Jim Connors
Encyclopedia
Jim "JC" Connors was a popular radio personality (disc jockey
) of the 1960s through 1980s in the United States
.
and his hit song "Taxi
". Chapin later went on to write "W*O*L*D," a song inspired by Connors' life. This song was based on a phone call Harry overheard while in studio with JC at WMEX
-Boston. The men began discussing what life as a "jock" is like, which was Harry's inspiration for the hit song.
Connors also earned gold with Chuck Berry
for "My Ding-a-ling
," Wayne Newton
for "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast," Joe Simon
for "Power of Love," and Mouth & MacNeal
for "How Do You Do," along with many others, for exposing the songs to the mainstream audience.
Connors was well known amongst radio programmers of the 1960s and 1970s for his programming and promotional abilities along with his Think Sheet. The 'Think Sheet' was a monthly publication he wrote and distributed to fellow radio programmers making recommendations on airplay for new artists, along with jock jokes and trend analysis based on market research. He was granted the opportunity to speak at the 2nd Annual Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
West High School in 1958. Upon graduating he entered the United States Air Force
which led him to his primary duty station in San Antonio, Texas
. There, his career as a radio announcer began as a Program Director
for the Armed Forces Radio Network. He also held numerous other billets during his time served. Connors was assigned to President John F. Kennedy
's special communications team in the Florida Keys
, which directly aided in the Cuban blockade, during the Bay of Pigs Invasion
, and the Cuban Missile Crisis
.
WJET Erie, Pennsylvania
was his first official radio job outside of duties performed in the U.S. Air Force. At WJET, he held the title of Production Director for WJET Radio & WJET Television channel 24. Initially, he was the midday host for WJET and was rated #1 in the market ahead of the morning drive team. It wasn't long before JC was promoted to the AM drive shift. While in Erie, JC met his first wife and had two children, although his marriage eventually failed.
After a long run at WJET, Connors was hired at one of the largest stations in the country, WMEX
in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was the Music Director and AM drive host. His daily program was consistently rated #1 in the New England
marketplace in the early 1970s. He earned thirteen Gold Records during his tenure for discovering artists and promoting their music
. Connors and Harry Chapin
became friends, and JC helped launch Chapin's career. Foster Brooks
and Connors befriended each other during this time as well. This friendship, and similar style of humor, would be a talking point for the two men for years to come. JC earned the majority of his gold records while working at WMEX
. The gold record JC was most proud of: Chuck Berry
's "My Ding-a-ling
." Discovering and pushing this song in the United States
was dear to JC becauseChuck Berry
was a childhood icon of his.
After having great success in Boston, and becoming nationally renowned by many record executives for his programming and promotional abilities, JC moved towards Erie, Pennsylvania to be closer to his children from his first marriage. The impact of Chapin's song "W*O*L*D" hit his ex-wife hard, as the local 'Jocks' in Erie would often take their shots at him and his life on air. Soon he found an opening at WYSL in Buffalo, New York
, where he could be closer to his children while working through some family concerns. Connors was the AM Drive host in Buffalo, NY, and his program was nationally rated #5 by Arbitron
, which was quite a substantial feat, considering Buffalo was ranked only 26th in the nation at that time. JC had great success in Western New York
, and on WYSL he frequently featured many of the well-known performers with whom he had connections. While in Buffalo, JC met his second wife, and the couple would find out they were pregnant with their first of two children shortly before moving to Rochester, New York
for a job at WROC.
At WROC, he was Operations Manager & AM Drive Host. He also made multiple appearances for WROC-TV
weather, as the company worked through the largest media strike in Rochester's history. He left WROC and moved back to New England during this time due to the death of his father.
After the passing of his father, JC wanted to be back in New England with the rest of his family. He was offered a position with WCIB
in Falmouth, Massachusetts
and Cape Cod, Massachusetts where he was appointed Vice President of Operations and AM Drive Host, with multiple levels of on-air production responsibility.
After a fairly decent run at WCIB
, JC moved on to WBSM
in New Bedford, Massachusetts
as the AM Drive Host, with on-air radio production & copy writing. While at WBSM
his second marriage fell apart. He moved on to another market and started over again.
