Don Steele (born Donald Steele Revert; April 1, 1936 â€" August 5,
1997) was one of the most popular disc jockeys in the United States
from the middle of the 1960s until his retirement (for health reasons)
in May 1997. He was better known as "The Real Don Steele," a name
suggested by his program director, Steve Brown, at KOIL-AM in Omaha,
Nebraska. Brown hoped the moniker would click with listeners and make
him stand out from other radio personalities.Born in Hollywood,
California, Steele graduated from Hollywood High School, served in the
United States Air Force and then studied at a local radio school, the
Don Martin School of Broadcasting, where he also taught for a short
time. Shortly thereafter, Steele began his radio career working
outside of L.A. at a small station, KBUC in Corona, CA then moving on
to KEPR Kennewick, KIMA Yakima and KXLY Spokane, all in Washington;
KOIL Omaha, Nebraska; KISN Portland, Oregon, and KEWB San Francisco
before returning to Los Angeles to help kick off what would become one
of the most influential radio stations in the country, 93/KHJ, Boss
Radio, in April 1965.Steele became nationally-known as a DJ on radio
station KHJ in Los Angeles, where he helped to promote the "ultrahip"
top-40 Boss Radio format which began at 3pm on April 27, 1965. He also
appeared on TV as host of Boss City and The Real Don Steele TV Show, a
show which ran from 1965 to 1975 on KHJ-TV channel 9 in Los Angeles.
When the popularity of AM radio gave way to FM stereo in the 1970s,
Steele continued to remain a popular personality at the station.
Following the years at 93/KHJ, The Real Don Steele continued to be
heard on Los Angeles radio stations, including KIQQ (K-100), KTNQ
(Ten-Q), KRLA, KCBS-FM and KRTH-FM (K-Earth 101), until his death in
August 1997.In the book Los Angeles Radio People, Steele recalled the
beginnings of Boss Radio in 1965: "We were standing literally at
ground zero, then (the radio format) became a huge giant. It was like
a mushroom cloud that went up -- heavy on the mushroom."
1997) was one of the most popular disc jockeys in the United States
from the middle of the 1960s until his retirement (for health reasons)
in May 1997. He was better known as "The Real Don Steele," a name
suggested by his program director, Steve Brown, at KOIL-AM in Omaha,
Nebraska. Brown hoped the moniker would click with listeners and make
him stand out from other radio personalities.Born in Hollywood,
California, Steele graduated from Hollywood High School, served in the
United States Air Force and then studied at a local radio school, the
Don Martin School of Broadcasting, where he also taught for a short
time. Shortly thereafter, Steele began his radio career working
outside of L.A. at a small station, KBUC in Corona, CA then moving on
to KEPR Kennewick, KIMA Yakima and KXLY Spokane, all in Washington;
KOIL Omaha, Nebraska; KISN Portland, Oregon, and KEWB San Francisco
before returning to Los Angeles to help kick off what would become one
of the most influential radio stations in the country, 93/KHJ, Boss
Radio, in April 1965.Steele became nationally-known as a DJ on radio
station KHJ in Los Angeles, where he helped to promote the "ultrahip"
top-40 Boss Radio format which began at 3pm on April 27, 1965. He also
appeared on TV as host of Boss City and The Real Don Steele TV Show, a
show which ran from 1965 to 1975 on KHJ-TV channel 9 in Los Angeles.
When the popularity of AM radio gave way to FM stereo in the 1970s,
Steele continued to remain a popular personality at the station.
Following the years at 93/KHJ, The Real Don Steele continued to be
heard on Los Angeles radio stations, including KIQQ (K-100), KTNQ
(Ten-Q), KRLA, KCBS-FM and KRTH-FM (K-Earth 101), until his death in
August 1997.In the book Los Angeles Radio People, Steele recalled the
beginnings of Boss Radio in 1965: "We were standing literally at
ground zero, then (the radio format) became a huge giant. It was like
a mushroom cloud that went up -- heavy on the mushroom."
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