Oh Rich, you were superb in this, your description of a decades long friendship, the great days that we recall in '76 onward of Kgo, and your intimate memories in your formative years as Ronn helped and gave you support. How lucky you were to have had that time with him and I'm sure many people would have loved to be in that same position. You were right on in so many ways, and your emotion in retelling those times was riveting and profound. Ronn will have a tear or 2 after watching this.
Rich this video was one of your masterpieces videos no joke the way you told the story. KGO Ronn Owens and talking about some of the other talk show hosts. This radio station was legendary. I remember when you did have the falling out with Ronn it was pretty well talked about at the time in the industry in radio. Hope some day you and him can go full circle.
I am your age and moved to the Bay Area in 1992 from la-la land. I usually only listened to music stations driving to/from work and about until I heard KGO and Ronn in particular. I became interested in what was going on in the news because of his personality and liked the evening hosts too. Ronn tried to be reasonable in his opinions unlike most hosts slanted left or right. He did become somewhat pompous over the years and kind of indifferent it seemed to what was going on around the time Cumulus took over and eventually laid off almost all of the other regular talk show hosts. That was my perception anyway. I guess he chose to keep his job/salary than stand up for his colleagues, possibly friends, thrown to the curb. Not sure he had options in the Bay Area as KGO was pretty much it except maybe some right wing station. Well, who are we to judge him as most of us, me included, would have likely acted the same. Not sure if even with his clout, they would have kept him if he said something against his employer. I can tell your tribute was heartfelt and real Rich; unlike the ones I hear like on KNBR for their former hosts, including famous ones. Hope you can reconnect given your many experiences together. Life is too short to hold grudges rightly or wrongly. I hope Ronn would agree. It would be a nice time of year there; maybe Ronn or his family can arrange for your visit if he is willing to patch things up. I look forward to a post of you too shoulder to shoulder and smiling there!
For years I've wondered why eulogies aren't done PRIOR to rather than AFTER a person's demise so that person could hear it and feel good whilst still alive!
I planned to experiment with the idea.
But YOU beat me to the punch - and HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK BIGTIME😃👍!
Mr Zwerling aka MZ: You deserve credit for hiring Doctor Bill Wattenberg after the KGO debacle. There were other(s) you brought on but I can’t recall whom….when this happened I was living in Pacific Grove and it was the first time I ever heard of your station. Indeed you interviewed several of the fired hosts on your Saturday Special. I was grieving and distraught, so I tuned in to hear their voices one more time, only to be a bit annoyed by your long winded introduction and hacking into the mic for 20 minutes before we heard them talk. I then moved to Boulder Creek and your station became my go to for current events. Charlie Freedman was a favorite even if his music choices made me nauseous. He became a cheap replacement for Gene Burns in my mind. Plus who can forget the great Saturday Special when the late legend Ray Taliafero went mano a mano vs Kate Zwerling as they heatedly debated a potential Trump candidacy. The KSCO audience was apoplectic. Thanks again for your good work and I hope you are enjoying your cruises around the world. Warm Regards, Mr Lobo in the Oakland Hills
Very moving and powerful video. I was not a friend of Ronn’s nor a caller and I never met him but like you I was DEEPLY upset and offended by the way he reacted to the mass firings in 2011. He became a company man basically. Telling us that we were going to REALLY like the new KGO. What!? To add insult to injury he addressed the issue for a half hour max and then proceeded to talk about electronic GADGETS! Gadgets!? Talk about not reading the room man. You correctly stated Cumulus needed him more than he needed them. It’s still very disappointing that he wasn’t forceful at all with what transpired.
Boy Howdy! I was lucky enough to be one of the co-hosts of Rock Trivia with Rockin' Ronn from 1978-1984, and then again in the early 2000's on a number of reunion shows. Talk about fun. I even saved all the qualifying lists we used each time to get callers on the air. Ronn was the ultimate professional yet such a down-to-earth guy. Just a perfect host. Now I, too, have Parkinson's disease, as does Ronn. PD can be frustrating at times but God never gives us more than we can handle so we carry on, thankful for our blessings. Cheers to all the RT fans out there who listened in over the years. Thanks for some amazing memories and thanks, Rock Rich, for such a moving tribute.
