In an interview with writer Tom Miller, Smith described the reach of the XERF signal: "We had the most powerful signal in North America. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. jockey, Wolfman Jack. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. But I still didn't know what to do on stage. In 1974 he moved to Los Angeles, where he had his own syndicated radio show, heard on nearly 2,000 stations worldwide, as well as "Midnight Special," an NBC television show. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. He wrote his autobiography titled, "Have Mercy! . NewsX. But you know. GREAT NEWS! [2][23] He is buried at a family cemetery in Belvidere.[24]. "It's kept meat and potatoes on the table for years for Wolfman and Wolfwoman. Two people were killed in Perquimans County on Tuesday inseparate auto accidents. He was going to live the way he lived, Napier said. Funeral arrangements were pending Saturday. He was an actor, known for American Graffiti (1973), Sgt. Realising the value of his own mystique, for a long time Wolfman shied away from the disc-jockey's stock-in-trade of personal appearances by demanding an extortionate $15,000 fee. Smith finally decided to blow his own cover in the early 1970s by appearing on TV as the announcer for the syndicated late-night concert series 'The Midnight Special.' When the one surviving ship in what had originally been a pirate radio network of Radio Caroline North and Radio Caroline South sank in 1980, a search began to find a replacement. Cheetah briefly escapes enclosure at Omaha zoo. Latest Headlines. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Wolfman Jack I found on Findagrave.com. In 1978, there was an animatronic band called the Wolf Pack 5. Smith battled heart problems in the past but had recently lost weight and become more health-conscious in his eating habits, Joy Smith said. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Wolfman Jack (11176976)? Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The World's Ugliest Dog Contest, held annually in California, announced applications are now available for owners of aesthetically-challenged canines seeking to prove the unsightliness of their pooches. He was a mere 57 years old. Wolfman Jack on XERB Summer 1968. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Do you remember listening to Wolfman Jack and did you know he lived (and died) in North Carolina? Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Authorities in Maine said one bison remained on the loose Tuesday after three of the animals were seen running loose on a road Monday. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Dictionary.com is adding 313 new terms and 130 new definitions to keep up with the ever-changing modern lexicon. In his early days, Wolfman Jack made sporadic public appearances, usually as a master of ceremonies for rock bands at Los Angeles clubs. "He walked up the driveway, went in to hug his wife and then just fell over.". Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Jim Morrison's lyrics for "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" were influenced by Wolfman Jack's broadcasting. Born Bob Smith in Brooklyn, he developed an interest in radio broadcasting as a youngster. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. [17] He furnished his voice in The Guess Who's top-10 hit single "Clap for the Wolfman". Wolfman Jack on XERB March 30, 1971. In 1970, he began an association with Armed Forces Radio that would last until 1986. He moved to Belvidere, North Carolina, in 1989, to be closer to his extended family. Wikimapia/inlinefox In the 1960s, the Wolfman's rise to fame climbed even higher when he took a job just over the Mexico border at a radio station broadcasting at 250,000 watts - two and a half times the legal limit for radio stations in the U.S. He enjoyed horror movies, so he took the name Wolfman. There was a problem getting your location. He is also mentioned in the Grateful Dead song "Ramble On Rose". Wolfman Jack on XERB September 1969. Make sure that the file is a photo. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Animal control officers in New Jersey said seven sheep found running loose after an apparent slaughterhouse escape will have a new permanent home at a sanctuary. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Zoo Miami in Florida confirmed a Malayan tapir briefly escaped from its enclosure Tuesday before being safely contained about an hour later. The album reached #29 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified gold in 1975. To help keep him out of trouble, his father bought him a large Trans-Oceanic radio, and Smith became an avid fan of R&B music and the disc jockeys who played it, including Douglas "Jocko" Henderson of Philadelphia, New York's "Dr. Jive" (Tommy Smalls), the "Moon Dog" from Cleveland, Alan Freed, and Nashville's "John R." Richbourg, who later became his mentor. The Wolfman, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., came to prominence in the early 1960s playing the latest rock-and-roll on XERF-AM, a Mexican station that broadcast at 250,000 watts, five times the power allowed any U.S. station at the time. Wolfman Jack was regularly parodied on The Hilarious House of Frightenstein as "The Wolfman," an actual werewolf disc jockey with a look inspired by the original The Wolf Man movies. The record collection he started as a youth filled a three-story building at the time of his death, Tod Smith said. Did you know that Wolfman Jack is routinely considered to be one of the first "shock jocks" in the history of radio broadcasting and that his program was syndicated to American troops during. The advertisements proclaimed, "Cousin Brucie's Days Are Numbered", and thousands of small, tombstone-shaped paperweights were distributed that said, "Cousin Brucie is going to be buried by Wolfman Jack".[10][11]. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. XERB was the original call sign for the border blaster station in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, which was branded as The Mighty 1090 in Hollywood, California. Jack Mould takes 1st Place BMX Dirt landing a 720 . Our documentary feature film tells the true story about Wolfman Jack's international rise to fame and the huge impact he had on the radio and music business. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. They loved it.". Other times he had a big afro wig and large sunglasses. See the article in its original context from. pic.twitter.com . He fed (that perception) by doing public appearances in black face. Born in Brooklyn, the Wolfman came to prominence in the early 1960s on XERF-AM, playing the latest rock n roll on a Mexican station that broadcast at 250,000 watts, five times the power allowed on any U.S. station at the time. Wolfman Jack belonged to a more innocent era of rock and roll, when disc- jockeys - not marketing, video, or movie tie-ins - made hits, and when an exotic moniker and a gravel-voice gimmick could make a dj almost as big a star as those whose records he played. Please reset your password. By 1960, after graduating from the National Academy of Broadcasting in Washington D.C., he began a 35-year career in broadcasting that ended abruptly at his home in Belvidere, North Carolina, within a week after his last broadcast in the summer of 1995. ODN. He was first on the airwaves as "Daddy Jules" on Newport News, Virginia, station WYOU-AM. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, Lou Lamb Smith of Belvidere, whom he often referred to on the air as "Wolfwoman"; a son, Todd Weston Smith, and a granddaughter. Wolfman Jack is portrayed by Jack Black in the 2022 satirical biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. His early influences were the DJ's of his day like Tommy Small, The Hound and Jocko. According to author Philip A. Lieberman, Smith's "Wolfman" persona "derived from Smith's love of horror films and his shenanigans as a 'wolfman' with his two young nephews. There is a problem with your email/password. Wolfman Jack was born on 21 January 1938 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. His early influences were the DJ's of his day like Tommy Small, The Hound and Jocko. The family, which runs Wolfman Jack Productions, moved to North Carolina in the mid-1980s. A car driving from New York to L.A. would never lose the station. Byron Laursen, a New Jersey writer and co-author of Wolfman Jack's autobiography, said that Wolfman Jack also worked in an interracial nightclub called The Tub, which was housed in an old Quonset hut, and served as host of a weekly interracial dance party for teen-agers. Wolfman Jack started his recording career in Minneapolis while working at KUXL Radio in 1965 with George Garrett, who helped record the album Boogie with the Wolfman by Wolfman Jack and the Wolfpack on the Bread Label. Drag images here or select from your computer for Wolfman Jack memorial. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. On Tuesday, June 30, 1998 at 2:00:00 AM UTC-5, Wolfenhnd wrote: > Wolfman's daughter, Joy Smith, was killed last Tuesday in Belvedere, NC, the. This browser does not support getting your location. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? : Confessions of the Original Rock 'N' Roll Animal" in 1995. Try again later. We talked for an hour, and she wanted to come down. Disc Jockey, Actor, Entertainer. Wolfman Jack's Halloween Special. So I stood there and growled a little bit and threw around some profanities and left. From 1963 to 1966, Wolfman Jack howled and growled at night on XERF-AM in Via Cuna Cohuilla, Mexico. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He came along in the early 1960s, at a time when disc jockeys. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Please consider donating:BTC:1PaTT6Vyk8tTXRGSTUrv1yVFap8GzwatrNLTC:LNzpPjCpzVmB7q5z9GmvycWd6HebCaAdYqETH:0x6394f59B2651. He also appeared in the film's 1979 sequel More American Graffiti, though only through voice-overs. ). Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, 5% off all bookings with this Travelodge discount code, Save 200 on 2023 holidays with this TUI discount code, Extra 15% off Balearic Islands reservation with Barcelo promo code, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Advertisement. cemeteries found in Belvidere, Perquimans County, North Carolina, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. They had 2 children together. Disc Jockey, Actor, Entertainer. BIOGRAPHY Wolfman Jack was born Robert Weston Smith, in Brooklyn, New York, on January 21, 1938. He married Lucy Lamb on July 1, 1960, and they were married until his death. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. Wolfman Jack was a hero of sorts to me -- a guy who played the music I loved and did so much to popularize it around the world. Wolfman Jack was a famous disc jockey in America who was renowned for his gravelly voice and engaging personality. Lucas gave him a fraction of a "point", the division of the profits from a film, and the extreme financial success of American Graffiti provided him with a regular income for life. Twice Wolfman Jack had crosses burned outside his home by members of the Ku Klux Klan angered by the interracial activity, Mr. Laursen said. Smith left Mexico after eight months and moved to Minneapolis to run station KUXL. The station's signal blanketed much of the United States. His name came from a trend of the period, when disc jockeys took nicknames such as ``Moondog or ``Hound Dog. He enjoyed horror movies, so he took the name Wolfman. Wolfmans initial radio success came via his time working with the radio station XERF-AM, broadcast from Mexico.Contents of this video00:00 - Intro00:47 - Body06:53 - OutroLike this content? She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. The next year, Wolfman Jack began hosting televisions ``Midnight Special and moved to New York to work for WNBC radio. His parents divorced while he was a child. Thankfully, the broadcast signal was strong enough that, even though it was being broadcast out of Mexico, the Wolfmans program could be picked up all the way across America. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. He was the regular announcer and occasional host for The Midnight Special on NBC from 1973 to 1981. Wolfman Jack's howls, yelps and fast-talking patter - a mixture of hip black argot, teenage slang and gobbledegook - made him a figure whose cult appeal was all the more potent for his never being seen. Edwin R. Perva Jr., 30, of Hertford was killed about 1 a.m. when his 1991 Ford ran off the road and into a ditch before striking a driveway culvert and going airborne for. July 1, 1995 - Wolfman Jack, the rock 'n' roll disc jockey whose gravelly voice and wolf howls made him one of the nation's most recognizable personalities, died of a heart attack. His audience finally got a good look at him when he appeared in the 1969 film "A Session with the Committee", a montage of skits by the comedy troupe The Committee. BELVIDERE, N.C. (AP) _ Wolfman Jack, the rock n roll disc jockey whose gravelly voice and trademark wolf howls made him one of the nations most recognizable voices, died Saturday of a heart attack. ``He walked up the driveway, went in to hug his wife and then just fell over, said Napier from the radio personalitys home about 120 miles east of Raleigh. Between cuts, he would hawk plastic figurines of Jesus, coffins and inspirational literature, and exhort his listeners to "get yo'self nekkid.". Sophia Germer. In the studio, he was every bit as crazy as he sounded, with his face contorting, his eyes bulging and his hands waving wildly. The Wolfman insisted the money should be delivered in $20 bills in a Brinks truck to his home. He appeared in advertising campaigns and had his own syndicated television Wolfman Jack Show. 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