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Larry Aiken |
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Larry Aiken |
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| Larry Aiken came to KQV
in September 1959. Originally Larry was assigned to the overnight shift
at KQV. During his more than 2 years at KQV, Larry would also work the
9-mid, 6-9 pm and 3-6:30 afternoon shift at KQV. Larry was also KQV's Music
Director during his tenure at KQV.
Larry passed away on Saturday February 13, 2010 at the age of 69 from longstanding health problems. What was it like to be Music Director at KQV? Arnold Zeitlin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sat in with Larry Aiken on a typical Music Day in 1960. Larry started "playing radio" at the age of 6 with tin can microphones and egg cartons. He got his first real radio job in Evansville, Indiana at the age of just 14. Larry arrived in Pittsburgh, the 8th largest market in America at the age of 19. Larry even wrote a book called "Discs and Data" before he was 21. Hitparader Magazine said."It's chock full of inside tips and is certainly a must for all of you aspiring young deejays." Larry's stated goal in 1961 was "To someday have my own network show, marry a beautiful 'chick' and have a big family." Larry gave up his $20,000 a year job at KQV in 1962 and returned home to Evansville, Ind. to start a concert promotion career. Aiken Management became one of the biggest concert promotions companies in the country. Larry Aiken also owned radio stations WGBF-FM & AM in Evansville from 1987 until 1996. In 2001, Larry sold his concert company to Jam Productions of Chicago. He remained a consultant to Jam for many years afterward. 
Larry Aiken in 2009 |
Larry in KQV Studio in 1959 |
Inside Pittsburgh
Radio
By Chuck Dougherty When Larry grew up to the old age of 14, he got his first job in real radio in his hometown of Evansville, Ind. and then joined KQV earlier this year. How old is Larry no? He's only 19 ... but he can be classed as a true veteran. He just recently started his new show on KQV from 9 p.m. to midnight ... and if you tune in, you'll find he's still "playing" radio ... only now, he's got a lot of real people listening. Pittsburgh Post Gazette & Pittsburgh Press |
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Larry AIken If your answer to any of the above was "Yes," you've got something in common with the country's most up and coming and popular disc jockey, Larry Aiken from KQV in Pittsburgh, Pa. Larry's mom is a great artist, and his older brother is a graduate of the Naval Academy. Larry seems to think he got left out when it comes to talent in the family, so we'd better set him straight. When it comes to spinnin' the platters, Larry is the greatest. Now don't laught, but confidentially, Larry started out "playing radio" with tin cans and egg cartons, when he was six. Well, it must have been a pretty good start, because just eight years later he was hired at a local radio station. Then he advanced to his own show. The next big jump was for Larry was to Louisville, - Kentucky where he started his own 7 - midnight program. Larry is now on KQV filling that all-important after-school 3 to 6:30 pm slot with one of the fastest moving shows. Larry has written a book on how to become a successful disc jockey, called "Discs and Data." It's chock full of inside tips and is certainly a must for all of you aspiring young dee-jays. It's a great book and it's written from experiencewith a capital "E." Larry is a good looking guy whose smile comes over the air waves in that casual voice. |
Larry Aiken with Della Reese Hit Parader Magazine - February 1961 Larry says, "I'm spending all my current time doing three hops a week, distrubting my book "Discs and Data" and sleeping a great big four hours a night." Well, Larry better get some more sleep, and take care of himself because there are a lot of folks who want to keep "shakin' " with Larry Aiken for a long, long time. |
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