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was at the height of its popularity, Crocker once rode in through the front entrance on a white stallion. In the studio, before he left for the day, Crocker would light a candle and invite female listeners to enjoy a candlelight bath with him. He signed off the air each night to the tune
234:
He'd been the program director at WWRL and felt held back by what he considered to be the narrow perspective of the station. He quit and was twice re-hired by the station management. "He knew how to attract attention," said the chairman of Inner City
Broadcasting,
520:
His friend and former boss Bob Law, a onetime program director of WWRL, said of
Crocker, "He encompassed all of the urban sophistication. He appreciated the culture, the whole urban experience, and he wove it together. That's missing now, even in black radio".
247:
Crocker had set out on a revolutionary endeavor known as 'Hollywood Live', which marked the beginning of a groundbreaking live radio show. This trailblazing show not only harnessed the power of satellite technology but also introduced a novel element:
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investigation. Under the cloud of charges, the radio station fired him. Crocker moved to L.A. and returned to school, while the case was investigated. The charges were later dismissed.
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252:. This innovative feature enabled music enthusiasts to actively participate without paying toll rates to the phone company and engage in the show's content.
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Frankie
Crocker was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2000 and the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
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Pet
Carmela Pope. The charges were later dropped. He also was mentioned as a paramour of, and suspect in the February 12, 1977 murder of young
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magazine, an industry periodical, Crocker said, "There is nothing I won't play if I hear it and like it and feel it will go for my market".
735:
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After the payola charges were dropped, he returned to New York radio in 1979 as DJ and
Program Director on WBLS-FM, at the end of the
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517:. But he kept the illness a secret from his friends and even from his mother. He died on October 21, 2000. Crocker was 62.
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and afternoon host. He took the station to the top of the ratings during the late 1970s and pioneered the
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825:
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442:
826:"The Long Kiss Goodbye: How Fear Of A Black Planet Killed A Black Radio Station, 98.7 Kiss FM In Depth"
249:
73:
671:"REELRADIO – The Rob Frankel Collection – Gerry Bledsoe, WWRL New York, NY, January 1, 1977"
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360:" to the attention of American audiences. He also gave America exposure to an obscure genre called "
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mix of songs that appealed to an urban audience of black listeners, Hispanics, whites and Asians.
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http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Tip-Sheets/Claude-Hall/Hall-1979-06-28.pdf
239:. Inner City was the owner of WBLS and Jackson once said, "We called him Hollywood."
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frontman Bill Curtis credited
Crocker with breaking the group in New York.
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271:. Later, Crocker helped usher in a format change at KUTE and WBLS, mixing
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736:"Frankie Crocker, a Champion Of Black-Format Radio, Dies (Published 2000)"
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474:. Crocker's career in radio ended by 1985. He moved to MTV Networks as a
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Crocker would rely on his expertise at "finding the music". Speaking to
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1036:"FRANKIE CROCKER DIES: Deejay helped create 'urban contemporary'"
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Presents The Disco Suite
Symphony No. 1 In Rhythm And Excellence
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Presents The Disco Suite
Symphony No. 1 In Rhythm And Excellence
464:
428:
361:
176:
510:
396:
801:"BRE Publisher Sidney Miller Jr. Has Died - TheIndustry.Biz"
329:
as NYC's unofficial anthem on the radio. WBLS airplay made "
159:(also the home to future greats Gerry Bledsoe, Eddie O'Jay,
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326:
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According to popeducation.org, Crocker began his career in
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a favorite cookout, church, wedding and graduation song. "
525:
Discography as a leader of The Heart & Soul
Orchestra
410:
513:-area hospital for several weeks. He was diagnosed with
434:
As an actor, Crocker appeared in five films, including
104:(December 18, 1937 – October 21, 2000) was an American
364:" and he helped make popular to American audiences a
139:
841:"The Fatback Band: 'Everything was just raw energy'"
715:"WBLS 107.5 New York – Frankie Crocker – Late 1970s"
547:
205:
1070:Frankie Crocker's Heart And Soul Orchestra (1977).
