Here’s a story I haven’t told before in this blog.
On the 40th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon, it seems like a good time to tell it.
On this date in 1980, I had recently moved to New York City, working for ABC Radio (the Owned FM Group). I had been transferred from WRIF in Detroit that spring. Having never lived in Manhattan, I wanted to be in the city, and found an apartment on W. 73rd Street and Central Park West.
The reason that’s significant is that one block over, the famous Dakota condo building loomed large over Central Park – home to many celebrities from all walks of life, including John and Yoko. Over the years, Boris Karloff, Rosie O’Donnell, Judy Garland, Joe Namath, and scores of other famous names took up residency in the Dakota.
The horror film, Rosemary’s Baby, was set there – the perfect location and look for a building that loomed over the Upper West Side landscape, even as taller structures were built nearby.
I became fascinated by the Dakota, walking past it several times each day on my way to and from work. And always wondering what rock n’ roll’s #1 power couple were up to. I never did spot either John or Yoko on the street, but they both freely moved about the city, along with millions of their neighbors.
Just a couple months into my adventure in NYC, I started reading books about the Dakota. It turned out the building had a rich history. It got its name because when it was built 100 years earlier in 1880, W. 72nd Street was thought to be way out in the middle of nowhere – like the Dakotas. And the name stuck.
One of my favorite books was a great sci-fi novel Time and 
Again, by the great Jack Finney (also author of The Body Snatchers that turned into a couple of hit films adding “Invasion of…” to the title).
It’s a wonderful story about how a modern-day New Yorker goes back in time by sitting in a special apartment in the Dakota and looking down on Central Park. He is swept back to the era when the landmark was first built – an exciting adventure that gave readers a feel for what Manhattan was like a century earlier.
I read another book about the history of the Dakota, as well as TV and news stories about what life was like for John and Yoko as perhaps the most famous citizens of the city in 1980.
John’s “comeback” album, Double Fantasy, had just been released, so he was already in the news and on the radio.
So, fast-forward to the night of December 8, 1980 – and I’m in my apartment watching “Monday Night Football.” And in the middle of the game, ABC sports guru Howard Cosell breaks in to deliver the tragic news Lennon was just shot outside his home.
I opened my window and heard the sirens.
I then turned on the radio, and both WPLJ and WNEW-FM – the two big rockers – were just getting the news, scrambling to get the story on the air. And then I started thinking about ABC’s sister stations around the country. If you weren’t watching TV at that moment, there was no Internet, Twitter, or push notifications to get the word out. It was very fresh news.
I had a special company phone in my apartment (in addition to my landline) that allowed me to direct dial any of ABC’s seven owned FM stations. They installed it so I could monitor the stations on “listen lines” that were provided for company managers and consultants.
My first call was to WRIF where I spoke with Carl Coffey who was on the air at that time. I gave him the details as I had heard them (sketchy, as you might imagine), and called other stations as well.
The next morning, I got the call from Jim Johnson, host of “J.J & The Morning Crew,” the big morning show at WRIF during those days.
I did a call with them, and offered to walk over to the Dakota to see what was going on.
And that’s when I got lucky. On most corners of Manhattan in those days there were pay phones (yellow arrow left) And one of the phones directly across the street from the Dakota – looking right at the entrance (red arrow) of the building where Lennon was shot – was open. And I grabbed it. And held onto it.
I made a number of calls back to Detroit – my deep knowledge of the building and John and Yoko’s life in New York City turning out to be helpful, and probably actually interesting. I may have been on the air at another ABC station or two – it was a blur.
Late morning, I returned home to shower, shave, and don my big boy clothes, and headed into 1345 Avenue of the Americas, across the street from the ABC building where our offices were located.
And most people either just said hi, or commented that I looked like I had been up all night. When I told them what I’d been doing, some were only peripherally aware Lennon had been shot and killed. It was just another day for many people in New York City, but for me, it turned out to be a seminal day in my radio career.
But their reaction (or lack of one) was a bit of a gut punch at the time. The Beatles were my favorite band. Losing Lennon – for many, the Beatle – was beyond tragic. We have sadly become accustomed to tragic rock star deaths. Even back then, rockers like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Moon, and John Bonham had already lost their lives to drugs and overindulgence. Some, like Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, had died in plane crashes.
The pace has accelerated. In recent years, we’ve lost rock icons like Kurt Cobain, Prince, Tom Petty, Freddie Mercury, Scott Weiland, David Bowie, Chris Cornell, and Glenn Frey. And while drugs were the culprit once again in some of these cases, the ravages of old age and not-so-healthy lifestyles have played a contributing role as well.