Ronn's daughter is causing some huge problems for Ronn right now. Just Google her name. It's a huge mess. I think karma finally hit Ron Owens in the nuts 😂
I agree that Ronn's comments regarding the Cumulus gutting of KGO in 2011 were tone-deaf, but he should never have been put in that situation. KGO should have run a "Best Of" show that day, which was a Friday, then let Ronn come back on the air Monday morning after the dust had settled. Even though he lost his edge later on, his show was a "must listen" for so many years. Beyond the headline grabbing shows - such as the Burt Reynolds debacle, the number of big-name guests that appeared on his show over the decades was staggering. To this day, I miss Ronn and his fellow KGO hosts who put out intelligent and interesting talk day after day. Rich, on a personal note, I'm a couple of years older than you and listened to Rock Trivia as well.
I was 30 years old when Ronn came to KGO. At first I thought he was an arrogant ass, but as time went on I became a big fan. After they fired all the good hosts KGO I quit listening. Ronn changed after that also, so I wasn't missing much. Thank goodness we had KSCO in Santa Cruz and they were broadcasting Rush.
Rich, what a nice tribute to a Bay Area legend. Not sure exactly where I saw it but I recently came across a photo of Ronn and a buddy at a Spring Training game and he looked well. I hope you two get a chance to reconnect soon.
Rich what brought him to mind today to spur such an emotional segment?
ReplyDeleteThis feels like a one-on-one message to Ronn....hope he receives it.
ReplyDeleteOh Rich, you were superb in this, your description of a decades long friendship, the great days that we recall in '76 onward of Kgo, and your intimate memories in your formative years as Ronn helped and gave you support. How lucky you were to have had that time with him and I'm sure many people would have loved to be in that same position. You were right on in so many ways, and your emotion in retelling those times was riveting and profound. Ronn will have a tear or 2 after watching this.
ReplyDeleteRich this video was one of your masterpieces videos no joke the way you told the story. KGO Ronn Owens and talking about some of the other talk show hosts. This radio station was legendary. I remember when you did have the falling out with Ronn it was pretty well talked about at the time in the industry in radio. Hope some day you and him can go full circle.
ReplyDeleteRich invite him on the show interview him on your show. By the way it's Carmen Policy from the 49ers that you were looking for.
ReplyDeleteI am your age and moved to the Bay Area in 1992 from la-la land. I usually only listened to music stations driving to/from work and about until I heard KGO and Ronn in particular. I became interested in what was going on in the news because of his personality and liked the evening hosts too. Ronn tried to be reasonable in his opinions unlike most hosts slanted left or right. He did become somewhat pompous over the years and kind of indifferent it seemed to what was going on around the time Cumulus took over and eventually laid off almost all of the other regular talk show hosts. That was my perception anyway. I guess he chose to keep his job/salary than stand up for his colleagues, possibly friends, thrown to the curb. Not sure he had options in the Bay Area as KGO was pretty much it except maybe some right wing station. Well, who are we to judge him as most of us, me included, would have likely acted the same. Not sure if even with his clout, they would have kept him if he said something against his employer. I can tell your tribute was heartfelt and real Rich; unlike the ones I hear like on KNBR for their former hosts, including famous ones. Hope you can reconnect given your many experiences together. Life is too short to hold grudges rightly or wrongly. I hope Ronn would agree. It would be a nice time of year there; maybe Ronn or his family can arrange for your visit if he is willing to patch things up. I look forward to a post of you too shoulder to shoulder and smiling there!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!
ReplyDeleteFor years I've wondered why eulogies aren't done PRIOR to rather than AFTER a person's demise so that person could hear it and feel good whilst still alive!
I planned to experiment with the idea.
But YOU beat me to the punch - and HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK BIGTIME😃👍!
WAYTOGO RICH!
