SPOKE AT GREAT LENGTH the other night with a KGO Radio All-Star; one of the greats; a legend; a KGO stalwart from the 70's and a member of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame (finally,, someone that actually belongs!) the amazing Jim Eason.
Eason calls me and I'm stunned! I spoke with him briefly a few years back but that was for just a few. Now, we spoke for nearly an hour and had quite a few chuckles and then some.
He sounds, and I'm not kidding, like he did on KGO from 1-4 PM --the appointment radio talk-host that defined the 70's. Only Eason is even more open and quite telling. He's 84 and quite lucid. I told him that he's still got it, "well, damn I sure hope so," he says with that charming North Carolina drawl.
I tell Eason how underrated an interviewer he was and he mentions Jane Russell, Phyllis Diller, and Wesla Whitfield as some of his proudest interviews. Eason then plays some Artie Shaw over the phone and I'm just wowed. Like the good old days.
Like a Lee Rodgers, Jim Eason's politics were not my thing but he was so damn entertaining, who cared. I told him he eternally aced the charm factor and he laughed. He is happy. Still married. Has a daughter. Lives somewhere up in the Sierra and is quite secretive about his locale. I tell him I won't say a word about his abode. More laughter.
Eason swears off doing radio. Any radio now. I beg him to consider an interview but no, it's OK and respectful. I back off, we continue talking. He is happy and having a great life, he says, enjoying retirement.
Do what you can but behave yourself! Great radio talent. Thanks Jim!
ReplyDelete1950's and 1960's KTVU great Captain Satellite died.
ReplyDeleteBased on my research Captain Satellite and Jim lived in the same Northern California city. I wonder how many other media greats from Bay Area past are up there.
ReplyDeleteListened to Jim Eason everyday. Awesome radio.
ReplyDeleteJim Eason ... The Great One (sorry Jackie Gleason, you need to share that title with Mr. Eason). Live Long and Prosper.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe
ReplyDeleteYeah, I guess. I remember he'd spend the first 30 minutes of each show reading something about the evils of the Dems. Then the guy in Lafayette would call, almost choking on his words. Nerves, apparently.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember much political partisanship from the people on KGO back in the 70's and 80's. Taliaferro was pretty clearly a liberal while Wattenberg leaned right, but neither made their shows primarily about bashing their political opponents. The Jim Eason on KSFO wasn't the Jim Eason on KGO. Same with Melanie Morgan.
DeleteWhen I worked out of my house I'd take my lunch break when his show came on KGO or KSFO. Loved his arguments with "Red Roger".
ReplyDeleteTurned me on to Ron Carter and Houston Person as well as some others great musicians.
Nice to know I might run into him at a market up here in the foothills.
Miss him and Lee Rodgers.
he was always funny and he was the man to listen too. I did every day. Like was said I did not agree with his politics but loved him. When he talked about Jazz, or movies he is/was great.
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