But an assassination? On the Upper West Side of Manhattan…of a Beatle?!
It was a huge story then. And it would be even bigger in today’s over-caffeinated, breaking news media environment. Up until that time, I had only been involved with local coverage stories in radio – snow storms and the like. The Lennon murder was the first big event that was a powerful shocker to my community of rock n’ roll.
And for me personally, it was a galvanizing moment when I felt the adrenaline rush of being in the middle of a story that profoundly impacted a radio station and its audience. I carried the story around for weeks, especially walking past the Dakota, which rapidly became a tourist curiosity.
Those of you who were on the air during 9/11 or who have been on hand for a disaster like Katrina, a mass shooting, or a terrorism incident are likely nodding your heads. This is what radio does not only well, but in a live, real-time way no other medium can replicate.
Being a part of a story and having the opportunity to tell it to an audience is a special privilege many never experience. And holding up the mirror to grieving listeners and celebrating the life and times of one of their musical heroes is that reminder why many of us got into radio in the first place.
In the ensuing years, I do my best to make a Dakota stop when I’m in Manhattan, as well as the area of Central Park designated as “Strawberry Fields” (pictured at the top of this post). I’ve taken my kids to the see the building, and have shared this story with them.
So for old times sake, I’ll put on some Lennon today (or Alexa will), and hope to hear some of his music on the radio.
FWIW:
“In My Life”
“Strawberry Fields Forever”
“A Day In The Life”
“Imagine”
“(Just Like) Starting Over”
“Instant Karma”
“Give Peace A Chance”
“Happiness Is A Warm Gun”
What did I miss?
I still miss John.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Great one, Mr. Jacobs.
Many thanks, Kurt.
Great story. Today from 6a-Midnight boom 97.3 Toronto and other Classic Hits/Classic Rock Stingray stations are playing nothing but ALL John Lennon/Beatles (John songs). It’s a pretty big day for us.
As it should be, Troy. I saw the Stingray story in the trades this morning. Good for you guys – and your audiences throughout Canada.
Incredible story Fred. So glad you shared it. As luck would have it, I found myself in NYC on the 30th anniversary of that day, and just a couple of blocks from SF. The event in Central Park that day was sad, yet magical. Thanks John!
Appreciate it, Dave. It’s become a special place for New Yorkers and those touring around the city.
Always a treat to begin your day with a well penned story, and your Lennon experience was another example. For those of a certain age, there is no greater tragedy than John’s passing. Here in Detroit, on WCSX and WCSX.com, we will share his legacy today with our listeners. Well done, Fred.
Thanks for the kind words, Scott. And I’ll be waiting to hear “Nobody Told Me!”
I was at work in the Morris County Mall with the Jersey Giant on the radio. WDHA was on it right away that night. I still can’t read a story about that station without thinking of that night.
If you were “there,” it was unforgettable, Tommy. Not surprised DHA has on top of it. Thanks for sharing it.
Great story Fred! Glad you finally told it. WCBS880 interviewed Howard Cosell’s grandson. He said Howard and John were actually close friends! You can’t hear it in Howard’s delivery, but he said that Howard had a tough time with breaking the news on-air, the “unspeakable tragedy”. It’s part of this story:
https://www.radio.com/wcbs880/news/local/the-death-and-impact-of-john-lennon-40-years-later
All this still speaks to the power of his music…
Thanks, Phil, and thanks for sharing the Howard Cosell story. I remember how the “breaking news” alert (they sure didn’t call it THAT) in the middle of MNF with Dandy Don Meredith got me off the couch. Appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing this amazing personal experience, Fred. It felt like I was there. As an 11-year old kid, that was the first time I ever heard radio stations go to “all-in” mode. Throughout my career, those types of totally unplanned (and usually shocking) moments are definitely the most rewarding (and exhausting) experiences in radio. I have walked by the Dakota and Strawberry Fields in NYC and they gave me all the feels. One would wonder what John would think of our crazy world today. My guess is it would still be hopeful, but with some edge.
I think about John’s “take” on today’s insanity. I still think his would be still be an important voice. Thanks for the thoughts, Ken.
Very well told. I’ve walked past the Dakota myself, looked up and wondered. By the way I was on the air the night December 8 1980, in Victoria BC at CKDA. Back then we had carts and colour coded categories. You knew which one to play next because it was the one sticking out. The next to play after the breaking news from Howard C was George Harrison’s “blow away”, needless to say I never played it
Well done, sir!
