RIP Jim Ladd

[RitcheyRch]

This past weekend, Ladd suffered a heart attack and passed away. The news was announced on Monday on Ladd’s show on the SiriusXM Deep Tracks channel, with Meg Griffin subbing in as host and making the announcement with the support of Ladd’s wife, Helene Hodge-Ladd.

Jim Ladd, Legendary Radio DJ/SiriusXM Host, Dies at 75

Jim Ladd, legendary radio personality/disc jockey who was said to have inspired Tom Petty's "The Last DJ," has reportedly passed away at the age of 75.

rockcellarmagazine.com

 

[monkeyswrench]

Damn, listened to him on KLOS.

RIP

 

[Sandlord]

Damn, Listened to him on KMET

 

[oldboatsrule]

Yet another piece of my youth fades away.

RIP

 

[PlumLoco]

Head sets.


RIP Sir.

 

[havasujeeper]

The guy was a great DJ, but a real Trump hating libtard.

 

[UltraLucky]

"Fly low and avoid the radar"

 

[Dan Lorenze]

He was a kookie dude and a one of a kind. RIP Jim Ladd

 

[Gelcoater]

Damn.

So Cal Radio legend.

 

[C-2]

He had an unmistakable voice and attitude...the biggest balls ever for a DJ...a true radio trailblazer.

Thanks for the many years of listening...and learning.

Godspeed Jim Ladd

Litte bit of Heaven
94.7
KMET
Twiddle-Dee

WHOO-YA

 

[Flyinbowtie]

A shame, listened to him during my days in SoCal on KMET. He moved to KLOS after KMET went away.
Moving up north in the fall of 1976 I found out very quickly how spoiled we all were with SoCal FM radio.
Radio up here, sucked, period. KMET caught lightning in a bottle for a couple years back then.
Radio up here still stinks...so we pay for Sirius XM...but there will never be another Jim Ladd or the folks he worked with back then.
I still have a KMET hat in my collection, and a couple vintage KLOS stickers. Found the stickers when going through our LP's a couple years back. They were tucked into the sleeve of a Dark Side of the Moon album. Fitting I guess.
RIP Jim, you will be missed.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Was just talking to a college buddy...a guy who grew up in NorCal.
He reminded me of something...he remembered a tape I had played for him.
When I was in college there was a station in Sac that all the young people thought was the coolest, best est, most cutting edge FM station in the world. I thought it was horrible. Bad. Terrible.
One weekend when back in LA seeing Cindy Jim Ladd came on, and he was doing his "Jim Ladds All-Girl Harmonica Band" Tryouts.
Girls would call Jim. and describe to him how they would play the "Harmonica" for him if they got the gig.
I recorded it on cassette. Some of you will remember the small, compact tape device, LOL
Anyway it was as full of double talk, as you might imagine, and a riot...
I brought the tape back north with me, and played it for all my friends.
They could not believe it...they couldn't believe he got away with it, or the no commercials, or the music he played.
And suddenly, they no longer tried to convince me how "cool" their radio station was...
That tape may still be around someplace.

 

[charlyox]

So sad. A true So. Cal radio legend. RIP Jim.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Sad to hear. RIP

 

[boatpi]

I just heard this another source absolutely terrible probably one of the best DJs ever in Los Angeles
those that might remember in the 1980s he was instrumental them doing a lot of disc spinning when all the concerts came to the Los Angeles Coliseum just a few of them where the Rolling Stones Led Zeppelin the cars came and many many others and he was at KLOS during that timeframe. Rip

 

[LazyLavey]

Oh No.... rip

 

[bilz]

We all need to stop getting old.
Damn another one gone.

 

[Willie B]

… Damn… I certainly did not see this coming… really a shame… rest in peace, Mr. Ladd…

 

[F.U.IRS]

Damn

 

[PlumLoco]

Somewhere around 10-15 years ago we went to the Wiltern Theater for a one week only laser show done by the Laserium people to Dark Side of the Moon of course.
Jim Ladd and Cynthia Fox were hosting. It wasn't nearly as good as when it was in the Griffith Observatory, but it still took us back to those days.

 

[C-2]

Somewhere around 10-15 years ago we went to the Wiltern Theater for a one week only laser show done by the Laserium people to Dark Side of the Moon of course.
Jim Ladd and Cynthia Fox were hosting. It wasn't nearly as good as when it was in the Griffith Observatory, but it still took us back to those days.

Oh hellz yes, Fox is a cutie. Saw her at the US in 83', everybody was like DAYUMMMM!!!!

 

[Sandlord]

Those were the days.
Jim Ladd
Cynthia Fox
The Burner, Mary Turner
Jeff Gonzales (Gonzer)
Patrick Kelly (Paraquat Kelly)
and so many others

 

[rivermobster]

Somewhere around 10-15 years ago we went to the Wiltern Theater for a one week only laser show done by the Laserium people to Dark Side of the Moon of course.
Jim Ladd and Cynthia Fox were hosting. It wasn't nearly as good as when it was in the Griffith Observatory, but it still took us back to those days.

We would go up to the observatory regularly to watch lazerium back in the day.

If you didn't have any weed, it didn't matter, there were joints just being handed to you waiting in line.

I can hear Jim Lads voice in my head right now...

This getting old shit sucks, but I'll always have awesome memories of the greatest music era Ever.

 

[rivermobster]

Those were the days.
Jim Ladd
Cynthia Fox
The Burner, Mary Turner
Jeff Gonzales (Gonzer)
Patrick Kelly (Paraquat Kelly)
and so many others

The fish report, with a beat!

