The late Dick Hugg, better known to his listeners as “Huggy Boy”, is captured here at the start of his first show on the legendary K-Earth 101! Hugg was known not only as an early and heavy influence in promoting Do-Wop music, but he heavily influenced 60s & 70s Latino (Chicano) artists. He had his own music label, Caddy Records. He even had his own Television show!
Hugg was best known, however, as a disc jockey. Starting in 1951 on KRKD, he blew through most of the major radio stations in the L.A. area finishing with this gig here on K-Earth 101.
At first listen, you wouldn’t think this was a man who had spent most of the previous 47 years on the air. He gets off to a rough start, blowing the Top Hour Kickoff… but after a while, you get the sense that this man LOVES radio, music and his listeners. There’s a real warmth here that is very rare in format radio, even on the great K-Earth 101.
There’s a lot more information available on the web, and of course, our site visitors are full of a wealth of knowledge that I’m sure they will share. Click on Comment below to add your opinion.
You are cordially invited to listen to 15 scoped minutes of “The Godfather of Oldies”, Huggy Boy!
Courtesy of new Contributor Jeffrey Holland!
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I think this was Huggy Boy’s first night at KRTH. He’d been at KRLA, and they’d just dumped music.
Keep in mind when judging his performance, this man was 70 years old at the time this was recorded.
I used to listen to him on XERB at midnight after Wolfman jack. Would like to hear more airchecks of him. This is great.
Huggy Boy, one of my Favorties, also Hunter Hancock, another relic from the past.. I visited him at Dolphins Of Hollywood when he was broacasting in the window after midnight in the 50’s he was on from 12 pm to 4 pm…I always wanted to get his theme song. something like :It ant’ what it usta be” the music was my soul and I am a white chick now 75, from East L.A. and still listening on the internet to Blues and the Roots..The Memories are delicious!!! they are all gone now..but you cant still hear the music!!!
As a teenager Huggy Boy was my life. There was nothing cooler that to ride around in my car listening to KRKD. I can still hear him singing along with the Joe Huston Favorite All Night Long. Another staple was Buick 59 by Vernon Green and the Medalions. One night, I had the pleasure to drive him from Bob’s in Toluca Lake to his radio station and then to watch him do his show. The man could not stay in his seat!!! We touched bases over the next 30 years as I never quit listening to him. I always felt Dick never got his just deserves as he was as big on the west coast rock scene as Alan Freed was in the east. Those two men did more to break down the race barrier than anybody in this country. Long live your memory, Dick. You just keep them rockin in heaven ALLLL NIGHT LOOOONG!!!
I am blown away Fred, I wrote that last year, and here you are with Huggy Boy, when I saw that !!! Yes, KRKD, broadcasting out of Dolphins of Hollywood on Vermont/Central (I think) He was on from 12 midnight to 4 am and when we were cruising late at nite with his theme song, I tried to get it…He was very thin and now you can finally find him on the net..finally..And what about Hunter..I got a demo record of “Hunting with Hunter” and featuring Johnnie Otis..What a time it was, They difinitely set the stage for the music to come!! That music got me thru Highschool Roosevelt in East L.A. and Senior yr Fairfax..And I am still grooving on it,,on my computer I have Jango..with Blues Sonny Boy Williamson and peers, also on Pandora I have Amos Millburn,,”Let Me Go Home whiskey” and the rest of his! I would lkie to talk to you and reminisce about the music..very hard to find that these days, I have a collection which I’m sure you do too! Infact I have the first LP that Fats Domino made “They Call Me The Fat Man” Also The Clovers etc, E-mail me At agingless4u@cox.net Always Agingless Suma P.S. they have radio station from the college here UNLV that play blues on Sat afternoon the only decent station here in Las Vegas and yesterday 9/28/23 they were playing Big Joe Turner “Honey Hush” It was such a pleasure..of course i was dancing..I think I have it on a 45 or 78
Talk to you soon!
Hey Suma, Yes I listened to Hunter in the afternoons, Art Laboe and also Johnny Otis. I met Wolfman Jack also at a car show I attended also. BUT Dick was the coolest around. I have always felt so bad that he has not received the recognition he really deserved. Went to the R&R hall of fame in Cleveland and he was not even mentioned while Alan Freed was all over the place. I talked with the jocks at the hall of fame and one had even worked with Dick. She promised me she would get some stuff up on him. I have never had the chance to return to see if anything happened. Huggy Boy deserves to be remembered in a MUCH bigger way then he has been. I will e-mail this to you so we can exchange addresses.
Thank you all for your kind words. I couldn’t agree with you all any better. Huggy was the best outlasted all the rest! Othjer’s may imitate but no one can duplicate! We miss him so much. He will always be in our hearts.
The Hugg family Sandy(girlfriend),Richard Hugg Jr.(son) Ariel & Jayden Hugg (Grandchildren)
I have his last show…. I feel very lucky to have worked w him and become close friends. Such a kind soul….. This brings back memories
Hello….Do you have it on DVD?
I would a copy…Thanks
I think I have an aircheck of Huggy Boy from when he was on (then oldies) KRLA back in about ’95 or ’96. Always enjoyed his shows and loved the music he played. Lots of R&B and fairly deep selection – the guy knew his music. Reminded me of Art Laboe.