Rick Dees Retires

http://www.rronline.com/Subscribers/TodaysNews/newspm.asp#Rick%20Dees%20Hangs%20Up%20His%20Headphones ^

[Lunatic Fringe]

After teasing listeners last week with a "life-changing announcement," longtime KIIS-FM/Los Angeles wake-up host Rick Dees (pictured) revealed early this morning that today's program will be his last for the Clear Channel station. The announcement comes after Clear Channel reportedly offered Dees a multimillion-dollar, five-year deal that included Dees' continued involvement as host of the Premiere-syndicated Weekly Top 40 program.

In telling listeners of his decision, Dees said he "owes a debt of gratitude" to his longtime fans and noted that he looks forward "to several more years with the Weekly Top 40. It has been decided that I will no longer do the morning radio show at KIIS-FM. It's a new a day - let's get going." Dees, who joined KIIS 22 years ago, noted that ratings fluctuate but said that his show is the No. 1-revenue generating morning program in L.A. Dees then played Enya's "Only Time," and featured audio highlights from Dees' program from over the years. No on-air statement was made concerning new American Top 40 host Ryan Seacrest, who is expected to succeed Dees at KIIS.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Man, this guy was around forever...

[Cinnamon Girl]

Hello... HE WAS FIRED.

[Revolting cat!]

Oh no, what about that long promised follow up 45 to Disco Duck?!

[Lunatic Fringe]

He was fired? The article says he was offered millions to continue...

[SamAdams76]

Even though it has been nearly 30 years now, I will always associate Rick Dees with "Disco Duck."

[Revolting cat!]

Hint: he's running for President (on disco platform shoes!)

[Cinnamon Girl]

You can listen to his goodbye speech on his website. He was canned. He said so to Harold Green, apparently. He sounded pretty upset on his show.

[nicmarlo]

Hah! I met him years ago.....when both he and I were relatively "kids," lol!

[Bud Krieger]

Disco Duck by Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots. Music and Lyrics by Rick Dees

Went to a party the other night
All the ladies were treating me right
Moving my feet to the disco beat
How in the world could I keep my seat
All of a sudden I began to change
I was on the dance floor acting strange
Flapping my arms I began to cluck
Look at me..I'm the disco duck

Disco Duck: Ah get down mama, I've got to have me a woman, ha ha ha ha ha
Chorus: Disco, disco duck
Disco Duck: Got to have me a woman
Chorus: Disco, disco duck
Disco Duck: Oh get down mama
Chorus: Try your luck, don't be a cluck, disco
Disco Duck: Disco
Chorus: Disco
Disco Duck: Disco
Chorus: Disco
Disco Duck & Chorus: Disco
Chorus: Disco disco duck
Disco Duck: All right
Chorus: Disco disco duck
Disco Duck: Ah get down mama, oh mama shake your tail feather, ha ha ha ha ha

When the music stopped I returned to my seat But there's no stoppin' a duck and his beat So I got back up to try my luck Why look

Disco Duck: Everybody's doin' the
Disco Duck & Chorus: Disco, disco duck
Disco Duck & Chorus: Disco, disco duck
Chorus: Try your luck
Disco Duck: Wave to me
Chorus: Don't be a cluck
Disco Duck: I'm so happy to be here
Chorus: Disco
Elvis Presley: Thank you duck
Chorus: Disco
Elvis Presley: For gettin' down
Chorus: Disco disco disco
Elvis Presley: Thank you so very much
Chorus: Disco duck
Disco Duck: You're welcome
Chorus: Disco Disco Duck
Chorus: Try your luck, don't be a cluck, disco, disco, disco..

---

[Kirkwood]

I would love to get fired if meant cutting back to working one day a week and making millions!

[ambrose]

Well, sort of fired. He was offered a demotion, which he refused.

I remember the days of Rick Dees vs Wally George.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

I thought he did his best work on Solid Gold back in the 80s. No, wait a minute. I liked the Solid Gold dancers. Nevermind. :)

[oyez]

Dees Slease goes wayback(Leena Wayback to some) to Memphis 1976. I wonder how many people crashed their cars driving to work listening to this man.

http://www.reelradio.com/ram/beg2.ram?rdwmps75.ra~0:00.0~18:42.0

[Kirkwood]

If you are too young to remember this song, be eternally grateful.

[oyez]

He had one that flopped called "Disgorilla", not that Gorilla but "Disgorilla."

[Texas Eagle]

Rick Dees is still alive? What is he? Like a hundred?

[oyez]

Dees scored a big hit(Disco Duck) bringing instant fame to he and WMPS. WMPS didn't think so and did one of the most boneheaded business decisions of all times in firing him. Dees took his carts across town to WHBQ along with his #1 rating.

[truthkeeper]

I listened to Rick Dees every morning of my high school years. He was one of those people you thought would just go on and on forever.
Suddenly I feel really old...

[truthkeeper]

Remember "Candid Phone?" He got in some good ones...

[oyez]

He called some lady, claiming that he was from her dog grooming service and there was an accident that caused her dog to be completely de-haired. The woman had a hemorrhage on air.

[JayNorth]

Wally George...

That's Rebecca Demornay's dad.

[Prime Choice]

I never listened to Dees when he was on the air. I only remember his short-lived run as a TV talk show host. Talk about a flop...

