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Herb Kent
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On Air Details
Saturday 8:00 AM to Noon
Sunday NOON to 7:00 PM |
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Personality Contacts
herbkent@v103.com
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Personality Bio
Herb Kent is an urban radio pioneer. He is a voice of the community, a father, a friend, and a living history lesson. To many Chicagoans, Herbert Rogers Kent, the Cool Gent, The King of the Dusties and The Honorary Mayor of Bronzeville stands for all these things and more. As one of the most important figures in Chicago radio history, Herb Kent has not only been able to entertain and inform listeners on his weekly radio show, he has also opened up many doors for African Americans. Simply put, Herb Kent is a Chicago treasure and a bankable commodity.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago in the Ida B. Wells housing community, a young Herb Kent displayed an early interest in radio when as a teenager; he built radio equipment, including his own set of microphones, from surplus World War II parts. Kent's strong desire to learn as much as he could about the radio industry was eventually realized at the age of 16 when he was accepted into the highly competitive WBEZ Radio Workshops. From his early start at WBEZ, Kent went on to join a local community theater group known as the Skyloft Players. Young and eager to learn, Herb performed on stage and soon realized that many of the skills required to be a successful stage actor applied to radio as well. Kent’s early theatrical training would later help develop such popular radio characters as, "The Wahoo Man," "Gym Shoe Creeper," and "The Electric Crazy People." "I brought theater of the mind to radio," says Kent.
In 1949, Kent received his first paid radio job at WGRY in Gary, Indiana for $35 dollars a week. WGRY at that time had only two radio personalities. With Herb being one of two DJs, he was able to learn every aspect of putting a radio show together from producing, writing, and interviewing, to polishing his own on-air presence on twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week.
Back in the fifties, Herb Kent’s first fan club was formed and the nickname, Cool Gent was born. Around that same time Herb coined the term, "dusty records" to describe old-time favorite hits. "The dust in the grooves makes them crackle," said Kent.
Throughout his radio career working at stations like, WVON and WJJD, Herb Kent has interviewed many of today’s music legends including, DukeEllington, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye just to name a few. Kent even gave career advice to a young man with his own dreams for success in the entertainment industry, Soul Train creator Don Cornelius.In addition to his accomplishments as a radio personality, Kent has been an active community and civil rights leader. He has spent many years serving as a role model to the African American community by encouraging young people. "Stay in school and avoid gang involvement, that was my theme, " stated Kent.
In the 1960’s, during the height of the civil rights movement, Herb hosted a program with Stevie Wonder, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last visit to Chicago. Ironically, it was also Kent who after the assassination of Dr. King, took to the airwaves to calm rioters on Chicago’s West Side in the late 60s. For his many years of service and dedication to the community, the City of Chicago has bestowed numerous honors upon Kent, among them, a street named in his honor, "Herb Kent Drive" and Honorary Mayor of Bronzeville.
In 1995, he was inducted into the Museum of Broadcasting’s, Radio Hall of Fame.In the late 90’s Kent ventured into local television as the host of the popular dance show called, "Steppin’ At Club Seven", later to be renamed "The New Dance Club."
Today, despite a very busy and sometimes hectic broadcast schedule hosting two highly rated shows on WVAZ FM, Herb shows no sign of slowing down. Kent is a contributing writer for N’DIGO Magazine, and lectures to communication students at Chicago State University.
So what’s new for the millennium? Learning digital music formats, new computer skills, and taking the world of Herb Kent on the internet with the creation of his own new web site in the near future, just to name a few. Looking back over his incredible life and broadcast career, Kent says, "Radio has sustained me, and has really brought me through some hard times. It has been a rock for me; it’s the love of my life."
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Personality Links
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Battle of the Best!
