Big Jack Armstrong

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John Charles Larsh (aka Jack Armstrong, Jackson W. Armstrong, Big Jack Your Leader) is a disc jockey of the 1960s and 1970s. First surfacing at WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC in 1960, the 14 year old DJ began his radio career. Personable, friendly, young, and with the ability to talk at speeds beyond that of most humans, Larsh was well liked and well received by audiences. He developed 2 imaginary sidekicks - the Gorilla, who speaks in a raspy bass, and likes women, banana juice, and whiskey, in that order - and the Old Timer, who wheezes, tells lame jokes, and was always getting shot after one of them.

Larsh worked at several stations in the Deep South in the early 1960s, including WCOG in Greensboro, NC, and WAYS in Charlotte, NC. His first big break came in 1966, when he landed a job at WIXY in Cleveland, OH. The evening disc jockey at this station was always called Jack Armstrong, after the 1930s radio serial Jack Armstrong the All American Boy. With his fast talking, young, friendly approach, Larsh became a huge hit in Cleveland - so huge that floundering WKYC - AM - 1100 asked him to break his WIXY contract, and come to work for the 50,000 watt blowtorch in January of 1967.

'Jack Armstrong' was a copyrighted moniker in the market, so Larsh adopted the alias 'Big Jack Your Leader,' and went to work for WKYC. He also occasionally taunted WIXY by calling himself Jackson W. Armstrong.

With WKYC being heard all over the Eastern half of the US, Larsh finally went national. He attracted fans all over the region, and became a huge hit. WKYC was listed as the #3 record buying influence in Miami, FL in that era, no doubt due to 'Big Jack' and the 50,000 watt night time signal that was so strong over the East Coast of the US.

Larsh moved on, working at other 50,000 watt stations like WMEX, Boston, MA; CHUM, Toronto, Canada, KFI, Los Angeles and WKBW, Buffalo, NY. It was at the latter that he developed his 'Motormouth' character, and was listed in the Guiness Book of World Records in 1971 as the world's fastest talking human. Larsh was one of the original disc jockeys hired for the all new 13-Q in Pittsburgh, PA in the early 1970s.

Larsh was always a floater. He would work at a station until he became bored, or ran into difficulties. With his reputation and talent, he could always get a new job.

Larsh was working for WWKB in Buffalo, NY, when the sudden format change in 2006 to liberal talk put him in the unemployed ranks. He is reportedly working on his autobiography, and looking for the right place to hang his hat in the radio world of today.

[edit] List of stations worked

WCHL Chapel Hill NC 1960
WSSB Durham NC 1960
WCDJ Edenton NC 1961
WDJK Atlanta 1961
WCOG Greensboro NC 1962-65
WAYS Charlotte 1965-66
WIXY Cleveland 1966
WKYC Cleveland 1967
WMEX Boston 1968
CHUM Toronto 1968-69
WPOP Hartford CT 1969-70
KTLK Denver 1970
WKBW Buffalo 1971-73
WJAS/WKTQ Pittsburgh 1973-75
WHYI-FM Miami 1975
KDKA Pittsburgh 1975
WIFE Indianapolis 1977
WNBC New York City 1978 (one show as "The Unknown DJ")
KTNQ/KHTZ Los Angeles 1978-80
KFI Los Angeles 1980-82
KFRC San Francisco 1982-84
KKHR-FM Los Angeles 1984-86
KBOS-FM Fresno CA 1987-91
WMQX-FM Greensboro NC 1997-2003
WWKB Buffalo NY 2003-2006

[edit] Signoff

Larsh always used a distinctive signoff. At WKYC, it was a few catch phrases, spoken over the instrumental version of the The Beatles' "And I Love Her." Later, it became a Motormouth extravaganza, spoken so fast it was hard to understand.

"Don't get none on ya, do it twice, be nice. It's very nice to be important, but more important to be very nice. Let it all hang out, drag it in the sand, and make a deep rut. People who live in glass houses shouldn't...A bird in the hand makes it hard to blow your nose. One good turn takes most of the blankets. You can lead a horse to water, but don't push him in. Nothing smells any worse than a wet horse, or you can lead a horse to water push him in and teach him the backstroke, then you've really got something. Wash your face in the morning, neck at night. Love is life, life is love. Light your own candle and the world will be a much brighter place. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a little knot, hang on and swing. Stay calm, try to adjust. You can't live with 'em or without 'em. hoo hee, HEE HOO! Don't let your six gun get rusty. It's been a business doing pleasure with you, it's been real... and your LEEEEEEADAAAAAAAAH love ya!"

He would also includes messages to his children in the signoff, spoken in the Gorilla's voice.