[oyez]

I met Rick Dees on an elevator in downtown Memphis in 1976, the most entertaining elevator ride of my life. The man never let up with his nonsense.

[socal_parrot]

Thanks for the site info. The airchecks of the Real Don Steel and Charlie Tuna on KHJ in the late 60s and early 70s were awsome.

[kellynla]

You are really dating yourself. If you go back that far you must remember "Chesterfields" and "The Place Across the Street"...LOL

[ArmstedFragg]

The airchecks of the Real Don Steel and Charlie Tuna on KHJ in the late 60s and early 70s were awsome.

Tina Delgatto is STILL alive!

Looking at the KIIS web-site must have been a major depressing experience for Rick. All the other jocks are less than half his age. It didn't take them long to get him off the site, either. His picture was gone while his chair was still warm

That 60's and 70's era produced a lot of folks who were long-time survivors in the business. Johnny Hayes, and Steve Jay (Jay Stevens) are still active in L.A. radio and "Machine Gun" Tom Kelly still does a lot of commercial work.

[ArmstedFragg]

I liked the Solid Gold dancers

Seen their web-site? Pictures and bios on all those little puppies and pupp-ettes. Made me feel like a whole new... uh... fan.

[oyez]

"Chesterfields" That was over by Clark Tower. They were famous for hot and cold running women. Then there was that club over by Methodist Hospital up there in that "dish". What did they call that? "2001"?

[socal_parrot]

I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard that Dees was offered 2.5 mil to keep going. As far as FM goes in LA, besides Dees there would be Power (Big Boy?), Kevin and Bean on KROQ and Mark and Brian on KLOS. I would think he would be in the top two of those shows. I actually never listened to him.

As for reelradio.com, the air checks are awsome. The one "Boss Jock" from KHJ I didn't see was Sam Riddle. KHJ was it for AM radio in LA during the 70s along with KEZY 1190 in Orange County. On FM it was KLOS and KMET. Now it's all corporate stations with bot jocks.

[Revel]

"I thought he did his best work on Solid Gold back in the 80s. No, wait a minute. I liked the Solid Gold dancers. Nevermind. :)"

You mean when you could still come up with 40 new songs that were worth listening to.

[kellynla]

yep...you do remember...a lot of good times there before I left in '76 and came to LA.

[oyez]

Now the fun is to be had on Beale Street or you can run up to Automatic Slim's Tonga Club.

[ArmstedFragg]

KHJ was it for AM radio in LA during the 70s

The turnaround for KHJ started in '65, when Bill Drake's Boss Radio format moved in. Ron Jacobs (AKA Big Kahuna) programmed it during the early days and has written quite a book detailing his memories from those days. The growth of Boss Radio followed an almost military-like process in the early days. Drake hired away most of the staff of his competitor in Fresno and moved them San Diego. A year later, he took part of them to KHJ when he took over, then also took some back to San Francisco where he essentially ran the station that had fired him in about '63 right out of town.

Funny you should mention Sam Riddle. I was just looking at a couple of photos of him during his "dance show" period. They were originally on www.93khj.com, then somehow got de-linked. Google'll probably turn them up.

Boss radio came along at a time when everybody was doing "personality" formats. It triumphed by being tight, music-heavy, promotionally hip, and well-produced. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody comes along and takes advantage of the current "Mc-Radio" climate using updated versions of those tactics. It'd be kind of cool to see a brilliantly programmed "indie" blow those corp. guys right out of the book.

[petuniasevan]

The airchecks of the Real Don Steel and Charlie Tuna on KHJ in the late 60s and early 70s were awsome

Hey! No fair dragging me down Memory Lane!

...93 KHJ!

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Seen their web-site? Pictures and bios on all those little puppies and pupp-ettes. Made me feel like a whole new... uh... fan.

WHAT??? What's the URL ! ?? Please please please....

My favorite dancer was named Pam. At least I think that was her name, it's been about 20 yrs. She was a nice petite little blonde. :)

[Bud Krieger]

If you are too young to remember this song, be eternally grateful.

---

If only. I was quite young, so at the time I actually liked it !! LOL !!

[BunnySlippers]

Is he well? Some people retire when they have a life threatening illness.

[My Favorite Headache]

The worst

[Cinnamon Girl]

Apparently he wasn't pleased with his contract. He's supposed to continue on with Weekly Top 40.

[Rainmist]

I loved and reveled in the disco era, but god I hated that song !!!

[MikeD]

There's a great story about Dees's early days as a college DJ. He was broadcasting out of Granville Towers (the "ritzy" dorm at UNC-CH) in the late sixties when a tall, lanky, long-haired kid walks in with a guitar. RD starts interviewing the kid, and the kid says he's going to London to record for the Beatles. RD says "yeah right," and kicks him out of the booth. A year later, James Taylor released his first album...

No, this story isn't an urban legend -- RD repeated it in the UNC Alumni Review a year or so ago...

MD

[ArmstedFragg]

What's the URL

That'd be: http://www.geocities.com/sgdancers/dancers.html

Pam was a brunette, I believe.

I spent several years working on the post-production end of that show, so I spent a lot of time watching those dancers. I remember it as a time spent in a high state of... uh... distraction.

[kellynla]

MEMPHIS BUMP