Goosebumps, Fred. Thank you for sharing.
One of those “Where were you when?” moments. Thanks for sharing. Didn’t know you were worked in The Burlington Building too. Missed you by 4 years. It’s now the Alliance Bernstein Building. My son now works for AB and did his training in that building. So we both started our careers at 1345.
I posted my own memory of being woken up extra early by our news director before my already early shift as sports director at WBT Charlotte. He knew I had Beatles bootlegs and books I could bring in to help with tributes. But your memory of “who cares” reactions from some you encountered reminded me of getting absolutely livid with one WBT news anchor who grumbled about all the fuss the station was making. “It’s just another dead rock star. Big deal…” I shouted something at him and left the newsroom shaking and in tears. Still shakes me up. Hope you and friends get a chance to hear the special I did, first 20 years ago and updated for each of the 10 year anniversary marks. It’s a community builder to hear the stories of how people learned of it strung together. Maybe 20 pub radio stations are airing it today but most are passing it by. Too much sadness already in today’s news perhaps. Thanks for your always artful, thoughtful prose. https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/54843-the-day-john-lennon-died-59-00-54-00
Thank you for sharing these experiences, Fred. They brought back the feelings of that night. At that time I was managing X93, an AOR station in Sioux Falls. After hearing the announcement on MNF, I called Ginger Havlat (now at KBCO_ who was doing the morning shift at the station. I knew she tended to go to bed early, but I wanted to make certain she new the sad news. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Beautiful story, Fred. (Thanks for finally sharing!)
Like you, I’m a huge Beatles fan…and John’s death hit me the same way-shocked & stunned. I featured John this past weekend on my “Beatles Weekly” show this past weekend. The hard part?how do you do a remembrance of such an icon in 60 minutes?
RIP John Lennon. In our hearts always.
PS. If this happened today, where would listeners turn? Certainly NOT their all-automated radio stations. #sad on too many levels
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Fred.
I wasn’t sure I ever shared it with you, Andre. I have tended not to discuss it as it was an electrifying radio moment (for me), but a very sad one personally.
Thanks for sharing. What an experience. I have made the same trip to the Dakota and Strawberry Fields, many times. I was watching the football game when it happened…it is still the biggest culture shock of my lifetime. As with Elvis’ death, I will always remember exactly where I was when I heard the news of John’s assassination.
PS – You missed ‘I’m Losing You.’
Good addition to my playlist, Chuck. Thanks for chiming in.
Wow. Just wow Fred. I was programming a Country station in Pittsburgh at the time, and debated whether or not to play any John Lennon or Beatles songs following the next morning … and we didn’t. But in hindsight, I regret that decision.
Tough call, Joel. The consultant in me (ha ha) says “Stay in your lane.” But the story was SO big and shocking. Thanks for the note.
Thanks for sharing – what an exciting pre-Internet story to be a part of.
That same week I broke my arm by stupidly sledding down a hill on a cafeteria tray at college. Walking around with a cast and a sling for the next few weeks, I grew tired of everybody asking me what happened to my arm. I made up all kinds of stories to entertain the inquiring minds, but the one that got the best reaction, was my (in hindsight, rather tasteless) tale of bravely taking a bullet for John at the scene. Though I guess my imagination served me well as I went on to a career as an on air talent.
Great story, Marylee. Back in the day, as they say, a reliable payphone and a beeper were all you needed. And a great imagination!
Fred,
I was thinking of you and this story today, recalling the broad contours of it. I remembered the incredible part about you finding the open phone booth across the street. I visited your site in advance of contacting you directly for the detailed retelling I found here.
Thanks for sharing and sparking a moment of reflection on this extraordinary event.
Be well.
Fred, thanks for checking in. There was audio of some of it that WRIF had archived, but that may have been lost in the shuffle. Thanks for remembering.
Great story Fred capturing a moment in time we’ll never forget EVER!
Thanks you, David. One of those days, right?
Thanks for sharing Fred. You put me in the moment with your story. BTW, the ABC “listen lines” were still operational in the Fisher Building when I got there in 2005. 🙂
Crazy, right? I burned up a LOT of minutes on those things, but for a long time, it was the only way to hear radio in other cities in “real time.”
