William Edward Compton
William Edward Compton | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 29, 1945 |
| Died | June 21, 1977 (aged 31) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Radio personality |
William Edward "Bill" Compton III (December 29, 1945 – June 21, 1977) was an American radio personality best known for creating Phoenix's first free-form radio station, KCAC-AM, and helping to "invent" notable AOR station, KDKB-FM.[1] Compton Terrace, an amphitheater in Phoenix was named in his honor and he was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2005.[2]
Early life
Compton was born in Henderson, Texas, but his family soon moved to Tyler, Texas where he attended John Tyler High School[3] and got his first disk jockey job in 1964.
Radio career
Compton first began to influence Phoenix radio in 1969 when top-40 radio station KRUX-AM hired him to host a Sunday night free-form show. Using the on-air name of "Little Willie Sunshine," Compton played a diverse collection of music—folk, blues, jazz, and, of course, tracks on albums other than their hit singles.
The opportunity arose for Compton to become the station manager of a failing Spanish-language station, KCAC-AM.[4]
Compton helped bring KDKB to the airwaves on August 23, 1971.[5]
References
- ^ Tindle, C. Dwight (2011). "Birth Pangs". Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- ^ "Inductee Biography for WILLIAM EDWARD COMPTON". Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^ "In Memory". Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^ Fleming, Mariah. "Guru of Goodness and Good Music - Bill Compton". Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^ Randazzo, Ryan (October 6, 2011). "KDKB Rocked Ariz. Cultural Values". AZ Central.com. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
External links
- Inductee Biography for WILLIAM EDWARD COMPTON, the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame.
- KCAC recordings, many of which feature Compton, on the Internet Archive
- KCAC lives!—a blog devoted to the memory of KCAC
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