1053:Frankie Crocker's Heart And Soul Orchestra (1976).
941:"cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/568/1049/288359"
1073:Frankie Crocker & The Heart And Soul Orchestra
1029:
1027:
537:Frankie Crocker & The Heart And Soul Orchestra
861:"Broadcasting Hall of Fame – 2002 Inductees"
263:, with programming duties at urban station 101.9
1101:
1033:
1024:
891:"Hall of Fame: 2005 Inductees: Frankie Crocker"
279:genres. Crocker called it "Disco and More."
171:, where he first worked for soul station 1600
463:Crocker was indicted as a result of a 1976
345:became a hot song in the Black Community.
255:By 1979, Crocker was shuttling between the
1115:Radio personalities from Buffalo, New York
29:
115:, TV host and actor. Crocker helped grow
1120:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Florida
922:Darktown Strutters (Get Down and Boogie)
733:
683:
509:In October 2000, Crocker checked into a
448:Darktown Strutters (Get Down and Boogie)
321:as popular recording artists. He made, "
167:and Chucky T). Crocker later moved to
1145:Radio personalities from New York City
1102:
665:
663:
413:, he hosted the late-night music show
127:radio station, into the #1 station in
458:
387:Crocker was one of the five original
382:
1175:20th-century African-American people
1140:African-American radio personalities
734:Williams, Monte (October 24, 2000).
493:He was charged in 1983 with hitting
1034:Hinckley, David (23 October 2000).
660:
13:
838:
223:. Crocker coined the radio term "
198:. He sometimes called himself the
140:Radio in Buffalo and New York City
14:
1186:
1165:20th-century American journalists
1155:Journalists from New York (state)
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242:
186:He then worked for 107.5 WBLS as
686:"Remembering O'Jay, A Good Soul"
616:Sidney August Anthony Miller Jr.
592:
580:
564:
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275:with other African-American and
227:" in the 1970s, a label for the
16:American disc jockey (1937–2000)
1150:Radio and television announcers
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969:
951:
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684:Hinckley, David (May 7, 1998).
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698:
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35:Portrait in 1975 advertisement
1:
653:
572:R&B and Soul Music portal
1135:African-American journalists
7:
828:. News One. August 1, 1981.
758:Behind the Music On the Set
543:
443:Five on the Black Hand Side
102:Frankie "Hollywood" Crocker
23:Frankie "Hollywood" Crocker
10:
1191:
839:Ma, David (July 6, 2016).
74:North Miami Beach, Florida
1170:American male journalists
91:
81:
62:
40:
28:
21:
865:The Buffalo Broadcasters
504:
399:channel. He hosted the
121:urban adult contemporary
331:Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
206:"Moody's Mood for Love"
959:"The Boss Picked Hits"
783:"The Boss Picked Hits"
618:Producer of Hollywood
501:starlet Christa Helm.
335:McFadden and Whitehead
1076:. Casablanca Records.
1059:. Casablanca Records.
649: – Rival to WBLS
423:(MC) at shows in the
339:The Magnificent Seven
250:1-800 call-in numbers
217:Moody's Mood For Love
609:Contemporary R&B
587:Biography portal
558:United States portal
421:master of ceremonies
1040:New York Daily News
895:NYSBroadcasters.org
691:New York Daily News
419:. Crocker was the
416:Friday Night Videos
323:Love is the Message
131:in the late 1970s.
1110:American radio DJs
981:: "The Last Take""
803:. 20 January 2022.
740:The New York Times
459:Payola Accusations
395:, the cable music
383:TV and film career
289:WBLS helped break
225:urban contemporary
196:urban contemporary
604:Imhotep Gary Byrd
515:pancreatic cancer
99:
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92:Years active
55:Buffalo, New York
51:December 18, 1937
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987:. April 26, 2008
979:48 Hours Mystery
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965:. March 9, 2003.
