About a year ago, maybe a tad longer, KOMA became a thing of the past – at least on the AM side. But, for many years, KOMA was known as the music authority in OKC.
The legendary KOMA lives on in this composite, somewhat improperly named Johnny Dark on KOMA… actually the first part of this aircheck is JD – from November 1967. Then the composite moves on to June of 1963, then fast forward to November 1971. They are using PAMS jingles – those wonderful PAMS sounds rang out in seemingly every major market in the 60s and Okies everywhere got to hear what make KOMA great.
KOMA lives on on FM as an Oldies station these days, as the AM dropped the KOMA calls about a year ago.
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KOMA-AM 1520 dropped oldies for news/talk in Feb. 2003. But the actual KOMA calls were not changed on 1520 to KOKC until Aug. 2004.
just let you know you made me feel like a kid again i use to listen to you back in the early to mid 60s thanks
Johnny Dark has been working in the Baltimore/Washington area for some-time now. He was on WBIG in Washington for a while, and most recently at WQSR in Baltimore. He was fired on 5/4/2005 along with Steve Rouse and the rest of the on-air staff as WQSR gave up on the oldies market they had been successful with for 18 years and went to an all automated format of stuff from the 60s to present.
Can anyone tell me where I can find Johnny Dark now? Thanks.
I miss KOMA AM I was raised up with it and the kissing tone. KOKC realy screwed this deal up. It should be KOMA again and you would have all your old listeners. Thanks
I am Johnny Dark’s sister and he died Aug. 26,2008 in Hot Springs, Ark. of brain cancer. His real name was Mack Owens. He was one of the best radio personalities ever, that is no doubt. He was only 68 years old. Will be Buried in Fort Smith Arkansas Tuesday Sept 2 at 2:00pm.
I too, grew up in the ’60’s, listening to KOMA, and Johnny Dark. I have been thinking about him recently, and remembering how much we all enjoyed him. I am so sorry to here of his death. He was one of the best. Sept 2nd was my 60th birthday!Thanks for the memories!!! My sympathy to his family.
To Bess: I was so shocked when I read your post. I grew up in the DC area and listened to your brother constantly. I finally met him in the late 90s when he was at WBIG – he did a remote for my company and I always called in to his “request Line” even in those days. I’m terribly sorry for your loss – he was one of the best I have ever heard – I will miss him .
Just finding out about Johhny’s recent passing is very sad. Very sorry I missed the service, too.
I had the unique pleasure of listening to Johhny and being a fan back in the 60’s on KOMA. Then I had the honor of hiring him when I was GM of KOOL106 in Tulsa in the late 90’s. To me, Johhny Dark was first an entertainer, then an employee, but always a friend. He used to say “It’ll be Dark until…”. It will ALWAYS be dark. He was a classic.
In December ‘64 my brothers and my parents and I were traveling from Oregon to North Dakota for a Wedding. It was a stormy trip. We drove through the night. We were looking for some music on the ol’ AM radio in our ‘62 Ford Galaxy. We found a station with a strong sound. They were playing “I Feel Fine” by the Beatles. The station was KOMA. All through the night we listened to some great music. l964 had the greatest music of my teenage years!We loved this station. It helped us through this scary winter night. I wonder if Johnny Dark was one of the DJ’s that night? I will always cherish the memories of that particularly great radio station from Oklahoma City. God Bless you all. Thank You, Ron “Tiny” Kongslie Portland, Oregon
Thank you everyone for your kind words. I miss my brother very much. He was alot of fun in real life as well as on the air. DJ-ing was his life!
Thanks,
Bess Cook
Sister
I think we’re talking about two different DJs named Johnny Dark here! The Johnny from the Baltimore/Washington area is Al Bennett, who is alive and well and is a DJ on “The Hop”, the Oldies channel on World Space Satellite Radio covering Europe and the Middle East.
I’m sorry to hear of the passing of Oklahoma City’s Johnny Dark. As the old saying goes, “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore!”
Used to go to school with Johnny Darks son Alan…. lived in Wakefield Apts….. Would hear Als dad on the radio after school playing cool Rock-n-Roll on WCAO Radio 60 on the AM Dial….. John must have had Thousands of 45 records in his storage locker in the basement of the apartments…As a Kid I was floored by all the Hot Wax…..In That day Wakefield was home to many of the Baltimore Colts, the Baltimore Bullet’s, Baltimore Orioles AND Baltimore Clippers TEAM MEMBERS…..Baltimore at that time had the Best of the Best of the Beat Sports Teams and Radio DJ’s….. AND Johnny DARK WAS THE COOLEST GUY AROUND!…… EVERYBODY in the state of Maryland knew who Johnny Dark was and every car radio was tuned to Radio 60 just to hear Johnny Dark…. he was a cool to listen to as the music he was playing!
I’m alive and well and living in the Baltimore area. I am the ORIGINAL Johnny Dark. The name was used by several disc-jockeys over the years. My entire career was spent in Boston, Baltimore, and Washington DC. For a touch of nostalgia, check out my website: Livinglegendonline.com. I’m still providing music for all kinds of events.
The ORIGINAL Johnny Dark
I am 55 and lived in Oklahoma in the 60’s. I remember listening to Johnny on WKY 93. He had a promo that was the music to “Charlie Brown” but it said…Get on your mark…with Johnny Dark…he’ll play the top tunes on channel 93…why is everybody always picking on me. I live in Arkansas close to Memphis and a few years ago there was a weather man on TV named Johnny Dark, I wondered if it was him. WKY also had a DJ named Danny Hodge who had a kid show on TV named Foreman Scotty. I am sorry for your loss. I still remember the wonderful times I listened to Johnny in Oklahoma. He’s still a part of my childhood memories from an innocent time I wish we still had.