John's wife Evelyn Gibbs passed away on September 16, 2006. Jeff & Nathan Gibbs, John & Evelyn's sons were kind enough to think of me and allowed me to copy more pictures and add them to this website. ... Jeff 1/27/2007
More pictures can be found on the John D. Gibbs Page # 2

"So sorry to hear of dear friend John Gibbs passing."
" He was a role model for managers."
" He not only was a great friend, a great teacher, a great radio man, but also a great father & husband. He set an example for being a role model for all men to follow.  Fair and honest was his rule in life. Interesting how his middle name "Dove" was a sign of peace for this wonderful human being."
... John Rook

"I was with John for only a short time, however, it was long enough to gain admiration, respect and love for a truly good and fine human being.  His family can be proud of his accomplishments and humanity.  All of us can learn from his gentle way, well lived.
... Mel Hall"

"John Gibbs will always be remembered, by those who knew him well, as a very proud man who was both a highly competitive radio broadcaster and, as a husband and father, one who always cared very deeply about each member of his family. He enjoyed the fine arts and well prepared food, and carefully mixed gin martini's. He was a rare professional and personal gentleman, in each and every way!

There never were many "John Gibbs" types in the radio business! My first exposure to John was in November of 1967, during a job interview in Pittsburgh. We connected well and I was excited about his Program Director's opportunity. But in the final moments of the meeting .... I said "if you decide not to hire me for this job, would you recommend me as a PD at the new ABC station in Houston? Immediately that infamous "John Gibbs look" pierced his dark sun glasses and beamed off my eyes. I knew then ... "it wasn't going to happen for me."

It didn't !  But with the help of John Rook ... now at WLS from KQV, and given the O.K. from his Manager, Gene Taylor ... I was hired and joined them in the windy city!

Nine months later Hal Neal, President of ABC Owned Stations, asked me to meet again with John during his Chicago visit. I did and accepted his new offer to join KQV and to (1) strengthen KQV's programming and (2) prepare an "On Air Battle Plan" that would defeat a new rock radio station coming to suburban McKeesport, PA. I loved it ... defeat or be defeated!!  John was now extremely excited about our challenge ... and he worked very hard to provide all that we needed to win. He was shoulder-to-shoulder in our team efforts, because he really knew that we wanted his KQV to remain Pittsburgh's ... #1 premier Top 40 radio station. It was John's support and his belief in our mission, that allowed me to have both the staff and the tools that were needed "to make this turkey FLY!" And ... fly it did! John was proud ... VERY proud, of each one of us!

There are far too many stories about the above noted successes ... that time and space just do not allow. Plus there are also a few unlisted things .... that we did, in heated competition ... that John might not have appreciated had he known. And now, you know ... he REALLY has the power.

John, we will always miss you, but it's a good hurt because you will never be far away. You're still on the second floor ... and we're still down on the first. Ahh, as you said to me a few times  ... position is everything! God bless ."
... Mike McCormick

"The first manager under ABC ownership was an ex-Marine from Indianapolis, Ralph W. Beaudin. He took a sleepy 1940's style radio station, and turned it into an exciting experience, with great news coverage, contests and promotions, and Top Forty play list, and --- DJ's who had as much fun as the listeners did. Ralph's PD was an on-air morning guy, "Chuckie from Kentucky", who trained the other jocks into what emerged as the KQV format. Chuck Daugherty was one of the most exciting wake-up entertainer Pittsburgh radio had ever heard. He was great. Chuckie had another out-of-towner in Sam Holman, who was the ultimate cool guy and production genius. Other names recalled were Henry DaBecco and his WELL, HEL-LO THERE ! ; Jim Quinn, the wild man from 7 - 12 midnight. Remember a certain football game when Jim had promised that if Mt. Lebanon won, he'd sleep under the goal post, and he did.

Chuck Brinkman interviewed the Beatles, via tape-recording, just as Beatles management insisted, but as John Rook told you, the tape delay was less than 30 seconds, giving KQV a tremendous triumph over the competition, and got KQV written up nationally.

KQV had some great newsmen too. Alan Boal (now WTAE Radio) (now since retired); Bob Kopler (now on KDKA); Ken Hildebrand (deceased), Bob McKay (ditto); Dave James (now KDKA Radio); Keeve Berman (later ABC Radio).

Studio engineers: Bob Henke, Gerry Land, Chief Engineer Fred Zellner, who later moved on to Chicago and WLS. Dave Teepee (et.) George Kelp (followed Zellner).

When Itsby Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini was #1, KQV had two contests. The first, awarded prize to first person who found TOPLESS MISS KQV. IT'S SO HOT SHE HAD TO TAKE OFF HER TOP. WE'LL TELL YOU WHERE YOU CAN FIND HER --- SHE'S T-O-P-L-E-S-S !!! The Jock would read approximate location of MISS KQV, and of course, our topless miss was located, walking hand-in-hand with her Mother, wearing only the bottom part of her bikini. She was six.

The sales promo had a curvy gal in bikini, visiting agencies wearing a raincoat, accompanied by the KQV salesman, and when she met the account exec, she's whip off the raincoat, and hand the stunned exec a handful of sales info.

A great image promotion during polio season early '60's was when KQV located a supply of Sabin vaccine, and offered free shots to all who came to on-street clinic, just outside KQV studio. The competition was 100% sure KQV couldn't deliver, and talked about KQV's promotion. GREAT GREAT GREAT. What the didn't know was that even though no one could get Salk's vaccine, KQV located Sabin and got guaranteed supply, and dispensed absolutely free, thousands of Sabin vaccine shots, administered by volunteer RN's and doctors.

The missing 'K'. Late at night, we removed the K from both sides of the corner, then went on the air announcing that someone had stolen the 'K' from our call letter, and that until the missing 'K' was found, we'd only announce _Q-V. Then we gave out clues to where the missing 'K' was. It ran for weeks, hammering missing 'K'. People called indignantly to lambaste the miserable someone who stole the 'K'. Finally, the missing 'K' clue led person to identify where the 'K' was, and won the money. It was fun, and didn't create havoc from listeners tearing up gardens or violating property.

Fun lovin' KQV ? You betcha. Groovy Q V ? Oh yeah !

A promotion that ran sour. There'd been a drought in Pittsburgh over July/August, so to make it rain, KQV hired an Indian rain dancer to do his thing just outside the south end of the Fort Pitt tunnel. Naturally, every idiot leaving the tunnel in his or her car, gawked at the rain dancer. Traffic was backed up for miles. When arrested, the rain dancer told the gendarmes who had hired him. When the police called the station, the terrified program  manager had fits, sure he was headed for the pokey. It was irresponsible, no question about it. Dumb dumb dumb, even before Jim Carrey. We were lucky not to go to jail, and also that the event didn't result in bad national publicity.

When KQV sponsored the first HAIR performance, some right-wing kooks vowed to boycott all KQV sponsors. There was one particularly venomous woman who actually wrote every single commercial advertiser that there would be a drop-off of customers. Several agencies were also threatened. The station did lose several advertisers, but sponsored the premiere performance of HAIR in Pittsburgh. Again, the station generated great national coverage for resisting Christian Coalition type pressure.

Sales personnel remembered: E.A.W. Smith (Ted) joined KQV from rep Robert Eastman, Detroit office later was manager of LBJ Stations. Jeff Woodruff was Research Director, later transferred to WLS. John Tenaglia followed Ted Smith as Sales Manager, later owned several radio stations."