Jim Lounsbury

Jim Lounsbury (born February 24, 1923 in [Colo, Iowa] , died January 8, 2006 in Tucson, Arizona] ) was an early pioneer in rock and roll music, hosting many of the first rock and roll radio programs (WIND, WJJD, Chicago, WOR, New York) and later many rock and roll television shows, including "Jim Lounsbury's Sock Hop", "Bandstand Matinee"', and "The Record Hop" (WGN and WBKB, Chicago), as well as hosting many local record hops in the Chicago area in the 1950s and '60's, and occasionally guest hosting for Dick Clark on "American Bandstand". He also hosted one of the last shows with Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, in Kenosha, WI on January 24, 1959, on the Winter Dance Party tour. Later in his career, he was well known as a radio news journalist and ended his career as the national news anchor for UPI Radio News. He died on January 8, 2006 in Tucson, Arizona. For more information about the beginning of rock n' roll read his book, "Hey Look! I'm on TV!"