Just in from Ohio Media Watch through Scott Fybush's Northeast Radio Watch.."Your Leaaader" Jackson Armstrong, (aka John Larsh) Top 40 DJ who made his name in Cleveland at WIXY-1260 and WKYC-1100 in the mid 1960's, passed away Saturday at his home in North Carolina..His was a long career throughout The US and even in Canada (CHUM)..His last gig was at WWKB , Buffalo in 2006..I was a bit young to have heard him in his Cleveland days, but am always saddened when a part of "personality" radio passes from the scene..Prayers to his family.
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Big Jack was one of the first disc jockeys I can remember listening to when I was off by myself and trying to mimic his style. I don't remember him from his WIXY days, but I do remember him on WKYC/1100 and his Saturday night television show on WKYC-3.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace John Larsh aka Jackson W. Armstrong.
Big Jack was one of the greatest Cleveland DJs of the 60's. I listened faitfully to his WKYC broadcasts, heard him a couple times at WIXY, too. I have airchecks of him at WIXY, WKYC and CHUM which I listen to occasionally when feeling nostalgic for the glory days of AM radio.
ReplyDeleteBIG Jack, you're still the Leeeedah! R.I.P. & thanks for the entertainment.
Damn! This is a shame. I didn't know Big Jack from his WIXY days either, as I lived in Youngstown and we couldn't get WIXY (its frequency, 1260, was too close to a Youngstown station, WBBW-1240...where I myself worked for 10+ years). But I also remember him vividly from his relatively short stint on WKYC.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, Majik 105.7 held a radio reunion in conjunction with GhoulardiFest at the Berea Fairgrounds, and a slew of old Cleveland jocks came back for it and were on the air that weekend. Most of them were getting a bit long in the tooth, but Jack seemed young and vital by comparison, and though he'd been doing MOR radio for years, he fell right back into his "Your Leeeeeder!" persona effortlessly, and was a treat to listen to.
R.I.P. Jack.