James C. White

James Charles White, Jr. (April 6, 1937 – September 2, 2009) was an American radio talk-show host on KMOX, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Radio career

Jim White began his radio career in 1953 (age 16) at radio station WHJB (now WKHB in Irwin, Pennsylvania), at studios then in his hometown Greensburg, PA. After he graduated from high-school in 1955, White worked at station WDFM at Penn State University. White also served in the U.S. Army. In 1958 White worked at stations WAKU in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and at WMCK in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, both in western Pennsylvania. In 1959 White moved up to work as a rock jock at station WJAS, in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1966-1968 White worked at KDKA, the largest radio station in Pittsburgh with 50,000 watts of broadcasting power on a clear channel.[1]

During 1969-1999 White worked for 30 years at radio station KMOX, St. Louis, Missouri where he was a talk show host. He referred to himself as "The Big Bumper", because of his height and weight and late-night program shift (10 pm - 2 am) - and also alluding to "things that go bump in the night." Like other people at KMOX, he worked many different jobs and shifts. At one time he was program director, news director, and program host. His irascibile personality was his trademark and he often cut off callers in mid-sentence, if he considered them boring.

Because KMOX had 50,000 watts of power and clear channel status, his radio show could be heard at night over much of North America.[2] White retired April 7, 1999.

About May 2005 White had quad bypass surgery on his heart, but he lived for another four years. On September 2, 2009 he died from complications following surgery.

Family

With his wife Pat, Jim White had two daughters, Heidi Horn and Holly Skubiz, and four grandchildren. After his retirement from KMOX in 1999, Jim White and his wife moved to Orange Beach, Alabama.

Jim White is also survived by a sister, Ann, who currently resides in Maui, Hawaii and Phoenix, Arizona

Hobbies

Jim White was also an amateur radio operator and built his own radio transmitter when he was a teenager. White's amateur radio call signs were W3TNY, W0NJB and later KM0X (with a zero to be similar to the alphabetic O in the St. Louis commercial radio station KMOX). Jim sang bass in the church choir and performed singing parts on stage in amateur shows.

Awards

Commentary

Some of Jim White's favorite expressions were:

References

  1. ↑ List of radio stations where Jim White worked (not to be confused with the Chicago Jim White)
  2. ↑ St. Louis Radio Broadcasting History

External links

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