Shortly after his second divorce, he moved away from Massachusetts for a position with WKRI in Providence, Rhode Island
and Warwick, Rhode Island
as the Morning Drive entertainer. His career in the northeastern United States soon came to an end, as he packed up and headed for another new beginning, on the Gulf Coast of Florida
. While living in the Bay Area of Tampa, Florida
JC frequently recorded commercials and appeared in numerous local spots.
His time in Florida was brief. On February 24, 1987, on a trip returning to Rhode Island, JC was killed in a car crash on I-95 in Greensville County, Virginia
. At the time of his death, JC was survived by four children.
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
) of the 1960s through 1980s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Highlights
Jim Connors earned thirteen Gold records for discovering artists during his career including Harry ChapinHarry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
and his hit song "Taxi
Taxi (song)
"Taxi" is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album Heads and Tales. Chapin debuted the song on NBC's The Tonight Show in 1972 which was followed by many calls and telegrams sent from viewers to NBC demanding that Chapin return to the show...
". Chapin later went on to write "W*O*L*D," a song inspired by Connors' life. This song was based on a phone call Harry overheard while in studio with JC at WMEX
WWZN
WWZN is an AM radio station licensed to serve the Boston media market. Its programming is a time-brokered mix between progressive talk radio during the daytime , sports talk and religious programming in the overnight hours...
-Boston. The men began discussing what life as a "jock" is like, which was Harry's inspiration for the hit song.
Connors also earned gold with Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
for "My Ding-a-ling
My Ding-a-Ling
"My Ding-a-Ling" was the title of a novelty song recorded by Chuck Berry, and his only U.S. number-one single on the pop charts. Later that year the song, in a longer unedited form, was on the album The London Chuck Berry Sessions...
," Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
for "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast," Joe Simon
Joe Simon
Joseph Henry "Joe" Simon is an American comic book writer, artist, editor, and publisher. Simon created or co-created many important characters in the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of Comic Books and served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics.With his...
for "Power of Love," and Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal was a pop duo from the Netherlands. They are best known for their million selling recording of "How Do You Do".-Career:They were formed in 1971 when record producer Hans van Hemert brought together the solo talent of Mouth and Maggie MacNeal...
for "How Do You Do," along with many others, for exposing the songs to the mainstream audience.
Connors was well known amongst radio programmers of the 1960s and 1970s for his programming and promotional abilities along with his Think Sheet. The 'Think Sheet' was a monthly publication he wrote and distributed to fellow radio programmers making recommendations on airplay for new artists, along with jock jokes and trend analysis based on market research. He was granted the opportunity to speak at the 2nd Annual Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Career & Life
Connors graduated from Pawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
West High School in 1958. Upon graduating he entered the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
which led him to his primary duty station in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. There, his career as a radio announcer began as a Program Director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
for the Armed Forces Radio Network. He also held numerous other billets during his time served. Connors was assigned to President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's special communications team in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
, which directly aided in the Cuban blockade, during the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
, and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
.
WJET Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
was his first official radio job outside of duties performed in the U.S. Air Force. At WJET, he held the title of Production Director for WJET Radio & WJET Television channel 24. Initially, he was the midday host for WJET and was rated #1 in the market ahead of the morning drive team. It wasn't long before JC was promoted to the AM drive shift. While in Erie, JC met his first wife and had two children, although his marriage eventually failed.
After a long run at WJET, Connors was hired at one of the largest stations in the country, WMEX
WWZN
WWZN is an AM radio station licensed to serve the Boston media market. Its programming is a time-brokered mix between progressive talk radio during the daytime , sports talk and religious programming in the overnight hours...
in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was the Music Director and AM drive host. His daily program was consistently rated #1 in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
marketplace in the early 1970s. He earned thirteen Gold Records during his tenure for discovering artists and promoting their music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. Connors and Harry Chapin
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
became friends, and JC helped launch Chapin's career. Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks was an American actor and comedian most famous for his portrayal of a lovable drunken man in nightclub performances and television programs.-Biography:...
and Connors befriended each other during this time as well. This friendship, and similar style of humor, would be a talking point for the two men for years to come. JC earned the majority of his gold records while working at WMEX
WWZN
WWZN is an AM radio station licensed to serve the Boston media market. Its programming is a time-brokered mix between progressive talk radio during the daytime , sports talk and religious programming in the overnight hours...