 

[Ducksquasher]

Heard this earlier...remember him late nights when I was younger. RIP...God Bless.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I think Jim Ladd was also a fixture at the Fontucky nascar track. I recall he’d be around supporting the racing team events.

 

[SHOCKtheMONKEY]

I think Jim Ladd was also a fixture at the Fontucky nascar track. I recall he’d be around supporting the racing team events.

Are you thinking of Joe Benson? Uncle Joe?

 

[Chili Palmer]

Joe Benson was big in motorsports, I saw him a couple of times at the KLOS booth at the drags in Pomona a couple of times handing out swag. The line was too long so I just walked by and then in the pits we saw Kenny Bernstein hanging out, unfortunately it was the time before cell phone cameras and I didn't have a camera on me at the time - it was after that I always brought a camera with me to the drags and never saw any of the drivers out in the open after that.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Are you thinking of Joe Benson? Uncle Joe?

Yeah I think you’re right.

 

[HB2Havasu]

Grew up listening to Jim Ladd on KMET as a kid. He introduced me to bands I had never heard of like The Doors, Allman Brothers, CSNY, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc... I was so excited when I got a Sirius XM subscription a few years back and heard that wonderful voice from my youth on the Deep Tracks Station. It was like going back 45 years in a time machine. I knew he wasn't doing so hot when I last listened to him about 2 weeks ago. The voice was going, so this didn't surprise me to hear. You Truly were as Tom Petty said "The Last DJ" Thank You Jim Ladd for all the joy you brought to my ears, Rest in Paradise my friend.

 

[Willie B]

Are you thinking of Joe Benson? Uncle Joe?

… Joe Benson actually drove somebody’s door slammer at Pomona… can’t remember who’s car or what car???…

 

[rivermobster]

KLOS is playing a rock history count down deal...

I just heard em play a clip of Jim Ladd.

 

[redwoodred]

Was just talking to a college buddy...a guy who grew up in NorCal.
He reminded me of something...he remembered a tape I had played for him.
When I was in college there was a station in Sac that all the young people thought was the coolest, best est, most cutting edge FM station in the world. I thought it was horrible. Bad. Terrible.
One weekend when back in LA seeing Cindy Jim Ladd came on, and he was doing his "Jim Ladds All-Girl Harmonica Band" Tryouts.
Girls would call Jim. and describe to him how they would play the "Harmonica" for him if they got the gig.
I recorded it on cassette. Some of you will remember the small, compact tape device, LOL
Anyway it was as full of double talk, as you might imagine, and a riot...
I brought the tape back north with me, and played it for all my friends.
They could not believe it...they couldn't believe he got away with it, or the no commercials, or the music he played.
And suddenly, they no longer tried to convince me how "cool" their radio station was...
That tape may still be around someplace.

I was a member of Jim Ladd's "All-Girl Harmonica Band". In my early 20's, working 3 jobs, one of them graveyard shift at a gas station, and I'd listen to him every chance I got. To be a "member", you had to write in, then he'd read the letters on the air. I still have the tiny Hohner Harmonica he sent me. And it came with those super-cool KMET bumper stickers (I've still got them, too!).
I'd call him from work sometimes to stay awake at the job, and he invited me to come to L.A. to see Rush. When I got there, he gave me a Mighty 'Met t-shirt to wear (a size too small), and a press pass. Everyone backstage knew him. EVERYONE. We were treated like royalty, but he was so humble... or maybe that was all of the smoke.
I now live in Wyoming, and just learned he'd passed while watching a YouTube video. RIP, Bandleader. I salute you.

 

[timstoy]

… Joe Benson actually drove somebody’s door slammer at Pomona… can’t remember who’s car or what car???…

Jim sponsored or owned a car but driven by someone else that l can’t remember his name off hand. Years ago at Pomona we were in the AAA suite and I was seated next to Tom Mc Queean(SP) and Joe Benson walked in with with that familiar voice! Got to talk to Joe, Tom, and Bubby Wilton. Good times!

 

[musicFunsun]

I can hear his voice, too. RIP Jim.

 

[rivrrts429]

Jim sponsored or owned a car but driven by someone else that l can’t remember his name off hand. Years ago at Pomona we were in the AAA suite and I was seated next to Tom Mc Queean(SP) and Joe Benson walked in with with that familiar voice! Got to talk to Joe, Tom, and Bubby Wilton. Good times!

I just remember as a kid the decals, “where the hell is uncle Joe Benson!”

 

[havasu5150]

Those were the days.
Jim Ladd
Cynthia Fox
The Burner, Mary Turner
Jeff Gonzales (Gonzer)
Patrick Kelly (Paraquat Kelly)
and so many others

Damn, those names bring back memories. I also fondly remember listening in Sunday nights to and usually recording on my cassette deck. ...The Seventh Day with Joe Benson"

 

[Toolman]

Damn, Listened to him on KMET

The Mighty Met!

 

[chadzilla]

i was just a youngster growing up in that era but I have many fond memories of hanging out in the garage while my dad worked on our dirt bikes with, first, KMET, and then KLOS playing on the stereo. The smell of 2 strokes and the warm sound of bitchin music combined with the 2 best voices on the radio! There were so many cool programs to listen to. The Seventh Day with Joe Benson, all of Jim Ladd's programs. It was something to look forward to. I still listen to FM a lot but it isn't the same. There was a program on sundays that played entire albums but I can't remember the name or who the DJ was. And even MTV was cool back then!! Back when they actually played music...