HOWDY, Y’ALL!
IT, AS ALWAYS—is a mighty-fine-sunny-day at my end of the Universe an’ I hope it is at yours too.
“…the passing of Uncle Len Ellis.”
WELL, JUST AWHILE AGO, Old Jack here had learned of the passing of Uncle Len Ellis. Uncle Len—is one of the Pioneering Fathers of Country Music Radio and founder of Radio One Communications.
“ELLIS WAS BORN…”
ELLIS WAS BORN on February 28, 1928, to Nikola and Riketa (Cerenich) Elezovich. Both parents were born and raised on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and emigrated to Chicago before 1920. Ellis was a Lifelong Member of the Croatian Fraternal Union.
“…Radio One Communications…”
UNCLE LEN ELLIS FOUNDED the Company that would be known later as Radio One Communications with his wife, Bee. Going On Air in November 1964 with WAYK AM-1500. Then changed it to WAKE-AM operating from a small concrete-block building on unincorporated farmland a mile south of U.S. 30.
“…one of 15 people in 1957 who co-founded the CMA.”
UNCLE LEN WAS the holder of Card Member No. 1 as a Charter Member of the Country Music Association, on the CMA’s First Board of Directors and one of 15 people in 1957 who co-founded the CMA.
“…one of 10 “Legends of Country Radio…”
ELLIS GOT NAMED as one of 10 “Legends of Country Radio” in 1994 by the National Radio and Recording Industry Trade Journal R&R. In 1983 Uncle Len became a member of the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame. On that same year, he was also elected to the Country Broadcasters Association DJ Hall of Fame. He got CMA’s Small Market Disc Jockey of the Year in 1978. And had been named Mr. Dee Jay USA by the Grand Ole Opry in 1963.
FROM YOUR COUNTRY THANG DAILY FAMILY, we would wish to extend our Sincerest of Condolences to Uncle Len’s Family and Friends. And to you Uncle Len, Go Rest High On That Mountain…
This is Our Kind of Country, and
“MAY THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS US ALL AND SET US FREE!”
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len ellis, one radio communications