San Francisco, WXLO New York, WWDJ Hackensack, New York, WTMX Chicago, KTRH Los Angeles

Notes: One of the legendary jocks during KJR's golden years in the '60s, Phillips also programmed the highly-successful oldies station K-EARTH Los Angeles in the 1990s. He was also VP Programming at KYUU and WMTX. Died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 64.


LUCKY PIERRE

Died: August 13, 2019

Also known as: Birth name was Pierre Gonneau

Stations: WWOL-AM, WHLD, WEBR, WBNY Buffalo, WFEC Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, KHJ, KUTE, KGFJ, KACD Los Angeles

Notes: Native of Chattellerault, France. Hosted a children's show on KHJ-TV in the '60s, where he would give French lessons. Appeared in Married With Children, Cheers and Golden Girls. Popular dance DJ in Los Angeles.


DON PIETROMONACO

Born: September 15, 1935, Los Angeles

Died: April 18, 1997, Westwood, California

Stations: KROG Sonoma, California, KXOK St. Louis, KAFY Bakersfield, California, KRIZ Phoenix

Also known as: Johnny Rabbit, the Purple People Eater

Notes: Prior to being Johnny Rabbitt, Pietromonaco worked as a child actor in 37 Hollywood productions. Known as the Purple People Eater at KRIZ. Was Johnny Rabbitt on KXOK from 1963 to 1969. inviting listeners to phone in and "blab it to the Rabbitt". One of the famous drop-in voices he used was Bruno J. Grunion, the Rabbitt's alter-ego. Raised millions for medical research through his shows. Taught film production and voiceovers in Hollywood after his radio days ended, and also worked in film, TV and stage. Inducted into St. Louis Radio Hall of Fame in 2001. Died of complications related to emphysema.


TONY PIGG

Born: April 11, 1939, Sacramento, California

Died: May 1, 2024, New York

Also known as: Tony Bigg, birth name was Richard Quinn


Stations: KROY-AM Sacremento, California, KSAN-FM San Francisco, WABC-FM/WPLJ, WKRK (K-Rock), WNEW-FM New York

Notes: Was staff announcer for TV show hosted by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa for 30 years ending in 2019. Oiriginally called himself Tony Bigg but it was chamged to Tony Pigg by accident and he stayed with it.


BARNEY PIP

Born: May 26, 1936, Indiana

Died: February 17, 1994, Indianapolis

Also known as: The World's Greatest Trumpet Player, Birth name was Bernard G. Pippeger II

Stations: WJET Erie, Pennsylvania, WEEP Pittsburgh, WCFL Chicago, WPIX-FM New York, WGLI Babylon, New York, WOKY Milwaukee, WIFE Indianapolis, WHHY Montgomery, Alabama, KXOL Fort Worth, Texas, WHOT Youngstown, Ohio

Notes: Listeners to his show were known as "Pip People". Played a trumpet (badly) on air. Died in an automobile accident.


SERGE PLAISANCE

Born: October 5, 1947, Valleyfield, Qc.

Died: December 12, 2021, Boucherville, Qc.

Also known as: Serge "Would You Believe" Plaisance (moniker on CHOM Montreal, 1970s)

Stations: CFLV Valleyfield, CJMS, CHOM, CKOI, CKVL, CKAC, Couleur Jazz, Radio Ville-Marie, CFMB, CHRF Montreal

Notes: Died at age 74 following a short battle with cancer.


LEE POOLE

Born: 1946, Phoenix

Died: August 2024

Also known as: Coyote or Rufus Coyote, full name was Ernest "Lee" Poole, Johnny Rabbitt (KTKT)

Stations: KBLU Yuma, Arizona, KTKT Tucson, Arizona, KLIF, KRLD Dallas, WYSL/WPHD-FM, WGRQ-FM Buffalo, New York

Notes: Was PD at both WYSL-FM and WGRQ-FM. Was chief engineer at KBLU. Became a truck driver after getting his commercial driving license in 1996.



PETER POTTER

Born: April 14, 1905, Henryetta, Oklahoma

Died: April 17, 1983

Also known as: Birth name was William Mann Moore

Stations: KMPC, KFWB, KLAC, KVFM Los Angeles, KCHV Palm Springs, California

Notes: Creator of the "Platter Parade" and "Juke Box Jury" radio and TV shows. Worked in Los Angeles radio for a quarter-century. One of the legendary "Big 5" deejays at KLAC along with Dick Haynes, Alex Cooper, Gene Norman and Bob McLaughlin. Married singer Beryl Davis. Won Best Entertainment Emmys in 1953 and 1955. Was living in Palm Springs, California, at the time of his death, of a heart attack.


NORM PRINGLE

Born: December 9, 1923, Calgary

Died: March 17, 2012, Calabasas, California

Stations: CJCJ/CKXL Calgary, CKMO Vancouver, CKDA, CKDA-TV Victoria

Notes: Was one of three deejays who interviewed Elvis Presley at an informal news conference in conjunction with his 1957 appearance in Vancouver. Hosted House Party on CKDA-TV in 1956. Hired Lesley Nielsen at CJCJ and gave Tommy Hunter his radio debut at CKDA. Headed to Hollywood in 1958 for a career as a sound mixer and engineer, working on the sound for such movies as All the President's Men and Close Encounters of the Close Kind and for artists like Frank Sinatra, Eddie Cantor, the Beach Boys, The Tijuana Brass and Sonny and Cher. Inducted into Victoria Rock 'n' Roll Music Hall of Fame in 2008.


DAVID PRITCHARD

Born: October 18, 1944, London, England

Died: February 27, 2005, Toronto

Stations: CHUM-FM, CILQ (Q-107) Toronto, CFNY-FM Brampton, Ontario

Notes: CHUM-FM's all-night man from 1968 to the mid-1970s. Later was program director at CFNY-FM. Also produced several well-received rock music documentaries. Was also a musician, the first North American artist signed by Island Records which had U-2 and Bob Marley on its roster. Died of cancer.


RICHARD PROULX

Died: March 24, 2015, Gatineau, Quebec

Stations: CJRC Ottawa-Hull, CKCH Hull-Ottawa, CJMS Montreal, CJTR Trois-Rivieres, Quebec

Notes: Long-time morning man at CJRC in the late '60s-early '70s. Regular voice of horse racing at Connaught Park in Gatineau, Quebec. First in-house announcer at Ottawa Senators NHL games at Kanata, Ontario. Died of cancer at the age of 70.


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