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901:on July 27, 2011
897:. Archived from
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871:on 27 March 2013
867:. Archived from
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789:. March 9, 2009.
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760:. Archived from
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348:Crocker brought
188:program director
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66:October 21, 2000
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1007:"The Last Take"
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764:on 2016-03-12
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489:Relationships
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483:cable channel
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454:Controversies
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221:King Pleasure
219:" by crooner
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197:
194:now known as
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129:New York City
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1065:
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1039:
1014:. Retrieved
1010:
1001:
989:. Retrieved
984:
978:
971:
962:
953:
944:
935:
921:
915:
903:. Retrieved
899:the original
894:
885:
873:. Retrieved
869:the original
864:
855:
846:The Guardian
844:
834:
820:
809:
795:
786:
777:
766:. Retrieved
762:the original
757:
748:
739:
729:
718:
706:Ghostarchive
704:Archived at
700:
689:
679:
642:Tommy Smalls
619:
536:
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519:
508:
494:
492:
469:
462:
447:
446:(1973), and
441:
435:
433:
414:
404:
386:
378:
374:Fatback Band
358:Soul Makossa
354:Manu Dibango
347:
315:Alicia Myers
288:
284:Radio Report
283:
281:
254:
246:
233:
209:
200:Chief Rocker
199:
192:radio format
185:
161:Herb Hamlett
143:
135:Radio Career
101:
100:
68:(2000-10-21)
1130:2000 deaths
1125:1937 births
963:Insideplaya
787:Insideplaya
632:Hal Jackson
319:Grace Jones
277:dance music
273:disco music
269:Los Angeles
237:Hal Jackson
179:outlet 570
152:powerhouse
125:black music
106:disc jockey
86:Disc Jockey
1160:VH1 people
1104:Categories
875:15 October
768:2016-02-27
654:References
406:Solid Gold
403:TV series
401:syndicated
370:Bob Marley
307:The System
261:East Coast
257:West Coast
183:in 1969.
175:and later
150:soul music
82:Occupation
47:1937-12-18
499:Hollywood
495:Penthouse
472:disco era
343:the Clash
212:Studio 54
169:Manhattan
165:Gary Byrd
95:1963–2000
1016:July 16,
1011:CBS News
991:July 11,
905:July 16,
708:and the
544:See also
450:(1975).
440:(1973),
366:Jamaican
352:-native
350:Cameroon
229:eclectic
985:TVGuide
929:. 1975.
720:YouTube
647:WRKS-FM
478:on the
303:D Train
299:Shannon
295:Madonna
291:Blondie
157:1080 AM
146:Buffalo
754:"News"
539:(1977)
533:(1976)
465:payola
429:Harlem
409:. On
362:Reggae
177:Top 40
119:, the
76:, U.S.
57:, U.S.
511:Miami
505:Death
397:video
341:" by
333:" by
325:" by
210:When
1095:IMDb
1018:2011
993:2011
927:IMDb
907:2011
877:2012
620:Live
480:VH-1
393:VH-1
356:'s "
327:MFSB
265:KUTE
259:and
181:WMCA
173:WWRL
154:WUFO
123:and
117:WBLS
110:VH-1
63:Died
41:Born
1093:at
427:in
411:NBC
391:on
389:VJs
267:in
148:at
1106::
1038:.
1026:^
1009:.
983:.
961:.
943:.
925:.
893:.
863:.
843:.
785:.
756:.
738:.
717:.
712::
688:.
662:^
485:.
476:VJ
372:.
313:,
309:,
305:,
301:,
297:,
293:,
163:,
113:VJ
108:,
1042:.
1020:.
995:.
977:"
947:.
909:.
879:.
849:.
771:.
742:.
723:.
694:.
673:.
215:"
49:)
45:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