. The gold record JC was most proud of: Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's "My Ding-a-ling
My Ding-a-Ling
"My Ding-a-Ling" was the title of a novelty song recorded by Chuck Berry, and his only U.S. number-one single on the pop charts. Later that year the song, in a longer unedited form, was on the album The London Chuck Berry Sessions...
." Discovering and pushing this song in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was dear to JC becauseChuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
was a childhood icon of his.
After having great success in Boston, and becoming nationally renowned by many record executives for his programming and promotional abilities, JC moved towards Erie, Pennsylvania to be closer to his children from his first marriage. The impact of Chapin's song "W*O*L*D" hit his ex-wife hard, as the local 'Jocks' in Erie would often take their shots at him and his life on air. Soon he found an opening at WYSL in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, where he could be closer to his children while working through some family concerns. Connors was the AM Drive host in Buffalo, NY, and his program was nationally rated #5 by Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
, which was quite a substantial feat, considering Buffalo was ranked only 26th in the nation at that time. JC had great success in Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
, and on WYSL he frequently featured many of the well-known performers with whom he had connections. While in Buffalo, JC met his second wife, and the couple would find out they were pregnant with their first of two children shortly before moving to Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
for a job at WROC.
At WROC, he was Operations Manager & AM Drive Host. He also made multiple appearances for WROC-TV
WROC-TV
WROC-TV, virtual channel 8, is a CBS affiliate based in Rochester, New York, USA, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group. WROC-TV operates Fox affiliate WUHF through a shared services agreement. The two share studios on Humboldt Street in Rochester...
weather, as the company worked through the largest media strike in Rochester's history. He left WROC and moved back to New England during this time due to the death of his father.
After the passing of his father, JC wanted to be back in New England with the rest of his family. He was offered a position with WCIB
WCIB
WCIB , known as "Cool 102", is a Classic Hits radio station licensed to Falmouth, Massachusetts. It is owned by Qantum Communications. Joe Rossetti is the morning show host. Matt Pitta provides news from sister station WXTK and WCOD's midday announcer Janet Birchfield make up Cool Mornings...
in Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
and Cape Cod, Massachusetts where he was appointed Vice President of Operations and AM Drive Host, with multiple levels of on-air production responsibility.
After a fairly decent run at WCIB
WCIB
WCIB , known as "Cool 102", is a Classic Hits radio station licensed to Falmouth, Massachusetts. It is owned by Qantum Communications. Joe Rossetti is the morning show host. Matt Pitta provides news from sister station WXTK and WCOD's midday announcer Janet Birchfield make up Cool Mornings...
, JC moved on to WBSM
WBSM
WBSM is an AM radio station broadcasting in the New Bedford/Fall River market area with a News/Talk format. It broadcasts on 1420 kilocycles and is under ownership of Cumulus Media, with studios in Fairhaven shared with fellow Cumulus station WFHN/Fun 107...
in New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
as the AM Drive Host, with on-air radio production & copy writing. While at WBSM
WBSM
WBSM is an AM radio station broadcasting in the New Bedford/Fall River market area with a News/Talk format. It broadcasts on 1420 kilocycles and is under ownership of Cumulus Media, with studios in Fairhaven shared with fellow Cumulus station WFHN/Fun 107...
his second marriage fell apart. He moved on to another market and started over again.
Shortly after his second divorce, he moved away from Massachusetts for a position with WKRI in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
as the Morning Drive entertainer. His career in the northeastern United States soon came to an end, as he packed up and headed for another new beginning, on the Gulf Coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. While living in the Bay Area of Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
JC frequently recorded commercials and appeared in numerous local spots.
His time in Florida was brief. On February 24, 1987, on a trip returning to Rhode Island, JC was killed in a car crash on I-95 in Greensville County, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. At the time of his death, JC was survived by four children.