Sunday 08-17-2008 11:46am CT
*****start poll*****
Poll: Battle of the Best
*****end poll*****
Herb Kent With Jet Magazine
Sunday 07-13-2008 3:25pm CT
Pictured from Left to Right: Ty Wansley, John Hall, Carter Russel, Clarence Waldron, Herb Kent, Pamela Cash Menzies, Frank Chaplin, Derrick Brown, Linda Stanford, Robin Kent, Jerry Simmons. Photo By LLoyd V Redwing  Music Videos From Back In The Day
Sunday 08-17-2008 10:36am CT
WHEN IS MY REUNION
Thursday 08-07-2008 8:27pm CT
REUNION NETWORK
Currently there are 2 sections to the Reunion Network, Schools and Other. Additional sections will be added when appropriate.
mailto:herbkent@clearchannel.com
Hirsch High School Sixties Reunion, "Rejuvenate in 2008" (all classes from the '60s decade together) Reunion activities begin the weekend of 08/08/08:
Ø Friday, August 8, 2008 - “Come & Get These Memories” Casual Mixer with a cash bar & complimentary hors d’oeuvres, at the newly renovated Holiday Inn in Matteson, Illinois, 7pm -12am.
Ø Saturday, August 9, 2008 “Hirsch Goes Hollywood" Gala, with entertainment and a 4-hour open bar, also at the Holiday Inn in Matteson, 6pm - 2am.
Ø Sunday, August 10, 2008 “It’s Your Thing” Family & Friends Cookout, where you bring your own food and grill, at Grand Crossing Park, across the street from Hirsch,10am – dark.
There are still limited tickets available for the weekend. But, you must send a money order today for $115 payable to:
Hirsch Sixties Reunion PO Box 1431 Homewood, IL 60430
Contact the Reunion Chairman, Peter Pope, at 708-207-4968 for further details.
STAY CONNECTED TO THE REUNION NETWORK FOR UPDATES!
IF YOU HAVE REUNION INFO. (FAMILY, COLLEGE, OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS) SEND IT ON! MOVIE OF THE MONTH
Sunday 05-18-2008 11:47am CT
REUNION NETWORK
Thursday 08-07-2008 8:26pm CT
PLANNING A REUNION (Family, Elementary School, High School or College) OR OTHER EVENT? SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH ALL THE INFORMATION (CONTACT NAME, NUMBER, E-MAIL ADDRESS). WHEN LISTENERS VIEW MY WEBPAGE THEY CAN ACCESS THE INFORMATION.
PLEASE INSERT "WHEN IS MY REUNION" AS YOUR SUBJECT LINE THIS WILL ALLOW US TO POST FASTER.mailto:herbkent@clearchannel.comHerb Kent on CBS
Friday 04-04-2008 5:45pm CT
Lawrence Hill Books Announces "The Cool Gent" Book Forthcoming Fall 2008
Monday 03-03-2008 11:43am CT
THE COOL GENTTHE 9 LIVES OF A RADIO LEGEND Herb Kent
and David Smallwood
Known as the King of the Dusties, the Mayor of Bronzeville, and just plain “Herbie, Baby,” beloved radio icon Herbert Rogers Kent has dominated the airwaves for sixty-five years. The Cool Gent is the long-awaited, tell-all story of Herb's life, a fascinating account of how Herb overcame tremendous adversity not only to achieve personal success but to blaze trails for all African Americans.
After he gained national fame in the 1960s and 1970s as the top deejay at the most powerful black station in the country, WVON, Kent’s fortunes changed. He lost everything and hit rock bottom, and in the book he reveals the private stories he never told on the air. But through a combination of perseverance, strength, and plain stubbornness, he fought his way back to the top, becoming the first black deejay inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in the process.
Beyond the details of Herb's own story, The Cool Gent offers an informative and often cockeyed look at seven decades of black music and radio—and the colorful characters that inhabit those worlds. He has known and interviewed music legends like Duke Ellington, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye. Motown, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul, black punk, Herb Kent—who coined the phrase "dusty records"—was at the forefront of every trend, shaping black music by what he did and didn't play. He continues on the air today, hosting two highly rated shows each week.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BOOK
You will receive a message informing you when the book is about to be published.
JOIN THE HERB KENT "KOOL GENT" FAN CLUB
Sunday 03-25-2007 6:56am CT
Be apart of the exclusive Herb Kent "Kool Gent" Fan Club. You will be the first to know about the fun and exciting stories, upcoming interviews, and other details about my show on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, you will be able to have your picture on my website. Submit your entry and picture here: HERB KENT "KOOL GENT" FAN CLUB
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© 2008