 Johnny
Dark
There are many Johnny Darks, but WRKO's Johnny
confessed to me that when he came up with the name, he had no
idea there were others. As a youth living in South Florida, he’d
hang out at the studio of a pirate broadcaster, where every jock
was known as Johnny-Something. It seems as if the Johnny whose
shift was ready to start hadn't shown up, so the Program Director
looked over to Johnny and said, "Hey, kid, you wanna do
this?" Dark had precious few seconds to come up with a good
last name, but that he did, and he became a member of the Johnny
Dark Alumnus Society way back when.
Until early 2001, you could hear Dark doing
his highly-rated afternoon-drive show on Fort Lauderdale. Dark
stayed at Florida's WFLC/Coast 97.3 for almost 11 years, until
te station changed format and with it, all of its air personalities.
From his WRKO days in the mid-seventies, neither his captivating
voice or on-air personality have changed.
After his short-lived "pirate days," Dark
was PD, Music Director and jocks in Sarasota on the old WYND
in 1966. “WYND... was my very favorite radio station...
had total control over the programming and the music... had an
awesome staff of announcers and had the time of my life doing
what I love... playing radio!” But Johnny wanted to get
a little closer to his hometown, so in 1968, he went east, and
down the dial to 1580, to which was then Top-40 station WSRF/1580
in Fort Lauderdale.
“WSRF...what a battle with WQAM and
WFUN! The station was owned by Gene Milner and Van Patrick (of
sportscasting fame)... the station was a family affair... with
Gene and his wife and his son all working in the place... had
a great time but what a zoo... I'll never work for a family operation
again... too many problems!!!
While at WSRF, Johnny made up the music tapes
for what was then its sister station, Easy-Listening/AC station
WSHE. In 1972, Dark moved down the dial to 96.3/WMYQ (now WPOW/96.5)
as on-air Music Director. In 1974, the Bartel chain moved him
up to Milwaukee at legendary WOKY (The Mighty 92) as combo Music
Director and Afternoon Drive jock.
Then, he hit the big time in Boston at WRKO
in 1975. “WRKO was my second-favorite station... I was
in one of the greatest cities on one of the greatest stations
in America... working with the best staff I've EVER worked with...
what an amazing experience!! I actually survived 5 different
PDs in 3 and a half years! Thanks to Gerry Cagle (Peterson) for
hiring me! The listeners were so into the station that when I
left to go to New York City... they were calling the station
crying.... now that's loyal fans!!
While at “The BIG 68”, Johnny
received an offer from KHJ in Los Angeles. “Oh yeah, I
had a chance to go to LA and work for KHJ and the amazing Charlie
Van Dyke... but I just couldn't tear myself away from WRKO...
I was having too much fun in Boston at the time! It's funny how
things work out in life because it wasn't long after that I got
a phone call from Bob Pittman offering me a job at WNBC in NYC...
I've often wondered how my life would be had I chosen to go to
work at KHJ in Boss Angeles.”
So in the winter of ‘78, Johnny made
a (literally) choked-up farewell on the air, and left WRKO for
New York's WNBC/660. "WNBC... had the pleasure of working
for Bob Pittman (now the CEO of AOL and one of the richest people
in America... way to go Bob!) and thanks for giving me my break
in New York! And John Lund... a great programmer who finally
took us from the next 1... to number one in New York!”
But it was back to Beantown in 1985, as Dark
segued to Boston’s WHTT/103.3, playing the hot hits at
the former CBS-owned FM (now WODS).
 In
1988, he realized the dream of so many of us in owning a station,
WHQO “Your Headquarters for Oldies – Oldies 108” in
Skowhegan, Maine. But the sun and fun capitol of the world, South
Florida, once again beckoned in 1989, where he took to the airwaves
as the second jock hired on the new on WFLC, where he's been
for almost 10 years, likely a longevity record for any disk jockey
at the same station. Hardly any jock stays at the same station
for more than a few years these days, but as Johnny tops ten,
he “wouldn’t mind staying another ten years. I respect
what the station is doing and what they’re playing. WFLC...the
South Florida's Coast...great station... very misunderstood by
the industry... we don't talk over the intros of the songs ...
we have great respect for the music we play... and for the listeners!.
I have utmost respect for the company... COX is by far the most
professionally run company I've had the pleasure to work for...
it's the only company that's run like the big boys in the big
cities... you feel like you're in New York or LA when you work
for these guys!”
Johnny Dark operates in the Amateur Radio
Service with his ham radio “extra class” license.
After his show on the Coast, he hangs out at 39.32.50 on 75 meters.
And yes, he does QSL. He’ll try to answer all his e-mail
as well, at jdradio97@aol.com.
73s and good DX!
Like his friend, WRKO's Jack O'Brien, Johnny
Dark began his Radio days in Florida. His impressive resume is
as follows:
1966 WYND 1280 Sarasota FL
1968 WSRF 1580 Fort Lauderdale FL
1968 WSHE 103.5 Fort Lauderdale FL (now WMGE)
1971 WMYQ 96.3 Miami FL (now WPOW/96.5)
1972 WOKY 920 Milwaukee WI
1973 WRKO 680 Boston MA
1977 WNBC 660 New York NY
1984 WHTT 103.3 Boston MA
1987 WHQO 107.9 Skowhegan ME (Owner)
1990 WFLC 97.3 Miami FL ("Coast 97.3") - PM
Drive
2002 WKIS 99.9 Boca Raton-Miami (Fill-in at this Country-formatted
station)
Bio originally listed at www.wrko.org |
