James C. White
Encyclopedia
James Charles White, Jr. (April 6, 1937 – September 2, 2009) was an American
radio talk-show host
on KMOX, in St. Louis, Missouri
.
), at studios then in his hometown Greensburg, PA
. After he graduated from high-school in 1955, White worked at station WDFM at Penn State University. White also served in the U.S. Army. In 1958 White worked at stations WAKU in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
and at WMCK in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
, both in western Pennsylvania. In 1959 White moved up to work as a rock jock at station WJAS, in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. In 1966-1968 White worked at KDKA, the largest radio station in Pittsburgh with 50,000 watts of broadcasting power on a clear channel.
During 1969-1999 White worked for 30 years at radio station KMOX, St. Louis, Missouri where he was a talk show host. He referred to himself as "The Big Bumper", because of his height and weight and late-night program shift (10 pm - 2 am) - and also alluding to "things that go bump in the night." Like other people at KMOX, he worked many different jobs and shifts. At one time he was program director, news director, and program host. His irascibile personality was his trademark and he often cut off callers in mid-sentence, if he considered them boring.
Because KMOX had 50,000 watts of power and clear channel status, his radio show could be heard at night over much of North America. White retired April 7, 1999.
About May 2005 White had quad bypass surgery on his heart, but he lived for another four years. On September 2, 2009 he died from complications following surgery.
.
Jim sang bass in the church choir and performed singing parts on stage in amateur shows.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio talk-show host
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
on KMOX, in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
Radio career
Jim White began his radio career in 1953 (age 16) at radio station WHJB (now WKHB in Irwin, PennsylvaniaIrwin, Pennsylvania
Irwin is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Some of the most extensive bituminous coal deposits in the State are located here. In the past, iron foundries, flour mills, car shops, facing and planing mills, electrical goods, and mirror factories provided...
), at studios then in his hometown Greensburg, PA
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
. After he graduated from high-school in 1955, White worked at station WDFM at Penn State University. White also served in the U.S. Army. In 1958 White worked at stations WAKU in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
and at WMCK in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
, both in western Pennsylvania. In 1959 White moved up to work as a rock jock at station WJAS, in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. In 1966-1968 White worked at KDKA, the largest radio station in Pittsburgh with 50,000 watts of broadcasting power on a clear channel.
During 1969-1999 White worked for 30 years at radio station KMOX, St. Louis, Missouri where he was a talk show host. He referred to himself as "The Big Bumper", because of his height and weight and late-night program shift (10 pm - 2 am) - and also alluding to "things that go bump in the night." Like other people at KMOX, he worked many different jobs and shifts. At one time he was program director, news director, and program host. His irascibile personality was his trademark and he often cut off callers in mid-sentence, if he considered them boring.
Because KMOX had 50,000 watts of power and clear channel status, his radio show could be heard at night over much of North America. White retired April 7, 1999.
About May 2005 White had quad bypass surgery on his heart, but he lived for another four years. On September 2, 2009 he died from complications following surgery.
Family
With his wife Pat, Jim White had two daughters, Heidi Horn and Holly Skubiz, and four grandchildren. After his retirement from KMOX in 1999, Jim White and his wife moved to Orange Beach, AlabamaOrange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,784. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
Hobbies
Jim White was also an amateur radio operator and built his own radio transmitter when he was a teenager. White's amateur radio call signs were W3TNY, W0NJB and later KM0X (with a zero to be similar to the alphabetic O in the St. Louis commercial radio station KMOX).Jim sang bass in the church choir and performed singing parts on stage in amateur shows.
Awards
- A.I.R. Awards for Best Talk Show Host and Lifetime Achievement
- University of Missouri Media Hall of Fame.
Commentary
Some of Jim White's favorite expressions were:- "You can't fix stupid."
- "Don't trust anyone who doesn't have at least two hobbies."
- "Do two nice things for yourself each day."
- "It's never too late to have a happy childhood."
- "These are the good old days."
- "Protect me from the GOOD people."
