The History and Career of Dave Diamond
Dave Diamond is a radio broadcaster and a professor at Black Hills State University. Â Diamond was one of the nine original “Boss Jocks” who helped legendary program director Bill Drake build KHJ 93 AM in Los Angeles in to a new format concept called Boss Radio. Â KHJ hit the air running in the spring of 1965, and changed both rock radio and Dave Diamond forever…
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The following story was written for the Black Hills Pioneer newspaper in 2005 by Dan Patterson. If you have any additional material and history, please make sure to visit the Share Your Dave Diamond Story section, or leave a comment below. Thanks.
He’s not a rock star, but he plays one on TV; and the radio; and in
books. Dr. David Diamond has lived a life many people only dream of.
The Black Hills State University professor boasts a resume that spans
five decades and includes two separate, but equally successful
careers. His work in and around the media business, and as a college
professor has taken him from humble roots in Howard, South Dakota, to
radio and recording studios in Los Angeles, back to his boyhood summer
home in the Black Hills.
The son of a newspaper editor in Howard, Diamond came of age with a
working understanding of the business of mass communication. “My Dad
was also a campaign manager for South Dakota Governor Nils Boe and
Senator Jim Abner, so I learned how the media and politics are
inseparable.”
His parents also made sure that he was a well rounded young man. “My
mother made me join,” chuckled Diamond, recalling his stint in the Boy
Scouts of America. “She always said that if your going to do
something, then you should do it to the best of your abilities” A
sentiment Diamond took to heart by becoming the youngest person in his
troop to earn his Eagle Scout award at age 14.
Tall and lanky, Diamond was always naturally athletic. His passion
for basketball to took him to Louisiana State University for
undergraduate studies. Though he excelled in athletics, education
soon became a priority. His tenacity and love of education eventually
helped him earn several degrees. Diamond has graduate degrees from
Northwest Missouri St, University of Southern California and Columbia
Pacific University.
Education, however, has served as Diamond’s second career. Another
piece of advice instilled by his mother was to “be accomplished;” and
accomplished he became.
Diamond is most widely known as a successful
radio and television personality. Through the 1960s, he worked for a
number of radio stations, including KOIL in Omaha, KBTR in Denver and
KFRC in San Francisco before landing in every broadcasts’ dream
market: Los Angeles. There, he worked for legendary AM giant KFI with
a signal that reached the entirety of the western United States.
While in Los Angeles, Diamond started a successful specialty show
called The Diamond Mine. The show, which featured a mix of
psychedelic rock and commentary, was a smash success. Diamond was one
of the first disc jockeys in America to play The Door’s legendary
single “Light My Fire.” During his tenure in L.A., Diamond also
toured with The Beatles during their first American tour and helped
produce the hit “Incense and Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock.
Diamond left L.A. in the mid-1980s to take care of his ailing parents
in Howard. He taught mass communication classes at Buena Vista
University in Storm Lake, Iowa for several years, and would commute to
Howard on the weekends.
“I always new that I’d be back in the Black Hills,” Diamond reflects.
In 1995 he moved to Spearfish to teach at Black Hills State
University. He is currently the faculty advisor of KBHU, the college
radio station. Diamond has also published a novel called “Cool Hand
in a Hot Fire” based loosely on his experiences in Los Angeles.
Though he has left the fast-pace life of L.A., he has no intentions of
slowing down. He is currently working on a new novel, and
occasionally consults with his friends in the music business.
For David Diamond, the rock and roll dream isn’t a dream at all; it’s his life.
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hi \ DAVE JOHN FOUND THIA ON HIS LAP TOP I DO NOT HAVE AN E MAIL BU
\TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
hi dave john foound on his lap top i do not have an e mail but it sure was interesting to read about my favorite co uoousin i AM SO PROUD OF YOU love you liz
. LPROUD OF U U
s
Hi Liz:
Call me when you can.
Dave Diamond
Dave,
Would you please drop me a line? We’ve got a KFRC reunion coming up in about a month!
D.J.
Hey, tell me about the reunion. I would like to be there or participate by phone.
Dave Diamond
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Mr. Diamond
You don’t remember me but I was at morningside for 1 year before getting married and moved to a different college back in 1990. I’ve always remembered you and just now found this site and glad I can read up on you and your history. Glad to know you and be in your presence even if it was for a short time.
C Juelsgaard
Good to hear from you and happy to know you had me for a class at Morningside. I suffered and survived all the rumors the Rants brother started about me. Where are you now. I do remember your name.
