1959 in radio

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The year 1959 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events

• 3 February: A small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa kills three musicians: Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and KTRM-Beaumont, Texas deejay JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson, Jr., in addition to the pilot. The tragedy would go on to be known as "The Day The Music Died."
• 11 May: At 10 am, KROW 960 AM in San Francisco switched call letters to KABL. The KABL name stayed with the station until September 2004.

Debuts

• German-American musicologist Karl Haas started Adventures in Good Music at WJR in Detroit, Michigan.
• 14 March:Tulane University's WTUL signs on for the first time. It is owned and operated by Tulane University. This station is a progressive music station. This station gave Jerry Springer his start on his Radio and TV career.

Closings

• January 2 - CBS ends Our Gal Sunday, This is Nora Drake, Backstage Wife, and Road of Life.

Births

• January 27 - Cris Collinsworth, former American football player and radio and television sportscaster.
• April 30 - Matt Casey, American radio personality.
• June 3 - John Carlson, American conservative talk radio host on KVI in Seattle.
• August 13 - Danny Bonaduce, American comedian, actor and radio and television personality.
• Joe Bevilacqua, award-winning voice actor, radio producer, dramatist, humorist, and documentary film producer.

Deaths

• March 3 - Louis Costello Abbott & Costello Radio show, Heart Attack

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