Mr Zwerling aka MZ:
DeleteYou deserve credit for hiring Doctor Bill Wattenberg after the KGO debacle. There were other(s) you brought on but I can’t recall whom….when this happened I was living in Pacific Grove and it was the first time I ever heard of your station. Indeed you interviewed several of the fired hosts on your Saturday Special. I was grieving and distraught, so I tuned in to hear their voices one more time, only to be a bit annoyed by your long winded introduction and hacking into the mic for 20 minutes before we heard them talk. I then moved to Boulder Creek and your station became my go to for current events. Charlie Freedman was a favorite even if his music choices made me nauseous. He became a cheap replacement for Gene Burns in my mind. Plus who can forget the great Saturday Special when the late legend Ray Taliafero went mano a mano vs Kate Zwerling as they heatedly debated a potential Trump candidacy. The KSCO audience was apoplectic. Thanks again for your good work and I hope you are enjoying your cruises around the world.
Warm Regards,
Mr Lobo in the Oakland Hills
Very moving and powerful video. I was not a friend of Ronn’s nor a caller and I never met him but like you I was DEEPLY upset and offended by the way he reacted to the mass firings in 2011. He became a company man basically. Telling us that we were going to REALLY like the new KGO. What!? To add insult to injury he addressed the issue for a half hour max and then proceeded to talk about electronic GADGETS! Gadgets!? Talk about not reading the room man. You correctly stated Cumulus needed him more than he needed them. It’s still very disappointing that he wasn’t forceful at all with what transpired.
ReplyDeleteHe talked the company line and sold out for his job.
DeleteYou "ROCK RICH" best segment yet!
ReplyDeleteBoy Howdy! I was lucky enough to be one of the co-hosts of Rock Trivia with Rockin' Ronn from 1978-1984, and then again in the early 2000's on a number of reunion shows. Talk about fun. I even saved all the qualifying lists we used each time to get callers on the air.
ReplyDeleteRonn was the ultimate professional yet such a down-to-earth guy. Just a perfect host.
Now I, too, have Parkinson's disease, as does Ronn. PD can be frustrating at times but God never gives us more than we can handle so we carry on, thankful for our blessings.
Cheers to all the RT fans out there who listened in over the years. Thanks for some amazing memories and thanks, Rock Rich, for such a moving tribute.
Ronn's daughter is causing some huge problems for Ronn right now. Just Google her name. It's a huge mess. I think karma finally hit Ron Owens in the nuts 😂
ReplyDeleteJust read up on that. Holy crap, what a shit show. Poor Ronn, having to deal with that in his twighlight years, with Parkinson's to boot.
DeleteWhy not include her name in your post? Are we all supposed to know his family members’ names?
DeleteRonnald Owenstein was a hack.
ReplyDeleteRonnnnnnnnnn Blowenstein is still the best nnnnnname!!!
DeleteI agree that Ronn's comments regarding the Cumulus gutting of KGO in 2011 were tone-deaf, but he should never have been put in that situation. KGO should have run a "Best Of" show that day, which was a Friday, then let Ronn come back on the air Monday morning after the dust had settled. Even though he lost his edge later on, his show was a "must listen" for so many years. Beyond the headline grabbing shows - such as the Burt Reynolds debacle, the number of big-name guests that appeared on his show over the decades was staggering. To this day, I miss Ronn and his fellow KGO hosts who put out intelligent and interesting talk day after day. Rich, on a personal note, I'm a couple of years older than you and listened to Rock Trivia as well.
ReplyDeleteI was 30 years old when Ronn came to KGO. At first I thought he was an arrogant ass, but as time went on I became a big fan. After they fired all the good hosts KGO I quit listening. Ronn changed after that also, so I wasn't missing much. Thank goodness we had KSCO in Santa Cruz and they were broadcasting Rush.
DeleteRich, what a nice tribute to a Bay Area legend. Not sure exactly where I saw it but I recently came across a photo of Ronn and a buddy at a Spring Training game and he looked well. I hope you two get a chance to reconnect soon.
ReplyDeleteRich, thanks for posting this. I was alerted to it by some of my Facebook friends. I appreciate your kind words and memories. Very touching.
ReplyDeleteI miss you dear friend --hope you/Jan are well, gimme a call if you can, 415-999-4454
Delete