Take care,
Dave diamond
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Hi Dave
I remember you well, I’m Patrick, from your apartment house on Tamarind, in Hollywood. My dad was the manager of the bldg. I remember when you broadcast from the Teen Fair at the Paladium. Fond memories from a long time ago. Hope you are well.
I fondly remember the apartment on Tamarind. It was my first home in Hollywood. I could see down into Columbia Studios from my bedroom window. I also remember your father. Thanks for writing to me. I also remember the Teen Fair at the Hollywood Palladiuim. I was with KBLA in Burbank then, and we were broadcasting live from the Teenage Fair.
Take Care,
Dave Diamond
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Mr. David Diamond was my advisor at M’Side. Best advice: as soon as you get a new job, update your resume and start looking for another one.
Great advice, huh? I finally found a place (far away from the lies and rumors of the Rants boys) here at Black Hills State University (I was born and raised in SD, so I have come full circle.
I have been here l7 years, ever since I left M’side. I did like it there, but it was simply untenable for me so I quit.
What has happened to you?
Dave Diamond
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Hi Dave, don’t know if you remember me,.my name is Laura, you and I were seeing each other back in your days at kbla in Burbank. Always wondered how too were doing, it appears life has been good to you. Write me of you can, my email is listed above.
Laura
Now and again my thoughts roll back to the sixties and denver radio stations and the jocks my friends and I loved. You were One of them. I was in junior high then and, geez, my friend and my sister and I kinda stalked you. Well, not really, but we’d hang out at the radio station and you’d let us fans come into the studio and that was the next best thing to sitting next to the Beatles to us. You were gracious and kind and made us adolescent nerdy girls feel like someone. Thank you! It’s good to read about you after all these years and hear of all your accomplishments…
I remember you with blond hair. I was the production director at KBLA (Burini’ from Burbank) when you worked there with Bob Dayton, Harvey Miller, Harry Newman and more – you remember – don’t you Dave? We had a GREAT station with NO POWER or footprint – it was never to get off the ground against the powerhouses – even though we had the best jock line-up including you – you were a funny guy – probably still are!!!.
Dave, I was just watching a Doors special on VH1 Classics this morning that mentioned your name and made me remember you from Morningside. I just googled your name and found this site. I’m glad that you’re doing so well and hope that you are enjoying retirement. I was a mass comm minor and had a weekly gig at KMSC. I also worked as a country music D.J. throughout college at KMNS and later at KSUX when they first started. I always liked you and thought that you were way cool. I never knew why you left but I see that you must have had some dispute with the Rant’s. I too had some run-ins with Carolyn. She didn’t like our fraternity. A funny story is that when we started up KSUX (FM 105.7), the owners wanted the request line to end withe the numbers 1057. It just so happens that Carolyn’s home number was 274-1057 and she agreed to give it up for the new radio station. I was the overnight D.J. and we had 2 or 3 lines coming in dedicated to the new number. There was a glitch and when our lines would fill up, the calls would go to her house. She called me up several times that night bitching about all of the requests she was getting on her phone. Of course, she had no idea that she was talking to me (Will Murphy) was my radio name. I encouraged as many requests as I could everytime I opened the mic. Before the night was over, she was mad enough to kill. I still laugh when I think about it. I have no clue why she just didn’t leave her phone off of the hook.
As it turns out, I ended up on the SCPD as I was a better cop than D.J. I have been there 25 years and currently am in charge of the Ivestigation’s Crimes Against Persons Bureau. I still think back fondly of toting all my milk crates of albums up to the 3rd floor of Charles City Hall to do my weekly rock n’ roll show. Of course, I was and still am a big Doors fan which lead me to watching and seeing you mentioned this morning.
Take care, Pat Breyfogle
P.S. You may remember my old roommate, John Bentzinger. He is doing very well and is currently an assignment manager for a television news station in New York City.
I remember you when you were a DJ for Kiis radio in LA. You used to come to Mannings Cafeteria for breakfast every morning. I worked on the 3rd floor of that building. I listened to that radio station every morniing on the way to work. Wishing you a very happy retirement.
Dave,
I was 10 -12 years old in the mid-60′s in Los Angeles and KBLA’s Dave The KBLA radio program “Dave Diamond and the Diamond Mine” was my place to go in my bedroom at night out where I lived by Venice Beach. Many years later I bought a Pebbles record (a series inspired by the original “Nuggets”: a collection of artyfacts from the first psychedelic era) and was thrilled that one of the tracks was a recording from your show. I still have that record.
I’m curious about Morningside. Was that the high school? What did you do there? I’m high school teacher in LA and I did some of my student teaching at Morningside.
Michael Connor