Thanks Fred. Incredible story. These days I work with Jimmy Fink of ‘PLJ fame who was also right in the middle of it filing stories and doing interviews all over the world on behalf of ABC Radio Networks. A few years back, a listener sent Jimmy the cassette tape of his interview on Australian radio. I’m sure there are cassettes of you with Carl and JJ. Radio at its finest and most immediate – but sadly stitched into one of our collective worst days.
I saw a post from Jimmy last night on FB. I hope you’re right, Chris. I’d love to hear it (I think).
Just…”thanks”
🙂
Two tales from me:
First, I was living in Oswego NY and working my first pro gig at WSGO AM/FM. I watched some juggler on nighttime TV when the TV station cut in with the John Lennon bulletin, then cut back to the same pre-recorded juggler, as if nothing had happened. As I tried to sort out the flood of emotions and horror I was feeling, one random thought emerged as I watched the guy on TV: “How hard can that be?” So I rolled up some socks into balls and tried to juggle. By about 3 in the morning I had it down. And I had to do a show the next day…ugh. I’ve been a “jugglin’ jock” for 40 years today, all because of John Lennon.
The second: a couple of years ago I visited the Lennon “Imagine” memorial in Central Park on an unusually sunny April day. In spite of the posted notices asking visitors NOT to do so, one guy with a guitar sat on a bench belting out songs in tribute to Lennon. As he poured his heart into one effort, a guy cranked by on a bicycle, turned his head around and barked back, “That’s a McCartney tune, you jackass!” Moment gone.
Miss you John. Thanks for the soundtrack of my younger years.
Great stories, both. Butt the question remains – can you still juggle?
Hahaha with the McCartney song!
Wow Fred! Thank you for sharing! It is a sad day! I had no idea that you were there at the time. I heard the news the following morning on WHYT. Thank you sir for all you do to keep the radio world connected.
Appreciate that, Chris! Thanks for reading the blog and chiming in.
Thanks for sharing, Fred. I think a lot of us were watching that same Monday Night Football game. I happened to have a verified Beatles’ freak as a production director at our CHR in Portland(KMJK at the time) and he went right in and we put right on the air that night and the next morning.
Have gotten to know Dave Sholin over the years who happened to do the last interview earlier that day with John and Yoko. I’m sure you’ve heard that interview. He told me that John was in such a good place at that time. Really happy and settled. A sad day for music for sure. Fascinating how close you were to all of this!!!! Thanks again!!!!
John Shomby
I remember the Sholin interview. “Double Fantasy” was doing well – fascinating that Lennon was getting lots of airplay when all this happened. It’s amazing how this story has struck a chord with radio people who were working for a station or listening to one. Thanks, John.
No doubt impossible for anyone reading this blog–and probably most anyone else old to remember that day, fan or otherwise–to not be taken back instantly to that moment. One of the things I remember most is how through radio, you know “something big” is happening before you know what it is. And for me, that happened while listening to 13K–one of the last AM pop music stations here in San Diego–when the news broke. But it wasn’t even hearing the news that sticks out. It was before that. It was the fact that the main news person–otherwise only heard during the mornings, and then only briefly–was on the air. It’s hard to put into words but as soon as I heard Jeff Prescott’s voice, I knew instantly something huge was happening. Your heart was almost in your throat, though you couldn’t even fathom just how big the news would be. As the news did come in–at first only that Lennon had been shot–you kept hoping he survived. And then when the news finally came that he had died, it was more than I could even process. I’m not sure I ever fully have. He was such a major part of my life–more so than I may have realized. It was literally weeks of “Did this really happen?” for me. It may have been 40 years ago today, but in my mind, it could have been 40 seconds ago. I wouldn’t say you “missed” anything, Fred, in your song list, but you may want to include “Across the Universe,” even if John got the message, “Nothing’s gonna change my world,” wrong. John Lennon changed our world.
That’s a great addition to my list, Dave. And I really enjoyed the gravity of your words. For those of us who grew up with the Beatles (what a gift to be a teenager in 1964 in America!), John, Paul, George, and Ringo were gods, sherpas, cultural leaders unlike anyone who’s come along since. I remember in the 70’s and even the ’80s, you’d hear someone in radio ask whether there would ever be “another Beatles.”
Eventually, that question burned out and faded away. Because there hasn’t been and never will be.
I remember this all too well. The station I was PD at was automated with local voicetracking and I was out to dinner … minus my pager (yeah, I know … whatta bonehead). As a result, since the night babysitter didn’t have the keys to the music library, it took over an hour to locate me and for us to drop regular programming.
As David says right before me, I suspect our listeners knew something was up when the morning guy (me) suddenly turned up in mid-evening and playing non-stop Beatles and John Lennon music.
Looking back, I don’t remember how I managed to get through it without breaking down at the thought of one of rock’s most talented artists being taken away from all of us so callously. reading your account, Fred, I wonder how you managed at the time, doing all those live reports.
And why does 40 years seem to have passed so quickly?
I can’t answer that last question, KM 🙂 – seems like a dream.
But I do know that when you’re in the middle of something like this, the adrenaline takes over. And I think you realize you’re truly providing a service. If you’re good at it, people will remember it forever. Thanks for chiming in.
Fred, It cannot be told better, from our radio standpoint, than what you’ve written. Thank you.
I did not know that about The Dakota getting it’s name from the 1880 remoteness of the building. But, as a kid who grew up in the former “Wilds of The Bronx,” every inch of NYC was home to me. A little New Yawker insight… Before moving there, John and Yoko found that non-challant Manhattanites, used to the Rich & Famous, would basically leave them alone.
It should be noted that the Assassin, Mark David Chapman, flew in to stalk and murder him after leaving his security guard job in Hawaii.
The where I was the night of the 8th is a blur. The next day, as Associate Program Director and Afternoon Drive DJ at KLIV, San Jose, what I recall was doing the 2nd incident of many hand-holding programs (where the music needed to be soothing) that I’ve had to perform. People who didn’t hear about it the night before were commuting home from their jobs. The shock and grief was shared, as I answered the studio line, put some of the callers on the air and played songs they needed to hear. 3-7pm on the former Top 40, doing A.O.R. on AM gave me a large pallet of music to work with. My memory doesn’t include any other detail besides that I fasted for a week after in mourning. I am one of those for whom John Lennon was THE Beatle. These on-air experiences include the night Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane crash on KSJO, the morning after the ‘89 Loma Prieta Earthquake on CBS’s O&O in San Francisco, KRQR (The Rocker) and weekly Classic Rock meant to be syndicated program on KVRV (The River) in Santa Rosa. The content I’ve produce is always reflective. In The North Bay, it has literally been through the fire since 2017 and since March, COVID-19. The former were all prep for the latter incident, a continuing pandemic. Sometimes one is grateful for being in the right place at the right time. My gratitude now is being in the right place at the wrong time. Helping through life’s challenges to make it better for the listeners.
I love this story, Paul. It truly summarizes the traumas – and exhilarations – of working in radio during cataclysmic events. Like you, I have lived through many days when the calm was shattered by the death of a beloved rock star. But none has shaken me since more than December 8, 1980 did.
It is also hard for people who have only lived in an Internet world the role a radio station could play in alerting people about a major news story. These days, we respond with “Yeah, I saw that already.” But back then, you were informing thousands of people for the first time. That was especially true for a story like this one that broke after dark. That morning commute had to be a tough one for many people who learned about John’s death on morning radio.
Just in case, here’s how the following morning’s edition of the Today show handled the news…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zrcbfSUOZI
Also, I don’t think I realized until I just viewed it again that the music video for “Jamestown” by the melodic-hardcore group The Movielife specifically references December 8th, 1980, at the end–and might also specifically reference “Imagine” near the beginning. (I knew, though, that the video largely takes place within the Dakota–or even was filmed there.)
Thanks for this, Eric. An amazing story that still resonates.
Thank you for posting the link to the next morning’s Today Show, Eric. I remember watching in just stunned silence–still reeling, still trying to understand what happened. 40 years later, I still don’t understand.
That would be #9, would it not? Thanks for the smart addition, Dave.
Amazing. The power of radio. Thanks for sharing, Fred.
Thank you, my friend.
And still one more song for your list, Fred, that begins with a question I still don’t know the answer to…
So long ago
Was it in a dream, was it just a dream?
I know, yes I know
Seemed so very real, it seemed so real to me
Great story! I too was on the air that night, not in New York City but in Ada Oklahoma on a 250 watt AM station.. It was just past 11pm when another jock called me on the “hotline”.. Usually that was to be only used by the GM to call and complain about something. When he told me the story I immediately broke in and gave the listener or listeners the horrible news. Amazingly the phones began to ring and I dropped the format and went all Beatles/Lennon music. Our normal sign off was at midnight but I stayed on I think until 1am.. Will never forget it..
The truly special, memorable days (and nights) in radio, Rick. Thanks for sharing your story.